Qualiblag, a new label for corporate humor
On April1, AFNOR Certification introduced Qualiblag, a new label for companies implementing a Humor Management System (HMS), which lists what it is recommended – or, on the contrary, inadvisable – to joke about at the coffee machine.
” What makes a company attractive is certainly the quality of its services. But it’s also the atmosphere. Our employees and managers like to use humor. That’s why we’ve had our organization’s high level of humor recognized by a label. “Jean-Michel Cabillaud, QSE manager of a breaded fish packaging company, sums up the rationale behind the launch of a new mark of recognition, the Qualiblag label. This label has also opened the doors to prestigious clients such as the Montreux Comedy Festival, to whom the company will supply 100,000 hake sticks(Afnor-standard) for dipping in cocktails at the start of the show.
Launched by AFNOR Certification on April1, the Qualiblag label is based on a set of guidelines drawn up by humor professionals, listing the do’s and don’ts of corporate humor. Putting banana peels on the floor is considered inappropriate (particularly in the porcelain industry), unlike putting farting cushions on the floor or hanging paper fish on the back, which lead to level 1 of the label (“beginner”). Level 3 of the label (“exemplary”) will reward those who are committed to self-mockery, and we know how rare they are… For these, there’s no risk of “fun-washing”!
Appoint humor referents in each subsidiary and business unit
But above all, the framework describes the organization to be built internally to ensure that the level of jokes is continuously improved, with monitoring indicators to be fed back to comex. The annual increase in the number of employees able to correctly answer the “Mr. and Mrs. X have a son” riddle on the intranet could be one such indicator. The guidelines also call for the appointment of an SMH referent within the company, who will have to take on the role of process pilot over and above his or her clown costume. Notwithstanding the frivolity of the subject, managing an SMH is not to be taken lightly. ” We have to have a very serious dialogue with the auditor who comes on site to check that the standards are being applied properly, present him with evidence without joking too much, and above all not make jokes out of respect for his impartiality. It’s a difficult posture to find.says Jean-Michel Cabillaud.
Also worth working on: the appointment of SMH referents in each department or subsidiary. ” Don’t pick the funniest ones, because they’re not always the smartest. And these people are quick to botch their reporting with implausible figures, on the pretext that it’s fun. “advises our manager. Do you want to enhance your brand image and appeal? Contact us to schedule an audit!
