orporate America needs to loosen up.

According to research from Wharton, MIT and the London Business School, giggles and guffaws offer several business benefits. Laughter can relieve stress and boredom, boost engagement and well-being and spur not only creativity and collaboration, but also focus and productivity, Harvard Business

Review notes.

Babies laugh about 400 times a day; people over 35, only 15, Harvard reports. A recent study of Gallup data for the U.S. found that we laugh significantly less on weekdays than we do on the weekends.

With the onslaught of negative information coming at us these days, going to an office that values fun helps us to maintain perspective and optimism.

At my first company, Information Experts, we had a Good Times Committee (GTC) that was responsible for planning fun events. We had a line item in our budget for fun. No matter what the day held, we knew there would be some laughter along the way.

Here are four ways workplace goofiness can improve your culture and bottom line.

Laughter keeps us focused on tasks.

In a study, psychological scientists David Cheng and Lu Wang of the University of New South Wales found that people who watched a funny video clip spent twice as long on a tedious task compared to people who watched neutral or positive (but not funny) videos.

“There has been increasing recognition that humor may have a functional impact on important behaviors in the workplace, and that exposure to humor may increase the effectiveness of employees,” Cheng and Wang write.

Laughter is a great natural team builder.

A study from the staffing firm Accountemps revealed that nearly 80 percent of executives said an employee’s sense of humor is important for fitting into the company’s corporate culture.

Mike Steinitz, executive director of Accountemps, said an employee’s sense of humor can boost morale and improve connections with co-workers.

“Creating a positive and friendly work environment can lead to higher levels of employee engagement and productivity.”

Humor also can lighten the mood when something goes wrong.

“Not all business matters are funny, but a little levity can go a long way, particularly when it comes to defusing tension or recovering from a minor mishap,” he said. “There’s nothing like a joke to put people at ease.”

Well-executed jokes convey

intelligence and confidence.

How you execute a joke can make a big difference in how people perceive you. Harvard Business School research found these conclusions during a study that assessed how joke-telling drives perception:

A joke teller often is perceived as more confident than people who don’t tell jokes.

An individual who tells a failed joke may be viewed as less competent, especially if the joke is offensive.

If a successful joke teller experiences a boost in perceived confidence and competence, it would likely improve others’ perceptions of the joke teller’s status.

Laughter improves employee health and can reduce sick days.

Laughter has been shown to provide many health benefits in the workplace, including reducing depression and anxiety.

Laughter also releases endorphins, allowing one to instantly feel happier. It also can relieve stress and promote creativity by being in a more relaxed state.

And let’s face it, workers are more likely to want to come to the office when it’s a fun, creative space, thereby reducing sick days.

There are several ways organizations can integrate fun, laughter and humor into the workplace.

First off, hire fun people. It sounds simple, but it can be tricky. It’s important to seek out employees who have hobbies and community involvement outside of work.

Information Experts once hired an employee because he was a perfect fit for our clients and our service offerings. When he showed up at the office on his first day with a cot so he could sleep in his office, we were alarmed.

He clearly didn’t have the same philosophy on work-life balance that I had established as a core value for the company. He didn’t last long, and he unknowingly made an appearance in the year-end slide show at the holiday party.

Set aside time, people and money for fun. Establish your own Good Times Committee so that employees can plan scavenger hunts, happy hours, parties for non-traditional holidays and life milestones.

And remember that yukking it up isn’t the only thing that matters. A positive and supportive atmosphere also is part of this healthy equation. When people are stressed out, it’s important to give them room.

Be attuned to the mental state of your employees and give them what they need. We all need to step back and pause in times of stress. Create an environment that supports and encourages mental health breaks.

Life is too short to be in a position or company that doesn’t bring you joy or doesn’t support you through difficult times. Loving what you do and loving where you do it are keys to long-term health and happiness. No joke.

Marissa Levin is the founder and CEO

of Successful Culture, which helps CEOs and leadership teams master critical

aspects of business growth.