Leveraging Leader Relations to Cultivate Brain-Friendly Workplaces

Abstract

Regarded as the future of management, leadership is becoming increasingly important, but one of the most serious challenges facing leaders today is the declining trend in job satisfaction, commitment, and work motivation in HR, making the current working environment less effective. Today, neuroscience provides a more precise definition and description of the human being, so many different sciences use neuroscience findings more effectively, and leadership is linked to neuroscience in the form of organizational neuroscience. New understandings of human concepts regarding human brain-directed thoughts, feelings, actions, and behaviors consider that almost all human activities are the result of interactions between the brain and chemistry. Founded upon the brain–directed man, the theory of brain-friendly workplace aims to introduce processes and activities, which can lead to a pleasant experience for employees’ brains, and it can help HR to experience favorable thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Conducted on the basis of qualitative research and implication research, the two contributions of brain structure and chemistry are considered as the source for calculating the effects of neuroscience on workplace design. Sampling and validity are also theoretically considered by examining valid sources and implications. This research is first about cognition and finally considers the conceptual extension of the brain-friendly workplace. Based on the theoretical framework and implications, seven processes and dimensions were counted: Communication, happiness and mobility, ability by self-awareness, respect, purposefulness & focus, security & relaxation, and sleep & rest. This brain-friendly workplace model was called CHARPSS, which is intended to help leaders create different and effective workplaces.

1. Introduction

First of all, we want to consider the state of the existing workplaces, worrying levels of motivation, commitment, and human resource (HR) satisfaction. Organizational leaders need to know new human perceptions to become more effective because leadership is the future of management. A leader’s mission is to motivate his subordinates. Human resources (HR), which is the most vital element in the field of organizational management, have always received special attention in various eras by researchers in the field of leadership. However, the quality of employees’ performance have been found to be influenced by their motivation within and toward the organization. Leadership in an organization requires new but practical ideas. Creating an ideal work environment is an important investment for the company. Today, with the help of neuroscience, a more suitable workplace must be designed. There is an increasing trend of using neuroscience research results in different fields [1].

According to the prestigious journal of science in 2018, almost 24% of different sciences use neuroscience findings. Neuroscience may be able to make extremely important contributions to management sciences in terms of interdisciplinary studies [2]. In 2018, LinkedIn reported that 93% of employees want to stay longer with their organization, as long as their organization invests more in their workplace [3]. One of the most important responsibilities of a manager is to create a happy and positive environment in which employees feel safe and valued [4]. Leaders need to know that today the ability to create a motivating workplace and have motivated employees is a competitive advantage for an organization as it leads to developing organizational commitment and motivation [5]. The declining trend of commitment, motivation, and satisfaction in the workplace is a matter of serious concern. According to the Gallup Institute, about 20 percent of American employees are not committed and 50 percent are not very committed to their organizations. The annual cost of employee commitment reduction in the United States of America is approximately 300$ billion. This cost is greater than the GDP of countries like Portugal and Singapore and a quarter of the GDP of Iran. In some countries, fully committed employees account for about 3% of their total workforce [6]. Committed employees are 20% more productive and 87% less likely to leave the organization [7]. In a 2013 report by the Business Monitor Institute, about 90% of Iranian employees rated their organization’s incentive system as ineffective. On the other hand, about 75% of managers feel that their employees lack the necessary commitment and loyalty [8].

According to Gallup’s global study, approximately 13% of employees are completely satisfied with their jobs [9]. The Gallup Institute recently announced that by 2022, employee engagement and workplace belonging will be 21% globally and 15% in the Middle East. In another survey of 20,000 employees, only 36% said they felt positive and energized at work [10]. In another study of 20,000 employees, only 36% said they received positive feelings and energy in their workplace. It is estimated that many workplaces today reinforce the tendency of employees to quit because in today’s workplaces up to 30% of employees suffer from mild to severe anxiety disorders.

Another study by the Gallup Institute found that about 88% of employees tended to do their best, but workplace barriers did not allow it, and 55% of employees said they did not do their best in those workplaces. They should strive only to the extent that they will not be dismissed, and they should fulfill their common duties [11]. These examples are important signals and warnings for managers. They point to rethinking and revision at workplace. Leaders need to know that sticking to and insisting on the current workplace is a mistake and that a better and more accurate solution is to rethink and reshape the workplace based on neuroscience findings. This introduction explains the problem and clarifies the concerns.

2. Literature review

Neuroscience is helping improve leadership behaviors while making it easier for employees and, in turn, for organizations. In the light of contemporary research, the leadership training can be a personal, brain-based approach that helps individuals identify their problems and realize their true potential. While there are still many gaps in how the brain makes us better leaders, clear evidence now shows that the brain is the foundation for building effective leadership [12]. Science is just beginning to study the neurological mechanisms underlying these effects [13]. As I said at the beginning, there are many similar examples. This is evidence of the inefficiencies we see in the workplace.

