How Behavioral Science and ‘Nudge Theory’ Can Make a Difference in Gender Equality

BY Jenic Mantashian | November 05, 2019

Since humans are creatures of habit and tradition, they’ll tend to keep doing what they’re doing until something motivates them to change. Individuals may change their behavior for reasons particular to them, but what if leaders in business or government want to solve problems by encouraging change across a whole group of people? The thriving field of behavioral science has produced a wealth of insights in how to “nudge” people with gentle pushes that can add up to a big impact. Behavioral-science firm the BVA Nudge Unit is a global consultancy that helps clients ranging from Air France to the World Wildlife Fund to create sustainable change, both inside and outside their organizations. In an interview with From Day One, we asked Jenic Mantashian, Executive Vice President of the BVA Nudge Unit USA, about her company’s work in the field. Excerpts:

From Day One: Your organization recently helped the U.N. to engage 1 billion men in the cause of gender equality using behavioral science. That's a lot of people to sway. To start with, can you tell us about behavioral science as a field and give us some examples of its insights and tools?

Mantashian: Behavioral science is a field of study that brings together several disciplines, among them cognitive science, social psychology and behavioral economics.  In very simple terms, behavioral science seeks to understand the true drivers of human behavior.

As a consulting practice it’s a relatively new field, but has really taken off.  There have been several Nobel Prizes awarded to people for their work in behavioral science, as more and more people see its value for solving problems. Specifically, as a practice, it uncovers the cognitive biases, emotional and social influences, and the impact of context on our behavior. With those insights, we can pursue informed strategies to resolve what are otherwise intractable problems.

Some of the most well-known areas where applied behavioral science has emerged as a practice was in consumer finance and global health. Specifically, through the application of nudges, individuals were successfully encouraged to save more money for retirement and to vaccinate their children, respectively.

How do you define "nudge," as you deploy it among a particular group?

I should mention that the term “nudge” was coined by two leaders in this field, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein.   In fact, they wrote the book on it–Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness.

The way I explain a nudge to people is that it is a small discrete intervention that is inspired by insights uncovered through our understanding of human behavior. It guides beneficial behaviors in such a way whereby choice is not limited, so people don’t feel forced.  Nudges can be carried out through changes to a physical space, by communicating in an intentional way, or simply by including behavioral strategies within any interaction with a group or individual.  For example, you can nudge employee behaviors in a meeting simply by being very deliberate about the name of the meeting room or the title of your meeting–in effect, priming the participants.

Jenic Mantashian is Executive Vice President of the BVA Nudge Unit USA

What is HeForShe, the movement you supported for the U.S., and what are some of the behaviors it seeks to address?

HeForShe is a solidarity campaign initiated by the U.N. for the global advancement of gender equality.  The movement invites men specifically, and people of all gender identifications, to stand in solidarity with women to create a brave, visible, and united force for gender equality.

From a behavioral perspective, as a first step, HeForShe “pre-engages” with men by gaining their commitment. They’re persuaded to sign up to be part of the movement on HeForShe.org. As a second step, HeForShe encourages those registered to take action in favor of gender equality within their own communities.

Naturally the specific behaviors are quite broad and varied, since each country and context is so different. The subjects of the nudges could range from heads of state, who have the ability to change laws related to pay equality, all the way to university students, who have the ability to foster a campus environment where women are safe from sexual assault.

Why is there a need to deploy behavioral science to influence these ingrained behaviors, rather than more traditional methods like public-service advertising?

I would start off by saying that giving people information is essential. Information helps establish an intent. Without an intent to act a certain way, it’s hard to make it happen.

With that said, time and again we have seen that information is simply not enough to change behavior. For example, we know that eating sugar and processed foods on a regular basis can lead to diabetes. We know that smoking cigarettes can lead to cancer.  We know that driving and texting can lead to fatal accidents. There is so much information out there on these topics, but millions of people still engage in these deadly behaviors.

What behavioral science and nudges allow us to do is complement the information we receive, so we can take a more comprehensive approach. For example, next time I have a craving for sweets, if I made changes to my kitchen environment that nudged me away from the cookies and nudged me towards the fruit, it will support me better with my intent to eat healthier.

Can you explain the use of commitment as a step toward change, and why it proves effective?’

We know from many experiments in our field that when someone commits to a future behavior, they are more likely to do it. For example, in one experiment, hotel guests were asked for a pre-commitment to reuse towels to support eco-friendly behavior at the hotel, and by simply having people check a box, there was a 25% average increase in the reuse of towels. It is believed by some that engaging in the commitment dissolves any cognitive dissonance that results from not following through on the committed action. And since humans look for ways to avoid discomfort, we are more likely to follow through with the action to avoid the guilt or conflict that can arise.

In a recent article, you identified many "drivers of influence." Could you offer a couple of prime examples?

