Has this megatrend already been identified in your workplace?

It is known that running a business is not an easy task. Often, managers have a good view of operational management, but the psychological needs of employees and the phenomena of organizational dynamics are often overlooked, and the company is therefore unable to reach the best possible result and growth. Pioneering companies invest in combining operational efficiency and humanity, resulting in a thriving company where employees are genuinely motivated to pursue common goals every day.

Experts in human efficiency are organizational psychologists who operate at the interface between the operational and the human. It is the combination of psychological and business understanding that distinguishes organizational psychology from traditional management consulting.

“All organizations have some problems on the table, and very often those problems are related to combining the operational and human side. Even the best interaction training in the workplace will not help if the work structures are not working,” says Outi Ikonen, Terveystalo’s leading organizational psychologist.

Organizational problems may manifest themselves in meagre results, increase in sick leave or higher turnover. Often the underlying cause is the failure of change.

Terveystalo’s organizational psychologists work with senior management to help clients to solve the problems and bring organizational psychological understanding to support the desired change. The purpose of cooperation is to locate the problem and create guidelines for what is the desired outcome. This is not traditional business coaching or advice: the purpose is to help the client thoroughly understand and solve the problem.

“The process of collectively learning, identifying and realizing the issues together is really important,” Ikonen says.

Investing in human efficiency does not require magic tricks

In order to determine the root cause of problems, some detective work is often needed. If the issue is, for instance, the tense atmosphere of the workplace, the underlying cause may be that the work processes are not thought through and people are symptomatic of their fatigue or frustration. Hence, the psychological well-being will be improved by fixing operational activities.

Human efficiency may sound contradictory, but that is what companies should strive for. When work combines basic human psychological needs such as motivation, relevance, trust and emotion, as well as, clear goals on the operational side, smooth work processes, good management and open flow of information, the company’s operations are both human and efficient, that is, humanly efficient.

“Humanity is clearly the megatrend at the moment. Its meaning is understood, but it often remains detached. The human side and efficiency are treated as if at different tables,” Ikonen describes.

Therefore, top management should also be interested in human efficiency. Flagging for value is not helpful if the staff experience is not practiced in the same way as the customer experience.

Change will only succeed if it becomes a common cause and everyone recognizes that action is needed

“In the working life of the future, experts will be even more critical and demanding. We need to invest in a humanly efficient working life”, Ikonen says.

Investing in human efficiency does not require magic tricks, rather that the principle is being applied to all organizational structures. It is taken into account in senior management commitment and communication, recruitment, orientation, rewarding and everyday meeting practices.

Also important is that the superiors have resources and knowledge to lead human efficiency. The task of an organizational psychologist is to make the somewhat outlined concept of human efficiency more understandable and simpler – and thus easier to lead.

The collaboration with the company and Terveystalo’s organizational psychologist can take a few months or much longer.

“Even in big changes, a year is a short time,” Ikonen says.

Working involves constant dialogue and building trust. While working with the company’s management, it’s also important for subordinates to be aware of what’s going on in the company.

“Ownership of change is often run by the company, and subordinates do not see it as their own business. However, change will only succeed if it becomes a common cause and everyone recognizes that change is needed,” Ikonen says.

If your organization wants to encourage and support human efficiency, Terveystalo’s organizational psychologists consult corporate management to transform your operational structure to increase work well-being and results.

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