Leaders need to know that existing workplaces are inefficient and boring. Unfortunately, the workplace plays a significant and undeniable role in altering the brain chemistry of employees within the organization. Thus, the quality of employees’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors deteriorates. We need to create a new framework for the workplace design. This chapter introduces a brain-friendly workplace that is also highly efficient. Since our brains function under certain conditions, methods can be used to provide brain-compatible functionality. These are called brain-friendly strategies. You can transform your workplace to boost brain function for your employees, managers, and customers, which means the brain consumes less energy and imposes less tension on the brain. Knowing that the workplace alone cannot provide a brain-friendly environment, it must be provided [14]. According to Franklin Becker, a workspace is like body language, and every part of that environment conveys messages to the brains of employees, managers, and customers. When you talk about improving employee performance and satisfaction, the workplace needs to support it too [15]. When it comes to the evolution of organizational man, we adopt Taylor’s economic human theory and witness a new view of man as brain-driven human (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

The evolution of the concept of organizational man [15].

Understanding this change in the concept of organizational humans is resourceful and vital for leaders. Brain-directed man is a new conception of man that considers the brain as the basis of all human thoughts, feelings, wills, and behavior and the basis of all actions and reactions of the individual as the brain interacts with the environment. It is the chemical change in our brain that create our emotions and logic and guide our behavioral function. Simply put, hormones and neurotransmitters are quite effective in shaping our performance. This view may be a reinterpretation of the complex concept of man but with its own logic. This view is for the black box to explain the complexities of human thought, emotion, and behavior. Neuroscience translates and explains the black box of the complexity of human behavior. Neuroscience is giving a renewed and serious interest to the accuracy and depth of analysis of human behavior in personal, professional, and social life [16, 17]. Everything we do is a reflection of our brain. Even man, his death is completely under the control of the biological changes of his body, which underline the same concept of man as directed by the brain [18].

The purpose of the new perspective and knowledge resulting from the combination of management and neuroscience is to examine human reality to enhance managers’ perception of themselves and their employees [19]. The brain is one of the organs that fully involved in our temperament, character, consciousness, and every decision. The brain tells us to be cautious or reckless, to try or be indifferent, and considerate [20]. Neuroscience helps us gain valuable insights that are considered unknown and unanalyzable in the dark basements of behavioral science [21].

A brain-friendly workplace seeks to create satisfaction in HR and to create satisfaction within them. An important and guiding fact from neuroscience is that anything that is good for the brain is good for business [22], and this is good news for organizational leaders. The brain-friendly approach is a scientific and practical approach that provides the best working conditions for brain functioning in an organization. It seeks to provide things like convenience, happiness, and many other rewards from the employee’s brain’s point of view. The condition in which brain energy is consumed the least. Diligence and hard work are kept to a minimum degree. Leaders are advised to improve employee decisions and actions by establishing brain-friendly approaches in their organizations [23]. A brain-friendly workplace that strives to provide a maximum reward experience for the brains of employees, managers, and even customers or consumers, and the conditions under which they experience maximum and minimal threat to create inner satisfaction. Remember that for the brain, rewards and threats may be different from our previous perceptions. The brain needs very subtle stimuli to function properly. Brain-friendly workplaces seek to provide processes to provide a positive emotional experience during the workday for employees so that their brain awareness is one of the maximum rewards and minimum threats. We want to tell organizational leaders that a brain-friendly workplace is where employees’ brains are more rewarded and less threatened (Figure 2).

Figure 2.

The tendency-avoidance approach of the brain [24].

The whole point of organizational neuroscience (ON) is that the workplace should be designed to provide the maximum reward experience from the brain’s point of view for employees and managers and even customers or clients during the business day to further govern the trend-based approach to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and this is an important point that leaders need to keep in mind. Because it will make the workplace more satisfying and attractive. The biased approach in the brain is influenced by the release of hormones and neurotransmitters including serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins, and the avoidance approach in the brain is influenced by the hormones cortisol and even adrenaline or epinephrine, as well as sometimes testosterone. For example, an increase in testosterone is inversely associated with development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is one of the brain’s upstream systems. This lobe prevents immediate, impulsive, and even hostile actions. Cortisol plays an important role in the amygdala hyperactivity in our brain. The amygdala is one of the downstream systems in the brain that increase our anxious and negligent behaviors. HR brain chemicals, although highly impactful, can be influenced by changes in behavioral and structural conditions in the environment. This golden tip is the window into designing a brain-friendly workplace. ON helps leaders look at the factors that drive employee behavior and performance from a new angle.

3. Methodology

Methodology can determine how an idea and a theory form for us. To present a new point of view and theory, it is necessary to look at this Suddody matrix to see from what angle we are discussing (Table 1).

	Theorizing within one literature	Theorizing across multiple bodies of literature
Theorizing with implicit assumptions of the literature	Problematization	Combining epistemologies Metaphorical bricolage
Theorizing with explicit; constructs of the literature	Contrasting Practical rationality Inductive top-down theorizing	Blending

Table 1.

Map of different theorizing approaches.

