Life is funny, the saying goes. And when it isn’t funny, sometimes a sense of humor is what gets us through the tough periods.

Humor plays a special role at work. As critical as it is to take your work seriously, it is equally important to NOT take yourself too seriously.

Many years ago, a Fortune Magazine article talked about how executives should be funnier. I remember it well, because one of my biggest pet peeves is people who cannot laugh at themselves. The wonderful example the magazine used involved auto executive Eugene Cafiero.

When he was president of Chrysler, Cafiero went to England to meet with troubled employees at the company’s plant there. Conflict between management and union employees was tense. As Cafiero entered the plant he was confronted by a man who loudly said, “I’m Eddie McClusky, and I’m a communist.”

The composed Chrysler executive extended his hand and replied, “How do you do? I’m Eugene Cafiero, and I’m a Presbyterian.” The subsequent laughter squelched this potentially explosive confrontation.

“A sense of humor is the one thing no one will admit not having,” said Mark Twain. A good sense of humor helps to overlook the unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant, overcome the unexpected and outlast the unbearable.

I like to say if you can’t take a joke, then you’ll have to take the medicine. That can be a bitter pill to swallow.

Think about the co-workers who you most enjoy working with: They typically have a good perspective on the importance of specific projects, get work finished on time, offer help when it’s crunch time, and keep a smile on their faces through it all. And they often manage to put a smile on your face too.

Humor can make unpleasant tasks more palatable. It can defuse difficult situations and improve already good relations.

I have a friend in a business that you would usually not associate with humor -- he’s a funeral director. He doesn’t joke around about the seriousness of his work, but he does encourage his clients to allow themselves to laugh and share humorous memories about their loved ones. He says it helps break the tension and brings comfort to a trying situation.

There is plenty of evidence to support the benefits of humor at work. In a new study, researchers from Harvard's Business School found that cracking jokes at work shows your employer an increased perception of confidence and competence.

The study shows that the most effective joke-tellers are more likely to be chosen as group leaders. Just make sure the jokes in the office are appropriate. Researchers found inappropriate jokes lead to a perception of low competence. In other words, avoid locker-room banter and personal insults. Those are never funny anyway.

The most difficult part of using humor at work is knowing where to draw the line. You can joke with a customer, but never about a customer. You can tease your co-workers, or even your boss, but when it gets personal or hurtful, you are in dangerous territory. Refer to the Golden Rule if you are wondering if your remarks are appropriate: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you have to ask someone, you already have your answer. No joke is funny if you are the only one laughing.

Here’s a great take on how one company used humor, as an April Fools' joke, to deal with requests for taking a day off:

-- There are 365 days per year available for work.

-- There are 52 weeks per year in which you already have two days off per week, leaving 261 days available for work.

-- Since you spend 16 hours each day away from work, you have used up 170 days, leaving only 91 days available.

-- You spend 30 minutes each day on coffee breaks; that accounts for 23 days each year, leaving only 68 days available.

-- With a one-hour lunch period each day, you have used up another 46 days, leaving only 22 days available for work.

-- You normally spend two days per year on sick leave. This leaves you only 20 days available for work.

-- We offer five holidays per year, so your available working time is down to 15 days.

-- We generously give you 14 days of vacation per year which leaves one day available for work and no way are you going to take it.

Mackay’s Moral: Humor is more than funny business.

Stress is a used, misused, abused and overused word in our daily conversation. But what is stress, clinically speaking?

Dr. Hans Selye, the father of stress management research, said “Stress is the wear and tear on your body caused by life’s events.” He believed the most frequent causes of stress are an inability to adapt and not having an established code of behavior to guide our actions. Translation: If we can’t change, we need to understand when enough is enough.

Because April is stress awareness month, now is a perfect time to discuss how stress affects us. Hundreds of experiences in life cause stress, both good stress (eustress) and negative stress (distress). Our bodies are designed to meet these stressors, but each person must determine the right balance necessary to function at an optimum level.

Stress is frequently caused by time pressure -- you don’t have enough minutes in the day to do everything you want and need to accomplish.

Stress takes a toll on everyone in the workplace, young and old alike. That’s the finding of a study on U.K. workers, reported on the HeartMath website. Of survey participants 30 and younger, three-fourths reported taking at least one sick day during the previous 12 months, although fewer than half of workers 55 and older did the same. One possible reason: 86 percent of the younger group reported feeling stress at work, compared to 66 percent of older employees.

Dr. Paul J. Rosch, Chairman of the Board of The American Institute of Stress, said, “In most incidences, it’s not the individual or the job that causes burnout; rather, burnout is the result of a mismatch between the personality or the goals of the worker and the job description or the expectations of the workplace.”

It’s up to managers to keep stress among workers as low as possible. First, evaluate the stress level of your workplace or department. Then draw up workable solutions.

Hold group discussions. Meet with employees to gauge their perceptions about their jobs and the level of stress they experience. If that is not a good option, conduct a formal written survey. To eliminate any reluctance that employees may feel in discussing the stress level of their environment, make it anonymous. Ask about employee perceptions of their job conditions, perceived levels of stress, health and satisfaction. And then implement solutions that will benefit employees, which in turn will benefit your company.

