Improving Mental Health in the Workplace
Dr. Natalie Dattilo discusses using laughter as a tool for team-building during virtual workdays
At Laugh.Events, we work closely with our advisor, Dr. Natalie Dattilo, to ensure our work is directly tied to improving employees’ mental health
For remote workplaces, Dr. Dattilo says laughter can be a great way to help facilitate connections
Teams looking to combat stress and burnout may want to consider adding Laugh Breaks, our short Zoom comedy shows, into their workdays
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, we’re helping you think about what it looks like to make employee wellbeing a priority. We know that this can be especially challenging for those working virtually, so this is where we turn to the experts!
Natalie Dattilo, a Clinical Psychologist, Instructor at Harvard Medical School, and Advisor to Laugh.Events, says we can lean on laughter in virtual settings when looking for employee retention ideas to increase engagement and make team members feel better connected to one another. “If we're talking about laughter as something that boosts morale and enhances a sense of connection and community, that can happen when you're together, but that can also happen when you're not,” says Dr. Dattilo. “So for managers and employers that are looking for a way to keep their employees connected, even if they're dispersed, laughter is one of the best ways to do that.”
How do we make laughter happen during our corporate comedy events? At the beginning of all team building activities on Zoom and virtual comedy shows, we ask attendees to turn on their cameras and mics whenever possible. We survey team members ahead of many of our events to learn more about them, and then turn their answers into activities to help them get to know each other.
Looking for a unique event idea, or interested in booking a stand up comedian? Click here to learn more about laugh breaks!