Productivity at work - Applying lessons from science

It’s not easy to achieve lofty goals if it doesn’t feel good getting there. So clearly, it makes sense that work should feel good. Then why are so many people stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of fatigue and frustration? Why are so many in the working world – executives included – giving so much of themselves, but feeling disengaged and underappreciated?

Gallup’s recently released “State of the Global Workplace” report provides valuable insight into our happiness and productivity at work. Researchers found that only 13% of employees across 142 countries were engaged (“emotionally invested in and focused on creating value for their organizations every day”). Even worse, actively disengaged workers (“those who are negative and potentially hostile to their organizations”) outnumbered engaged employees by 2:1.

Why does this matter? First, engaged employees drive up productivity and profitability. They exhibit lower turnover and absenteeism rates than their less-engaged peers. And when they’re at work, they exhibit greater positivity and job satisfaction—as well as lower rates of anger and stress. Most striking, however, is that they are much more likely to say they like what they do each day.

Research confirms that a happy, satisfied workforce is more than a “feel good” for businesses. In fact, Gallup (and many other research studies) directly correlates engagement to profitability. Companies with greater levels of engagement experienced 147% higher earnings per share than their competitors.

So what does engagement have to do with science?

By understanding and applying the principles of quantum physics, neuroscience, and heart intelligence, we can deliberately influence our intentions, emotions, behaviors, and outcomes:

Quantum physics teaches us that there is much more to our universe than we can see. Everything is made up of energy, and we are interconnected through micro and macro energy fields. Even a basic understanding of quantum principles offers deep insights into the astounding power of shifting and elevating beliefs, behaviors, conversations, and communications to create what’s desired. Quantum intelligence takes emotional intelligence even further, opening up minds to many more possibilities.
Neuroscience teaches us that our thoughts, as well as our actions, influence our own and collective energy fields. For example, when you create a story in your mind with your thoughts – influencing it with your emotional point of view – you are actually burning pathways of belief in your brain. And, once you know how, it’s not that difficult to create new pathways, and therefore new experiences. Neuroleadership techniques and tools are enabling better decision-making, greater creativity, more effective stress management, and more open collaboration in many organizations today.
Heart intelligence findings teach us that when the mind and emotions are brought into coherent alignment with the heart, we’re in a flow of awareness, understanding and intuition that has significant implications for relationships and workplace cultures. For example, research has shown that the heart emits an electromagnetic field 5000x stronger than the brain. So when we learn techniques to bring our brain into coherence with our heart, we are actually feeding our brain new energy and intelligence.

At Harmony Crew, we teach some of these scientific principles in engaging ways to interested clients – this stuff makes great Lunch and Learns and team building workshops! But, we also use our deeper understanding of human nature to keep ourselves engaged. For example, we pay careful attention to how we feel as we serve one another and our clients. Are we energized and upbeat? Or, are we tired and distracted? Is there a positive, cohesive vibe among our team? Or, is listening lacking and patience thin?

We start important meetings with a moment of coherent breathing and stating our positive intentions about why we’re together. And, rather than powering through a tense situation or an emotional disagreement, we acknowledge it and take the time to use dialogue to bring us back to our common purpose and appreciation for one another. By doing this, we literally change the way our hearts and brains are functioning, and therefore, achieve a more productive outcome.

Look to future blogs to learn more about how embracing scientific insights can elevate human performance. And don’t worry – science lessons aren’t required. We get that not everyone wants to know how best practices work – just that they work.