Can a shared inbox actually make you happier?

Happiness — that is the range of emotions make up the emotional state of being happy — is an evolutionary adaptation, according to evolutionary psychologists. Researchers have found that when we experience “a tingle of delight” caused by “unexpected good fortune,” our brains release dopamine, the chemical in our brains that help us feel satisfaction and pleasure. According to these psychologists,

Dopamine heightened our ancestors’ awareness and focused their attention on what they wanted; they craved the feelings it produced and it guided them toward comfort and love, conditions that help make us human.

When we think of email, it’s nearly impossible to think of it as something pleasurable that could trigger a dopamine release. The seemingly only thing human about email is that we need to communicate with each other in order to achieve objectives — make a sale, fix a problem, etc. And shared inboxes are often treated with as much enthusiasm as a trip to the dentist.

We’re pleased to tell you, though, that a Helpmonks shared inbox can actually increase your happiness (at work, at least). How? With the right tools and analytics, you’ll get that moment of surprise delight that will release dopamine, and help your team evolve. Let us explain:

1) Shared inboxes can be highly efficient

Now, we know you’re probably thinking, “Yeah right.” But it’s true! We’ve seen it time and time again. With the right tools such as task assignments, automated workflow, saved replies, and more, a shared inbox can be proactively managed without becoming a burden or hassle for anyone.

2) Reporting provides real insights

With a typical shared inbox, managers only have a lose idea of what their team is doing, how fast they’re responding to inquiries, and other key productivity metrics. But with a Helpmonks shared inbox, managers get a variety of reports that will give them a much clearer picture of how their team is performing. That includes real-time activity reports, mailbox activity to see how fast emails are being responded to, and even individual team member activity reports. With better reporting, managers can make smarter decisions about a variety of things, such as staff productivity, training, and even resource allocation.

3) Getting to true inbox zero

Inbox zero is one of those things in business that seem mythical and unattainable. It seems like for every email we respond to, there’s 3–5 more coming in that require our attention. But with an efficiently managed shared inbox, inbox zero can actually become a reality. And it’s not too bad for companies that have service level agreements to meet, either!

These are just a few examples of how a shared inbox can make you happier. Our customers are finding new ones all the time. If you’re ready for an email-caused dopamine rush, contact us for a demo. We’ll show you how Helpmonks can make shared inboxes surprisingly pleasurable.