The lower right quadrant of Table 1 characterizes a theoretical approach that focuses on clear structures and incorporates some literary content. Oswick and colleagues suggest that mixing explicit structures from multiple knowledge domains can produce creative output, depending on the characteristics of the input domains. The higher the similarity between the input domains, the less likely the resulting theory is to be considered entirely new. In the model presented in this chapter, neuroscience was used to combine leadership topics and workplace design to make organizational leadership more effective. For theorizing, a new method of implication study has been used, and the steps of this method are presented in this methodology section. Oswick, Fleming and Hanlon make this observation most clearly, convincingly demonstrating that most (i.e., roughly two-thirds) of the research conducted in management is rooted in theories borrowed from other disciplines [25]. This research also seeks to combine the topics of leadership and workplace with neuroscience. This research is strategic, qualitative, and method-based participatory discovery study. The two contributions of brain structure and chemistry are considered to be the source for calculating the effects of neuroscience on workplace design.

Sampling and validity are also theoretically cited and reliable with valid sources and implications. In this study, the concept of a brain-friendly workplace is first defined and finally will be explained. Implied research is one of the popular strategies for adapting and borrowing knowledge from one field to extend knowledge in another. This approach introduces a new methodology and we can use the findings of one science in another. However, borrowing the sciences from each other was used and led to the creation of interdisciplinary. In fact, much of human progress is due to studies of this implication. In this study, the researcher extracts important implications that are consistent with the underlying theoretical framework.

In this study, the researcher extracts important implications that are consistent with the underlying theoretical framework. In this study, we identified and calculated significant implications in two areas of brain chemistry and brain structure to demonstrate the dimensions of the theoretical framework. The steps to conducting the research based on the implied research method are as follows:

1. Feasibility of the implied research method for the research topic based on the opinion of the researcher.

2. Introduce the contributions that brain chemistry and structure will make to this research.

3. Identify the basic conceptual framework.

4. Perform theoretical sampling to identify signs.

5. Validate and match meanings with conceptual frameworks.

6. Confirm the main and final implications.

7. Explain the conceptual model obtained [26].

4. Discussion of brain-friendly workplace

A golden tip for leaders to learn is that consider a brain plate that the brain can access during the day to optimize its performance. This study was carried out using the implication research method. Underground research is one of the popular strategies for adapting and borrowing knowledge from one discipline to refine and extend knowledge from another. The two contributions of brain chemistry and brain structure are considered to be the source for calculating the effects of neuroscience on workplace design. In fact, much of human progress owes much to this search for participation. In this approach, the researcher develops a basic conceptual framework in his or her science before borrowing contributions and other scientific implications. For each component of the conceptual framework, it computes the implication. Thus, the researcher derives a meaningful implication that matches the elements of the theoretical framework (Figure 3).

Figure 3.

Workplace plate for the brain.

A plate for healthy brain human resources can be considered as the processes and conditions for forming a brain-friendly working environment as follows:

• Provide conditions for effective communication in the workplace

• Provide conditions for happiness and mobility in the workplace

• Provide conditions for ability by self-awareness in the workplace

• Provide conditions for respect in the workplace

• Provide conditions for purposefulness and focus in the workplace

• Provide conditions for security and relaxation in the workplace

• Provide conditions for enough sleep and rest in the workplace

These seven factors can be considered as components of the theoretical framework and are known to be the source for finding implications. In this study, the contribution of neuroscience in the two areas of brain chemistry and brain structure was considered. Two main questions can be asked (Table 2):

• what does neuroscience say about the subject of workplace?

• What are the implications for designing or revising workplace?

Dimension 1 of theoretical framework

Neuroscience implications that confirm effective communication as a brain-friendly process in the workplace

Provide conditions for effective communication in the workplace (C)

People who are more social have bigger reward parts in their brains [27] The number of relationships a person has on social media is inversely proportional to their amygdala size [28] The number and depth of a person’s social relationships leading to the development and expansion of the brain’s PFC [29] Good relationships release oxytocin and decrease cortisol providing a feeling of well-being and intimacy [30] One of the most important brain rewards is effective, intimate, and meaningful communication with others [31] Effective relationships reduce stress because they lower cortisol [32]

Table 2.

Effective communication as a brain-friendly process in the workplace.

Based on current implications and evidence, it seems likely that providing the conditions and context for effective workplace communication and interaction as a brain-friendly process can be accepted. Therefore, it is an important task for leaders to establish effective communication and interaction in the workplace, as the findings of neuroscience see it as a reward for employees’ brains. By providing the right conditions for employee interactions, neuro leaders can truly claim that they have provided a brain-friendly workplace (Table 3).

Dimension 1 of theoretical framework	Components	Neuroscience implications for identifying brain-friendly components related to effective communication
Provide conditions for the effective communication in the workplace	Coaching-based relations	Coaching is a conversation-driven process of mature-mature relationship [33] Conversation is effective in expanding the PFC of the brain [34] Effective listening to a person raises his or her self-esteem, and self-esteem is directly related to an increase in brain serotonin [3]
	Emotionalizing work relationships	Positive emotional words can have a profound effect on brain [35] Creating emotions during a relationship has a direct effect on remembering that relationship and its details from memory [36] Positive emotions in the brain have beneficial and lasting effects [37] Our brain enjoys spending time with those we feel good about [38]
	Familiarity and acquaintance	Our brains tend to be more confident in making decisions that are familiar or similar to ourselves [39] Our brain threatens unfamiliarity [39] Our brains feel more familiar and empathetic with people who feel more familiar with us [40] Suggestions and solutions that are more familiar with a person’s neural circuits are more sustainable [41]

Table 3.

