Andrew Tarvin is the CEO of Humor That Works and the world’s first self-proclaimed "humor engineer." With a background in computer science and engineering from The Ohio State University, Tarvin began his career as a project manager at Procter & Gamble while simultaneously performing stand-up and improv comedy. Combining his analytical mindset with his passion for comedy, he has trained more than 35,000 professionals across 250+ organizations—including IBM, P&G, and the FBI—on how to leverage humor to boost productivity, reduce stress, and drive business results. He is an international speaker, author of 501 Ways to Use Humor at Work, and creator of a viral TEDx talk with over 16 million views.
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Tapping into the Power of Humor at Work: A Conversation with the World’s First Humor Engineer
Tense, high-stakes moments can derail productivity. A subtle bit of levity breaks up the stress, resets perspective, and helps teams step back to re-evaluate problems with a clear head.
Tarvin shared an early career memory at Procter & Gamble. During an intense late-night argument with a colleague over a project, their manager stepped in and reminded them, "At the end of the day, we sell soap." The simple observation broke the tension instantly, reminding them that while their work was important, it wasn't life-or-death—allowing them to sleep on it and solve the issue easily the next day.
Despite standard research showing that 98% of CEOs prefer employees with a sense of humor and 81% of workers feel more productive in fun environments, many professionals hold back. The main reason? A fear that bosses or colleagues won't approve.
Shevelenko highlighted how playful company values can attract the right talent and set a candid tone. Incorporating humor into professional settings creates psychological safety, builds stronger working relationships, and encourages creative problem-solving.
"The research shows you'll actually get better results as well. So it's not just about 'have fun for the sake of fun.' This is why I'm a humor engineer: I solve problems using humor because it gets you results."
— Andrew Tarvin
Injecting Levity into the Daily Grind: Engineering Humor for Better Workplace Results
A company’s tone naturally adapts to its audience over time. While an early-stage startup can get away with irreverent, blunt values, growing or public companies often need to refine their messaging to align with a broader client base and stricter HR standards.
Old workplace mindsets held that "if work were meant to be fun, it would be called play." In modern knowledge economies, employee emotions directly dictate creativity and output. Injecting levity is no longer frivolous—it is a vital business skill.
Tarvin poses a simple question: Would you rather do something that is fun, or not fun? Since almost everyone chooses fun, making small tweaks—like lightening up a meeting agenda or writing more engaging emails—naturally commands better attention and engagement.
You are an essential part of your own audience. Simply finding ways to enjoy your daily tasks (like smiling while writing a routine update) improves your mood and invites others to share in the positive energy.
Tarvin shared how adding bad puns to the bottom of a dry, weekly status report made drafting it fun. When he forgot to include a joke one week, colleagues flooded his inbox to ask where it was—proving that even small doses of playfulness are noticed and appreciated.
The lowest-risk way to start using humor costs nothing and impacts no one else negatively: intentionally schedule time to laugh. Watching a quick comedy clip or listening to a funny podcast after a stressful meeting helps reset your mental baseline, lowers stress, and boosts energy.
"I spent last night locked in a cell. I wasn't arrested, I just couldn't figure out this one Excel formula... That was where I started to realize that by making my own work more fun, I was also making it more fun for other people."
— Andrew Tarvin
Unlocking Workplace Humor: Leveraging Laughter & Curation for Real Results
Using short, structured moments of humor—like curated comedy playlists or Taskmaster clips—acts as a quick mental reset after high-pressure meetings. Research shows our bodies benefit physiologically from laughter regardless of whether it is forced (as in Laughter Yoga) or spontaneous.
Laughter acts as a powerful bonding tool. When two people laugh at the same thing—or even just share in someone's infectious laughter—it signals shared understanding, builds quick rapport, and lowers barriers.
You don’t need to be a stand-up comedian to use humor effectively; you can simply be a curator. Sharing a well-timed, relevant meme, funny video, or clever observation uses existing "social proof" to break the ice or re-engage contacts.
Tarvin recounted a story from a salesperson whose team used a silly image of a dolphin asking, "Are you ignoring me on porpoise?" as a final follow-up email. That single, lightweight piece of curated humor achieved their highest reply rate by breaking the tension of standard follow-up sequences.
Tarvin emphasizes that workplace humor shouldn't be confused with stand-up comedy. While comedy aims for big laughs and high entertainment, workplace humor is broader—it’s about levity, warmth, playfulness, and bringing a fresh perspective into everyday interactions.
"You don't have to be the funny person. You can use social proof... You're taking something that other people have proven is funny and applying it to a situation."
— Andrew Tarvin
Beyond Stand-Up: Using the Humor MAP and Strategic Metaphors to Drive Change
You don't need to be a professional comedian, and you definitely shouldn't try to be "edgy." The goal in business isn't to be "funny" (making people laugh continuously), but rather to make work slightly more "fun" and engaging.
The "Humor MAP" Framework: To avoid coming across as if you're trying too hard, evaluate your approach using three elements:
Medium: Adjust your humor whether it's written in an email, presented on a slide, or spoken in person.
Audience: Match your tone to the cultural background, generation, and expectations of your listeners.
