Behavioral Psychology in the workplace - and WHY it matters!

Humans are simple creatures, and the patterns of behavior we exhibit are consistent across any situation or environment. For the sake of the argument, we’ll define “reward” as any attractive or motivational outcome in response to a desired behavior. You may be familiar with the term positive reinforcement, which is the introduction of a positive stimulus after a behavior or action. We are creatures of habit, motivated to change based on reward systems. 

A reward could very well be a financial bonus from an employer in response to achieving a specific goal or metric at work, it could be increased physical strength after completing a strength training program, or an abundant vegetable garden as a result of consistent watering and pruning. When we see the positive impact of a behavior or action, it makes that behavior all the more easy to execute. Our willingness to perform, and the energy we exert is directly correlated to how motivated we are to perform the task - all of which boils down to the thought, “well what’s in it for me?”

With traditional review methods in the workplace, employees are putting forth so much effort on a daily basis, working on projects that span weeks or months, yet in most cases, still have to wait the standard six or twelve months to receive any sort of feedback or compensation. It’s no wonder people are starting to lose motivation, and concepts like “quiet quitting” are spreading like wildfire.

Digno was built with this behavioral psychology mindset. We have to look at how the human brain works, how we are motivated, what drives us, and at the root of each one of these mysteries is reward. To strengthen an employee’s inner motivation, establish healthy communication patterns, based off of understanding who they are and what drives them. What are their passions? Their interests? What are their strengths? Get to know their personal and professional goals, so the rewards can pave a pathway forward, keeping their career momentum alive.

When we talk about performance management, we’re looking for a system that is designed in order to enhance performance. Again - establish individual and team goals that are not only in line with the overall strategic goals for the organization, but in line with each person’s interests, personality, and passion.

Keeping motivation alive implies the responsibility of fueling creativity and innovation - two concepts necessary for growth and success that are also deeply psychological. The organization must promote warmth, security, and a tolerance for failure. Invest in the relationships you have with your team, and provide a safe space for courageous endeavors. Nothing extraordinary ever came to fruition by coloring solely inside of the lines, and empowering your employees to take risks will inevitably enhance their overall performance.

At the end of the day, we have to do our employees the service of remembering that they are human beings. Humans with minds connected to their hearts. When we are emotionally invested in our work, we are committed to the quality of the result. Reward them in real time when it’s deserved, provide clear, consistent feedback, and get to know what drives them. It seems Pavlov had it right all along!

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