Laughing at how our tax money is spent
Seriously – doesn’t this sound exactly like something David Brent (from BBC’s The Office) would do… (or rather, has actually done in one episode LOL!! )
Clowns enlisted to raise spirits of Tampere municipal workers. “Laughter is the core of well-being”, says city’s personnel chief.[...]
The idea for the city clowns came from comedian Mona Ratalahti, occupational well-being trainer Riitta Harilo, and its godmother was Kirsi Koski, head of the Mayor’s office. Koski has worked as the city’s head of personnel for three years.
“I have thought about what would be the core of well-being. Yes, it is laughter”, Koski says. “It is all right to laugh at craziness – at what is not said out loud in business discussions.” Ratalahti feels that a clown nose “changes us and the viewer in such a way that forces people to look at things differently”.
“When people enjoy their work, it is reflected directly on the bottom line.”
Photo on left by Reijo Hietanen, from Helsingin Sanomat