Purpose: Have a clear business goal (e.g., restarting a conversation, relieving stress, or easing an objection).
If you share a joke, meme, or lighthearted story, explicitly linking it back to your core message grounds the humor in real business value while eliminating awkwardness.
When trying to convince clients or colleagues to replace outdated processes, avoid mocking their current methods. Instead, use:
Share how you or your team used to make the exact same mistake before discovering a better way.
Illustrate common pitfalls using fictional or generalized characters rather than pointing fingers at your audience.
Use applied improv or interactive prompts so the audience discovers the "aha moment" themselves.
Powerful analogies and metaphors create instant mental anchors. They keep engagement high and allow complex ideas to stick long after the meeting ends.
"The metric for not coming across as trying too hard comes down to having a clear purpose or goal for using the humor... Have confidence where you think, 'Whether you laugh or not, I'm having fun and enjoying this process.'"
— Andrew Tarvin
"If you are going to poke fun at someone, target yourself... Self-deprecating humor is best used sparingly, but in a higher-status role, starting with yourself and showing how you slowly learned is a great approach."
— Andrew Tarvin
Serious Business, Playful Delivery: Engineering Humor for Maximum Impact
1. Extended Metaphors & The 5x5 Brainstorming Tool
Instead of telling a random joke at the beginning of a presentation, humor should be integrated continuously. A great way to do this without diminishing serious topics is through association or extended metaphors:
The "Mary Poppins" Association: Tarvin shared an experiment with the Red Cross where a scientist described atmospheric sulfur particles as "tiny Mary Poppins umbrellas floating down." Audience mood analytics peaked instantly at the unexpected, playful image.
The 5x5 List Method: To connect a complex product to something accessible (e.g., golf), list 5 key aspects of your topic and 5 aspects of the metaphor. Find where they overlap—such as framing a supporting software solution as a "caddie" that helps the expert succeed.
2. The "Comic Triple" & Unexpected Sequences
Pattern disruption keeps audiences leaning in:
Format: Present two standard, serious items followed by a third, playful or unexpected item.
Workplace Application: Add a surprising element to your LinkedIn bio, company values, or list of achievements (e.g., listing clients like "Microsoft, NASA, and the International Association of Canine Professionals").
3. The Role of AI in Workplace Humor
While AI rarely writes great jokes on its own, it excels at starting the creative process:
Use AI to analyze pitches or presentations and suggest where a joke or light moment could be added.
Feed lists into AI to generate playful ideas for the third element of a comic triple, then select the best option.
AI-generated humor relies heavily on human refinement. Personal judgment and awareness of workplace context remain essential to ensure jokes land well rather than feeling like clichés.
Episode Summary Framework
1. LET IT GO (Mindset) ---> 2. BE AUTHENTIC (Execution) ---> 3. ITERATE (Growth)
Remember "we sell soap" You are audience member #1; Treat humor as a skill;
and don't take high-stakes use formats and humor styles use audience feedback to
moments too seriously. that make YOU smile first. refine over time.
"The bar here is very low... You don't need to craft a Netflix comedy-level analogy; you're just doing something to get the person to pay attention and lean in a little bit more."
— Andrew Tarvin
Crafting Your Workplace Humor Playbook: Practice, Purpose, and Finding Your Tribe
Humor as an Acquired Skill: Tarvin emphasizes that he was never the "class clown" or naturally hilarious—as an introverted computer science engineer, he systematically learned humor as a discipline. Anyone can build this competency through structured practice.
Embracing the Divisive Nature of Humor: Not every joke will land with every person, and that is entirely okay. Tarvin shared that while his viral TEDx talk has millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes, it also has thousands of dislikes. When you put yourself out there, you will naturally filter out those who don't resonate and attract "your people."
Prioritizing the "Audience of One": Since you spend the most time inside your own career and workday, making the experience enjoyable for yourself should be the primary goal. If you enjoy the process, your energy becomes inherently more engaging to others.
Iterative Learning & Practice: Mastery requires safe places to practice and iterate—whether through running ideas past a witty colleague, taking an improv class, or using structured resources like humor assessments and coaching tools.
Making "Dry" Content Dynamic: The strategies discussed apply directly to notoriously dry fields like HR, employee benefits, corporate training, and sales. Shaking up complacent messaging with surprising, lighthearted touches drives higher engagement and better retention.
"I am not a stereotypically funny person. Growing up, I was not the class clown; I am very much an introvert, and I had to learn this skill later. Anyone can learn it."
— Andrew Tarvin
How to Contact Andrew Tarvin
If you're looking to bring humor engineering to your organization, book a keynote, or explore additional resources, you can connect with Andrew through the following channels:
Official Website: Visit Humor That Works to access free tools, read blog posts, explore the 5-minute humor assessment, and learn more about corporate training programs.
Corporate Coaching & Programs: Inquire directly about workshops, keynote speaking, and coaching programs via the Humor That Works Contact Page.
LinkedIn: Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn to follow his latest insights on workplace communication and leadership.
Social Media: Follow him across major social platforms (@drewtarvin) for short clips, humor tips, and updates on his speaking engagements.
Check the episode's Transcript (AI-generated) HERE.
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