Do you take yourself too seriously? I know I do sometimes. Then again, sometimes I don’t feel like acting my age either …

It’s being increasingly recognised that we work better when we’re in a positive frame of mind – it affects our concentration, our health and our motivation, all of which are essential to productivity. Doing things differently at work is becoming the new ‘norm’, with companies like Google leading the way by allowing employees time, space and resources to play at work. This isn’t time wasting, but is proving to be hugely conducive to creative and innovative thinking.

It’s not just the tech industry that’s realising that being professional doesn’t necessarily mean being humourless and boring. Fun and humour make being at work enjoyable for everyone. There’s a growing acknowledgement that workplace stress can contribute to mental health issues, as detailed by a new study from Investors in People (IIP). Laughter is a great stress reliever and most adults don’t do it enough.

“Happiness is right here, right now,” enthuses David Pollock, the chief executive of Britain’s Best Company to Work For 2018, to a meeting of his employees whose hearts are racing after an on-the-spot jog at the conference table. The group is gathered for “happiness training” – motivational brainstorming – with Pollock, whose commitment to ensuring everyone enjoys themselves at work wins him this year’s Best Leader special award.

So, let’s not take ourselves too seriously – there are so many health warnings indicating that it’s just not worth it. The more fun we are to be around, the more people want to be with us – another great interpersonal skill.