Work Happy: Lessons from Greg Kettner on Women In...
🔗 Helpful Links & Resources:
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – 24/7, free, and confidential
Mental Health America – Resources for building mentally healthy workplaces
Mind Share Partners – Workplace mental health training and resources
On the latest episode of Women In..., I sat down with Greg Kettner—a keynote speaker, comedian, and founder of the WorkHappy movement. Greg’s mission is both simple and profound: help people laugh more at work, connect more authentically, and boost well-being by putting happy back in work.
It’s a topic that couldn’t be more timely. Burnout is rampant. Mental health concerns are top of mind for employees and leaders alike. And too often, workplaces become places of stress rather than spaces for creativity, connection, and yes—joy.
Greg brings comedy chops, a sales background, and real-world experience coaching teams to show how laughter isn’t a distraction from work—it’s a performance multiplier.
What Does It Mean to Work Happy?
Greg shared a core question everyone should ask:
👉 What does “happy” actually mean to you at work?
It’s easy to say “I want to be happier,” but defining it is the first step to getting there. Here are some prompts and tips to help you or your team figure that out:
✅ When was the last time you felt energized and fulfilled at work? What were you doing?
✅ How often do you feel connected to your colleagues?
✅ Do you feel safe sharing ideas—even the weird ones?
✅ What would make your day feel lighter or more meaningful?
Greg’s message is that work happy isn’t one-size-fits-all. For some, it’s flexibility. For others, it’s mission-driven work, deep collaboration, or room to be creative. But one thing is nearly universal:
Happier teams laugh together.
The Role of Laughter in the Workplace
Greg had a clear call to action:
“Schedule laughter into your day.”
It might sound silly—but research backs it up. Shared laughter strengthens relationships, lowers stress, and even improves problem-solving.
A few easy ways to bring laughter into work:
Kick off meetings with a funny story (Greg’s specialty)
Create a #fun channel on Slack or Teams for memes and jokes
Host regular social hours or “laughter breaks”
Use humor to diffuse tension during tough conversations
Tips and Tools for Mental Health at Work
Of course, laughter is one important part—but it’s not the only answer. Greg emphasized that leaders need to take mental health seriously, and everyone should know where to turn when things get heavy.
Here are some resources and tools to share with your team:
📌 Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Many employers offer free counseling sessions—make sure your team knows how to access them.
📌 Mental Health First Aid Training: Learn how to spot signs of distress and offer initial support.
📌 Flexible Scheduling: Sometimes, the best support is simply space to breathe.
📌 Online Resources:
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – 24/7, free, and confidential
Mental Health America – Resources for building mentally healthy workplaces
Mind Share Partners – Workplace mental health training and resources
Bringing It All Together
Greg Kettner’s vision isn’t about ignoring the hard stuff—it’s about balancing it with the human stuff. He’s seen firsthand that when teams Work Happy, they perform better, stay longer, and build cultures that people want to join.
“If you’re not laughing at work, you’re working too hard.” — Greg Kettner
If you missed our conversation, check it out on Women In...—where we go deeper into how laughter, connection, and vulnerability can transform work for the better.
