5 ways leaders can harness brain chemistry for happier and more productive teams

Research links employee happiness with higher productivity. A 2019 study led by Oxford University, for example, found that workers were 13% more productive when they were happier. HR teams have responded with enhanced benefits packages, flexible work options, and well-being resources. But leaders have another immediate lever available every day: the experiences they create for the people around them and what that means for their actual, physical well-being. One useful framework I include in my new book, Better Good, involves brain chemistry. Specifically, the four chemicals commonly associated with feeling good: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. The science behind them is complex and their effects overlap. But at work, they offer a means for thinking about four experiences leaders can influence: progress, recognition, connection and, yes, fun. The payoffs include productivity, bonding, respect, and camaraderie, all of which can positively impact workplace culture and the bottom line. Acts of recognition, connection, progress, and shared laughter can engage overlapping neurochemical systems that reinforce motivation and social connection. Those experiences can also spr…