Components related to effective communication.

Current evidence and existing findings suggest that coaching-based interactions create relationship emotionalization and provide familiarity in relationships as brain-friendly components in brain-friendly work relationships. Studies have revealed the significance of familiarity and we now know that leaders who profusely used social language in their vision and mission statements are more likely to have greater coherence in the right frontal part (PFC) of the brain than leaders with more self-language [12]. We have learned that effective work interactions and connections are rewarding for the HR brain. Leaders are encouraged to take seriously the impact of some behaviors and preparations that create the conditions for effective workplace communication on institutionalizing brain-friendly interactions.

• Improve communication skills, effective listening, and empathy to increase oxytocin and estrogen

• Have intimate two-person meetings over hot drinks during work hours to increase oxytocin

• Use our pronouns instead of self-pronouns in business conversations, especially to increase oxytocin and cortisol or modify tissues to lower testosterone

• to increase the hormone serotonin and reduce cortisol, respectfully demanding and even asking questions

• Having a good coffee shop for short intimate meetings, off-duty hours, and during work to increase the oxytocin hormone

• New organizational changes and decisions in the form of small changes to reduce cortisol in addition to previous decisions

In the image below you can see the relationship between the type of hormone and the activity state of the brain system. Some hormones and neurotransmitters cause more activity in the lower and posterior systems of the brain, and some other hormones cause more activity in the upper and front systems of the brain (Figure 4).

Figure 4.

Brain systems and brain chemistry [24].

Analyzing the dimensions and components identified, it is important to know that anything that provides maximal activity of the upstream and cortical systems of the brain is considered brain-friendly (Table 4).

Dimension 2 of theoretical framework

Neuroscience implications that confirm happiness and mobility as a brain-friendly process in the workplace

Provide conditions for happiness and mobility in the workplace; (H)

Neuroscience teaches us that happiness in the workplace creates positive mental and emotional experiences [31] When you are happy, blood flows faster in your arteries, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to your brain [29] David Rock believes that performing the task with vigor is beneficial for the optimal functioning of the brain [42] Dopamine, which is hopeful and motivating, is provided through happiness and vitality [43] Mobility and sports increase brain endorphin [17]

Table 4.

Happiness and mobility as a brain-friendly process in the workplace.

From the current implications and evidence, it appears that providing conditions and a platform for happiness and mobility in the workplace as a brain-friendly process can be accepted and approved. Maybe before, organizational leaders did not consider happiness in the workplace to be so important, but neuroscience has shown that it is a pleasant reward for the brain, and it has a great effect on improving work performance. Happiness is one of the vital elements for the optimal functioning of the brain, so it will be considered one of the vital elements of brain-friendly workplaces. Creating a happy workplace is one of the characteristics of a neuroleader. A neuroleader is a leader who uses neuroscience as a benchmark to have a deeper and more accurate impact on employees (Table 5).

Dimension 2	Components	Neuroscience implications for identifying brain-friendly components related to happiness and mobility
Provide conditions for happiness and mobility in the workplace	Provide sport conditions	Exercise and sport improve the state of norepinephrine, increase endorphins in the brain, and make us feel relaxed [44] Sport with the help of endorphins is released, can separate sad thoughts from the person, and is like food for the brain [45] Exercise helps keep our brains young [46]
	Encourage laughter	Laughter is one of the easiest ways to release endorphins in the brain [47] Laughter, as an internal exercise, releases endorphins, oxytocin, and dopamine in the brain [31] Laughter can change brain wave patterns from beta waves to alpha waves. Alpha waves are directly related to creative thinking [34] One minute of laughter can calm our brains for 40 to 45 minutes [48]
	Psychological moments (PM)	Psychological moments are the moments that bring joy to our minds by reminding us of previous successes and pleasant situations [49]. Small, persistent joys can be more effective for our brains than great joys [1]
	Physical freshness	Experience and beautiful perception of the workplace can be considered a powerful source of reward for the HR brain [50] A stylish and beautiful workplace releases serotonin into employees’ brains [34] A well-groomed and refreshing workplace is a kind of respect for employees [34] Seeing a beautiful workplace and pleasant pictures can increase beneficial hormones in the brain [51]

Table 5.

Components related to happiness and mobility.

The happiness and mobility of HR, as neuroscience implications have shown, are a reward for the human resource brain. A neuroleader understands the positive effects of happiness in the workplace so he tries to create it. Acts and actions and preparations that provide the conditions for happiness and mobility in the workplace are:

• Enabling employees to exercise to increase endorphins and oxytocin and reduce cortisol

• Promote humor and laughter as an organizational value to increase oxytocin and decrease cortisol

• Review successes and happy memories to motivate colleagues to increase serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin and decrease cortisol and even testosterone

• Create a happy and positive surprise to increase the hormone dopamine

• Efforts to create order and beautiful decoration of the workplace to increase serotonin hormone

• Using appropriate colors in the environment, such as pink, tends to interact and reduce aggressive behavior in order to increase the hormones oxytocin and dopamine and decrease cortisol and testosterone (Table 6).

