Abstract
This article reflects upon the potential role of humour during an organisational change process. We focus on three facets that are of special importance during change: coping with the change, resisting the change, and leading the change. For each facet, we present relevant quantitative and qualitative studies; and in a final section, we derive implications for employees, leaders, and organisations.
In regards to coping with change, we focus on the stress-buffering effects of humour. High-humour individuals maintain higher levels of positive affect in stressful situations and appraise a potentially stressful event as a positive challenge rather than a threat. In regards to resisting change, we show that aggressive humour can be an indicator of serious distress and a means to express resistance towards authority or aspects of the change process. In regards to leading change, we point out how effective leaders may utilise humour to manage followers’ emotions in order to increase positive affect and to reduce perceived threat associated with change.
We conclude by suggesting how humour can be used as a diagnostic tool, to foster a humour-supportive climate, to improve communication strategies, and to support an error management culture.
Zusammenfassung
Dieser Artikel beleuchtet die Rolle von Humor in organisationalen Change Prozessen. Wir konzentrieren uns auf drei Aspekte, die während eines Change Prozesses von besonderer Bedeutung sind: Coping mit Change, Widerstand gegen Change und Führung im Change Prozess. In diesem Zusammenhang präsentieren wir jeweils relevante qualitative und quantitative Studien und erörtern abschließend praktische Implikationen für Mitarbeiter, Führungskräfte und Organisationen.
Beim Aspekt Coping betrachten wir die stresspuffernden Effekte von Humor. Individuen mit einer starken Ausprägung von Humor empfinden auch in stressigen Situationen mehr positiven Affekt und bewerten ein potenziell stressendes Ereignis eher als positive Herausforderung statt als Bedrohung. Bezogen auf Widerstand gegen Change kann aggressiver Humor auf schwerwiegenden Stress hinweisen und dazu dienen, Widerstand gegen Autoritäten und Bestandteile des Change Prozesses auszudrücken. Beim Aspekt Führung im Change Prozess zeigen wir auf, wie effektive Führungskräfte Humor nutzen können, um die Emotionen ihrer Mitarbeiter zu beeinflussen. Der Einsatz von Humor kann hierbei zu einer Steigerung des positiven Affekts und zu einer Verringerung der wahrgenommenen Bedrohung führen. Abschließend erläutern wir die Bedeutung von Humor in der Organisationsdiagnose sowie bei der Förderung eines humorvollen Klimas und wie Humor die Kommunikation verbessern und eine Fehlerkultur fördern kann.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
We are very well aware of the fact that not many comments remain funny once their funniness is explained in detail.
References
Abel, M. H. (2002). Humor, stress, and coping strategies. Humor – International Journal of Humor Research, 15(4), 365–381. doi:10.1515/humr.15.4.365.
Ashford, S. J. (1988). Individual strategies for coping with stress during organizational transitions. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 24(1), 19–36. doi:10.1177/0021886388241005.
Avolio, B. J., Howell, J. M., & Sosik, J. J. (1999). A funny thing happened on the way to the bottom line: Humor as a moderator of leadership style effects. Academy of Management Journal, 42(2), 219–227. doi:10.2307/257094.
Barsade, S. G. (2002). The ripple effect: Emotional contagion and its influence on group behavior. Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(4), 644–675. doi:10.2307/3094912.
Barsoux, J.-L. (1996). Why organisations need humour. European Management Journal, 14(5), 500–508. doi:10.1016/0263-2373(96)00044-8.
Bartunek, J. M. (1984). Changing interpretive schemes and organizational restructuring: The example of a religious order. Administrative Science Quarterly, 29(3), 355–372. doi:10.2307/2393029.
Bass, B. M. (1999). Two decades of research and development in transformational leadership. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8(1), 9–32. doi:10.1080/135943299398410.
Bommer, W. H., Rich, G. A., & Rubin, R. S. (2005). Changing attitudes about change: Longitudinal effects of transformational leader behavior on employee cynicism about organizational change. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(7), 733–753. doi:10.1002/job.342.
Boxer, D., & Cortés-Conde (1997). From bonding to biting: Conversational joking and identity display. Journal of Pragmatics, 27, 275–294. doi:10.1016/s0378-2166(96)00031-8.
Collinson, D. L. (1992). Managing the Shopfloor: Subjectivity, Masculinity and Workplace Culture. Bd. 36. New York, Berlin: de Gruyter.
Collinson, D. L. (2002). Managing humor. Journal of Management Studies, 39, 269–288. doi:10.1111/1467-6486.00292.
