So, joy on the job comes from doing purpose-driven work with a trusted team. Trust and purpose then mutually reinforce each other, providing a mechanism for extended oxytocin release, which produces happiness. How Trust Creates JoyĮxperiments show that having a sense of higher purpose stimulates oxytocin production, as does trust. So I started a long-term research program to see if that was true. I hypothesized that there must be a neurologic signal that indicates when we should trust someone. Though my paper on this research described the social, legal, and economic environments that cause differences in trust, I couldn’t answer the most basic question: Why do two people trust each other in the first place? Experiments around the world have shown that humans are naturally inclined to trust others-but don’t always. What’s Happening in the Brainīack in 2001 I derived a mathematical relationship between trust and economic performance. But first, let’s look at the science behind the framework.
I’ll describe those strategies and explain how some organizations are using them to good effect. The neuroscience experiments I have run reveal eight ways that leaders can effectively create and manage a culture of trust. In this article I provide a science-based framework that will help them.Ībout a decade ago, in an effort to understand how company culture affects performance, I began measuring the brain activity of people while they worked. But most have done little to increase trust, mainly because they aren’t sure where to start. In its 2016 global CEO survey, PwC reported that 55% of CEOs think that a lack of trust is a threat to their organization’s growth. Leaders understand the stakes-at least in principle. They also suffer less chronic stress and are happier with their lives, and these factors fuel stronger performance. Employees in high-trust organizations are more productive, have more energy at work, collaborate better with their colleagues, and stay with their employers longer than people working at low-trust companies. In my research I’ve found that building a culture of trust is what makes a meaningful difference. While such efforts might boost workplace happiness in the short term, they fail to have any lasting effect on talent retention or performance. And despite the evidence that you can’t buy higher job satisfaction, organizations still use golden handcuffs to keep good employees in place. But how do you do that effectively? Culture is typically designed in an ad hoc way around random perks like gourmet meals or “karaoke Fridays,” often in thrall to some psychological fad. So it’s clear that creating an employee-centric culture can be good for business. The rewards include higher productivity, better-quality products, and increased profitability. Consider Gallup’s meta-analysis of decades’ worth of data: It shows that high engagement-defined largely as having a strong connection with one’s work and colleagues, feeling like a real contributor, and enjoying ample chances to learn-consistently leads to positive outcomes for both individuals and organizations.
They’re anxious about the sad state of engagement, and rightly so, given the value they’re losing. In short, to boost engagement, treat people like responsible adults.Ĭompanies are twisting themselves into knots to empower and challenge their employees.
Ultimately, Zak concludes, managers can cultivate trust by setting a clear direction, giving people what they need to see it through, and then getting out of their way. (2) Induce “challenge stress.” (3) Give people discretion in how they do their work. Through his research on the brain chemical oxytocin-shown to facilitate collaboration and teamwork-Zak has developed a framework for creating a culture of trust and building a happier, more loyal, and more productive workforce.īy measuring people’s oxytocin levels in response to various situations-first in the lab and later in the workplace-Zak identified eight key management behaviors that stimulate oxytocin production and generate trust: (1) Recognize excellence. But now, neuroscience offers some answers. Managers have tried various strategies and perks to boost employee engagement-all with little impact on long-term retention and performance.
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