How can HR apply Neuroscience in Organisations

Quick Wiki search reveals:

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. It is a multidisciplinary branch of biology that deals with the anatomy, biochemistry, molecular biology, and physiology of neurons and neural circuits. It also draws upon other fields, with the most obvious being pharmacology, psychology, and medicine.

This article explores

1. Neuroscience and Trust- How can engagement and productivity be increased in workplace?
2. Neuroscience and Learning - How can Neuroscience help improve Learning
3. How can Neuroscience help in building teams?
4. How can Neuroscience help in making hiring decisions?
5. How can Neuroscience help in designing workspaces
6. What does Neuroscience say about Leadership

Neuroscience and Trust- How can engagement and productivity be increased in workplace?

HBR article by Paul Zak Jan 2017 explains the concept beautifully. You can have Karaoke Fridays, Free lunches and many other perks all of this can help in short term to improve workplace happiness, but what does Neuroscience Say about improving workplace happiness and engagement? Trust, strong connect with colleagues lead to greater productivity lesser stress and stronger performance

Paul considered Gallups decades of data which also seems to corroborate the same. In 2016 Global CEO survey also says that 55% of CEOs feel lack of trust is threat to organisations growth.

Paul started experiments with oxytocin a which actually is clear indication in rodents which has been shown that increased production of oxytocin is a clear indication that another animal was safe to approach. In an experiment of synthetically administering oxytocin to human beings it was observed that it reduces the fear of approaching a stranger.

For the next 10 years they conducted several experiments to understand the link between oxytocin and trust and eventually develop a framework.

Framework for building trust in organisations with learnings from Neuroscience

Recognizing excellence: Neuroscience identifies that when this comes unexpected from peers, tangible and public has largest effect on trust and inspires others also provides platform for sharing success

Giving difficult but achievable job: Moderate stress releases oxytocin and adrenocorticotropin, that intensify people’s focus and strengthen social connections however it is important to constantly check if the task assess progress and check that goals are not too easy nor too difficult.

Giving people autonomy: Discretion and autonomy promotes innovation. A 2014 Citigroup and LinkedIn survey found that nearly half of employees would give up a 20% raise for greater control over how they work.

Enable Job crafting: Trust employees to choose projects, focus energies. Morning Star which is largest producer of tomatoes in the world don’t have job titles and organise themselves into own work groups.

Sharing information and facilitating growth: Employees who know where company is heading and know how their work contributes to success are more connected. Personal one-one discussion on goals, achievements constantly having a discussion on growth helps to have a strong engagement.

Showing vulnerability: Asking for help instead of telling. Being open about things which you don’t know helps build credibility and increase trust

Return on trust -Research done by Paul indicates that compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report: 74% less stress, 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more engagement, 29% more satisfaction with their lives, 40% less burnout.

Neuroscience and learning:

Neuroscience states that personalised learning helps in improving the learning substantially. To quote neurologist Dr. Judy Willis; "A student must care about new information or consider it necessary for it to go through the limbic system expeditiously, form new synaptic connections, and be stored as a long-term memory. In other words, memories with personal meaning are most likely to become relational and long-term memories available for later retrieval."

Personalised individual learning after understanding the individuals needs and learning styles helps improve the experience and helps drive home the point

How learnings from Neuroscience can help build teams?

Britt Andreatta published an article for Association of Talent Development and says In person interactions and face to face meetings helps read meanings and intentions through body language and pheromone signals which makes a significant difference and especially important during initial interactions to establish trust. Teams need to have a sense of safety( making mistakes, speaking up), holding them responsible as a unit to be successful.

This article talks about learnings of Ramin Shokrizade from when she was on coaching staff of UCLA womens track team and how she was able to relate to stint at Google.

https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RaminShokrizade/20171106/308996/Building_a_Vastly_Better_Team_Using_Neuroscience.php

Learnings from neuroscience on building great teams:

1. Teams which are generous, empathetic , selfless make better teams

2. Teams which are diverse are better

3. Teams which have different skills but come together and celebrate team success instead of individual success fare better

How can Neuroscience help in making hiring decisions?

https://www.businessinsider.in/Consumer-goods-giant-Unilever-has-been-hiring-employees-using-brain-games-and-artificial-intelligence-and-its-a-huge-success/articleshow/59356757.cms 

Here is an example of how Unilever is using Neuro-Science to hire entry level hires to improve quality of hires and diversity.

Neuroscience and Workspaces:

Architects studying workspaces are using learning from Neuroscience to design workspaces

Learnings:

1. High ceiling help teams figure out broad problems while low ceilings are more useful for detailed work

2. Blue associated with sunlight and sky keeps brain alert

3. Cool colors and LED lights can improve alertness, and scents like lavender and jasmine can produce a calming effect.

4. High performers prefer closed private workspaces and reject open workspaces

Neuroscience and leadership:

https://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/how-does-neuroscience-impact-leadership-235461.aspx

Dr. Jenny Brockis, medical practitioner and author of future brain says great leaders minimise threat response, promote positive mood, which helps in improving resilience and capability.

Dr Jenny also states that adaptive leader is curious, open to new ways of thinking, doesn’t have a fixed mindset and looks to enhance collaboration and creativity. All of which helps in disrupting the status quo.

Conclusion:

Learnings of Neuroscience can be used for building great teams, leaders,designing work spaces and improving culture. Applications are immense and the pace of learning in the recent past has improved significantly which is making everyone sit up and take notice.