Thriving isn’t a distant ideal. It’s science.
When people thrive at work, innovation and impact naturally follow.
But health, progress, and productivity are hindered when workplaces don’t meet employees’ needs. Recent surveys demonstrate that many people experience negative mental health impacts from work stress, lack supportive connections in their team, and experience low fulfillment at work.
We come home drained, lacking energy and interest to enjoy life. We accumulate unhealthy habits and risk factors that increase our likelihood of illness. We let relationships fade away.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
We can foster a people-first approach by designing workplaces that align with how the human brain functions.
UNITING BRAINS is a neuroscience-based framework for inclusive, human-centered workplaces informed by hundreds of research studies. It is the core of my brain-based approach to workplace consulting and training.
It covers a six-step process for brain-based growth (UNITING) and six components of inclusive human-centered workplaces (BRAINS). I support clients in implementing the UNITING process to develop practices and initiatives that facilitate BRAINS in the organization.
Read the full framework here, or keep scrolling for a summary
Open the UNITING BRAINS flipbook or download the framework as a pdf.
UNITING: Six steps for brain-based growth
Understand
Learn how the brain connects with behaviours and systems.
This stage includes planning discussions and introductory training on the foundations of brain science and its organizational applications.
Need
Identify objectives and build motivation to achieve them.
This stage centers on employee listening and data collection to assess organizational strengths and needs, drawing from neuroscience research on motivation, curiosity, and openness to change.
Initiate
Develop people-first plans, supported by data-driven insights.
This stage involves collaborative idea generation and decision-making to create concrete plans for practices and initiatives, bringing in brain research on cooperation, making choices, and critical thinking.
Transform
Foster collective engagement to put the plans into practice.
This stage includes experimentation to try new practices in combination with collaborative learning, integrating brain-based strategies for effective skill-building and habit formation.
INspire
Promote learning and action in the community.
This stage centers on internal and public communications to share experiences, accomplishments and lessons learned. Brain research supports the importance of transparency and impact of storytelling.
Grow
Monitor progress and deepen practices.
This stage involves ongoing listening and data collection to inform adjustment and expansion of practices as needed, leveraging research on brain responses to feedback and maintaining optimal goals.
BRAINS: Six components of inclusive workplaces
Breadth
Acceptance and affirmation of diversity.
The included brain is resilient and satisfied, while the excluded brain is stressed, afraid, tired, and at higher risk of illness. Action areas to promote breadth cover inclusive collaboration, open and welcoming interactions, and equitable distribution of decision-making opportunities.
Reliability
Trust in individuals and the organization.
Trust activates brain processes for social connection, while uncertainty drains our energy. Action areas to build reliability include transparent communication, following through with commitments, and fostering safety to share concerns and ideas.
Access
Equal opportunity to fully participate.
Fair treatment rewards the brain and prompts us to reciprocate the fairness to others, while unfair treatment hinders teamwork. Action areas to facilitate access include equity-driven hiring, flexible schedules, safe and accessible workspaces, and personalizing communications for individual needs.
Importance
Recognition of strengths and contributions.
Feeling like we matter, are valued by others, and have purpose in life supports healthy and resilient brains. Action areas to cultivate importance cover encouraging autonomy, rotating positions of power, growth-oriented feedback processes, and meaningful procedures to acknowledge accomplishments.
Networks
Connection through shared experiences.
When we do things together, our brain activity synchronizes. In particular, activities that spark strong emotions (e.g., joy, pride) promote connection. Action areas to build networks include group learning activities, mentorship programs, employee resource groups, and accessible social events.
Support
Active promotion of health and wellbeing.
Human-centered workplaces foster healthy environments internally and value employees as whole humans with lives outside of work. Actions to provide support cover workload management, comprehensive compensation, and acknowledging that employees (and their brains!) are impacted by personal and societal contexts.