Associate Professor Peter Mcgraw’s Commentary on the Benefits of Humor in the Workplace on Fortune.com

Can humor lead to smoother interactions and inspire creativity in your office?

Associate Professor Peter McGraw’s commentary on the benefits of humor in the workplace tackles this issue on Fortune.com

Though often overlooked, humor can lead to smoother interactions and inspire creativity in your office.

The head honchos in the C-suite aren’t exactly pounding on the boardroom table demanding that their employees be funny. Yet research reveals the many ways humor helps business.

Some companies, notably Southwest Airlines LUV -0.87% , project funniness in all areas of their business, fromwisecracking flight attendants to the stock ticker, LUV. But even the most serious companies could benefit from some levity. Though it might not matter much if the finance folks are a barrel of laughs, the advantages of a sense of humor — smoother interactions, improved creativity, and enhanced well-being — are often overlooked.