Dimension 3	Neuroscience implications that confirm ability by self-awareness as a brain-friendly process in the workplace
Provide conditions for ability by self-awareness in the workplace (A)	Self-awareness increases neuroplasticity [52] Self-awareness enables the birth of brain hippocampal neurons [40] Mental training for Self-awareness rebuilds neural connections and strengthens neuroplasticity [53] In self-awareness, when we say aha, new circuits are formed in brain [54]

Table 6.

Ability by self-awareness as a brain-friendly process in the workplace.

In a simple and superficial view, it may be thought that these implications are not for organizational issues, but the rewards of the brain are the same for all of us, and this inspiration and borrowing from neuroscience can be the basis of a new approach in leadership. Evidence and current evidence suggest that providing empowerment for self-awareness in the workplace as a brain-friendly process can be acceptable. Organizational leaders should know that the best kind of awareness is self-awareness, so they should try to make their employees self-aware in the workplace (Table 7).

Dimension 3 of theoretical framework	Components	Neuroscience implications for identifying brain-friendly components related to ability by self-awareness
Provide conditions for Ability by; self-awareness in the workplace	Emotional memory	Information that has an emotional charge is easier to learn and remember in the brain [55] The emotionalization of learning has a profound effect on the quality of learning [56] The brain is skilled at learning and remembering emotional events [41]
	Work flow	When we focus on an activity, that focus can trigger the release of dopamine [29] Intense and unconscious focus on work reduces activity in the amygdala and cingulate cortex of the brain [57]
	Independence	Work independence has a strong effect on employees’ attitudes and motivations [5] Environments, where employees feel the independence have a higher rate of dendritic growth of their brain neurons [56] The thought of not having authority reduces the quality of blood flow to the brain [29]
	Innovation and learning	New experiences change the structure of the brain [53] Freshness and variety suitable for the brain can change brain chemistry for the better [56] Learning new activities is essential for brain efficiency [55]

Table 7.

Components related to ability by self-awareness.

The implications, current evidence, and available findings suggest that providing conditions and contexts in the workplace for the emotionalization of memory, flow, independence, and learning are acceptable components of the workplace and activities within the workplace ability by self-awareness process. Any reflection, contemplation, and thinking on oneself or on different topics can cause the creation of new neural circuits in the brains of employees. Self-awareness and HR empowerment are considered a reward for their brains. Suggestion to organizational leaders and activities that provide the conditions to facilitate self-awareness and empowerment in the workplace are:

• Utilizing coaching capabilities for self-awareness and internalizing motivation to increase serotonin and decrease cortisol

• Identifying the values of employees and linking their values with their job responsibilities in order to increase the hormone serotonin

• Holding friendly and informal job sessions to learn to increase dopamine and oxytocin

• Voluntary and non-compulsory classes to increase dopamine and oxytocin and reduce cortisol and testosterone

• Clarification of career path by observing the inner desire to work in order to increase the hormone serotonin or dopamine

• Allowing employees to choose the time and amount of time allotted to tasks to increase serotonin and lower cortisol

• Make organizational learning gradual and step-by-step to reduce cortisol

Respect is a vital and inseparable part of inner satisfaction. In a work environment where the priority is to respect the employees, in that work environment, the brain function of the employees can be much better and the organizational efficiency can be improved. So that both the employees reach inner satisfaction and the organization achieves efficiency. It has been proven that if we talk to people with behavioral abnormalities with respect, they will behave more reasonably and so, we should have respectful words and behavior with the employees so that their brains feel rewarded (Table 8).

Dimension 4

Neuroscience implications that confirm respect as a brain-friendly process in the workplace

Provide conditions for respect in the workplace (R)

Social acceptance is a kind of social reward that activates the brain stratum [27] Respected social conditions affect the production of serotonin in our brain [53] If others approve of you and like you, then the cingulate cortex and the stratum are activated. The stratum is part of the brain’s reward processing system [58] Social rewards such as respect, in addition to releasing serotonin, can also release dopamine in some people [59]

Table 8.

Respect as a brain-friendly process in the workplace.

Current implications and evidence suggest that providing a platform for respect and reverence in the workplace as a brain-friendly process can be accepted and endorsed. Respect has always been important, but leaders now know why and how to increase it. They learned the consequences of disrespect on the brains of employees therefore, conditions for increasing respect for employees should be provided (Table 9).

Dimension 4	Components	Neuroscience implications for identifying brain-friendly components related to respect
Provide conditions for respect in the workplace	Gratitude	Gratitude can release serotonin in our brains [1] Gratitude and congratulations can release dopamine in employees [58] Our brains receive good hormones from respect as a reward [60] Gratitude to us can be very effective in releasing the hormone serotonin in us [19]
	Compassion and empathy	Insensitivity and selfishness are harmful to the brain and mental health [52] Memories with an empathetic emotional burden are more likely to be remembered [61] Charity activity can be effective in releasing oxytocin in the workplace [30] In empathy, the activity of the amygdala and the cingulate cortex decreases [62] PFC of the brain plays an important role in managing emotions and expressing empathy with other people [62]
	Forgiveness	Forgiveness is a big factor in the quality of our emotions. It increases the hormone oxytocin on both side people [63] People who were unable to forgive and had high grudges had larger amygdala [17] The more self-sacrificing we can be in our decisions, the greater the growth of our PFC [64] Kindness and forgiveness play a role in increasing the volume of the brain insula. Insula is quite effective in cooperation and empathy [65]
	Respect for gender differences	Organizational neuroscience tells us that imposing male norms is in stark contrast to female talents [66] Neuroscientists have shown that function and structure of the brain in men and women are more different than in similar people [64] Women are about 20 percent more likely than men to store unpleasant images in their long-term memory [66] Cortisol decreases slower in women than in men [58] Acceptance of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a real brainstorming issue in the workplace [58]

Table 9.

