Business Solutions for Spring 2019

6 S P R I N G 2 0 1 9 Who’s Minding Your Business? Zina Maurer Supervisor – Customer Operations Zina Maurer brought valuable business experience with her when she started at Madison Commu- nications in 2002. Maurer worked at Edison Brothers in St. Louis in Payroll, then Finance, then Risk Management. Next she went to Dow Jones (The Wall Street Journal ) in Highland, bringing her skills to in the Circulation Department. Maurer was recently promoted to Supervisor – Customer Operations of Madison Communications. In this role, she’s focused on improving the office support this department provides to external customers through billing and troubleshooting and to internal cus- tomers (employees) for the installation of products and billing preparation. What about the Customer Operations department makes Maurer most proud? She replied, “I’m proud of how much our department has grown to become a team by working, training, and sup- porting one another on a professional and personal basis.” She added, “I’m also proud to work for a company that cares about its cus- tomers and invests in bringing quality service to the rural community.” Maurer has been married for 32 years to Bob, and they have three children: Brooke (husband Adam), Erica, and Ryan. She said, “We love to vacation as a family and celebrate all holidays together. I also like to scrapbook, cook, and have fun in the sun.” In recent years, more and more companies have begun to recognize the need for a little levity around the office. So much so that many consultants now make a living offering advice on how to infuse humor and fun into the workplace. Why? The answer is simple. Studies have demonstrated that laughter has positive effects on both our physical and mental health. In fact, laughing enhances the immune system, lowers blood pressure, and even releases natural antidepressants and pain- killers in the body. This boost to our systems can result in fewer missed days, less illness, and reduced stress. But those benefits are just the beginning. Creating an atmosphere that welcomes humor often leads to productivity-boosting effects. Laughter improves morale, cuts down on employee turnover, reduces conflict, strengthens teamwork, builds loyalty, and fosters creativity. What’s more, laughing at work can help counteract the inevitable boredom that arises out of dull tasks and keeps people attentive during long meetings. Remember recess when you were a kid? Think of workplace humor as the adult equivalent of recess—a way to renew energy and focus. As comedian Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” Many employers now consider a good sense of humor to be a factor when choosing new hires. This trait is seen as reflective of a person’s flexibility at work and ability to build good rapport with colleagues. With just a little effort, you can make your workplace a little more fun for everyone. After all, Americans typically spend more waking hours at work than at home, so it’s a good idea to find ways to enjoy it. And with all the business benefits of laughter, you may be laughing your way to the bank. Laughter can offer serious benefits to your workplace Have More Fun, Get More Done