The Thinker: October 2025

Two hands giving a high five with a yellow background.

Spotlight: Activate your reward system at work

Work can be challenging and at times, feel like a real slog. Many professional roles that require engagement with stressed and distressed clients can expose entire workforces to overwhelm. Looking after yourself in the face of this is a complex and demanding task.

While significant responsibility sits with organisations to develop processes and cultures of safety and support, we would like to draw your attention to the things within your sphere of influence that can help. For example, do you know that your brain is wired to reward you for all sorts of everyday wins - both big and small? We want to share how you can harness this inbuilt system to better support yourself, as well as your colleagues and teams. In fact, it could even help you to feel more motivated, connected, and satisfied at work.

Our brains are particularly responsive to dopamine, a chemical messenger that lights up when we experience something rewarding. While we often think of rewards as big things like a well-earned holiday or promotion, neuroscience shows that many everyday workplace experiences trigger this system from finishing a tricky task to enjoying a coffee with a colleague.

Here are some ways your reward neurobiology can be activated at work:

  • Connection counts: Sharing lunch, celebrating wins, giving or receiving feedback, or simply helping a teammate can release dopamine and oxytocin, the “bonding hormone.""
  • Small wins matter: Completing tasks, hitting milestones, and solving problems give your brain a little dopamine hit, reinforcing motivation and focus.
  • Purpose and autonomy: Doing work that aligns with your values, having control over how you complete tasks, or contributing to meaningful goals stimulates reward pathways in the brain, boosting intrinsic motivation.
  • Novelty and learning: Trying something new, learning a skill, or discovering a better way to work excites the brain’s curiosity circuits.
  • Sensory rewards: A comfortable workspace, natural light, greenery, or even a quick stretch break can support mood and reward processing.
  • Anticipation counts too: Looking forward to a team celebration, a project milestone, or a career step can create a positive sense of expectation another way your dopamine system works for you.
  • Psychological safety: Feeling included, supported, and safe to share ideas allows your reward pathways to function fully, stress can block dopamine, so safety matters!

Reward isn’t just about the “big” wins. It’s the small, daily moments, connecting, learning, achieving, reflecting, that add up to sustained well being and engagement.

The brain building bit

The Neuroscience of Gratitude

While the concept of gratitude can sometimes feel oversimplified or even trite, research shows that genuine gratitude practices have a measurable impact on wellbeing. Understanding their neurological basis reveals how authentic expressions of gratitude engage the brain’s reward pathways in meaningful ways.

Sustaining wellbeing requires far more than surface-level positivity, yet reframing and perspective-taking can play a valuable role in how we navigate stress and challenge. This short clip explores how attitude and the activation of gratitude influence the brain, supporting emotional regulation, connection, and resilience - positioning gratitude not as a quick fix, but as one tool within a broader, evidence-informed approach to practitioner wellbeing.

Further Reading: Staying Motivated and Happier at Work

Building on this month’s focus on reward and wellbeing, this short Forbes article explores practical ways to stay motivated and satisfied at work. It reinforces how recognising progress, celebrating small wins, and finding purpose in everyday tasks can activate the brain’s reward system, boosting both energy and engagement. While the contexts may vary, the principles align closely with what we know from neuroscience about sustaining wellbeing in demanding roles.