Components related to respect.

As an important point, we must mention that a neuroleader empathizes with his employees, not with sympathy. Because sympathy aggravates their pain and problems, sympathy strengthens the ability and self-confidence of employees. The neurological reason is that empathy causes the release of serotonin and sympathy causes the release of cortisol. From the implications, current evidence, and findings, it appears that providing conditions in the workplace to appreciate the efforts and actions, compassion and empathy for each other, forgiveness and sacrifice of colleagues toward each other, gender differences in delegating authority can be used as components are brain-friendly. These activities should be considered as part of the process of respect in the workplace. Suggestions to organizational leaders and activities that provide the conditions to facilitate respect in the workplace are:

• To increase the serotonin hormone of the employees, the leaders among the colleagues should thank the employees.

• To reduce harmful cortisol and testosterone hormones, do not criticize the employee among colleagues.

• Congratulating colleagues’ successes, however small, to increase serotonin.

• Kind and compassionate words and behavior with colleagues increase the hormone oxytocin and decrease testosterone and cortisol.

• Finding out about the dreams and aspirations of colleagues in order to increase the hormone oxytocin.

• Encouraging sacrificing behaviors in the organization to increase the hormone oxytocin (Table 10).

Dimension 5

Neuroscience implications that confirm purposefulness and focus as a brain-friendly process in the workplace

Provide conditions for purposefulness and focus in the workplace (P)

Our brain wants a goal. Our brains are always trying to reduce threats and doubts by making predictions and planning [67] It is not the details that clutter our brains, it is the fragmented and unfocused energy that bothers our brains [68] The goal causes the brain RAS* to turn our attention to the goal-related information in the mass of environmental information [45] One hour of focus on each topic can double the number of neural circuits in the brain associated with the topic [69] Focusing on a problem can trigger the release of dopamine [29] Focus is effective in improving the function of the PFC of the brain [20] According to neuroscience, when we aim, then the random firing of neurons stops and their firing becomes regular [70]

Table 10.

Purposefulness and focus as a brain-friendly process in the workplace.

^*

RAS: Reticular Activation System.

Having a purpose at work helps to build a sense of purpose in employees. The feeling of dignity and satisfaction among employees is increasing day by day. Concentration is important for creating purpose. From the meanings and evidence in the table above, it can be seen that providing the conditions and context to create purpose and focus for personnel in the workplace as a process of the brain-friendly paradigm sets can be accepted and verified. With these discoveries, wise leaders know they must provide the conditions and platforms to increase workplace focus and employee engagement like never before (Table 11).

Dimension 5	Components	Neuroscience implications for identifying brain-friendly components related to purposefulness and focus
Provide conditions for purposefulness and focus in the workplace	Meaning and hope	To increase inner motivation, it is necessary to create a sense of meaning in work [71] Hope for goals leads to dopamine release and despair for cortisol release and serotonin depletion [59] The sense of purpose is due to the proper activity of the left PFC of the brain [65] dopamine is released when you hope to achieve your goals [72] The less hope we have, the less dopamine and endorphins are released in our brains and the more stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released [72] Hopeless leads to neuronal damage and apoptosis or suicide of neurons [67]
	Mindfulness	Mindfulness strengthens the volume of the hippocampus, which is the brain’s emotional memory, and shrinks the brain’s amygdala [68] Mindfulness can make PFC 10 to 15 years younger [69] In mindfulness, there is a pause, which is an opportunity for the brain to consciously react [64]
	Lack of Multitasking	The brain does not like doing multiple things at the same time, in 97 percent of cases, doing multiple things together reduces employee focus [48] Multitasking is quite effective in reducing optimal brain performance [42] People with multitasking have less density in the cingulate cortex of their brains. This area is responsible for empathy and emotional intelligence [17] Multitasking does not allow the neural connections made in the brain to be established [56]
	The physical environment	Workplace temperature affects the brain’s serotonin and norepinephrin [73] High temperatures and noise increase testosterone and decrease serotonin [51] Warm workplace temperatures increase blood cortisol levels and cause anxiety [74] The aroma of flowers has a complete effect on improving brain performance [45] Fragrant and aroma scents have antianxiety properties and odors can soothe the limbic system, especially the amygdala [20] Lack of adequate light, especially natural light, causes a mismatch in the secretion of the hormones serotonin and melatonin in the brain [20] The more negative ions in the space around us, the more serotonin is released, indoor spaces are harmful to brain performance, even carpets and rugs in the office have a direct effect on reducing brain performance [34] Managers should increase the dopamine and serotonin levels of their employees in autumn and winter because there is less sunlight [50]

Table 11.

