Why so serious? | Funny managers can cause job dissatisfaction - here's the issue with it

Managers underpin businesses. They are the stewards of your culture, they act as liaisons between upper management and the rest of your workforce, and they evaluate the performance of staff, ensuring the skills in your firm are conducive to you achieving your goals.

Beyond L&D, you trust your managers to lead in their own unique way. For some, this involves leading with empathy and for others being an active listener is their main asset. For some leaders, however, managing with a sense of humour is integral to their leadership style and the way they communicate with colleagues.

One might assume this would only have positive consequences, as a funny manager can ease tension and create a positive and happy culture. However, recent research has found that managers who use humour frequently cause job dissatisfaction and poor wellbeing amongst employees.

Why? The research from the Academy of Management Journal says that ‘leader humour’ puts pressure on subordinates to engage in ‘surface acting’ - meaning staff feel consistently pressured to react with a positive emotional response. As a result, this can lead to heightened levels of discontent within a team who might feel like they must consistently perform.