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Being a highly sensitive person (HSP) is one of the signs of being gifted, which can hold significant advantages for organizations.  However, it is often a personality attribute that’s overlooked in the workplace.  Research has found that less than 20% of people are considered HSP (1) making it a rare characteristic.  Furthermore, it can be difficult for HSPs, especially in the workplace because American work culture doesn’t value sensitivity.  (1)  However there is a need for HSPs because they bring skills such as reading social cues, empathy, unique perspectives, deep thinking, challenging the status quo, and finding joy in the smaller things in life.

Finding HSP employees can be challenging.  The characteristics that define an HSP personality type are often subtle. They are not immediately apparent and, therefore, are easily overlooked or wrongly attributed to other personality traits. So then, how can you as a leader, recognize the powerful distinctions of HSP personalities to benefit your organization?

It starts with learning more about the traits of highly sensitive people, accurately identifying them in the workplace, learning what helps them thrive and playing a proactive role in nurturing and encouraging them as your employees.

KEY TRAITS OF HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE

Individuals with personality characteristics of HSP are more aware of the subtleties of their environment, and the people around them.  As a result, highly sensitive people have sensory processing sensitivity. (2) In simple terms, HSPs absorb and process more information than their non-highly sensitive counterparts. They also reflect more deeply on the information they take in. (3)

Stimuli in their surroundings that most people never think twice about could affect highly sensitive people in profound ways. (4) Examples include:

  • Office lighting that is too bright or a drafty office may be uncomfortable.
  • A loud work environment may be stressful or overly stimulating.
  • Burned popcorn or a coworker’s cologne may be nauseatingly strong.
  • Absorbing the emotions of coworkers who are arguing may be so intense it is distracting.

A highly sensitive person tends to feel overwhelmed when they exceed their sensory or social stimulation. Despite this you may also find that your HSP employees are among your best performers (3), and you may never know if they are stressed out by work, their coworkers or their environment. These individuals typically suffer in silence and will simply withdraw when the world becomes too much for them.

WHY YOU SHOULD VALUE HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE

When it comes to the value they offer your organization, highly sensitive people bring a lot to the table. It gets tricky at times, because the very traits that can cause an HSP to become overwhelmed are the same ones that make them such an asset. The strengths of highly sensitive people include:

  • Empathy, understanding, and a desire to create harmony in the workplace.
  • A meticulous approach and commitment to producing quality work.
  • Natural ability to see both the details and the big picture view.
  • Insight that allows them to recognize and avert potential interpersonal conflicts.
  • High creativity which allows them to leverage great ideas to elevate projects.

HOW TO LEAD HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE

With a little sensitivity, awareness and understanding, you can nurture the strengths that highly sensitive people inherently possess. Leaders that take the time and make the effort to do this often find their organization is richly rewarded with an exemplary performance and stellar results from these employees. So, what does properly leading an HSP look like?

Give Them Space

Micromanaging employees with highly sensitive person characteristics is not recommended. Monitoring them closely, or even checking in or giving them reminders too often, can make them feel suffocated, judged or like you do not trust them. Instead, let these employees know you are there to support them, but give them ample space and independence. When you create this type of environment for highly sensitive people, you set them up to thrive.

The same is true of working in groups. Employees with HSP traits perform best and feel most confident when they work solo. While some group work might be necessary, try to limit it for highly sensitive people as much as possible.

Avoid Disrupting Their Routine

This strategy comes with the caveat that, sometimes, changes to the norm cannot be prevented at work. That said, try to avoid disrupting the routine and/or schedule your HSP employees already follow. Establishing a regular way of going about their workday and planning for projects and events in advance is one way that highly sensitive people cope. Routines help them feel like they are less vulnerable to the stimuli that can threaten to overwhelm them. When sudden changes do inevitably occur, give these team members as much notice as possible and allow them opportunities to catch a breath before they enter the fray.

Minimize Environmental Stressors

You might not think of seemingly banal things like the rattling of an air conditioning vent or the low hum of office gossip as environmental stressors. However, they can be crippling for a highly sensitive person.

But aside from being a mind reader, how do you ascertain whether something in the workplace is causing an employee stress? First, be observant of each employee on your team. Even better, ask your individual team members!  The more you understand their behavior and their preferences the better you are at defining when something bothers them. Second, maintain open lines of communication with your employees. If you feel like they are stressed out in any way, pull them outside and ask them about it, in a warm and caring way. Empathize with HSP employees by stating that while you do not want to intrude, you do want to help them thrive.

REAP THE REWARDS OF HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE

HSPs have qualities that make them naturally suited for opportunities where their skills can benefit your organization.  For example:

  • HSPs are highly tuned in to what others are feeling. This can make them ideal for team-building activities, enhancing comradery, noticing when others are struggling and need support (or encouragement).  Additionally, because HSPs can read other people’s emotional cues, they are natural negotiators.
  • HSPs tend to analyze information. Because they are used to processing large volumes of information, this can be a benefit when it comes to problem solving, generating new revenue streams and mitigating risks. They can often find patterns, opportunities, and spot risks long before others.
  • HSPs see things from unique perspectives. When combined with an HSPs natural ability to read emotional cues, this can be a powerful asset.  Conflict resolution can be a great strength of HSPs as they can help others find middle ground or uncover a solution that both can live with.
  • HSPs appreciate clarity, structure, and autonomy. They find routines such as agendas, templates, reference scripts, knowledge bases, intranet or intercompany communities, and self-help tools invaluable. This can be exceptionally helpful when establishing clear processes to improve effectiveness and efficiency companywide.

Leaders must master the art of mentoring and nurturing many different types of personalities. It is no different with HSP employees. And the potential rewards are significant. When you implement the strategies above, you position highly sensitive people to succeed and, in turn, your organization to excel as well.

Do you want your next corporate meeting or event to engage and inspire different personality types? If so, contact Gavel International to see how working with a meeting planning company can benefit your organization.

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SOURCE(S):

1 https://sensitivityresearch.com/about-sensitivity/

2 https://mybook.to/highlysensitive

3 https://www.bcs.org/articles-opinion-and-research/identify-and-unleash-your-talent/

4 http://hsperson.com/pdf/The_highly_sensitive_brain_%20an_fMRI_study.pdf

This article was last updated on July 10, 2023

Eloisa Mendez
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