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Is your workplace a breeding ground for Neanderthals?

I hope that the title has grabbed your attention? I promise that there is a twist in the tale, so read on…

In twenty plus years of working with the mind, I have heard many employers and managers suggest that their staff aren’t up to speed, to slow, resistant to change, blah, blah, blah. Yet, the same staff have the ability to be creative, fast, flexible and forward thinking in other contexts.

Neuroscience and neuroplasticity suggest, that the brain is profoundly shaped by social interaction. This could mean that organisations, who see the work place as an economic transaction where employees are simply paid for the time they put in, getting rid of them as and when the need arises, and, of course, the now legendary zero hour working contract; all add to a person not being able to socially connect and often, even rejected.

For the few that learn to put up with this type of treatment, merely tread water at work, leaving their creative brain at home. They will give zero commitment in exchange for their zero hour contract. Choosing to work only allotted times, starting and finishing on the dot. The brain suffers neural impulses, which is as painful as receiving a bash on the head, Ouch!

Change – Pain or Pleasure?

As a behavioural change expert, I have often encountered resistance to change and had to come up with some weird and wonderful way of by passing or preventing the brain from entering “the “threat response” Evian Gordon, a neuroscientist, says that “the fundamental organising principal of the brain” is to “minimise danger, maximise reward” meaning that when the brain is in an environment that it is comfortable with, it can then reserve power and engage in the task at hand.

The power drain is caused by the ‘unknown’, which causes the brain to remain vigilant to the new environment, new office memo, new member of staff, new desk, etc. Uncertainty causes the brain to fire up extra neural energy resulting in:

• Lower memory capacity
• Poor Performance
• Detached, day dreaming
• Brain Friendly Solutions

As you can see the brain is doing it’s best to look after you, in any context and the best way for your organisation to allow creative brains into the work place is:

• Create a shared vision (not just a load of words)
• Shared Values (not situational values)
• Clarity of purpose so everyone can feel comfortable
• Talk about and encourage greater social interaction
• Let people know about change, well in advance.

So, Is your workplace a breeding ground for Neanderthal’s?

If you are an employer or company with high attrition, staff absenteeism, high sickness rates and poor productivity, think about the easiest thing that you could implement today, which would impact on your staff’s sense of belonging. If you do nothing, then expect nothing in return. or as the Neanderthal would put it “Ugg! Ugg!”

If you would like to learn more about your brain and how to get the best from you, your team or your organisations, then contact me matt@matthudson.com and remember there is madness in my method.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Hudson .