Laughology Spotlight On… Stephanie Davies
In the last decade, you may have noticed many unqualified people attempting to ride the wellbeing wave and establish themselves as happiness experts.
Stephanie Davies is not one of them.
She’s the OG. She didn’t have to jump on the bandwagon because she built it, then attached two stallions and rode it through the corporate world like Boudica in a power suit.
Stephanie Davies, Laughology’s CEO and Head of Happiness has built an internationally recognised reputation for transforming workplaces with a pioneering, dynamic, accessible blend of psychology and humour.
She’s been shaking up corporate culture for over 25 years, long before “workplace happiness” became a buzzword, and was an award-winning stand-up comedian before she ventured into the business world.
She’s been spreading Laughology’s unique DNA over some of the world’s biggest corporations and organisations, including HSBC, Nando’s and Nespresso (plus some top-secret Government departments she’s not allowed to speak about), helping teams to be happier, healthier and more productive.
Where it all started
Stephanie started her professional life in performing community arts at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, where her sense of humour (or, as her friends and family put it, “showing off”) evolved into stand-up comedy. She has performed alongside some of the nation’s top comics, such as Sarah Millican and John Bishop.
Her passion for understanding human behaviour led her to study psychology. Her understanding of how humour can be used to help drive sustainable behaviour change led her to develop the concept of Laughology, and she set about changing the world, bringing out the best in people, both in classrooms and corporate offices.
Her work is built to stick. For example, a recent programme with one of the UK’s biggest lottery companies guided over 1,000 employees to align with fresh values and behaviours. Her programmes are as practical as they are engaging.
Take her work with HSBC, where she helped over 500 leaders prepare psychologically to have confident performance conversations. Feedback was glowing: “This course is a must for all managers,” said one participant. “Fun, practical, and it’s given me real tools to take forward.”
For Nespresso, Stephanie developed programmes which enhanced managers’ connections with their boutique retail teams. With clients from First Direct to O2, her work has helped countless organisations build workplaces that people value and engage with. Her work isn’t just about making people smile. It’s about creating spaces where everyone can feel valued and included, a message she’s brought to companies like Virgin and O2.
Spreading the happiness further
As the UK’s foremost expert on humour and happiness, Stephanie is a regular on BBC Radio and ITN News and has spoken alongside experts like Dr Martin Seligman at global psychology conferences, championing the science of happiness. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed book Laughology: The Science of Laughter to Improve Your Life.
Stephanie redefines what it means to work happily. Whether leading a workshop or designing cultural transformation programmes, she brings a fresh, approachable style that unites teams and helps people flourish.
Stephanie and Laughology don’t just train people; they bring about real, lasting change.
In their own words:
- Martin Baker, Head of Strategy at HSBC: “I’ve never seen my team so energised and engaged. This has helped us land the mindset shift we needed.”
- Charlie Hallett, Head of People at Nespresso: “Our managers and leaders got so much out of it. Thank you, Stephanie, for making a difference.”
- A VMO2 participant: “You’re quite funny, and I learned something too, best workshop I’ve ever had.”
And from her husband: “She’s not that funny at home—just falls asleep in front of the TV.”
