How Humour Humanises Corporate Communication

Use "benign violation theory" to bridge the gap between formal and friendly

I recently came across a cartoon of a CEO and his PA gazing glumly at the steeply downward curve of a growth chart, with the caption: “But I don’t understand, we had all those meetings.”

Corporate communications are, let’s face it, often painfully dry. If you’ve ever skimmed the memo of a meeting just to get to the meat (if there is any), you’re not alone. But a secret weapon has been hiding in plain sight all along: humour.

Seriously — using humour in your corporate communications can do what even the most meticulously worded super-succinct emails can’t: make people actually pay attention.

Whether it’s a relatable office meme, a funny video that pokes gentle fun at your company’s quirks, or a humorous take on the latest corporate update, a little laughter can go a long way in cutting through the corporate monotony and humanising your brand.

Why It Works

Humour is disarming. When you make someone laugh, you break down barriers and instantly feel more relatable.

It also activates different brain bits, making the content more memorable. In a workplace where we’re inundated with information, humour stands out because it does something different — it makes people feel something spontaneous and unexpected.

Psychologically, humour also taps into the "benign violation theory" — a nerdy way of saying that jokes work when they touch on something slightly off-limits but in a non-threatening way.

Making fun of how we all hate 4 p.m. meetings can make your content more relatable, human, and engaging.

It signals to employees that you're not a corporate robot but a team that gets it. Plus, who doesn’t need to laugh a little during their workday?

The Good, the Bad, and the Hilariously Mundane

@David Nihill, author of Do You Talk Funny, says laughter disarms even the most disengaged audience. Nihill’s approach focuses on relatability, shared experiences, and enough light-hearted self-deprecation to cut through the corporate-speak.

By adding humour, he argues, you’re sneaking a memorable message into people’s minds without the usual eye-glaze accompanying the memo on “optimising stakeholder synergy.”

For Nihill, humour isn’t about cracking corny dad jokes or replacing strategy with slapstick. It’s about finding ways to make communication stickier, adding authenticity and relatability, and making people feel part of something more than growth targets and operational efficiencies.  

How to Make It Happen

Here’s how to keep your corporate comms light, funny, and appropriate:

1. Create a “Corporate Meme Challenge”: Start internally by encouraging employees to create memes about daily office life. You’ll be surprised by how spot-on (and hilarious) some submissions will be. Share the best ones in your internal channels to inject some fun into your regular comms.

2. Humour in Video Updates: Instead of dry video updates, use humour to lighten the tone. Think The Office meets your company values. Create funny skits about common office scenarios like "zoom fatigue" or "the joys of quarterly reviews."

3. Poke Fun at Corporate Jargon: Make fun of what makes corporate comms so stale — buzzwords. Create a “corporate buzzword bingo” or have a segment in your communications where you "translate" jargon into plain English.

4. Highlight Office Life: Relatable humour works because everyone gets it. Make jokes about everyday office frustrations like the battle over the thermostat, the endless quest for the TV remote, or “reply-all” email fails. Shared experiences get people laughing with you, not at you.

Practical Tips

• Know Your Audience: Humour can be tricky, so know what kind of jokes will land with your team. Avoid anything too edgy, or that could alienate certain groups. Keep it light, relatable, and inclusive.

• Timing is Everything: Don’t use humour for every communication — sometimes serious news is best delivered seriously. Pick your moments for maximum impact.

• Don’t Overdo It: Humour is a tool, not a crutch. Use it sparingly enough that it stays fresh and doesn’t turn into “forced fun,” which is the opposite of fun.

Pro Tip

Crowdsource humour from your employees. If you don’t feel like you’ve got the comedic chops, let the team drive the content. Internal memes, videos, or office stories can be a goldmine for light-hearted comms — and they feel more authentic because they come from the people who live it every day.

Stand by

This is just one of many ways to break the monotony of corporate comms. For more fresh ideas, look out for the upcoming ebook, packed with 12 creative strategies to engage your employees.