'The workplace needs laughter. According to research from institutions as serious as Wharton, MIT, and London Business School,
every chuckle or guffaw brings with it a host of business benefits. Laughter relieves stress and boredom,
boosts engagement and well-being, and spurs not only creativity and collaboration but also analytic precision and productivity'. Source
The Business Case for Laughter Well-being
Research has shown that ‘Laughter sessions in the workplace show significant stress reductions and a sharp increase in work effectiveness’ and ‘Laughter sessions are an effective tool to improve workplace performance’. Dr Kataria Research
The introductory meeting was important as we had recently acquired another law firm and we were keen for the new team to feel part of our organisation and that this was their new ‘work home’. Sam Rehan delivered her workplace laughter yoga session to an initially apprehensive group of lawyers where laughter was not part of their daily work routine. What we witnessed and experienced as Sam guided us through the exercises was a tangible sense of us all opening up from being rather reserved and feeling a little self-conscious to embracing and owning our commonality of laughter. The invisible barriers that had been in place at the start of the meeting were lowered (and in many cases removed altogether) allowing relationships to develop and the foundation of the new larger team was formed. In the workplace, building great teams is essential to the success of a business and laughter helped us take a big leap forward in creating this new team.''
Teresa J. Payne, Solicitor and Owner of Parfitt Cresswell (www.parfittcresswell.com)
Benefits.... Imagine a fun, UNIQUE workplace session which generates Team Building, Team Rewards and Team Strengthening and is remembered for a long time!
Sam, author of Laugh More, delivers her signature session, balancing laughter and relaxation techniques (Laughter Well-being). Participating in Laughter Well-being is great fun and Sam can adapt to incorporate core messages and products. Sam 'reads' the audience and adapts the session for maximum interaction.
Laughter is invited!
Laughter is a universal language. It’s also contagious, and a Laughter Well-being session brings people together from all levels and backgrounds.
When people are in environments that support positive emotions, they’re free to be productive, collaborative and creative.
Laughter well-being gets employees and teams energised and enthusiastic and builds on positive experience. This leads to more connection, communication and cooperation.
Laughter is a social language. It creates bonding and maximum audience participation which is maintained and remembered.
A fun, happy session moves people to a mindset ready to listen, learn and participate.
What’s more, a session with zero jokes is unexpected and relatively rare, and consequently, people participate and remember the event with positivity. The workplace sessions aid in stress management, provide uplifting, creative playfulness and assist with creating a positive mental attitude, long after the event!
Laughter is proven to reduce stress, generate and boost health—so these sessions combine entertainment with wellbeing!
Natural laughter usually lasts 3-5 seconds. But 50 years of medical and scientific research shows that people get proven health benefits when laughter occurs continuously for 15 minutes. Laughter well-being at the workplace aids stress management, provides uplifting playfulness and assists with creating a positive mental attitude.
Laughter sessions are health-boosting as they provide a natural form of exercise and release feel-good hormones to aid mental and physical health.
Case Study:
Organisation
Background
Initiative: Laughter Well-being Session
Resources
Challenges
Factors for success
Outcomes
Post Session
Key Words
Based in the UK, Parfitt Cresswell has 100 employees who provide specialist legal advice with a first class client service.
Two teams of 35 junior and senior lawyers were to meet for the first time. This introductory meeting was important, as Parfitt Cresswell had recently acquired another law firm and were keen for the new team to feel part of the organisation and that this was their new ‘work home’.
The bespoke Laughter Well-being session focused on team building and team strengthening, with science-based relaxation techniques in-between the laughter. According to research, ‘Laughter sessions in the workplace show significant stress reductions and a sharp increase in work effectiveness’ and ‘Laughter sessions are an effective tool to improve workplace performance.'
Sam Rehan, a Well-being corporate trainer and Professional Laughter Facilitator, was booked to run a short session at the start of the meeting: a 'Well-being Warm-up’. Zero equipment was needed.
