The entry of new members into an organization can be a time of uncertainty and creativity for both newcomers and veterans. This study explored how humor communication was used by members of a human service organization to negotiate the entry of newcomers. Humor was frequently utilized by all members to manage stress and uncertainty while making sense of job expectations, organizational culture, and organizational affiliations. Additionally, many members marked moments of identification with the organization through their ability to use and interpret humor in the organization successfully. Together, newcomers and veterans used humor to co-construct the organizational norms and expectations.
BrocknerJ. (1990). Scope of justice in the workplace: How survivors react to co-worker layoffs. Journal of Social Issues, 46(1), 95-106. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1990.tb00274.x10.1111/j.1540-4560.1990.tb00274.x
2.
BrocknerJ.SpreitzerG.MishraA.HochwarterW.PepperL.WeinbergJ. (2004). Perceived control as an antidote to the negative effects of layoffs on survivors’ organizational commitment and job performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 49, 76-100. Retrieved from http://www2.johnson.cornell.edu/publications/asq/
3.
CannA.CalhounL. G.BanksJ. S. (1997). On the role of humor appreciation in interpersonal attraction: It’s no joking matter. Journal of Humor Research, 10(1), 77-89. doi:0933-1719/97/0010-00770933-1719/97/0010-0077
4.
CharmazK. (1983). The grounded theory method: An explication and interpretation. In EmersonR. M. (Ed.), Contemporary field research (pp. 109-126). Boston, MA: Little, Brown.
5.
CharmazK.MitchellR. G. (2001). Grounded theory in ethnography. In AtkinsonP.CoffeyA.DelamontS.LoflandJ.LoflandL. H. (Eds.), Handbook of ethnography (pp. 369-488). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
6.
CollinsonD. L. (1988). “Engineering humor”: Masculinity, joking and conflict in shop-floor relations. Organizational Studies, 9, 181-199. doi:10.1177/01708406880090020310.1177/017084068800900203
7.
CollinsonD. L. (2002). Managing humour. Journal of Management Studies, 39, 269-288. doi:10.1111/1467-6486.0029210.1111/1467-6486.00292
8.
ConsalvoC. M. (1989). Humor in management: No laughing matter. Humor, 2, 285-297. doi:10.1515/humr.1989.2.3.28510.1515/humr.1989.2.3.285
9.
CoxS. A. (1999). Group communication and employee turnover: How coworkers encourage peers to voluntary exit. Southern Communication Journal, 64, 181-192. doi:10.1080/1041794990937313310.1080/10417949909373133
10.
CoxS. A.KramerM. W. (1995). Communication during employee dismissals: Social exchange principles and group influence on employee exit. Management Communication Quarterly, 9, 156-190. doi:10.1177/089331899500900200210.1177/0893318995009002002
11.
DeetzS. (2005). Critical theory. In MayS.MumbyD. K. (Eds.), Engaging organizational communication theory and research: Multiple perspectives (pp. 85-112). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
12.
DuncanW. J. (1985). The superiority theory of humor at work. Small Group Behavior, 16, 556-564. doi:10.1177/10464964850160041210.1177/104649648501600412
13.
EisenbergE. M. (1984). Ambiguity as strategy in organizational communication. Communication Monographs, 51, 227-242. doi:10.1080/0363775840939019710.1080/03637758409390197
14.
EisenbergE. M.RileyR. (2001). Organizational Culture. In JablinF. M.PutnamL. L. (Eds.), The new handbook of organizational communication: Advances in theory, research, and methods (pp. 291-322). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
15.
FrancisL. E. (1994). Laughter, the best mediation: Humor as emotion management in interaction. Symbolic Interaction, 17, 147-163. doi:10.1525/si.1994.17.2.14710.1525/si.1994.17.2.147
16.
GilsdorfJ. W. (1997). Metacommunication effects on international business negotiating in China. Business Communication Quarterly, 60(2), 20-37. doi:10.1177/10805699970600020310.1177/108056999706000203
17.
GrahamE. E.PapaM. J.BrooksG. P. (1992). Functions of humor in conversation: Conceptualization and measurement. Western Journal of Communication, 56, 161-183. doi:10.1080/1057031920937440910.1080/10570319209374409
18.
GreatbatchD.ClarkT. (2003). Displaying group cohesiveness: Humor and laughter in the public lectures of management gurus. Human Relations, 56, 1515-1544. doi:10.1177/0018726703561200410.1177/00187267035612004
19.
GrugulisI. (2002). Nothing serious? Candidates’ use of humor in management training. Human Relations, 55, 387-406. doi:10.1177/001872670205500445910.1177/0018726702055004459
20.
GrunerC. (1978). Understanding laughter: The workings of wit and humor. Chicago, IL: Nelson Hall.
21.
HeylB. S. (2001). Ethnographic interviewing. In AtkinsonP.CoffeyA.DelamontS.LoflandJ.LoflandL. H. (Eds.), Handbook of Ethnography (pp. 369-488). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
22.
HirschmannK. (1999). Blood, vomit, and communication: The days and nights of an intern on call. Health Communication, 11(1), 35-57. doi:10.1207/s15327027hc1101_310.1207/s15327027hc1101_3
23.
HolmesJ.MarraM. (2002). Having a laugh at work: How humour contributes to workplace culture. Journal of Pragmatics, 34, 1683-1710. doi:10.1016/S0378-2166(02)00032-210.1016/S0378-2166(02)00032-2
24.
JablinF. M. (1987). Organizational entry, assimilation, and exit. In JablinF. M.PutnamL. L.RobertsK.PorterL. W. (Eds.), Handbook of organizational communication: An interdisciplinary perspective (pp. 679-740). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.
