This is an excerpt from a January 3, 2024 article by Antonio Sadaric and Carin-Isabel Knoop, on lessons for the workplace from stand-up comedians: The Healing Power of Laughter: Why Managers Should Embrace Humor in a Stressed-out Digitalized World.

A profound shift is occurring in the ever-changing modern workplace, transforming human interactions into data points to be managed, in an almost satirical manner.

As literacy levels rise and labor evolves, we move away from Ford's mechanical performance management perspective, while lacking a clear alternative to meaningfully manage outcomes. Technology and data-driven practices bring efficiency but at the cost of genuine human connection, leaving us with seemingly efficient but robotic workplaces.

Overreliance on technology, impersonal feedback, and virtual meetings furthermore contribute to this disconnection.

Metrics trump people, and automation prevails, leading to reduced empathy and isolation among employees in a comical manner. Technostress and overstimulation further exacerbate the problem.

In an era of rapid democratization, personal branding gravitates towards narcissistic tendencies overshadowing authentic conversations, and disagreeing with someone implies an attempt to take over market share, transforming discourse to discord. Intense tension lead to frequent conflict, which seems to be censoring our level of socially acceptable freedom of expression, inconceivable at the level of democratization we are expected to enjoy. As our culture evolved over centuries, so have the cultural norms and forms that regulate acceptable behavior in different social contexts.

Yet, regardless of the level of censorship and language restriction, a small group of people have held a special pass to call things for what they are: the jesters. No matter the situation or the pressure, jesters found a way to make fun of the situation and create a desperately needed comic relief in an attempt to entertain the masses.

The entertainers' use of aesthetic storytelling creates felt meaning which surpasses cognitive filters and makes people feel something about the subject — or a threat. By doing so, an emerging threat holding power over the wellbeing of mankind, can be made fun of and make people feel better in an attempt to cope with the stress of such a traumatic experience.

Over time, jesters have become the comic foundation of entertainment, offering an escape from the harsh reality through different formats, appreciated by generations even outside their respective eras.

Data-driven practices of modern management paradoxically perceive AI-powered models like ChatGPT as both marvelous and menacing. While they boost productivity, there's a concern that they may furthermore disconnect us from the human side of work.

Workers crave emotional connection and empathy amidst the automation and mindless performance management favoring mediocrity over quality work, as if we were living in a satiric episode of Monty Python we used to laugh at.

Sure, quality work takes more time, but it also allows intellectual workers to express their competence and mastery, something that is difficult to quantify and something that machines do not understand.

This leaves us with the notion that the modern workplace needs to reconnect to its human nature; is exposed to a proverbial censorship guided by novel ideologies and cultural norms; and fears the future where artificial intelligence optimizes human imperfections.

But surely we can do something about it, right?

We decided to ask ChatGPT to recreate some of the harshest critics of our society but also the most progressive voices outside of politics to offer an alternative perspective into numerous existing conversations on workplace humanization.

Sometimes inappropriate, sometimes the voice of reason amidst the moral panic, these deceased comedians helped shape the cultural discourse we know today.

Seeking insights from great late comedians of bygone eras, untouched by tech advancements, we let them mock the modern workplace — but in a socially acceptable manner we know today. That way, we use the richness of historical data that large language models possess today, and use it to indicate space for potential impact of the future.

A simple prompt was used for all displayed comedians: "I would like you to create a joke in the style of [COMEDIAN], on the random topic of annoying organizational behavior seen in the modern workplace."

This is how "The Dead Comedians Society" sees our modern workplace:

Lenny Bruce (1925–1966)

"The modern workplace, folks, it's a circus! Balancing deadlines, office politics, and managers who love to micromanage. We've got a secret language of corporate buzzwords that don't mean a damn thing. It's like an improv show with no punchlines. So, find humor in the chaos, stay authentic, and remember we're all juggling in this crazy circus!"

Don Rickles (1926–2017)

"Hey you sensitive souls of the modern workplace! Lighten up, will ya? We're here to work, not form a support group, alright? And you micromanagers, hey, give us some breathing room for Chrissakes! We're not your personal shadows. Oh, and don't forget to look up from your screens once in a while. There's a world out there beyond your notifications. Let's bring back some common sense and laugh at ourselves, folks!"

Joan Rivers (1933–2014)

"Let's talk about the modern workplace, darlings. It's a fashion disaster of bad behavior. We've got selfie-obsessed coworkers and office gossips spreading rumors faster than a Kardashian tweets. And those micromanaging bosses? They need therapy, not a company badge. But amidst the madness, we warriors find triumph and hilarity. So, keep strutting in those heels, conquer the workplace runway, and remember, a little laughter can turn any cubicle into a penthouse!"

