Organisational Health and Laughter Workshop
Posted by webmaster 21 August 2006
Today 75 CIN members representing each of the major departments participated in a workshop designed to assist in improving workplace productivity through laughter. The workshop was designed to enhance corporate well-being using laughter-yoga and covered a range of topics including:
- Stress and its cost in the workplace,
- How and why workplaces becomes so stressful,
- Boosting engagement, and
- The role of humour, fun and laughter especially in terms of reducing workplace stress.
The cost of workplace stress is phenomenal. Up to 75% of all time lost in the workplace is stress related, 1 in 10 workers are affected by anxiety, depression and stress, 40% of job turnover can be due to stress and it can cost up to 50% of an employees salary just to replace them. We all intuitively know however, that laughter is a great way of relieving stress - We know it relieves anxiety, fear and anger. It boosts the immune system and reduces blood pressure and that it lifts your mood and energises you, but what do we do about it ?
We also know that our mental state has a powerful effect on our physical state. It is also true that our physical state has a powerful effect on our mental state. Therefore highly physical activity like laughing can generate more positive mental outcomes. There is also a growing body of evidence that indicates that people who laugh regularly and engage positively with those around them are more mentally agile than those who do not. Studies have also indicated that employees who regularly laugh are regarded a more productive and more likely to be promoted over those who do not.
One of the most successful airlines in the world, SouthWest Airlines has a mission statement that says “People rarely succeed at anything unless they are having fun doing it.” Using this philosophy, session facilitator, Cris Popp took the group through a number of exercises to aid in reducing workplace stress and to have a bit of fun in doing so. These included a range of laughter and breathing exercises that had the assembled crowd engaged from start to finish. Comments from workshops attendees are invited below. The first four coments posted will receive a copy of Cris’s “Building Personal and Professional Resilience” workbook.
For more information on this session contact Frank at frank.connolly@police.vic.gov.au
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August 21st, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Had a barrel of laughs and exercised my stomach muscles – should be more of it!
August 21st, 2006 at 6:22 pm
Great workshop. We saw lots of opportunity for using this at a number of levels in our service both with staff and with people who we support who have disabilites.
August 22nd, 2006 at 7:24 am
A brilliant workshop! Let\’s bring on the laughter movement across the public sector! 16 minutes of laughing a day should be mandatory! I\’ll be doing my utmost to honour this as an investment in my wellbeing, physical health and source of creative inspiration! Thank you Cris for sharing your \”laughter tools\” with us and thanks also to the CIN for yet again demonstrating positive leadership!
August 22nd, 2006 at 8:03 am
It was great ‘having a laugh’ with so many others. A lot of the information about the importance of laughter is known but not ‘used’. The workshop affirmed how important it is to enjoy being ‘who you are’ and not to hestitate in sharing fun and laughter at work.
August 22nd, 2006 at 8:30 am
I know that personally, I look forward to arriving at work when I am part of a team that has fun and are able to laugh together. From my own experience, teams like this are more able to use peer review in an effective and nonconfrontational manner.
August 22nd, 2006 at 8:58 am
Workshop was great. It gave us an insight into the benefits of laughter in the workplace. Teams function much more effectively, conflict is reduced and the environment is more supportive to innovative thinking. A great opportunity – I hope everyone who attended can use at least one aspect within their own office.
August 22nd, 2006 at 9:00 am
I felt so much more relaxed after the session and realise how therapeutic laughter can be. It was refreshing to concentrate on having fun! We’ll try out some exercises at work.
August 22nd, 2006 at 9:35 am
Participation, exercise, activity and discussion were plentiful. There were opportunities to meet people from other Departments. The laughter yoga exercises were easy to remember and created a relaxed and positive atmosphere. The workshop encouraged personal growth and reinforced what we intuitively know about the benefits of laughing. Helpful strategies to relieve stress were presented and the lunch was tasty!
August 22nd, 2006 at 9:44 am
I thought the session was fun but serious in its intent. I didn’t feel 100% engaged for some of the practical parts of the session, but I thought that the messages were relevent for us all. The gratitude bit really struck a chord with me. Although I already knew how important it is to be thankful for the good things in life, it was great to be reminded. Some of my colleauges that also went along felt sick from laughing so hard! Obviously a success! Thanks for organising the session.
August 22nd, 2006 at 10:01 am
The workshop was certainly good fun and convinced me that a serious approach to work is not always the best. I felt this workshop built on other ideas that I have been trying out in my work and home life such as meditation, connection with people and a positive attitude. I will be more confident in promoting fun in combination with good work in future.
August 22nd, 2006 at 11:05 am
The Organisational Health and Laughter Workshop was a great way to spend a Monday afternoon! By the end of the session I my mind was clear and when I got back to the office I felt productive and energised – Even after a full day I still had the energy to go for a run… and then a swim! There were some great principles that I can share with my team.
August 22nd, 2006 at 2:31 pm
We are fortunate that (without the benefit of any formal arrangements)our work group already has a lot of laughs. The workshop gave me plenty to think about and pass on to my colleagues. Thank you to the CIN for continuing to arrange such useful sessions.
August 22nd, 2006 at 3:31 pm
The laughter workshop was very rejuvenating and stress relieving for me. I have been fortunate to attend a laughter session with Dr. Madan Kataria (guru of laughter)last year and felt better and better everytime I participated in a laughter session. I think the key is have a belly laugh whenever we can to break the ice, release tension and build creativity. I would love to join a laughter club if it was set up in any of the government departments.
Michael De Sousa
Quality Coordinator
Metropolitan Fire Brigade
August 23rd, 2006 at 8:45 am
Chris Popp certainly knows how to create an environment for participation; it was amazing to see people so trusting and willing to participate.
Personally, I definately felt more relaxed at the completion of the session – all that laughing had done wonders for my muscles, and was much more fun than a rowing machine … well done, CIN.
August 23rd, 2006 at 10:48 am
To observe the transformation of disparate and slightly uncertain public servants into a group of light hearted, connected and energised people was a rewarding experience of the Laughter Workshop! I particularly liked Chris Popp’s humorous explanation of the “hedonic treadmill” and the idea of keeping a ‘gratitude diary’!
I’m certainly very grateful that the CIN provides valuable opportunities to learn and experience new ways to make our lives and workplaces rewarding and fulfilling.
Thank you.
August 23rd, 2006 at 1:53 pm
I was very interested in the concept of laughter in the workplace and I am a firm believer that laughter is important for our health and well being. However the practical part of the workshop was not for me. I find it difficult to force laughter and while I\’m sure it was great for some its not something that I think everyone feels comfortable with (especially me). I did get some useful information from the workshop and I am looking forward to attending more CIN sessions.