Cooper, C. (2008). Elucidating the bonds of workplace humor: A relational process model. Human Relations, 61, 1087–1115. doi:10.1177/0018726708094861.
Crouch, A., & Yetton, P. (1988). Manager-subordinate dyads: Relationships among task and social contact, manager friendliness and subordinate performance in management groups. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 41(1), 65–82. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(88)90047-7.
Duchon, D., Green, S. G., & Taber, T. D. (1986). Vertical dyad linkage: A longitudinal assessment of antecedents, measures, and consequences. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(1), 56–60. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.71.1.56.
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44, 350–383. doi:10.2307/2666999.
Ford, J. D., & Ford, L. W. (1995). The role of conversations in producing intentional change in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 541–570. doi:10.5465/AMR.1995.9508080330.
Francis, L., Monahan, K., & Berger, C. (1999). A laughing matter? The uses of humor in medical interactions. Motivation and Emotion, 23(2), 155–174. doi:10.1023/A:1021381129517.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218.
Gockel, C., & Kerr, N. L. (2015). Put-down humor directed at outgroup members increases perceived – but not experienced – cohesion in groups. HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research, 28, 205–228. doi:10.1515/humor-2015-0020.
Hatch, M. J., & Erhlich, S. B. (1993). Spontaneous humour as an indicator of paradox and ambiguity in organizations. Organization Studies, 14(4), 505–526. doi:10.1177/017084069301400403.
Holmes, J., & Marra, M. (2002). Over the edge? Subversive humor between colleagues and friends. Humor – International Journal of Humor Research, 15(1), 65–87.
Holmes, J., & Marra, M. (2006). Humor and leadership style. Humor - International Journal of Humor Research, 19(2), 119–138. doi:10.1515/HUMOR.2006.006.
Hoption, C., Barling, J., & Turner, N. (2013). ‘It’s not you, it’s me’: Transformational leadership and self‐deprecating humor. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 34(1), 4–19. doi:10.1108/01437731311289947.
Huy, Q. N. (2002). Emotional balancing of organizational continuity and radical change: The contribution of middle managers. Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(1), 31–69. doi:10.2307/3094890.
Isabella, L. A. (1990). Evolving interpretations as a change unfolds: How managers construe key organizational events. Academy of Management Journal, 33(1), 7–41. doi:10.2307/256350.
Kim, T.-Y., Lee, D.-R., & Wong, N. Y. S. (2016). Supervisor humor and employee outcomes: The role of social distance and affective trust in supervisor. Journal of Business and Psychology, 31(1), 125–139. doi:10.1007/s10869-015-9406-9.
Klarner, P., By, R. T., & Diefenbach, T. (2011). Employee emotions during organizational change—towards a new research agenda. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 27(3), 332–340. doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2011.06.002.
Kuiper, N. A., Martin, R. A., & Dance, K. A. (1992). Sense of humour and enhanced quality of life. Personality and Individual Differences, 13(12), 1273–1283. doi:10.1016/0191-8869(92)90169-P.
Kuiper, N. A., McKenzie, S. D., & Belanger, K. A. (1995). Cognitive appraisals and individual differences in sense of humor: Motivational and affective implications. Personality and Individual Differences, 19(3), 359–372. doi:10.1016/0191-8869(95)00072-E.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. New York: Springer.
Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics: Concept, method and reality in social science; social equilibria and social change. Human Relations, 1(1), 5–41. doi:10.1177/001872674700100103.
Long, D. L., & Graesser, A. C. (1988). Wit and humor in discourse processing. Discourse Processes, 11(1), 35–60. doi:10.1080/01638538809544690.
Martin, R. A. (2007). The Psychology of Humor: An Integrative Approach. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Academic Press.
Martin, R. A., & Lefcourt, H. M. (1983). Sense of humor as a moderator of the relation between stressors and moods. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45(6), 1313–1324. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.45.6.1313.
Martin, R. A., & Lefcourt, H. M. (1984). Situational humor response questionnaire: Quantitative measure of sense of humor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 47(1), 145–155. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.47.1.145.
Martin, R. A., Kuiper, N. A., Olinger, L. J., & Dance, K. A. (1993). Humor, coping with stress, self-concept, and psychological well-being. Humor - International Journal of Humor Research, 6(1), 89–104. doi:10.1515/humr.1993.6.1.89.
Martin, R. A., Puhlik-Doris, P., Larsen, G., Gray, J., & Weir, K. (2003). Individual differences in uses of humor and their relation to psychological well-being: Development of the Humor Styles Questionnaire. Journal of Research in Personality, 37(1), 48–75. doi:10.1016/S0092-6566(02)00534-2.
