Humor in the Workplace
Laughter can create a productive and healthy work environment, but be careful that it's not masking inappropriate comments
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Some bosses act as though they're allergic to humor, bristling when employees joke around in the office and fretting over the line between humor and harassment. But Chris Robert, assistant professor of management at the University of Missouri-Columbia's Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business, says joking around on the job can actually have a positive effect on productivity and employee retention. Robert, whose findings have been published as a chapter in a recent edition of the journal , spoke about his findings to Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow.
Why did you decide to do an academic study on workplace humor?