Why are Nudges so Effective in Supporting Culture Change?

The concept of nudges has been established in the behavioral science field as a vehicle to influence the behavior and choice of new and existing groups and individuals. Nudges are subtle, often unnoticed cues that naturally lead people towards specific actions and facilitate decision-making in the workplace.

What are nudges?

Although effective, sustainable organizational change sometimes seems impossible, it has been accomplished. Nudging has gained popularity for changing workplace behaviors. By gently pushing people in a new direction, nudging outwits your subconscious biases and helps you to make more intelligent decisions. By eliminating your unconscious predispositions, you can make more deliberate decisions that are in line with strategic best practices and optimal outcomes. 

Nudges are an integral part of enacting culture change within a workplace. The use of nudges can encourage work performance, improve productivity, increase engagement, optimize goal achievement, and create a positive, happy workplace environment.

How are nudges used?

In contrast to heavy-handed programs that demand change or limit options, “nudging” has been proven to be far more beneficial. These simple and subtle reminders can have a strong impact on creating significant and lasting behavior change. In a study of over 1,300 workplace professionals, Vityl found that an overwhelming 73% of surveyed employees would welcome regular nudges and suggestions focused on driving belonging for themselves and others. So how are they used?

Nudging comes in many different forms, creating a lot of success stories for many innovative companies. Managers can be reminded to check in with a new team member with a light agenda. Employees can be coached on how to give constructive feedback. Nudging employees to fill out a goal-setting template at the beginning of a quarter is an example of a simple action that boosts productivity. 

Nudges are also a great way to facilitate social connections between employees and managers or to recognize high-performing employees. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to feel a sense of belonging, develop meaningful connections with their colleagues and supervisors, and contribute to the success of the organization.

Through smart, impactful nudges, HR professionals can foster real change within their organizations and begin to boost morale, reduce turnover, improve motivation, or increase efficiency.

Want to implement nudges but don’t know where to start?

Vityl deploys regular pulse surveys related to belonging and leverages survey data to recommend relevant, tailored nudges that help leaders and employees across the company drive a high-performing and positive culture. As employees engage with the suggested nudges, the machine gets smarter and smarter, further customizing the employee experience based on their needs. Vityl gives HR and business leaders meaningful belonging and engagement data to enhance their strategic decision making.

Belonging is the ultimate force multiplier for today’s teams and organizations. To learn more about Vityl and unlock the power of belonging, visit the Pricing page.