March 14th 2024
In modern workplaces, there’s a plethora of different types of people all working in tandem towards the same goals. Whether people are introverts or extroverts, business owners and managers need to understand that not all people work to the same drumbeat. It’s the differences between personality types, in working together, that can bring forward fresh ideas and approaches to age-old problems.
Today, we’re going to explore how accommodating introverts in the workplace can help to facilitate positive outcomes for your business. The old adage says that a healthy workplace is a happy workplace, and we couldn’t agree more – so let’s get into it.
Identifying Introverts in the Workplace
Now, we’re not asking you to don your deerstalker and bring out your magnifying glass here, but knowing the signs of how an introvert works is necessary in accommodating their workstyle for the better. Empathy is an important leadership skill to have, and the more you understand the needs of your employees, the more you can help them to thrive.
Let’s go over some of the key giveaways, how you can spot them, and what you can do to fully take advantage of an introverts’ skillset.
A Preference for Working Solo
Introverts tend to prefer to ride the waves solo. In allowing them to work independently, you give them the space they need to breathe and, oftentimes, the results can be astounding. Rowdy group interaction tends not to be their forte, and its key to understand this from the get-go, and not push them into group scenarios they might feel uncomfortable in.
Reserved Demeanour
Quietness is never an indication that they don’t have ideas. Some of the biggest inventions in the world have likely come from very introverted individuals. What you’ll need to do is give them an opportunity to express their thoughts away from larger group settings.
Thoughtful Communication
Approaching introverts thoughtfully is important. Now, we know we’re making them sound like deer in a forest that could scarper at the slightest noise, but it’s key to communicate with them in a way that makes them feel included in the conversation, without the noisy backdrop. One-on-one discussions or written ideation sessions are fantastic ways to accommodate this.
Independent Task Focus
Deep concentration on the task at hand is where introverts really excel. Your office space should accommodate all types of working styles, with separate rooms and quiet areas for those who work better without environmental stresses weighing down their thought-flows.
Set independent tasks for introverts, away from the hustle and bustle of daily office life, and you’ll see your investment paid back in spades.
Set Routines and Duties
This could technically go for everyone in your workplace, but introverts specifically would really need this – set routines and duties every day. Introverts thrive when there’s a plan of action, so pay closer attention to what you need from them, by when, and communicate this effectively.
Understanding Introverts in the Workplace
Introverts are not the diary-writing, looking-out-of-the-window, pondering life’s big questions-types of people that Hollywood would have you think they are. There’s beauty in their quiet and unassuming nature. They can, more often than not, come to the table with brilliant ideas that could shake up an industry if given the correct platform to do so.
On the other hand, extroverts can be boisterous, room-commanding big personalities that people tend to gravitate towards. This is in no way a negative. Workplaces should be full of different types of people – diversity is how the biggest businesses are able to dominate.
The importance here, is to understand how introverts fit into the bigger picture in your business, and how leveraging their skills effectively should always lead to a positive outcome.
Creating a Healthy Work Environment for Introverts
Accommodating introverts, as we’ve explained so far, is incredibly important, so let’s give you a run down of what you can be doing as a business to create a healthy work environment for them to thrive in.
Inclusive Spaces
If your office currently doesn’t have designated quiet areas/zones, or separate rooms where introverted individuals can stow away for a time to get their work done, you’ll need to think about expanding the space to implement these. If you’re currently unable to do this, why not introduce wellness apps to your employees for the time being to help them cope with stress?
Communication Strategies
Employ thoughtful communication channels to get the most out of introverts. Written messages can be very effective for this, with platforms such as Slack giving your business not only a way to plan and work effectively, but also a communication platform that allows introverts to express and interact effectively too.
Recognition and Appreciation
Creating a company culture of recognition and reward for hard work will always be a positive. Introverts will feel appreciated for their efforts and may come out of their shell a little more each day.
Balanced Collaboration
Introverts are solitary creatures, that’s a given, but encouraging limited collaboration in much smaller teams will get their ideas out there without the stresses of larger group projects filling them with dread.
Encourage Extroverts to Listen More
Take time to have discussions with the more extroverted members of your team, asking them to sometimes take more of a back seat in discussions and not dominate the conversation as much. Introverts will feel seen and heard and will be more open to group discussions further down the line.
Prioritise Team Building
Putting a focus on teambuilding will allow introverts to come into the fold more easily. Although they tend to favour solitary work, occasional teambuilding exercises and group activity may help them to feel part of the team. If you don’t know how teambuilding works, check out our Team Building Guide for the Workplace!
The Strength that Introverts Bring into the Workplace
As a business-owner, you should always be looking to recruit a diverse range of talents for your staff. This should include both introverted and extroverted individuals, of course, but we’re going to focus here on the strengths that introverts can bring to any team.
Deep Focus and Concentration
As highly skilled deep thinkers, introverts are incredibly efficient at keeping focus on a task and delivering. They’re able to maintain that focus for days or even weeks if the project requires it, producing high-quality work that could rival the Mona Lisa.
Thoughtful Decision-Making
The introspective nature of introverts is a huge asset to any team, as they analyse each outcome and the possible benefits and downfalls that they could have, bringing them to conclusions that you may never have arrived at yourself.
Strong Listening Skills
Introverts listen. They really do. They’re taking in information from a myriad of sources at all times, analysing situations and how it can benefit a workplace. In team settings, this is a huge bonus as their effective communication can keep projects on track.
Independence and Self-Motivation
Introverts rarely need to be told what to do twice. They understand their tasks, and they get on with it. They’re incredibly self-motivated and thrive when left to their own devices. This allows you to focus on other areas of a project that require immediate attention.
Creativity and Innovation
With the ability to think deeply about situations and outcomes, introverts can often generate incredibly creative solutions to many problems. This makes them an asset to any team, as they might catch a problem before it has happened and offer a quick fix.
Detail-Oriented Approach
If you want to find a solution, look to the introverts. Their analytic mind will work wonders when something has gone wrong. Their ability to look at the tiniest of details and pick out the fault with pinpoint precision will be incredibly important to big projects with many people working on them.
Calm and Composed Under Pressure
With a quieter nature, comes composure. Introverts are great at staying cool, even when things have gone pear-shaped. Their level-headed and proactive approach will keep everyone’s stress levels down until a solution has been found.
We hope we’ve helped you to understand today that introverts are amazing assets to any business. It’s just really important that you know how to leverage their skillset to your advantage. Giving them the proper time to grow and develop in a team can bring your business many positives.
If you’re in the market for a new office (possibly one with enough space for quiet areas for your introverted employees!), head over and take a look at Click Offices’ huge range of serviced offices today, to find the perfect new home for your business.
