5 things businesses can learn from bees

Bees are one of the most intelligent insects out there. They are incredibly efficient at working in a way that most businesses can only dream of. Don’t BEElieve us? Read on to see what you can learn from them. 

1. One common goal

The key function of a bee colony is clear: ensure that the queen bee is well protected and sheltered so she can produce more eggs so that the colony can survive. And the bees work tirelessly as a team to make this happen. 

This collective approach is admirable and shows how the power of a clear goal in an organisation can drive individuals to pull together. So if you’re managing staff, you need to be a strong leader and create a clear goal that everyone can work towards.

2. Efficiency

Bees are incredibly efficient. There are about 10 roles within a hive, and from the Queen bee, right down to the cleaners and guards, each bee knows it’s job and works tirelessly to do it.

You can apply this to your business, so as well as making sure that everyone knows the clear joint goal, everyone should also clearly understand what part they play in this goal. They should be trained up to be able to do their job, without needing to rely on lots of other people to ensure efficiency.

3. Communication

Bees communicate through dances and pheromones to tell ensure their survival, whether that’s a warning or guidance. Team members need to be comfortable enough with one another to do the same, whether that’s asking for help or simply communicating what’s going on.

Make sure your requests are clear - the better you communicate with your team, the better they will communicate with you. 

4. Be resourceful

No doubt you will have seen what honeycombs look like. Those amazing hexagon shapes are quite a sight. But there is a reason why they look this way. The hexagon uses less energy and material than any other shape. 

Bees really know how to be smart with their resources and this can be applied to your business too. Whether this is in switching to energy efficient light bulbs or simply turning off equipment when you’re not using it, there are many simple ways you can save on energy.

5. Be adaptable 

Bees are exceptionally good at adapting to a change in their environment and this is particularly evident in the way that a colony changes the location of their hive, due to extreme temperatures or drought, for example. 

Bees don’t deliberate for hours in meetings. Instead, they leave their hive and decide where the best location is to make a new one based on the findings they have learnt from their scouting missions. The process is democratic, quick, decisive and without delay.

Obviously, in the human world, things like relocation can be a bit more complex. But sometimes, businesses can take far too long pondering over a decision, which can show indecisiveness. As a business owner, if you’re convinced on something which could help your business, such as a premises change or going with a new supplier, then you should be a bit like a bee and push it forward, backed with evidence, of course!