25.
JablinF. M. (2001). Organizational entry, assimilation, and disengagement/exit. In JablinF. M.PutnamL. L. (Eds.), The new handbook of organizational communication (pp. 732-818). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
26.
JanesL. M.OlsenJ. M. (2000). Jeer pressure: The behavioral effects of observing ridicule of others. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 474-485. doi:10.1177/014616720026600610.1177/0146167200266006
27.
JerrisL. A. (1993). Effective employee orientation. New York, NY: American Management Association.
28.
JohnsonJ. R.BernhagenM. J.MillerV. D.AllenM. (1996). The role of communication in managing reductions in work force. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 24(3), 139-164. doi:10.1080/0090988960936544810.1080/00909889609365448
29.
LaFaveL. (1972). Humor judgments as a function of reference groups and identification classes. In GoldsteinJ. H.McGheeP. E. (Eds.), The psychology of humor: Theoretical perspectives and empirical issues (pp. 195-210). New York, NY: Academic Press.
30.
LindlofT. R.TaylorB. C. (Eds.). (2002). Qualitative communication research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
31.
LouisM. R. (1980). Surprise and sense making: What newcomers experience in entering unfamiliar organizational settings. Administrative Science Quarterly, 25, 226-251. doi:0001-8392/80/2502-02260001-8392/80/2502-0226
32.
LynchO. H. (2002). Humorous communication: Finding a place for humor in communication research. Communication Theory, 12, 423-445. doi:10.1111/ j.1468-2885.2002.tb00277.x10.1111/ j.1468-2885.2002.tb00277.x
33.
LynchO. H. (2009). Kitchen antics: The importance of humor and maintaining professionalism at work. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 37, 444-464. doi:10.1080/0090988090323314310.1080/00909880903233143
34.
LynchO. H.SchaeferZ. A. (2008). Humor without interaction: A joke without a punch line. Management Communication Quarterly, 22, 512-520. doi:10.1177/ 089331890832700910.1177/ 0893318908327009
35.
MartinD. M. (2004). Humor in middle management: Women negotiating the paradoxes of organizational life. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 32, 147-170. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2885.2002.tb00277.x10.1111/j.1468-2885.2002.tb00277.x
36.
MartineauW. H. (1972). A Model of the social functions of humor. In GoldsteinJ. H.McGheeP. E. (Eds.), The psychology of humor (pp. 101-125). New York, NY: Academic Press.
37.
MeyerJ. C. (1997). Humor in member narratives: Uniting and dividing at work. Western Journal of Communication, 6, 188-208. doi:10.1080/1057031970937457110.1080/10570319709374571
38.
MorandD. A. (1996). Dominance, deference, and egalitarianism in organizational interaction: A sociolinguistic analysis of power and politeness. Organization Science, 7, 544-556. doi:10.1287/orsc.7.5.54410.1287/orsc.7.5.544
39.
MorreallJ. (1983). Taking humor seriously. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
40.
NelsonD. L.Campbell QuickJ. (1991). Social support and newcomer adjustment in organizations: Attachment theory at work?Journal of Organizational Behavior, 12, 543-554. doi:10.1002/job.403012060710.1002/job.4030120607
41.
PogrebinM. R.PooleE. D. (1988). Humor in the briefing room: A study of the strategic uses of humor among police. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 17, 183-210. doi:10.1177/08912418801700200310.1177/089124188017002003
42.
RodriguesS. B.CollinsonD. L. (1995). “Having fun”? Humor as resistance in Brazil. Organization Studies, 16, 739-768. doi:10.1177/01708406950160050110.1177/017084069501600501
43.
RoganR. G.HammerM. R. (1994). Crisis negotiations: A preliminary investigation of facework in naturalistic conflict discourse. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 22, 216-231. doi:10.1080/0090988940936539910.1080/00909889409365399
SchwandtD. R. (2005). When managers become philosophers: Integrating learning with sensemaking. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4, 176-192. Retrieved from http://www.aom.pace.edu/amle/
46.
ShulerS.SypherB. D. (2000). Seeking emotional labor: When managing the heart enhances the work experience. Management Communication Quarterly, 14(1), 50-89. doi:10.1177/089331890014100310.1177/0893318900141003
47.
StraussA.CorbinJ. (1998). Grounded theory methodology: An overview. In DenzinN. K.LincolnY. S. (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 158-183). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
48.
TracyS. J. (2000). Becoming a character for commerce: Emotional labor, self-subordination, and discursive construction of identity in a total institution. Management Communication Quarterly, 14(1), 90-128. doi:10.1177/089331890014100410.1177/0893318900141004
49.
TracyS. J.MyersK. K.ScottC. W. (2006). Cracking jokes and crafting selves: Sensemaking and identity management among human service workers. Communication Monographs, 73, 283-308. doi:10.1080/0363775060088950010.1080/03637750600889500
50.
Van MaanenJ.ScheinE. H. (1979). Toward a theory of organizational socialization. In StawB. M.CummingsL. L. (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior (pp. 209-264). Greenwich, Connecticut: JAI Press.
51.
WeickK. E. (1979). The social psychology of organizing (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
52.
WeickK. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
53.
WeickK. E. (Ed.). (2001). Making sense of the organization. Oxford: Blackwell.
54.
WeickK. E.WestleyF. (1996). Organizational learning: Affirming an oxymoron. In CleggS. R.HardyC.NordW. R. (Eds.), Handbook of organization studies (pp. 440-458). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
