How to Maximize the Productivity of Your Introverted Employees

How to Maximize the Productivity of Your Introverted Employees How to Maximize the Productivity of Your Introverted Employees Research shows that at least50 percent of the populationmay beintroverted. This may come as a surprise, because many people forcethemselves to act like extraverts particularly in professional settings, where extraversion is almost required.Of course, the reality is that introvert/extravert isnt as black and white as we think it is. We exist on a spectrum, with true introverts and true extraverts being pretty rare. Most of us are somewhere in between.Still, those of us who are more prone to introversion can find it difficult to play along with the extraversion of the sekretariat especially in classically extraverted positions like sales and marketing. Office extraverts may feel intimidated by or awkward around introverts because they cant quite get a handle on these colleagues. Managers, too, may find it difficult to supervise introverts.But that doesnt mea n the situation ishopeless. Here is some advice on how to help your introverted team members maximizetheir contributionsand become more engaged at workIntrovert MythsOne of the biggest myths is that introverts are less effective leaders than extraverts. Did you know that Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Gandhi, and Eleanor Roosevelt are or were all introverts? Believe it or elend, nearly40 percent of leaders are actuallyintroverted. Does that come as a shocker? notlage to us.Introverts have a ton of great skills in common with highly effective leaders. For example, they tend to begreat listeners, and they learn well through observation. Introvertsmay be more silent than their extraverted counterparts, but great leaders dont necessarily have to be constantly talking. In fact, sometimes, great leaders have to know when to shut up, take a step back, and look at the big picture somethingintroverts are very good at.Helping Your Introverted EmployeesSixty-five percent of executivessay introver ts are less likely to advance at work. But these executives are wrong. In fact, there are a lot of things you can do to support introverted employees and help them advance1. Give Them Time to ProcessOnce youve presented an introverted employeewith a new situation, give them time to process it. Thats not because introverts are slow its because they like to internalize situations before responding. This careful reflection often leads to more reasoned solutions, so you should definitely encourage the behavior.2. Give Them SpaceIntroverts recharge by being by themselves. Privacy fuels their ideas, so you want to make sure your introverted employees have the space they need. You can do this by offering introverted employeesone day a week to work from home, a telecommuting arrangement, or a private office. Even a great pair of headphones and some solid communication guidelines can help3. Give Them Control of Their EnvironmentGiving introverts a measure of ownership over their office envi ronment can help improve their performance. If youre an A/C drill sergeant or you refuse to allowindividual personalization of space in your cubicle farm, you may want to rethink what these (useless) policies are doing for youremployees. Engaged employeescan boost a companys bottom line by up to 20 percent, but only 13 percent of employees report feeling engaged in their jobs. Why not get more of your employees engaged by giving them a comfortable, customizable environment? Your introverts, especially, will thank you.Of course, its important to support all employees, regardless of their personality types. Make sure you pay attention toyour extraverted employees preferences, too.Not sure what your employees personality types are? Have them take an employeecomparison assessment.These tools can help you figure out what your employees personalities are like and from there, you can make smart choices about supporting them in all the right ways.A version of this post originally appeared on the Vitru blog.