Johnny Carson (1925–2005)

"These modern workplaces, folks. People buried in their smartphones, sending more emojis than words. We've got micromanagers who could give Sherlock Holmes a run for his money. And let's not forget the delicate souls who get offended by everything. It's like a workplace comedy show! So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the chaos!"

George Carlin (1937–2008)

"You know what bugs me about the modern workplace? The meaningless buzzwords, pointless meetings, and office politics. We've got people spouting nonsense like 'synergy' and scheduling meetings that could be emails. It's like a dysfunctional soap opera without the plot twists. Let's cut the bullcrap, keep our sanity, and focus on getting the job done!"

Richard Pryor (1940–2005)

"Modern workplace, folks. It's like stepping into the Twilight Zone. Selfies are the new currency, emojis have replaced words, and sensitivity is off the charts. We're drowning in a sea of selfies and emojis, while bosses micromanage our every move. And God forbid you crack a joke, you'll trigger a state of emergency. But hey, let's find our humor, people. Laughter is the lifeline that keeps us sane in this madness!"

Sam Kinison (1953–1992)

"You know what's driving me nuts about the modern workplace? The chronic complainers and office paparazzi. WE'VE GOT GROWN ADULTS WHINING ABOUT EVERYTHING AND GOSSIPING LIKE THEY'RE AUDITIONING FOR A REALITY SHOW! It's time to put our energy into work, not into perfect conditions and juicy rumors. Let's rise above the noise and show some professionalism, folks!"

Bill Hicks (1961–1994)

"The modern workplace, folks. It's like a vortex of mind-numbing bureaucracy and pointless meetings. We're drowning in rules, suffocating in politics, and pretending to care about PowerPoint presentations. But guess what? It's time to break free, unleash our creativity, and create a revolution of inspired work. Who's with me?"

So, what can we take from this commentary?

Similar patterns seem to be relevant in ChatGPT's perspective on annoying workplace behaviors, which are actually human inputs used in training.

When these annoying behaviors are transformed into jokes, they seem to be illustrating poor leadership choices and toxic workplace traits, creating bottlenecks and reducing perfectionist expectations of "stretch goals". As good as technology is in improving productivity, it needs a human being to make meaningful work for another human being.

Similarly, these may be interestingly written jokes, but a human being needs to perform them in order for them to work. Otherwise they are just data that a large language model compiled based on numerous iterations in training. They are meaningless until made sense of.

One thing is for sure, we have lost the core essence of purpose in our work, and we need to be able to make sense of it before applying ourselves to it.

The ability to laugh at ourselves, embrace humor with sensitivity without being rude or abrasive to others, and finding solace in genuine human connection becomes paramount for the modern digitalized workplace. As technology and data continue to reshape our professional lives, we must remember that they are tools to amplify our purpose and social impact, not replace the essence of human ingenuity and empathy.

By laughing (with) colleagues (at) the challenges, we not only defuse tension but also foster resilience and camaraderie, a "groupthink" that helps individuals persevere.

As we navigate the digitalization of work, let us champion change adoption over prevention, realizing that staying connected and preserving our human touch is the key to overcoming emerging threats. Embracing the benefits of change allows us to evolve, remain relevant, and empower our workplaces with the harmonious fusion of human and technological strengths.

Together, we can create a future where humor flourishes, genuine connections thrive, and our shared humanity continues to triumph in the face of uncertainty with the help of technology. And it's worth a shot.

Antonio Sadaric is an active member of #Humanizing Digital Work initiative and focuses on prosocial change leadership, aesthetic storytelling and human capital sustainability. He is passionately curious about organizational symbolism, corporate cultism and general mechanisms of social learning (sensegiving/sensemaking) in various organizational contexts. Most recently he published work in Frontiers of Psychology, Journal of Change Management, Economics and Business Review and Academy of Management Proceedings. He is also the co-author of Capt. Bossman's Workplace Stories — the world's first picture book for professionals. His consulting work at BUFFED focuses on leadership upskilling and helping (fin)tech scale-ups humanize organizational development. When not working, he plays Fortnite with his GenZ cousins.

Carin-Isabel Knoop leads the Harvard Business School's research and case writing group and has helped HBS faculty members write more than 200 case studies on organizations and managers around the world. Learning about managers' challenges pushed her to improve their lives, leading to the publication of Compassionate Management of Mental Health at Work with Professor John A Quelch (Springer, 2018). She also co-founded HSIO (Human Sustainability Inside Out), and speaks and publishes about mental health in the U.S., French, and Spanish-language spheres. She enjoys soft-serve ice cream, pragmatic idealists, and postcard writing.