Why Humor Gets a Bad Rap in Business, and Why It Might Be Your Smartest Strategy
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Jennifer Jay Palumbo is a writer, public speaker, and advocate whose work focuses on fertility, neurodiversity, caregiving, and women’s health. A Forbes Women contributor, she brings lived experience and research-driven insight to conversations about modern leadership and family life.
For most of my life, someone was telling me to tone it down. Don’t joke. Don’t be “too much.” Be professional. So, naturally, I tried. I quieted it. Smoothed it out. Became the version of myself that felt, acceptable.
It was also the least effective version of me. It wasn’t until I stopped editing myself and let what I like to call my “funny freak flag” fly that things started to shift. My writing got sharper. My speaking got stronger. My connections got deeper. My career, frankly, got better.
Which raises an uncomfortable question: If humor works this well, why does business treat it like a liability?
Why humor has a reputation problem
Humor in business has long been misunderstood. It’s often seen as unprofessional, distracting, and a sign that someone isn’t serious enough to lead, manage, or be trusted with big decisions. There’s an unspoken belief that credibility requires restraint, and preferably a neutral facial expression. But that assumption doesn’t hold up.
Research shows that 91% of executives believe a sense of humor is important for career advancement, and 84% say people with a sense of humor perform better at work, according to insights from this analysis on humor in business.
So, we’re in a strange place. We value humor. We benefit from it. And yet, we still treat it like something that needs to be hidden.
Humor isn’t a distraction, it’s a signal
Used well, humor communicates something powerful: safety. It tells people, “You can be human here.” That matters more than most leadership frameworks will admit.
In my own work, whether writing about parenting, speaking on neurodiversity, or volunteering at Gilda’s Club, I’ve seen how humor creates space for people to exhale. When things are heavy, humor doesn’t erase the weight. It makes it carryable.
That’s not a personality trait. That’s a skill. And leaders who can create that kind of environment tend to build stronger teams, better relationships, and far more trust.
The career advantage no one talks about
Humor doesn’t just make people like you more. It changes how they perceive you.
Studies on humor and leadership show that leaders who use humor are perceived as more confident, competent, and intelligent. Which is convenient, because those are the exact traits people claim to value in leadership.
It also increases influence. Humor lowers defenses. It makes people more receptive. It turns authority into connection.
I saw this firsthand when I managed teams in a corporate setting. The leaders who connected weren’t the ones who had the most polished presentations. They were the ones who could read a room, lighten tension, and make people feel like they were part of something, not just assigned to it.
And no, they weren’t doing stand-up sets in conference rooms. They were just human.
Humor builds the bridge faster
There’s actual biology behind why humor works. Shared laughter releases oxytocin, the same hormone linked to trust and bonding, as explained in this peer-reviewed research on humor and social connection.
Translation: When people laugh together, they trust each other more. In business, trust is everything. It affects collaboration, retention, communication, and performance. And yet we often try to build it through policies rather than through connection.
Humor gets there faster. It creates a shared moment. A signal that says, “We’re on the same team.” That’s not fluff. That’s strategy.
It also makes you better at your job
Humor has a measurable impact on how people think and work.
It increases creativity. It improves problem-solving. It helps people persist longer on difficult tasks. It even improves memory, because humor creates emotional engagement and surprise.
And perhaps most importantly, it helps people cope with stress. In high-pressure environments, such as healthcare, caregiving, and leadership, stress is constant. Humor becomes a release valve: a way to reset without disengaging.
Even research from the Harvard Business Review on emotional labor and workplace dynamics shows that emotional expression at work impacts performance and well-being. Humor, when authentic, supports both.
The best leaders don’t take themselves too seriously
Some of the most effective leaders use humor deliberately. There’s a reason moments like Pope Francis meeting with comedians resonate so widely. Humor signals humility. It breaks hierarchy. It reminds people that leadership doesn’t require distance; it requires connection.
Or take Sara Blakely, who once sent a Neiman Marcus buyer a single shoe with a note saying she was just trying to “get her foot in the door.” It worked. Or Dick Costolo, who used humor during company meetings to lower barriers and make leadership feel accessible.
Or Richard Branson, who insisted that even the most serious global gatherings include time for play because people do better thinking when they’re not clenched. These aren’t gimmicks. They’re choices.
There is a right way to use humor
Of course, not all humor works. Good humor builds. Bad humor breaks. The difference is simple:
It should connect, not isolate
It should include, not target
It should feel natural, not forced
You don’t need to be the funniest person in the room. You just need to be willing to notice the moment and not take yourself quite so seriously. Which, for many people, is the hardest part.
Humor is also a form of empathy
At its core, humor is about awareness. Timing. Context. Reading the room and knowing when to lean in and when to pull back. That’s empathy.
And empathy, despite being labeled as “soft,” is one of the most effective business tools available. It builds loyalty. It improves communication. It reduces friction.
In my own writing, like in this essay about my son and the questions parents get asked, humor has often been the entry point. It allows people to engage with something that might otherwise feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar.
It opens the door. Then the message walks in.
Maybe the problem isn’t humor
Maybe the problem is that we’ve defined professionalism too narrowly. If professionalism means being polished, predictable, and slightly detached, then yes, humor doesn’t fit.
But if professionalism means being effective, trusted, and able to connect with people in real ways, then humor belongs there. It always has.
Call to action
If you’ve been holding back a part of yourself because it doesn’t seem “professional,” it may be worth reconsidering what professionalism actually requires.
Because the thing you were told to tone down might be the thing that makes you better at your job.
And a lot more interesting to work with.
Read more from Jennifer Jay Palumbo
Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Writer, Public Speaker, & Advocate
Jennifer Jay Palumbo is a writer, public speaker, and advocate whose work centers on fertility, neurodiversity, caregiving, and women’s health. A Forbes Women contributor, she blends lived experience with research-driven insight to explore leadership, resilience, and modern family life. She has been featured across national media outlets and regularly speaks on navigating complexity with clarity and compassion. With a background in stand-up comedy, she brings a sharp, human-centered storytelling approach to difficult conversations. Her work challenges outdated narratives and invites more inclusive, honest dialogue.
