The Office: Is Laughter the Key to Being a Good Team Player?

Today, major companies are launching more and more initiatives to enhance employee well-being. Chief Happiness Officers, team-building activities, themed events… Have all the world’s managers become Michael Scotts? But beyond that, what are the actual benefits of humor in the workplace? What are its limits? Can it play a strategic role? Is laughter, in the end, the hallmark of a great team player?

To tackle these questions, we needed not only an expert in the field but also a The Office fan. Kevin Erkeletyan found both in Amine Ezzerouali, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Director of the MSc International Human Resources & Performance Management at SKEMA Business School.

Drawing from his expertise, iconic characters from the show, and other pop culture references, he takes us—smiling—on a journey to the crossroads of humor and the corporate world.

Welcome to “Makes Sense?”—a deep dive into pop culture to explore today’s societal questions.

“Makes Sense?” is a podcast by SKEMA Business School, hosted by Kevin Erkeletyan. 

Learn more about Amine Ezzerouali.