The nature of the employee's work meant that an assumption was made; that most people attending would be 'left-brained' and perhaps needing more time to access the creative right-side brain for fun team-building. Some expected apprehension as laughter is not part of the daily work for the group of lawyers.
A primary factor was engagement; this could include softening and smiling alongside laughter. Laughter was invited, but it was made clear that participation was not required and attendees could simply watch, as that would benefit them too. Communication about the benefits of the session (mental and physical health and social connections) was pivotal and needed to be short with simple science. How the participants felt during and post-session was crucial to successful outcomes.
"What we witnessed and experienced as Sam guided us through the exercises was a tangible sense of us all opening up from being rather reserved and feeling a little self-conscious to embracing and owning our commonality of laughter. The invisible barriers that had been in place at the start of the meeting were lowered (and in many cases removed altogether) allowing relationships to develop and the foundation of the new larger team was formed. In the workplace, building great teams is essential to the success of a business and laughter helped us take a big leap forward in creating this new team." – Teresa Cresswell, Manager Partner of Parfitt Cresswell
Such was the success of the laughter well-being session that the Manager Partner of Parfitt Cresswell, Teresa Cresswell, wrote about the successful outcomes in the foreword of Sam Rehan's well-being book, Laugh More: Soar in your Health, Career and Relationships.
Healthy communication, stress management, connection, collaboration, mental and physical health, relaxation, teambuilding, stronger teams, common goals, creativity, performance, productivity.
Laughter Well-being is
a custom-made experience
and is suitable for:
Team Reward: Build on the positivity present and create a memorable celebration event with a health boost
Team Building: Creates team cohesion in a positive, uplifting way, with added proven health benefits (mental and physical) and no pressure to perform
Team Strengthening: Draw out and build on your team’s strengths. The session can often elicit team members’ hidden strengths too!
Well-being Warm-up: Start a company, client, or team meeting, a product launch, or a training with everyone feeling positive, relaxed, and ready to trade new information and ideas
Well-being Wrap-up: End a company or team meeting, product launch, or training with positivity and lengthened relaxation to retain new information and ideas… a positive, memorable, health-boosting session associated with your workplace or client event.
Why Laughter Wellbeing
is the best option for your event?
Engage with and connect everyone to make your event memorable.
A successful session, in as few as 10 minutes.
Effective for large or small gatherings such as:
*Stand-alone session, such as Lunch and Learn,
*Well-being keynote during a company conference, training or product/sales launch.
*Client Networking Events
*Training Days.
*Awards Ceremonies
*Trade Shows
*Products Launches
What happens in a Laughter Well-being session?
The Laughter Well-being session is run with zero jokes, using proven group exercises. Suitable for ALL, including those who need to remain seated—each session is tailored to the group, with or without movement and appropriate for all abilities and ages.
Techniques are demonstrated in clear, easy steps so that the techniques can be understood by non-native speakers.
Easy for ALL to laugh—session is tailored to the group, to work with the current energy and participation levels shown.
Relaxation techniques are practiced in between the laughter for stress management and increased mental health. These well-being techniques can also be used post-session, at the desk or at home. The strategies are fast, short, practical, and backed by science.
Natural laughter is invited and lengthened for team cohesion.
Sam is a professional Laughter Facilitator and has delivered laughter workshops for workplaces and coaching for individuals for over five years. She has worked with people from diverse backgrounds to draw out their innate strengths and increase their self-confidence. She is the author of the book Laugh More, which is available in print or on Kindle, Apple Books and Audible.
Outcomes:
The session is led to generate happy, healthy, motivated teams in a way that can be
SEEN AND FELT by ALL.
Group exercises bring a playful element to the session, which helps team members to gain a respite from the thinking brain and move more to the creative brain, allowing relaxation and greater calm.
The session is highly facilitated to ensure that laughter is invited. This supports team members who may want to be involved with less interaction and without pressure. Those who cannot laugh as much as others do report that they can smile, soften, and access laughter later.
Most people report feeling energised, more relaxed and surprised how good they feel from belly laughter.