WM: You commend companies like Cisco for following hive-mind philosophies. And companies do a pretty good job of wellness programs. Another way is, sound communications about what’s going on so people aren’t thinking the worst. Give people sabbaticals or special projects. One way companies can improve productivity is to manage stress in their organizations. O’Malley: Bees are susceptible to stress, and they get stressed when they’re working odd hours, not eating right and working hard. What can companies do so employees stay happy and productive? When scientists measure nectar intake, they find that as the novice learns from the veteran, they get more efficient in bringing in more nectar per trip.
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Novice bees go into the field with veterans who show them how to navigate better, work a flower better, identify flowers better. That’s particularly true when they become foragers. O’Malley: In the hive, older bees serve as mentors to the younger bees. WM: What can the hive teach companies with multigenerational workforces? Like in the hive, the first instinct is to save and the second is to act. Barring that, when I ask executives about their mistakes, they routinely say they didn’t remove someone with performance problems quickly enough. It’s not that the person is a poor performer they’re a poor performer in this context, but they have a redeeming value that in the right context can be developed. In companies, it’s finding the right fit. They have a shaking signal that says, “Help me,” and they’ll pull off mites or anything that might be injurious to the bee. O’Malley: The first line for the colony is to save the bee. But bad employees don’t just voluntarily leave. WM: Sick bees remove themselves from the hive. That’s probably the most important element, if they’re hired: making them feel like they belong and are wanted. In an organization, that enculturation process could be as simple as when a new person’s arriving, some kind of developmental program that makes them feel wanted. If other bees are introduced, they mix the combs from the two hives. O’Malley: Sometimes a colony merges with another hive. What can the hive teach companies about hiring?
WM: Bees don’t have to recruit they just hatch new workers. It’s more spontaneous and then it becomes a part of what you do as a manager or supervisor. I recommend using recognition programs to foster ongoing awareness of who’s going a good job. Organizations can naturally embed reviews into their operations. If a bee’s infected and will be detrimental to the hive, they remove it immediately. O’Malley: Bees are always assessing each other’s productivity. WM: You call annual performance reviews “loathsome.” What should companies do instead? When that happens, the whole operation shifts to an internal focus, replacing lost workers, instead of external operations, like selling things-or in the hive, gathering nectar. By contrast, I did a study for a retailer who was replacing every sales associate three times over the course of a year. They start with simple tasks inside the hive and work their way to the periphery doing most complex tasks until they become foragers. O’Malley: Bees have a disciplined career development program.
WM: Hives have very high bee retention rates, what can companies learn from that to better train and hang on to employees? Michael O’Malley: Beehives foster lifelong development in their workforce, so average tenure and productivity are as high as possible. What can HR managers learn from studying how they work? Workforce Management: A lot of the book pertains to bees’ labor practices. O’Malley spoke recently with Workforce Management contributing editor Michelle V. A social psychologist, Yale University Press editor and longtime beekeeper, O’Malley applied his apiarian knowledge to management practices in The Wisdom of Bees: What the Hive Can Teach Business About Leadership, Efficiency, and Growth. When Michael O’Malley discusses the hive mind, he’s not speaking figuratively.
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