Banter vs Inclusive Humour

Introduction

Research consistently shows that humour is an essential part of business success because it's a powerful source of human connection.

Imagine having a secret window into your competitor's culture. What would make you more intrigued - seeing their teams laughing, joking and having fun or working silently at their desks?

Humour inspires new ideas, creates a sense of belonging and fosters resilience.

However it can feel risky in the corporate world because of the outdated concept of professionalism and we can put pressure on ourselves to be funny when attempting humour.

In this post, I’ve written about two different examples of humour I sparked whilst working as a delivery driver for a bakery which are still relevant to an office / hybrid workplace.

Bread & Banter

Banter is defined as “a playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.”

When you have a trusted, close relationship with someone, banter can strengthen camaraderie between you. A well-timed, honest and funny dig can even reflect the depth of your bond.

Banter can also help to foster friendly competition between groups of people and cultivate a positive team spirit.

However at work - it’s important to understand comfort levels because it can have an opposite effect to what was intended.

Banter is troublesome because there is a scale of friendly teasing which dials up to bullying and it's hard to know if people are really up for it.  I write about this type of humour which I initiated and then backfired in example one.

Another type of jesting which is more inclusive relates to the incongruity theory of humour.

This type of comedy requires four key ingredients: unexpectedness, absurdity, relevance and non-threatening. I help my clients embrace this type of humour in MyBeast workshops - and it's the kind I sparked in example two.

When I started MyBeast, I needed part-time work to supplement my income, so I worked as a delivery driver for a local bakery.  We would collect the bread early in the morning and deliver it to various cafes in the area.

Example One

When delivering bread to each cafe, we’d arrive before it opened, typically stay for around 10 minutes whilst unloading, chat with the staff and often have a bit of a laugh.

A girl that worked in one of the cafes told me she hates it when the weather is hot and sunny.  I thought this was quite funny so asked her why and she said it just makes her feel weird.

A couple of weeks later, one of the first hot & sunny weekends of the year was forecasted for that upcoming weekend.  I was back in that cafe with the same girl and I said:

“Oooh I bet you’re not looking forward to the weekend it’s gonna be well nice”.

She turned around and said angrily “why are you taking the piss out of me?  It actually makes me feel ill - it’s a condition”.  

She was working alongside her colleague so I think saying that in front of them both irritated her even more.

In hindsight, this “banter” was directed at a personal trait she was sensitive about.  In my defence, I didn’t know it was a condition, I thought it was more of a preference but I apologised and felt awkward.  She forgave me and it was brushed aside.

Whilst she was a bit upset, I don’t think it’s a shocking example of workplace behaviour, however it illustrates how that type of humour can go wrong.  I was making fun of her and she didn’t appreciate it, which is totally understandable.  

In example two - I used the incongruity style of humour and blended the four ingredients.

Example Two

The other drivers and I were in the bakery at 6am preparing orders - a perfect opportunity for humour because everyone was a bit groggy and needed cheering up.

A new driver who was still learning the ropes asked me about a missing loaf of bread.

He asked “there’s a missing loaf of bread for this order, what should I do?”

I said “no big deal, just write a note and leave it in the office so they know not to charge the customer”  

He said “OK cool, thanks”

I then added “Oh, and make sure to write a couple of paragraphs on the note about how it made you feel when you realised it was missing”.  

He burst out laughing, I laughed and another driver who was doing her orders at the other end of the bakery heard it and she laughed!  I baked up a bit of comedy that made my colleagues feel nice and warm like a fresh pastry.

By adding an absurd twist to a relevant task and exaggerating the seriousness of the situation - the humour was non-threatening which made it inclusive and effective. 

You can practise this type of humour by noticing unexpected moments or create something surprising and emphasise it with absurdity. There doesn't have to be a target or victim to this type of humour, it's inclusive.

Conclusion

Companies like Curry’s are using this kind of humour in their excellent social media and TV campaigns.  The marketing team along with front line staff create comical videos & adverts which get the "relevance" aspect spot on.

Other companies like Yorkshire Tea, Specsavers, The AA are incorporating humour into their brand because it helps to engage people and create an emotional connection.

Internal communication teams should channel humour and leaders can use it to help inspire teams to be more creative and feel a sense of belonging.

Hiroki Asai, the VP of Creative Design at Apple said “Fear is the greatest killer of creativity and humor is the most effective tool I’ve found for insulating cultures from fear”.

Hiroki and his team planned in advance how to incorporate humour into All-Hands meetings which I think is brilliant.

This is what I encourage people to do in MyBeast workshops - think more deeply about humour and plan how to incorporate it at work instead of relying on spontaneous banter.

I conducted a survey recently and 100% of people said they value humour in presentations which is a staggeringly high percentage.  Actually, it wasn't a survey, I was just talking to myself again.

But this is genuine feedback I received after a MyBeast workshop from the director of a creative marketing agency:

“We discovered a new way to come up with comedic ideas for clients almost instantaneously and I liked the breakout sessions to come up with new ideas”.  Thanks Ash Wilks from Wallbreaker!

Whether you're a delivery driver or a senior leader running a board meeting, humour - done thoughtfully - can be the yeast that helps your team rise.

If you're curious about humour at work and how story-sharing can build a more creative and connected workplace, get in touch with me on LinkedIn or email me here: jason@mybeast.life

Thanks for reading!