When you think of the workplace, does the word satisfaction ever ring your bell? Is your employer fulfilling your need of appreciation? Are you an employer who wants to grow with your brand? If these questions made you curious, and you could use some help, keep on reading!
The article in discussion today is called ”The Neuroscience of Employee Engagement”. In it, the author Coralie Sawruk is drawing attention to the subject of job satisfaction. Through her piece, she wants to enlighten the reader about what improves team dynamics and explains that the employee’s need of fulfillment is a goal that should be fulfilled. Here, she also shares her thoughts on the interdependency between an employer and his employee when it comes to brand nourishing.
The ideas advanced by this article are scientifically supported by Frederick Herzberg’s research on fulfillment at work. His discoveries have become more and more helpful with time, especially with the progress of brain studies. Neuroscience-driven insights, as Sawruk’s main focus in this article, can aid employers’ efforts to create a better connection with their employees. Step by step, this approach leads to optimization of employee engagement.
The author references Kimberly Schaufenbuel’s research,”Motivation on the brain- Applying the neuroscience of motivation at workplace”. The taxonomy she made based on the findings, includes 4 major drives at the workplace together with tips for improvement. Addressing the drive to defend, she points out that what provokes it is the feeling of being undervalued. When it comes to the brain, studies have shown that it understands and reacts to social pain the same way it reacts to physical pain.
Considering this, the best solution for employers is to give positive and continuous feedback to their employees. The drive to acquire is set for ”employee recognition and rewards”. According to a survey made by Harris Interactive and Glassdoor, 75% of employees find a pay raise to be a way to express gratitude and recognition. The drive to bond promotes collaboration between subjects who share the same interests. The author references Matt Lieberman, the Director of UCLA’s Social Cognitive Neuroscience lab, who talks about the need of social connections. He affirms that “Social is not one of our programs. It is our basic operating system.” When it comes to the drive to learn, an employer “through appreciation and gratitude, [you] can encourage creativity and learning”. Regarding this, recent studies have shown that gratitude and generosity match at a neurobiological and psychological level. Small acts of generosity and acknowledgment do impact work-related productivity.
The author pushes forward the idea that creating a lasting positive feeling is a great strategy for employers who want engaged employees. To read the original article please access this link: The Neuroscience of Employee Engagement.
