How to Keep Motivation at Work High, Despite Post-Pandemic Blues
Think about the moment your alarm went off this morning, and you thought about getting to work. How did you feel? Were you inspired, motivated, or a powerful sense of dread?
If it’s the latter, you’re not alone. Your colleagues are likely feeling this, too.
Recent research by the ADP Research Institute (ADPRI) shows that only 18% of workers felt engaged before the pandemic.
Here at Synaptic Potential, we have seen an additional shift after the pandemic. Many leaders and managers find it hard to motivate their staff when they struggle with external challenges such as covid, the cost of living, and public sector strikes.
At Synaptic Potential, we reimagine, redesign, and reinforce your organization's environment, mind frames, and capabilities using the latest neuroscience and behavioral science to access your whole brain’s potential.
Look For The Love
So how do you get there? We can start with understanding how the brain responds to love.
When we’re in love, we naturally see the world differently. Everything is filtered through the lens of joy and pleasure, and life seems brighter and more optimistic than before.
Neuroscience reveals that when you’re engaged in an activity you love, your brain releases oxytocin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and vasopressin, and also releases anandamide which brings feelings of joy and wonder.
These potent ‘feel good’ neurochemicals are inherently performance-enhancing, leading to greater motivation, creativity, and engagement. These neurochemicals feel addictive, so we’re always chasing them.
“ADPRI data on engagement shows that people who find love, strength, joy, and excitement in what they do each day are far more likely to be productive, to stay at the company longer than others do, and to sustain themselves in the face of life’s inevitable challenges” - HBR
Many of the employees in organisations we’re working with are needing to fall back in love with change. There are aspects of their role that they have always enjoyed, but there are things that are rapidly evolving…and that process in itself can be hard. Organisations want their employees to be high performing, stay with the organisation, contribute their great skills and knowledge, and be engaged and resilient!
However, they’re aware that the pressures can be high and the pace fast. This is why it’s critical the foundations are in place, and, as unusual as it may sound, rediscovering our innate love of change is critical.
Did you know? Brain science reveals that there are more synaptic connections in each human brain than there are stars in 5,000 Milky Ways, resulting in endless variations in how we all think and feel.
Love Is In The Details
If you want to amplify creativity, tighten the focus, and get fired up, we need to start with love. And it doesn’t need to be a huge reorientation.
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Studies show that just engaging 20% of your time in what you already love can help to prevent burnout. Put simply, those blissful neurochemicals can sustain our motivation and drive for a while - just like a couple of squares of chocolate can satiate our need for something sweet.
People find love in many different activities, so it’s time to get to know your teams deeper - and for them to understand themselves, too.
Are they carving out time for activities that inspire them?
How can workspaces be designed to spark a sense of joy and creativity?
Think about surveying your employee's interests during a quiz or team bonding activity.
Ask them - what do you love most about what you do, and why?
The networks involved in intrinsic motivation overlap with a range of other desirable brain states. Remember, though, what is intrinsically motivating can be shaped and not set.
This is really exciting when we live in a rapidly changing world. (Confession: despite much experimenting - I’ve still not managed to evoke sustained intrinsic motivation to get my family to take up the stairs the items left on the stairs…I remain hopeful though!)
You might want to help boost your team’s morale and focus in these post-pandemic times, but it’s also important to reflect on these questions yourself as a manager and coach.
Work doesn’t need to be something we drag ourselves out of bed for. Assessing our intrinsic motivation for love can be a source of energy, inspiration and resilience.
Imagine how your teammates will feel when you see and understand what about work they love and how their brain responds in kind.
You’ve got a huge amount of insight into what helps them do their best work, and they feel understood and appreciated - maybe for the first time ever in their career.
Synaptic Potential offers science-based solutions and strategies that support, shape and align your people development initiatives, workspace design and organisational policies . If you would like to find out more about how we can help you unlock the Whole Brain Potential? of your leaders or managers and teams then please get in touch to start a conversation.
If you’re an HR or L&D Professional who would like to receive a free bundle of people strategy resources, then CLICK HERE .?
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Bachelor of Commerce - BCom from Nizam College at Hyderabad Public School
1 年Insightful. ??????
Highly experienced HR and OD professional
1 年Great article, and such a powerful team question. I was surprised that the amount of time we need to spend doing something we love in order to avoid burnout is only 20%. The positive possibilities of using that in the workplace are endless, yet the idea of spending the other 80% of our time possibly going through the motions or at worst disliking what we do, is concerning.
Co-founder & Chief Learning Officer, author, keynote speaker, Brain Lady/ evangelist for learning to make a difference/advocate for science, data and technology/work internationally & have lived in 4 countries/
1 年Great post Amy. I am going to include the question about what people in our team love in their work at our first physical get together. We are completely remote so it's going to be exciting to have everyone in one place.
Project Director at S.M.A.R.T. Foundation - also known as: Legin Nyleve, LeginNyleve and @l3gin on other Social Media
1 年Of course, neither rocket science or counter intuitive when working relationships are good, non-judgmental and there is a sense of positive regard for all.