Once the domain of the men in white coats, hushed laboratories and unreadable scientific journals, neuroscience has hit the mainstream in recent years. You are just as likely to see it mentioned on the cover of Time magazine, in a news bulletin, or in the training room at work as in a scientific paper.
In the workplace neuroscience is starting to have a big impact – affecting decisions from sales and marketing plans and communication initiatives to team development and change management strategies.
An improved understanding of the way people think and behave lies at the heart of making our organisations better places to work. So what are some of the key findings from neuroscience that have made the crossover into the business world?
- Encourage Strategic Thinking by Reducing Stress & Increasing Planning
Stress is a natural ‘threat’ response we have inherited from our ancestors. It’s necessary to some extent, but can derail performance if it becomes the dominant force in the workplace.
These days, instead of a wild animal it’s more likely to be a wild boss that ups our stress levels and produces a ‘fight or flight’ mentality. With better leadership, stress levels can be minimised and the workplace can develop a culture of planned and organised achievement. Our ‘higher thinking’ brain (seated in the prefrontal cortex) takes over from our more primitive responses, encouraging strategic thinking and problem solving.
- Don’t Overload the Brain – Focus
Our brains are amazing things, but they work optimally when they are not overloaded. Just like if we ask a computer with limited RAM to spread its power over ten programs, our higher thinking brains are unable to solve problems, innovate or think strategically if overloaded with tasks. A workplace where people are multitasking with endless lists of things to do can be counter-productive and morale-sapping. Just like a computer, we work best when focused on the task at hand and can put all of our brain power into it.
- See The Job Through
Decide on the right course of action and see it through to the end. If we are assured in our decision-making, then we should be able to proceed towards the end goal with confidence. A workplace environment where things are often left ‘hanging’ or unfinished can be detrimental, as neuroscience has shown that our brains don’t really ‘let go’ of it – they remember these experiences more than they remember completed tasks. We prefer nice, tidy endings to loose ends, which can distract us.
- Keep Positive
This is probably no surprise but positive work environments are more productive. The precise details of how you create that positivity will depend on the makeup of your workforce, but the general aim is to create a sense of wellbeing in your team, so that they are comfortable doing what they do and feel fulfilled by it. Look for the ‘up’ moments rather than concentrating on the ‘down’ moments in the day, and create an environment of reward and recognition rather than fear and threat. This will boost motivation and performance levels.
- People with the Motivation & Opportunity to Change WILL Change
The brain can learn to build new neural pathways that create new behaviours and embed habits, contrary to what the science used to say. Therefore, if you give people the motivation and opportunity to change they will do it. Part of the problem with change in organisations is that there is very little motivation for it; people become apathetic or resistant to change as there is no ‘what’s in it for me?’ element.
With the brain being the most complex organ in our bodies, there is still a long way to go to really unlock its mysteries. There is still more we don’t know about the brain than we do know. But with the latest developments in neuroscience the gap may be closing – and future developments should herald more changes to the workplace as we understand our people better.