When it feels like everything is going wrong, try and remember all the things that are going right. Stopping to smell the roses can be a healthy way of getting through those tough moments. Encourage employees to participate in problem-solving. Follow Dr. Selye’s suggestion to let them adapt and establish a code of behavior that guides their actions toward a healthy outcome.

Relax your standards. The constant struggle for perfection is not a bad goal, it’s just unrealistic. I’m not encouraging sloppiness or poor service, but instead accepting that failure is not fatal. When employees understand that mistakes are not the kiss of death, their stress levels decrease.

Finally, do something for someone else. It’s a powerful way to feel good and reduce stress. Stepping away from your own concerns to help someone else solve a problem or improve his or her situation can help you see the many positives in your own life. You get extra credit if you can involve employees -- perhaps on a workday so that you don’t impose on their personal time.

Most employees believe workers have more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor, and health care expenditures are nearly 50 percent greater for workers who report high levels of stress.

The results of a study by the American Psychological Association showed that most participants believed stress can make people sick. In fact, 77 percent of respondents said they had experienced fatigue, headaches and upset stomach as a result of stress. Even more serious side effects are heart attacks, ulcers, substance abuse and, sadly, suicide. But only 7 percent sought professional help to cope with their stress in the past year.

I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of keeping your workplace healthy and safe, both physically and mentally. It’s good for you, your employees and your business. Everyone wins.

Mackay’s Moral: Don’t let stress get the best of you, let it bring out your best.

Employee retention is a hot business topic today. No longer do people stay at the same company for 25 years and collect the gold watch like in years past.

In fact, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, the average worker will have 12 jobs from age 18 to 48. It's a shocking statistic. That alone should tell managers that all the time they put into hiring, training and promoting may just be preparation for the employee’s next job -- and chances are it will be somewhere else.

Employees have more bargaining power than ever before. Unemployment is relatively low, and social media makes a company’s employee retention information public knowledge.

Factor in that a recent Gallup Poll shows that only 31 percent of employees are engaged at work, 51 percent are disengaged and 17.5 percent are actively disengaged. Translation: Less than one-third of employees are excited about their jobs. Glassdoor, a website where employees and former employees anonymously review companies and their management, says that the average employee gives their company a C plus (3.1 out of 5) when asked whether they would recommend their company to a friend. In other words, companies need to do a better job retaining their valuable employees.

Then there is the collateral damage. Customers have an uncanny talent for picking up on dissatisfaction, and that can damage the bottom line. Can your company afford that?

Why do people leave companies in the first place? There are many reasons -- changes in benefits, bosses and job responsibilities, difficult co-workers, unethical practices, poor leadership, lack of challenges and many more.

I happen to believe that employees leave managers; they don’t leave companies.

Taking action when your employees are seriously dissatisfied with your organization’s policies or decisions is a test of your leadership. A face-to-face discussion about grievances can clear the air, but you’ve got to be careful to prevent it from turning into an explosive gripe session. A productive meeting needs careful planning, so consider these suggestions:

-- Prepare to hear some painful conversation. Be ready to listen without becoming defensive or arguing back.

-- Limit the size. A group of 10-15 employees is large enough so people don’t feel exposed and singled out, but still small enough so everyone can participate.

-- Assure privacy. Meet in a conference room where you won’t be overheard -- not the lunchroom or break area where other employees might wander in and out.

-- Ask for input. State the problem as you’ve heard it and ask for everyone’s opinions and feedback. Promise that you won’t punish anyone for speaking out, and stick to your word. Ask participants to prioritize a list of concerns so that the most important issues can be addressed first.

-- Respond honestly. Address each complaint. If you believe any issues are invalid, explain why, but be willing to listen to other points of view. Specify what you will do in response to the valid complaints.

-- Follow up promptly. If you can’t resolve a problem immediately, promise that you will respond in a short, specific time.

-- Thank the group. Express your sincere appreciation for their courage and honesty in bringing each issue to your attention. Re-emphasize your mutual goal of working together productively and efficiently so employees know you value their opinions.

That’s a good start, but keeping good employees is a long-term proposition.

Retention depends on more than bonuses and rewards. The best strategies engage employees on the job with equitable and generous compensation and benefits. Reliable, long-term retention depends on actions that managers should be practicing every day.

Coach employees on how to influence, motivate and persuade people. They’ll be able to accomplish more, which will lead to greater job satisfaction, if they can motivate others.

Help them develop their leadership skills. When employees see a path to advancement, they won’t have to look elsewhere for better opportunities. Providing opportunities for leadership shows they can have a future with your organization.

Give constant and immediate feedback. Tell employees what they’re doing right, and how they can improve. They’ll see that you’re paying attention and are committed to their success.

Encourage workers to suggest ideas and innovations, and take them seriously when they follow up. Show that you value their experience and skills.

Recognize their contributions. Praise employees for their efforts, share credit as widely as possible and give their achievements the attention they deserve.

Mackay’s Moral: Solving employee turnover is easier when they own a piece of the pie.