8 out of 10 Spaniards consider emotional well-being at work very important. However, stress is the second most frequent health problem in this environment. To lower the stress levels of workers, Cigna proposes promoting humor taking advantage of the fact that tomorrow is the International Day of Fun at Work.
The welfare of workers is a central issue today. More and more organizations are betting on a policy for the emotional and physical health of their staff, aware of the improvement in performance that this entails.
Creating a positive, cooperative, developmental and stress-free environment is essential. Not only for the companies themselves, but also for the workers. So much so that 80% of respondents by Cigna in its study “360 Well-being Survey” rates their emotional well-being and their ability to manage stress as very important.
However, it seems to remain a wish rather than a reality, because according to the INSST, stress is the second cause of illness in the workplace. And this same study points out that Spain is the fifth country in the European Union with the highest levels of stress.
This factor directly influences the employee’s performance, his productivity and his emotional bond with the company. And, ultimately, on absenteeism rates. According to the INSST, 15% of national sick leave is due to this condition.
On a personal level, the effects that stress can cause are well known. From physical symptoms, such as headache, muscle overload, heart problems, tirednesseven psychological or emotional symptoms such as lack of attention and concentration, demotivation, low self-esteem, irritability, burnout and, in more serious cases, chronic anxiety and depression.
a little humor please
From a scientific point of view, laughter and a sense of humor favor the release of tension (also at work. This helps relativize the problems. It also promotes a better communication, encourages creativity, reduces casualties and absenteeism and facilitates conflict management.
A sense of humor can be one of the most useful tools in terms of job performance. In addition to strengthening relationships between teams, it helps create a good working environment and release accumulated stress, fostering good performance, trust and loyalty towards the company.
Ana Sánchez de Miguel, Director of Human Resources at Cigna Spain explain what “good humor in the work environment favors productivity, creativity and decision-making.”
“Laughter has a positive effect on health. When laughing, the body reacts by releasing endorphins, which in the short term alleviates the symptoms of stress and accumulated tension. Over time, it has a positive effect, increasing motivation, personal satisfaction and generally improving moods.”
Cigna’s management is in favor of promoting fun at work because, according to her, these initiatives “They are totally compatible with professionalism and, what is more important, they contribute to the creation of closer and healthier companies, so we must strive to take care of the details that make our employees smile”.
What can companies do to encourage humor?
Cigna has prepared a list of 6 initiatives that companies can carry out to promote humor and thus reduce employee stress:
- A different day: creating relaxed work environments helps reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, better cope with pressure situations and avoid burnout and work absenteeism. Companies can carry out activities team building outdoors, which include fun team tests, bringing breakfast to the office on special occasions (travels or birthdays) or bringing the pet to the office.
- Laugh: A positive and pleasant work environment increases the personal satisfaction of employees, helps to recover motivation and improves their performance and performance. In addition, it favors the feeling of belonging, which promotes the attraction and retention of talent. Through humor, companies can naturally motivate their employees. To do this, they can redecorate the office on special occasions, for each worker to decorate their workspace as they find most inspiring, or a tacky tie contest to give a touch of humor to more serious environments.
- The best version for coworkers: Humor helps optimize communication by creating more memorable messages and a better flow of information. In addition, favoring collaborative activities in which all employees participate helps to empathize and get to know colleagues better and, consequently, improves communication and team cohesion. In addition, thanks to mutual understanding, a better resolution of conflicts is achieved. To do this, companies can make games that involve the collaboration of all employees as gymkanasphoto contests or an invisible friend with crazy gifts.
- laugh more to live better: Laughter has a positive effect on health, as it prevents the development of cardiovascular and immune system diseases, as well as sleep disorders, such as insomnia. In addition, positive moods encourage creativity, innovation, and exploring new ways to solve problems and make better decisions. The release of stress, teamwork and a good mood stimulate mental activation and flexibility. In the same way, humor helps to retain data and memorize key information. The brainstorming or sharing ideas in an informal way are good options to put this point into practice.
- Recognize mistakes in the team: a culture where mistakes are not punished, but where the teaching that failure brings with it is valued, works more effectively, where there is no fear of contributing new ideas or expressing ourselves freely.
- positive therapy: Humor is a very useful tool when it comes to managing distorted thoughts, worries and fears. By taking distance from problems, it is easier to establish new connections and solutions from other, more creative and resourceful perspectives. Likewise, humor increases self-esteem, improves self-confidence and helps combat fears and insecurities by promoting empathy and communication. Laughter therapy is one of the alternative therapies that is showing the most benefits both psychologically and socially.