The Gestalt Method: Creating a Productive Work Environment

The Gestalt approach to organizations is an integrated, holistic view of how organizations and people function. In essence, it embodies a practical action-oriented approach to organizational change, offering unique methods based on the principles of Gestalt psychotherapy.
We invited Ivelina Petkova, Business Development Manager on our team, and a certified Gestalt psychologist, to talk about how the method can turn around an unhealthy work environment so that the company serves its original need and mission.

What are the differences between the organizations of yesterday and today?

Yesterday's organizations typically took a more structured, hierarchical approach to work. On the other hand, today's organizations are more flexible, focus on the human factor much more than in the past, and tend to focus more on defining values and company culture.

In the past, companies often recruited against their so-called 'hard skills', demanded certain outcomes from them and changed their jobs and levels according to performance as part of a structured career development process. Nowadays, the relationship between human resource management and organizational effectiveness is significantly different, which highlights the evolution of modern organizational structures. Organizations today rely on the personal attributes of talent rather than just their skills, knowledge, and professional experience. Increasingly, companies are betting on providing their employees and workers with care and support in the work process.

Developing corporate values throughout a company's history undoubtedly has a long-lasting and positive effect on the organization and its culture. It is the most powerful tool for employee engagement. Creating a healthy work environment that makes their employees feel special becomes the most important mission for many of our partners. We are becoming increasingly conscious of the need each of us feels to feel that we are contributing to the well-being of the world.

How does the Gestalt method help companies walk the path to a productive and satisfying work environment?

Gestalt theory promotes a holistic view of people and organizations. It suggests that the individual and the organization should be viewed as a whole, not as isolated parts. That is, each person should be able to feel valued and significant in order to experience the willingness to contribute in a quality manner. Individual units and people should be able to interact seamlessly in any situation, with the Gestalt approach helping to discover a new organizational language through the opportunities provided by the changes that have occurred during the program.

Gestalt consultants apply a blend of techniques based on Gestalt psychology and therapy, organizational development, and general systems theory. Their interventions can facilitate change in organizations by creating an interactive, engaging, and person-centered experience for all involved.

In this way, team leaders discover new ways of functioning that lead to profound change and improved performance.

A focus of Gestalt theory is how the human brain interprets information about relationships and hierarchy, which can also be helpful in decision-making processes and effective work organization.

What do we need to "heal" through Gestalt practices to make work a meaningful and desirable occupation?

First and foremost, we need to improve communication and interactions, as Gestalt programs encourage open and honest communication that can unravel problems and enable their resolution, fostering healthier interactions among team members. Gestalt consultants focus on improving the present and resolving unfinished business to help companies create an environment that is both productive and fulfilling for their employees. In doing so, they not only improve the performance of the overall organizational structure but also create engaged and satisfied employees who become ambassadors for the company. The key areas that can benefit from the "healing" process through Gestalt programs are as follows:

• Dealing with situations or conflicts that may have negatively affected work culture or employee morale.
• Increasing self-awareness and understanding, and encouraging them. In a work environment, this may include employees' awareness of their roles, responsibilities, and their impact on colleagues and the organization.
• Prioritizing one's own needs is critical to "healing" and becoming an expansive person. The same principle can be applied in the workplace by allowing employees to become aware of their needs and express them effectively to ensure a balanced and satisfying work life. Enable employees to learn, develop and contribute effectively to their roles.
• Similar to how a physician frames his or her work as healing, employees across sectors could redefine their roles to reflect the meaningful and impactful dimensions of their work. This could potentially lead to higher job satisfaction and engagement.

Overall, by training employees' minds to order their experiences in a regular, orderly, and recognizable way using Gestalt principles, companies can create workplaces that are more productive, efficient, and enjoyable.