The emerging impact of neuroscience in Human resource management and in the public sector

Abstract

The study of the nervous system has opened the gates into exploring the depths of the conscious trying to unlock the cerebral function, its structure and mechanisms that impact human behavior. Implementing the neuroscience paradigm for public organizations is expected to enhance inspiration and innovation for the employees, to transform the organization into a best working place for employees that witness a feeling of integration and accomplishment in the realization of organizational success. A non-fearful or -stressful working environment that was the one that characterized the old public administration where Managers managed through fear and punishment, is leading the way to a more consensual way of doing things where employees are supported to take risks, think laterally and creatively, challenge the status quo, stand up and be counted. The accumulated capital of knowledge is already used in various settings of social life but also and mostly around human resources management at an organized professional context. Indeed, private corporations are already taking advantage of some of the available techniques while the public sector is also catching up slowly as best practices from the private sector are being transferred to the public. Bearing in mind that the linkage of social cognitive neuroscience to human resources development presents a great opportunity to explore further, in this research, we will examine the impact that Neuroscience claims to have on human resources by putting an emphasis on the framework of public sector and the opportunities that lay ahead in order to build a more robust and committed personnel. First, we will start our analysis with the brain structure following with the multiple factors that affect human behavior in organizational settings through the lens of neuroscience. The reference of sectorial human resources policies under the prism of neuroscience can explain how they affect the human reactions in any organizational setting from hiring to training and assessment (job satisfaction, performance management, career management, etc., Schaufenbuel, 2017). Evidently, it will be argued that modern organizations could seek actions that stimulate the reward and pleasure centers of the brain while making the person experience feelings of acceptance and recognition. In the same direction, we will discuss that neuroscience is decoding the societal engagement and exploring the human behavior in working places supporting the overall struggle for maximization of performance.