RXWhen I read the title of this post, I hear the voice of Karen Walker, the self-medicating character from the show Will & Grace, saying “Quoi?”  And I laugh.

Yes, I’m suggesting that you “DOSE” your employees full of powerful chemicals to influence employee engagement. Surprisingly, you can do so using only actions and words. There are four naturally occurring chemicals found in our bodies that, when stimulated, can medicate us in a good way. Those chemicals form the acronym, “DOSE”: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins. Whether alone or in combination, individuals and their managers can influence their production and benefit as a result.

 

“Dopamine is the the good feeling you get when you approach a reward.”1

Dopamine -200

The dopamine naturally produced by your brain makes you feel good and have self confidence. You get a rush of dopamine in response to pleasurable activities,2 like reaching a goal you’ve set for yourself or one that has been set by others. On the other hand, without enough dopamine, you may feel sluggish, depressed and uninterested in life.3 Sleep is an important part of healthy living. If your work environment causes prolonged stress, then that stress will affect your employees sleep. Reducing stress in the workplace will allow employees to sleep better and be more productive at work.

 

Oxytocin is the feeling of trust.4

Oxytocin - 200

Sometimes referred to as the “bonding hormone,”5 Oxytocin also helps reduce cortisol levels which gives you a feeling of relaxation. How can you increase more oxytocin?  Here are a few ways:6

  • Laughter can increase productivity, reduce stress, and make you happier. Just ask my friend and Humor Engineer,Andrew Tarvin.  Checkout his TEDxOhioStateUniversity Talk on humor in the workplace (11:13) or visit the Humor That Works website.
  • Talking to or calling friends.7 There is a reason that Gallup, in its Q12 Survey that measures employee engagement, asks respondents to answer true or false to, “I have a best friend at work.” Those who responded “true” were better able to manage stress.
  • Taking a walk is a way to work more exercise into your day. Walking meetings are becoming popular. They help you bond more with the person with whom you are meeting and you might even have an adventure along the way (guess what – scientific research shows that having an adventure with someone also releases oxytocin.)8
  • Being trusted. You can’t force people to trust you. And trusting someone doesn’t release oxytocin. But being trusted does. So live your life in such a way that more and more people will trust you.9

 

Serotonin is the good feeling of getting respect.10

Serotonin - 200

It is popularly thought to be a contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness. These include the regulation of mood, appetite, and sleep. Serotonin also has some cognitive functions, including memory and learning.11

Studies have shown that serotonin increases in positive interactions leading to higher levels of happiness and decreases in negative ones leading to unhappiness. The interesting part is that positive interactions can be self-induced.  Exercise and diet are two ways to increase serotonin production.12 We’ve discussed exercise in some of the other sections. Diet is important as well.  Companies should make an effort to provide healthy snack options in meetings or at events.

 

Endorphins mask physical pain.13

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“Endorphins are produced as a response to certain stimuli, especially stress, fear or pain. They are responsible for blocking pain and controlling emotion. Besides stress and pain triggers, endorphins are released through some of the following methods:

  • “Exercise — Heavy weightlifting or intense aerobic activity that includes periods of sprinting or increased exertion will trigger the greatest response.”14 Make sure your employees have the time to schedule exercise into their day.  Keep an eye on how many hours they are working.
  • “Meditation or controlled-breathing exercises — Tai chi, Pilates and yoga are believed to trigger endorphins.” 15 Reducing stress in the workplace is the first step and then, why not teach your employees some breathing techniques to deal with stress.
  • “Alcohol — Light to moderate drinking stimulates endorphins, but heavy drinking doesn’t.” 16 Sounds like an excuse to schedule a company happy hour or drinks after work with the team! Just remember to not drink and drive.

 

Are you ready to give your employees their “DOSE”? Are there ways you can incorporate some of the suggestions above as a way to make employees happier and more productive in the workplace?  Keep in mind that “[t]hese happy chemicals were not meant to surge all the time. They fall back to neutral so you’re ready to respond to new information.” 17 It’s an ongoing process that requires regular check-ups.

 

 

1  Breuning, Loretta Graziano. Meet Your Happy Chemicals. Oakland, Calif.: System Integrity, C2012., 2012. Print.
2  “How to Increase Dopamine.” WikiHow. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Dopamine>.
3  “How to Increase Dopamine.” WikiHow. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Dopamine>.
4  Breuning, Loretta Graziano. Meet Your Happy Chemicals. Oakland, Calif.: System Integrity, C2012., 2012. Print.
5  “Oxytocin.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Oct. 2014. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxytocin>.
6  “10 Unusual Ways to Release Oxytocin Into Your Life.” Altucher Confidential RSS. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/08/10-unusual-ways-to-release-oxytocin-into-your-life/>.
7  “10 Unusual Ways to Release Oxytocin Into Your Life.” Altucher Confidential RSS. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/08/10-unusual-ways-to-release-oxytocin-into-your-life/>.
8“10 Unusual Ways to Release Oxytocin Into Your Life.” Altucher Confidential RSS. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/08/10-unusual-ways-to-release-oxytocin-into-your-life/>.
9“10 Unusual Ways to Release Oxytocin Into Your Life.” Altucher Confidential RSS. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/08/10-unusual-ways-to-release-oxytocin-into-your-life/>. 10Breuning, Loretta Graziano. Meet Your Happy Chemicals. Oakland, Calif.: System Integrity, C2012., 2012. Print.
11“Serotonin.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin>.
12 Young, Simon. “How to Increase Serotonin in the Human Brain without Drugs.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Nov. 2007. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/>.
13Breuning, Loretta Graziano. Meet Your Happy Chemicals. Oakland, Calif.: System Integrity, C2012., 2012. Print.
14 Scheve, Tom. “What Are Endorphins?” HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 22 June 2009. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/endorphins.htm>.
15 Scheve, Tom. “What Are Endorphins?” HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 22 June 2009. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/endorphins.htm>.
16 Scheve, Tom. “What Are Endorphins?” HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 22 June 2009. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/endorphins.htm>.
17Breuning, Loretta Graziano. Meet Your Happy Chemicals. Oakland, Calif.: System Integrity, C2012., 2012. Print.

 

 

P.S.  First time here? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement site. Thanks for taking the time to stop by!  I hope you’ll explore the rest of the site.Let me know what employee engagement topics interest you.

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