The chemical name for Dopamine is 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) ethaneamine but what is dopamine and what super benefits are there for the team?
What is Dopamine?
Dopamine is a substance that belongs to the reward system of the brain and acts as a neurotransmitter in various places in the body of humans and animals. Neurotransmitters are a type of ‘messenger substances’ in the brain that transfer information from one nerve cell to another. Dopamine makes us feel satisfied and rewarded.
It plays an important role in reward-motivated behavior in executive functions, motivation, excitement, recognition, and reward.
Super benefits for the team
In a work environment where many successes are shared and recognized, more dopamine is automatically produced. This is also why we at CareerTracker are such a fan of short development cycles. You are constantly sharing small successes that contribute to happiness at work and well-being.
Sharing successes creates more dopamine so you actually become a kind of legal drug dealer because many illegal substances also make more (temporary) dopamine 🙂 Okay, maybe a little exaggerated, but it is true that you as an employer and employee are able to create a dopamine-increasing environment where more happiness at work and well-being is a logical outcome.
Make the invisible visible
How many people go to the gym with sky-high ambition and how many of those people are still active after 3 months? It is therefore not the ambition but the lack of clear goals. It works even better when you decide for yourself which steps you need to take to achieve a specific pass.
Achieving the goals triggers the release of dopamine!
Structureis that goal setting is not a one-time thing but a part of the work routine. You do this by setting a rhythm with fixed moments for short growth standups (5 minutes)
Please note, it should not result in extra meetings but rather make file meetings more effective or perhaps fewer meetings. The management also plays an important role in this as good example follows!
Set your own rhythm
Strategy, tactics and operation have different natural rhythms. A high-level strategic rhythm for the longer term for the company (usually annually). A tactical rhythm with shorter-term goals for the teams (usually quarterly). An operational rhythm for tracking results and initiatives (usually weekly)
Which rhythm suits your organization best?
Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
A good method to set goals with measurable actions is the OKR method.
Objectives are statements that inspire and give direction. Objectives should be short, engaging and motivating.
Key Results are a set of metrics that measure your progress toward the objective.
OKRs are there to create alignment and set a rhythm for the organization. The goal is to ensure that everyone is heading in the same direction, with clear priorities, in a constant rhythm.
Skills-based Development
In addition, CareerTracker facilitates skills-based development. Which skills-set belongs to a role and which skills-set does the employee have? And then it is not only about role-based skills but also, for example, personal characteristics and skills or desired training.
By making the skills-based development measurable and incorporating it into the daily work, small successes are achieved. If the results are validated and shared, more dopamine is also produced. This in turn contributes to happiness at work and well-being.
What is Skills-based Development
Skills based development is based on skills management.
Skills management can be a great way to improve employee productivity and satisfaction. There are many benefits to improving employees’ skills, including:
Improved efficiency: When employees are able to use the skills they know best, they are more efficient and effective in their work.
Increased job satisfaction: When employees are able to use the skills they know best, they are more satisfied with their work. This can lead to increased productivity and satisfaction throughout the organization.
Lower training costs: When employees are able to use the skills they know best, they don’t need as much training. This can reduce training costs and improve the overall efficiency of the organization.
Increased creativity: When employees are able to use the skills they know best, they are more likely to be creative in their work.
Structured approach
You work from a plan, so you are also more able to work from a strategic and tactical point of view on the further development of the organization and the available talent.
It ensures committed employees who feel valued. And it is precisely the lack of involvement and appreciation that are the main reasons why employees look for another employer.
With the right rhythm, you can perform short 1:1’s so that the impact for the employee and manager is minimal with a central place for the recording.