Professor of Communication Studies, Dr. Matthew C. Ramsey, has earned national recognition for his latest research exploring the complex role that humor plays in the workplace. His article, “Supervisor Humor as a Predictor of Employee Voice and Intention to Quit,” has been accepted for publication in the International Journal of Business Communication.
Ramsey has studied humor within communication since 2007, but his deep dive into how supervisors’ humor impacts the workplace began just two years ago. He felt inspired to pursue this topic because he saw a need to move beyond “anecdotal and fluff pieces that praise its positive effects [workplace humor].”
“In reality, humor is an incredibly nuanced area of study.” He noted that humor can trigger a wide range of reactions, some of which are beneficial and others that are harmful to workplace culture. Even “classical perspectives from Plato and Aristotle,” he added, relate certain humor to aggression and/or superiority.
His prior research, published earlier this year in Communication Reports, examined supervisor humor as a predictor of “subordinate dissent” (when someone in a lower-level position speaks up against those in leadership positions). This research, coupled with the opportunity to meet with Dr. Stephanie E. Kelly at the Southern States Communication Association Conference in Norfolk, Virginia, opened up the door for Ramsey to explore his current research.
After speaking on a humor panel, Ramsey talked with Kelly, who months earlier had shared a pre-print of one of her studies that helped him revise his article. Their conversation about shared research interests led to Ramsey’s invitation to join Kelly’s research team. “She was kind enough to invite me to join her research team, which led to this article”, Ramsey explained.
The new study offers insights into how leaders’ use of humor influences employee behavior, satisfaction and communication. Whether through team-building, leadership styles or organizational culture and branding, humor plays a huge role in the workplace. Ramsey argues that understanding the effects of supervisors’ humor and humor in general is more important than ever.
“As John C. Meyer, noted humor scholar, put it, humor has the power to “unite and divide audiences,” Ramsey said. “Research has shown that supervisors’ humor affects employees’ productivity, organizational identification, expression of dissent and intentions to quit.”
The study’s findings highlight how leaders can build healthier work environments. It has been shown that supervisors who use humor to connect with employees can strengthen job satisfaction and reduce turnover intentions. “Put simply, when supervisors use humor in conversations to connect with subordinates, those subordinates are more satisfied with their work,” Ramsey said. They also feel more comfortable sharing dissenting information directly with supervisors, which in turn improves decision-making and organizational communication.
Despite these findings, Ramsey notes that not all humor produces positive outcomes. Humor that belittles, mocks or creates division can produce the opposite effect, and among communication scholars is known as “displaced dissent” (when employees share their complaints/concerns outside of the company or organization).
“Displaced dissent can lead to community gossip, media and social media imbroglios and/or whistleblowing – which can negatively affect organizations,” Ramsey said.
Furthermore, humor is highly subjective. “Humor is in the eye of the beholder,” Ramsey emphasized. “One person’s good-natured joke may be offensive to others.” Ramsey encourages leaders to use humor intentionally and avoid messages that have the potential to divide people.
The study did not compare supervisor humor to humor exchanged among coworkers, but Ramsey sees that as a possibility for future research. He is already continuing his work on organizational communication with a new study titled “Identity, Supervisor Trust and Displaced Dissent in the Supervisor-Subordinate Relationship,” which is set for publication in Communication Research sometime in mid-2026.
He believes the stakes of “dissent” research will only increase. “Given the rise of artificial intelligence and challenges to workers’ rights, understanding and empowering employee dissent is a must,” he emphasized. He argues that effective dissent counters “groupthink” (when a group of people prioritize “keeping the peace” over critical thinking and/or sharing their objectives), and strengthens organizational culture.
Ramsey credits his collaborators and colleagues for supporting his work, particularly Kelly, whom he describes as “a prolific communication researcher and a wonderful human being.” He also praised the Department of Communication Studies at Shippensburg University for encouraging faculty and students to explore nuanced topics such as humor and organizational communication.
“I want to encourage all Shippensburg University students interested in humor or organizational communication to contact me,” he said.
For Ramsey, his recent publication is a huge professional achievement and a tribute to nearly two decades of research highlighting both the beneficial and harmful impact of humor in the workplace.
