The Dopamine Effect
Some companies see reward and recognition as a ‘nice to have’ when it comes to improving employee performance at work, a fluffy HR strategy that requires investment and resource to implement but is unlikely to make a huge difference on the bottom line. However, it is a biological fact that when displaying gratitude and rewarding or praising someone for a job well done, a neurotransmitter called Dopamine is released within the brain producing positive feelings of satisfaction and enjoyment. But the effect can be short-lived, so it’s important to the human brain to maintain a regular supply of these ‘hits’ and therefore an individual is encouraged to seek out or repeat whatever behaviours produced the desired effect in the first place.
If we harness this process effectively in the workplace i.e. positive reinforcement (providing timely recognition and/or reward when beneficial behaviours are displayed or goals achieved) on a regular basis, then the employee will have multiple opportunities of getting a surge of this Dopamine and the resulting effect can produce higher morale, better motivation levels and employees who strive to attain appreciation for exceptional work.