Spring has sprung! Spring is my favorite time of the year. As we leave the dreariness of winter behind, the weather turns warmer, the trees come back to life, and spring flowers begin to pop.
This is also when the bees begin their work. Where I live the earliest blooming foliage is the witch hazel tree. As soon as those lovely yellow blossoms spring open, the bees are there collecting pollen.
Bees are amazing workers, doing their jobs effectively and efficiently. The hive – their workplace – is also efficient. Each bee has a specific job in the hive. There are foragers that fly out to collect pollen, drones that mate with the queen, the queen who lays the eggs, nurse bees that feed the larvae, and bees that keep the hive clean. Everyone knows their job and performs it well.
The hive is the perfect metaphor for the workplace and we can learn from the bees what a thriving workplace looks like.
The bees aren’t just making honey that the beekeeper can then sell. They have a much larger purpose to fulfill in the world. Thank the bees for those nutritious fruits and vegetables that you eat. One in three bites of the food we eat is made possible by pollinators. Organizations have a purpose in the world. Hopefully, it is beyond just making profit. When employees feel connected to the purpose of an organization, they are more likely to be engaged.
The bees also teach us about core values such as trust. Each bee fulfills her role in the hive, performing her job unsupervised. Like a thriving hive, a high-trust organizational culture is built upon everyone performing their role to support the organization’s purpose. Great Places to Work research has shown that high-trust cultures result in both superior business performance and employee well-being.
Collaboration and communication are key to a thriving hive. Each group of bees performing a specific function work together to do their part. The scout bees go in search of the best food sources. Upon returning to the hive, they share specific location information by doing a waggle dance. The bees also use a chemical substance called pheromones to provide signals to the rest of the hive. Every organization needs both good communication and collaboration to thrive. Communications can improve employee well-being by providing clear, actionable, and relevant information. Being open and upfront reduces employee anxiety and worry and lets them stay focused on their work. Collaboration fosters the sense of belonging employees seek.
As spring unfolds, let’s remember how much we can learn from the bees. Businesses thrive when employees thrive. Let’s create thriving workplaces.