We recently ran a webinar on the power of employee networks for facilitating organisational change.
We asked participants who they are most influenced by and these were the results:
Authority figures – 7%
The media – 0%
My friends and family – 48%
People like me -45%
Influencers are something we’re all familiar with, but did you know there is a good reason why we have witnessed their meteoric rise? It all comes down to what psychologists call the popularity bias. Popularity bias refers to the human tendency to be influenced by others’ opinions and behaviours. It is rooted in the social nature of human beings, where we tend to conform to the actions and beliefs of those around us, and those we identify with. And psychologists and canny marketeers have been tapping into this for years.
If you have stayed in a hotel in recent years you’ll have seen the signs asking you to consider the environment and re-use your towel. Psychologists got involved to see if they could further increase the numbers of hotel guests re-using their towel. And to do this, they tapped into the popularity bias. They used different ways to gently remind guests of the environmental impact of towel use. For example one of the signs added that: “75% of guests in this hotel reuse their towels” with another adding “75% of guests in this room” reuse their towel. They found that guests cut their towel use significantly when told of the behaviour of previous guests in their room.
We can tap into this bias when implementing change at work – it is where employee networks come into their own. By identifying influential individuals within the organisation and harnessing their support, we can amplify our message and build momentum for change.
It is crucial to know who the key influencers are within your organisation. While they might hold formal position of authority, make sure you look beyond this to those employees who have strong informal networks. Identifying your influencers is just the first step, then comes the real work of building authentic relationships with them and involving them in the change process. The ultimate aim is to build advocacy with your group of influencers.
The popularity bias is just one of over 140 different cognitive biases. Cognitive biases, are inherent patterns of thinking that influence our decisions and behaviours. Taking the time to understand more about them can help us create experiences that resonate with employees, enhance engagement, and drive positive outcomes. We’re going to share a series over the coming months to demystify the science of experience, and shine a light on those cognitive biases which are most useful to understand and leverage when it comes to employee experience.
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