Massam, M., & Moran, C. (1997). An evaluation of humour in emergency work. The Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, 3(1), 11.
Mesmer‐Magnus, J., Glew, D. J., & Viswesvaran, C. (2012). A meta‐analysis of positive humor in the workplace. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 27(2), 155–190. doi:10.1108/02683941211199554.
Michel, A., & González-Morales, M. G. (2013). Reactions to organizational change: an integrated model of health predictors, intervening variables, and outcomes. In S. Oreg, A. Michel, & R. T. By (Eds.), The Psychology of Organizational Change: Viewing Change from the Employee’s Perspective (pp. 65–91). Cambridge University Press.
Mitchell, J. T. (1988). Stress. Development and functions of a critical incident stress debriefing team. JEMS: A Journal of Emergency Medical Services, 13(12), 42–46.
Moran, C. C., & Hughes, L. P. (2006). Coping with stress: Social work students and humour. Social Work Education, 25(5), 501–517. doi:10.1080/02615470600738890.
Oreg, S. (2006). Personality, context, and resistance to organizational change. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 15(1), 73–101. doi:10.1080/13594320500451247.
Rafferty, A. E., Jimmieson, N. L., & Restubog, L. D. (2013). When leadership meets organizational change: The influence of the top management team and supervisory leaders on change appraisals, change attitudes, and adjustment to change. In S. Oreg, A. Michel & R. T. By (Eds.), The Psychology of Organizational Change: Viewing Change from the Employee’s Perspective (S. 145–172). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Reichers, A. E., Wanous, J. P., & Austin, J. T. (1997). Understanding and managing cynicism about organizational change. The Academy of Management Executive, 11(1), 48–59. doi:10.5465/AME.1997.9707100659.
Rizzo, B. J., Wanzer, M. B., & Booth‐Butterfield, M. (1999). Individual differences in managers’ use of humor. Subordinate perceptions of managers’ humor. Communication Research Reports, 16(4), 360–369. doi:10.1080/08824099909388737.
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2012). Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Robert, C., & Wilbanks, J. E. (2012). The wheel model of humor: Humor events and affect in organizations. Human Relations, 65(9), 1071–1099. doi:10.1177/0018726711433133.
Robert, C., Dunne, T. C., & Iun, J. (2015). The impact of leader humor on subordinate job satisfaction: The crucial role of leader-subordinate relationship quality. Group & Organization Management. doi:10.1177/1059601115598719.
Robinson, O., & Griffiths, A. (2005). Coping with the stress of transformational change in a government department. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 41(2), 204–221. doi:10.1177/0021886304270336.
Rodrigues, S. B., & Collinson, D. L. (1995). ‘Having fun’?: Humour as resistance in Brazil. Organization Studies, 16(5), 739–768.
Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185–211. doi:10.2190/DUGG-P24E-52WK-6CDG.
Schaefer, Z. (2014). Workplace Resistance. In S. Attardo (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Humor Studies (S. 803–805). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Suls, J. M. (1983). Cognitive processes in humor appreciation. In P. E. McGhee, & J. H. Goldstein (Eds.), Handbook of Humor Research: Basic Issues (Vol. 1, pp. 39–57). New York: Springer.
Taylor, P., & Bain, P. (2003). ‘Subterranean Worksick Blues’: Humour as subversion in two call centres. Organization Studies, 24(9), 1487–1509. doi:10.1177/0170840603249008.
Vinton, K. L. (1989). Humor in the workplace. It is more than telling jokes. Small Group Research, 20(2), 151–166. doi:10.1177/104649648902000202.
Wanous, J. P., Reichers, A. E., & Austin, J. T. (2000). Cynicism about organizational change: Measurement, antecedents, and correlates. Group & Organization Management, 25(2), 132–153. doi:10.1177/1059601100252003.
Wisse, B., & Rietzschel, E. (2014). Humor in leader-follower relationships: Humor styles, similarity and relationship quality. Humor – International Journal of Humor Research, 27(2), 249–269. doi:10.1515/humor-2014-0017.
Zalesny, M. D., & Graen, G. (1986). Exchange theory in leadership research. In G. Reber (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Leadership. Linz: Linz University Press.
Zander, A. (1950). Resistance to change—its analysis and prevention. Advanced Management Journal, 15(1), 9–11.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vetter, L., Gockel, C. Can’t buy me laughter – Humour in organisational change. Gr Interakt Org 47, 313–320 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11612-016-0341-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11612-016-0341-7