It's no joke, humour is key to business success

Two-thirds of UK workers think that showing a sense of humour is crucial to success in business and in making that all important first impression .

The report  by Crowne Plaza® Hotel & Resorts has found that as many as 66% of UK adults rated humour ahead of appearance when comes to securing a job. Comparably, the next most important trait was looks at 50%, followed by intellect at 39% and confidence at 29%.

Shocking, the survey also revealed that a staggering 35% of workers do not prepare anything at all for an important business meeting, hampering their ability to make a good solid first impression. Speaking to HR Grapevine, Business behaviourist Jez Rose explains the crucial ways in which employees can prepare for board meetings and prospective interviews. He said: “The main thing is to prepare .

“The most effective ways to do this, as explained by senior managers and HR directors, are to take time out to research the business: What do they do and how do they do it? How are they positioned and how do they compare against their competition? What is their history; for example are they family-owned, have they recently made acquisitions? Are there any questions you have that aren’t answered by your research, that you could ask at the interview? All of these will bring you closer to the company and to the role, helping to enhance your confidence and your chances of success.