Components related to purposefulness and focus.

From the implications, current evidence, and available findings, it seems that providing conditions and contexts in the workplace for meaning and hope, mindfulness, lack of multitasking, and appropriateness of workplace conditions as acceptable components and activities within the process of purposefulness and focus can be accepted and approved. Suggestion to organizational leaders, activities that provide the conditions to facilitate purposefulness and focus for HR in the workplace are:

• Translating the organizational mission to the job duties of employees in order to understand the impact of their role to reduce cortisol hormone and increase serotonin

• To increase focus, not allowing the use of mobile phones in business meetings

• Not using partitions in the workplace as focus killers to reduce cortisol

• Using the scents of live flowers in the corridors of the work environment to increase the hormone oxytocin

• Using proper lighting for work rooms to increase serotonin hormone

• Reviewing positive memories of the organization to create hope and increase the hormone serotonin and also dopamine (Table 12)

Dimension 6

Neuroscience implications that confirm security and relaxation as a brain-friendly process in the workplace

Provide conditions for security and relaxation in the workplace (S)

Factors that create fear and threat completely weigh on the cognitive abilities and skills of the brain and violate work commitments [75] “Being safe is better than regretting,” says the brain amygdala [76] Due to the mechanism of mirror neurons, the anxiety of colleagues can be transmitted to us and our worries and anxiety can be transmitted to colleagues [77] Stress blocks the release of oxytocin by releasing epinephrine [30] In a workplace where the secretion of epinephrine and cortisol hormones is high and oxytocin is low [66]

Table 12.

Security and relaxation as a brain-friendly process in the workplace.

Based on the implications and current evidence, it seems acceptable to provide the conditions and context for safety and relaxation in the workplace as a brain-friendly process. Table 13 shows the components of the safety and relaxation in the workplace. Therefore, leaders should know that providing a quiet and safe environment can be a good brain reward for their employees.

Dimension 6	Components	Neuroscience implications for identifying brain-friendly components related to security and relaxation
Provide conditions for security and relaxation in the workplace	Similarity	We are always dominated by behavior that has a stronger and larger neural circuit, that is, it is older and better known [78] For the brain, the lack of difference and the similarity is a kind of reward [76] Our brains release less cortisol and more oxytocin in the face of things like ours [24]
	Simplicity	By simplifying, you reduce stress and threats to the brain [75] Our brain is interested in creating a simple and familiar pattern of environmental issues [79] Simpler explanations are always more acceptable to the brain [80] Simplicity is a reward for the brain because it reduces energy consumption in the brain [81]
	Support	The feeling of lack of support, which is a kind of social pain, creates the same patterns of physical pain in the brain and causes suppression of the cingulate cortex and the PFC [82] For the brain, social pain such as experiencing lack of support and injustice are serious barriers to learning and organizational development [83] Getting support leads to an increase in the hippocampus of the brain, which is the center of emotional memory [52] Values such as support, empathy, and altruism cause nervous reconstruction [67]
	Clarity	Clarity and transparency of managers increase oxytocin in employees’ brains [84] Clarity, transparency, honesty, and justice in the brain activate upstream systems of the brain such as PFC [85] The satisfaction of mind of employees depends directly on the extent to which they are aware of the transparent process of the current affairs of the organization [10]
	Certainty	The brain hates ambiguity and uncertainty and considers it a threat [61] Anything that increases survival and reduces ambiguity, such as a plan and vision, triggers dopamine secretion in the brain [86] Foresight helps us feel in control of threats, so it lowers cortisol and increases dopamine [34]

Table 13.

Components related to security and relaxation.

The implications, current evidence, and available findings suggest that providing conditions and contexts in the workplace to increase similarity, simplicity, support, transparency, and certainty as brain-friendly components and activities within the security and relaxation process are acceptable. It can only be said about the importance of similarity, results showed that in 80 percent of the 43 elections since 1901, the candidates who used the most collective-oriented language (we-or us-referencing) in their official election speech were the victors. Research findings showed that leaders’ words are inspiring when they convey a sense of commonality and us. gives some neuroscientific substance to claims that it is only when in-group leaders speak for “us” that followers embrace their pronouncements enthusiastically [13]. Accordingly, suggestion to organizational leaders, activities that provide the conditions to facilitate security and relaxation for HR in the workplace are:

• Understand and assign labor to simplify work tasks to reduce cortisol

• Implement SMART techniques in career and organizational goals to reduce cortisol

• Promote empathy as an organizational value to increase oxytocin hormone and decrease cortisol

• Know your subordinates’ personal and professional problems to increase endorphins and oxytocin hormones and reduce cortisol

• Interact fairly with subordinates to increase serotonin and oxytocin and reduce cortisol

• Use honesty in words and behavior to increase serotonin and oxytocin hormones and reduce cortisol

• Organizational change plans should be represented by narratives and stories to increase the hormone oxytocin and decrease cortisol (Table 14).

