How to use humor to elevate your status in the office

New research has found that humor can make an employee be perceived as confident and competent, but using it in the workplace can still be a double-edge sword.

In the video above, WSJ's Sue Shellenbarger and Tanya Rivero discuss a recent joint Wharton and Harvard Business School study that found a well-timed, tasteful joke at work can actually elevate your status in the workplace.

Humor can often seen as a sign of intelligence and the joke teller perceived as confident and competent, even if your jokes fall flat! But it can also be a risky path, as just one off-color or inappropriate joke can derail you.

A bit of comedy isn't just a powerful tool for boosting your career -- previous studies have found that it can even help increase productivity among stressed-out co-workers and groups.

Before you turn full class clown, find out just how to use humor to your benefit in the video above ... It all boils down to timing and knowing your audience.

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