How do you use nudging in the workplace (in an ethical way)?

A small push can mean a big step forward.

Have you ever eaten a glass full of salty snacks at a birthday party just because they were in front of you? Chances are you have. They're not exactly delicious. The only reason we eat them is because our environment triggers this choice. Unfortunately, these automatic decisions aren't always aligned with our goals or our own interests. Fortunately, it works the other way around too. What if, as an organization, you created an environment that made it easier to make the right choice? That's exactly what nudging does in the workplace. In this blog post, you'll find tips on how to do this. In an ethical way...  

In 1990, a manager at Schiphol Airport needed to reduce cleaning costs. He came up with a simple solution. He gave the men something to focus on: a fly in the jar. Simple, elegant, and… effective. Because 80% less debris ended up on the floor, cleaning costs were reduced by 8%. The fly is a small nudge in the right direction. The nudge theory was developed in 2008 by the American behavioral economist Thaler. Since then, nudging has been used in many different ways in the workplace.

Every manager sometimes sees employee behavior that needs to be changed

You could, of course, start the conversation. Or simply say: "You just need to plan before you start." Unfortunately, the first method is very time-consuming, and the second method is likely to have the opposite effect. A more subtle and effective way to approach this is through nudge theory. This makes it as easy as possible for your employees to make the right choice. And it ensures that employees focus more on their strengths than on their areas for improvement. Ultimately, nudging in the workplace also helps at the organizational level. For example, it can increase employee engagement and make major change processes successful. You encourage employees to make a certain choice without making them feel obligated or encountering resistance. But what does that look like?

A few examples of nudging in the workplace

Want to encourage collaboration in the office? Then make sure there are pleasant spaces where that can happen. Want to increase productivity? Create a "quiet compartment" or schedule a daily "quiet hour." Want your employees to make healthier choices? Put stickers on the floor with feet pointing towards the stairs. It's these kinds of simple, small things that people unconsciously follow. A small nudge in the right direction can make a big difference. It can actually contribute positively to the work environment, well-being, and employee performance.

Nudging can be done ethically

Nudge theory posits that small changes in the way you present choices can influence people's behavior. When we talk about influencing, the question quickly arises as to whether it's ethically permissible. And whether it's "social engineering," which assumes you're unfairly influencing or even manipulating customers and employees. You don't want nudging in the workplace to be seen as manipulation.

Fortunately, there are three easy ways to prevent this. Make sure that:  

1. you are as transparent as possible about nudging;
2. employees retain their freedom of choice;
3. the nudge has a positive influence on the employee.

If you do this, you can confidently start giving the first pushes. 

Five tips for effectively implementing nudging in the workplace

1. Make the difficult choice as easy as possible
   There's a reason all the goodies in the supermarket are at eye level. And that you can grab a KitKat for next to nothing at the checkout. It's made as easy as possible for you to make the wrong choice in this instance. Of course, this can work the other way around too. Nudging works not only in the workplace, but also perfectly in the cafeteria. Put the healthy options at eye level. And make the healthy options just as cheap (and if possible, even cheaper) as the unhealthy ones.
   
2. Make the right choice the default choice
   In 2021, the new Donor Act came into effect. People were no longer automatically non-donors. They had to actively indicate whether or not they wanted to be. Since then, the number of active registrations in the Donor Register has increased by more than 50%. You can apply the same principle in the workplace through nudging. For example, do you want your employees to join the health insurance you offer? Then tell them they're automatically members, unless they send an email to cancel.
   
3. Add a game element (gamification)
   Have you ever played the dice game with Sinterklaas? You roll a die and then you can either take a present from someone or pass one on. It's entirely a game of chance, and often the presents are worthless, yet everyone gets incredibly enthusiastic. That's because competition and comparing yourself to others are often highly motivating. So, do you want your employees to complete your survey? They're more likely to do so if you show how many people have already completed it per team. And if you include a prize or reward, you'll probably have the first responses before lunch.
   
4. Start from the positive
   How you frame your message determines how it's received. You can help your employees view certain tasks, experiences, or upcoming changes differently. For example, you could say that 70% of employees haven't completed the training yet. This is a bit negative, however, and runs the risk of demotivating your employees. It's more effective to say that 30% of employees have already invested in their professional development. This approach is also called framing. 
   
5. Share positive results
   This form of nudging in the workplace is good for morale and motivation. Many people tend to imitate the behavior they see in others. In psychology, this is called "social proofing." Imagine sharing a report with the organization that the board absolutely loved. And then giving a big thumbs-up to the employee who successfully implemented the writing training. Chances are, this will motivate other employees to take the training as well. For the same reason, make employee progress visible, whether in a dashboard or a graph in the weekly newsletter.