Dimension 7

Neuroscience implications that confirm enough sleep and rest as a brain-friendly process in the workplace

Provide conditions for enough sleep and rest in the workplace (S)

Insomnia and insufficient sleep impair working memory, mood, and reasoning ability [87] Insufficient sleep increases cognitive impairments such as stress disorders [75] Sleep is vital to protecting the brain [52] We sleep to clear our brains. Sleep can increase the synapse or space between neurons in the brain by up to 60 percent [88] The quality of sleep facilitates the nervous flexibility of the brain [89]

Table 14.

Enough sleep and rest as a brain-friendly process in the workplace.

Current implications and evidence suggest that providing conditions and contexts to improve the adequate sleep and rest in the workplace as a brain-friendly process can be accepted and approved. With these experimental and important findings, it is necessary for organizational leaders to pay special attention to the quality of sleep and rest of their subordinates (Table 15).

Dimension 7	Components	Neuroscience implications for identifying brain-friendly components related to have enough sleep and rest
Provide conditions for enough sleep and rest in the workplace	Minimize shift work	People who work only at night have better mental performance than those who work shifts day and night [34] People who did not sleep for about 35 hours had about 60 percent more amygdala activation in response to negative images [76] Lack of sleep is directly related to creating illusions and suspicious thoughts in people [36]
	Compensate for staff’s insomnia on the night shift	Insomnia damages working memory [76] Insomnia leads to a decrease in dopamine in the brain [90] The negative effects of insomnia are more in the brains of male employees than female employees and more in the brains of young employees than employees aged 50 to 65 years [70]
	Prepare short rest packages	The human brain needs time to rest so that the brain can calm its waves [91] Do not decide on important issues in fatigue because the brain has low power [92] The effect of short mental breaks has been scientifically proven [70] Rest to improve the function of your PFC [52]

Table 15.

Components related to have enough sleep and rest.

Sleep is also an active state that is important for cognitive processes such as memory consolidation, semantic integration, learning, and emotional processing. Sleep is also important for the body, and evidence suggests it may be even more important for the brain. A study of working hours, sleep, and depression of 2643 full-time employed Japanese citizens found that participants worked more than 10 hours a day, slept less than 6 hours a day, and reported inadequate sleep 37 and 43, respectively, and also 97% were more likely to be depressed than those who worked 6–8 hours a day, slept 6–8 hours a day, and reported getting enough sleep. The study concluded that depression associated with long work hours is primarily a result of sleep deprivation [93]. The implications, current evidence, and available findings suggest that providing workplace conditions to minimize shift work, compensating for sleep deprivation in shift staff, and ultimately providing short restpackages during work are components of sleep and rest and having enough activities. As suggested to organizational leadership, the activities that provide the necessary conditions to facilitate adequate sleep and rest for personnel in the workplace are:

• Planning to reduce night shifts of employees to increase serotonin hormone and reduce cortisol

• Using enough light in the workplace for night shifts and increasing serotonin hormone

• Providing rest time to compensate for insomnia

• Allocating a resting place for female employees and reducing the complications of premenstrual syndrome. This means reducing cortisol and improving serotonin status

• Allow employees to set aside time for “doing nothing.”

5. Conclusion

The findings and statements in this chapter help leaders execute their strategy more effectively in creating motivation. This model presented a valuable opportunity. A smart organizational leader knows when the current workplace is dysfunctional. This leader should find a way to design a new environment that is more appropriate. Due to the downward trend in job satisfaction, employee engagement, and motivation in different organizations, the need to renovate the current workplace is inevitable. Today, neuroscience offers more precise definitions and explanations of human beings, so many different sciences use the findings of neuroscience to have greater effect, and management knowledge is linked to neuroscience in the form of organizational neuroscience. Based on the brain-driven human, brain-friendly workplace theory suggest that workplace implementations bring pleasurable experiences for employees’ brains, ultimately introducing favorable processes and activities into employees’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This research is first about cognition and finally considers the conceptual extension of the brain-friendly workplace. This is an important message for leaders. Based on the theoretical framework and implications, seven processes and dimensions were counted: Communication, happiness, and mobility, ability by self-awareness, respect, purposefulness and focus, security and relaxation, and sleep and rest. In addition, multiple ingredients are blended for each process, and a total of 27 types of brain-friendly ingredients are blended. This brain-friendly workplace model was called CHARPSS. The quality of employees’ thoughts, feelings, and actions is due to brain activity. Therefore, by introducing measures and actions to implement the components of the CHARPSS model, we can create a brain-friendly environment in the HR workplace. The CHARPSS model is able to maximize the satisfaction and rewards that an employee’s brain receives from the workplace, while also minimizing frustration and brain threats (Figure 5).

Figure 5.

Brain-friendly workplace of CHARPSS model.

This model, derived from the effects of neuroscience on the two contributions of brain chemistry and brain structure, can provide leaders with new insights so they can provide additional motivation and job satisfaction. To create a mind-friendly workplace, a leader must make a list of what to add to the current workplace and a list of what to remove from the current workplace. Most of these changes including changes of values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors toward employees must happen within the leader himself. CHARPSS model can create very positive changes in brain chemistry and neural circuits of employees. In our brain, there are neurons called mirror neurons. These neurons are activated when we do something or when we observe or imagine the same thing. These neurons cause emotional transmission and the good feeling of the employees from the workplace, of the brain, will spread to the customers and clients and will have positive effects even in their families.