Feel-Good Messaging Won't Always Motivate Your Employees

When a company wants to change employee behavior — especially when that change will benefit both society and the company’s bottom line — what’s the best community strategy? While using prosocial motivation (for example, “this will help the environment”) may seem like a win-win, new research suggests that a more banal type of motivation (“this will help us cut costs”) might be a better bet. Why? Employees are often skeptical when “feel good” messaging seems disingenuous, especially when there’s evidence that the change in question is not purely for the good of society. While there are situations where prosocial motivation can be effective, leaders should carefully consider the circumstances before tugging at employees’ heartstrings.