Use Your Brain!

Let’s go full science nerd for a moment, which will provide some very interesting implications for your workplace and work habits. A recent online article from Knowledge at Wharton [CLICK TO READ] explores the intersection of neuroscience and workplace culture. The company Slalom, in collaboration with the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative (WiN), conducted a groundbreaking experiment in which employees measured their own brain activity while engaged in real work. The study revealed key insights with implications for creative thinking, employee engagement, and team chemistry.

The experiment involved Slalom employees wearing Emotiv brainwave sensing headsets during work, allowing the measurement of brain activity. One major finding highlighted the impact of breaks on brain activity. Employees who took 10-minute breaks between meetings experienced increased brain signals associated with lower stress and deep, creative thinking. This challenges the trend of back-to-back virtual meetings, indicating that incorporating breaks can lead to improved physiological indicators of performance.

The study also delved into the relationship between work relationships and brain activity. It found that employees who reported feeling closer to each other exhibited more similar brain activity while watching videos, suggesting a correlation between relationship quality and brain synchrony. This has implications for predicting team chemistry based on brain activity patterns.

Further, the research explored how internal messaging resonates with employees based on their engagement levels. Employees who rated Slalom highly for promoting knowledge sharing and leadership development showed the highest overall brain activity during a video promoting Slalom as a great place to work. This suggests that internal messaging is most effective for the most engaged employees.

The findings prompted actionable steps, which includes incorporating breaks into schedules and considering the needs of global team members to build stronger connections. The integration of these insights resulted in higher employee experience scores for participants in the experiment. While you may not want to go all out and measure your employees brain waves, you can benefit from the experience of those who have. The study’s practical recommendations emphasize the value of breaks, global team connection strategies, and optimizing internal messaging for improved workplace culture.