Sure. At the BVA Nudge Unit, we created a tool that we coined the 21 Drivers of Influence.  The tool isolates 21 of the most powerful heuristic-based levers, from more than 200 that have been identified in the field, that can be used to amplify the effectiveness of specific activations. In other words, they serve as behavioral science-based inspirations that drive our ideation process when we design strategies and nudges to change behavior.

Commitment is one of those drivers. Another popular one is “Social Norms,” where we exploit the insight that people want to feel a sense of belonging and thus will be more likely to act in a way that’s like the rest of the group. If you look at Amazon, they use this driver very well, by showing you the popularity of a product, along with its ratings and endorsements by others. Another one is “Easiness,” which is the understanding that we are more likely to do something if it’s undemanding. That’s what Amazon was thinking in designing their “one click” check-out option.

You also talk about "stairs of change." Could you describe the process?

At the BVA Nudge Unit we have a proprietary behavioral framework that’s a step-wise process that inspires the development of behavioral science strategies and nudges. The best way to think about our Stairs of Change is to imagine you are climbing up four stories of a building, where each of the four stories represents an important stage. As you ascend to the top, you get closer to achieving your end goal.  However, if any of the steps are skipped haphazardly, you risk the collapse of your effort.

In other words, we break down the steps to the behavior into four areas and work on each of them. At the step “Preparing the Field,” we think about how to awaken the attention of our target, such as finding the right time, place and messenger. We take this through to “Reinforce the Behavior,” where we think about things like providing reassurance through feedback, recognizing the behavior through rewards, and activating social diffusion.

What kinds of results are you seeing from such programs, for example your work with the HeForShe movement?

The results have been very positive. Our primary focus with the U.N. was to nudge the commitment process, getting men to commit to the movement. Shortly after our interventions were launched, using analytics from HeForShe.org, it was determined that commitments jumped from 2% to 25% conversions among website visitors.

We’re also now working with HeForShe Champion corporations on the application of nudge within their organizations. Among other steps, they’re optimizing recruitment and hiring practices through the use of our frameworks in order to ensure gender-balanced workforces in specific sectors, along with achieving a more diverse workforce overall. We are in the testing phase and hope to share the good results soon.

What are some other examples from behavioral science in fostering diversity and gender equality, particularly in the corporate sector?

There are a lot of published examples out there and a good resource to access many of them can be found in our book called Nudge Management. Nudges can be put in place to encourage D&I at all stages of the employee experience. Let me give you some examples:

When hiring: In advertisements, only list requirements that are key to the position. Research has shown that there are trends in the way specific groups respond to job advertisements. For instance, women tend to apply only when they feel they meet 100% of the required capabilities on a job advertisement, while men are likely to apply when they meet only 60%of those qualifications.

To debias annual reviews: At a mid-size U.S. tech company, the annual-review process involved managers discussing staff performance. Comments were largely about employees’ personalities rather than their actual work, and included various stereotypes. A study showed that 14% women were criticized for being too aggressive, 8% of men were criticized for being “too soft.”  The company initiated an employee scorecard which focused on the work output and its impact on the business and not the individual. The result? A year after rolling out new scorecard, none of the women were criticized for being too aggressive, and less than 1% of men were criticized for being “too soft.”

To increase diversity in global job assignments: An international assignment is often seen as a crucial step in a successful career in large organizations. But not many women declare themselves open to international mobility. In a global company, simply rephrasing the question on an employee-development questionnaire–from “are you internationally mobile?” to “would you consider an international assignment sometime in the future?”—led to a 25% increase the number of women declaring they were mobile, and thus candidates for further management development.

That said, it’s important to note that these methods don’t necessarily work in every situation. Contexts change how people behave. That’s why ad-hoc solutions are generally recommended.

Looking ahead, what other problems are you aiming to address by wielding behavioral science?

Basically, any problems that exist where there are humans involved, we want to be there to support positive change. On the Nudge Management side, when nudging within organizations, this can range from encouraging entrepreneurial behavior among sales reps and the adoption of new sales automation platforms, to promoting compliance with safety rules and regulations, to adopting behavior that supports communication or innovation.    More broadly, we also are working on using behavioral science to improve customer experience, to adopt sustainable behavior, and promote the quality of life and standard of living in cities.

Editor’s Note: BVA Nudge Unit USA is a sponsor of From Day One. The author of this article can be reached at jenic.mantashian@bvanudgeunit.com  


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Full-Cycle Recruiting: How to Hire Top Talent With a Holistic Approach

The U.S. labor market has trailed expectations this year. The number of open jobs has been sinking since the beginning of 2024, and it’s getting harder to find a job, applicants say. Job seekers are frustrated not only because there are fewer open roles, but because hiring processes are so poor. LinkedIn is full of users writing about their terrible job-seeking experiences with confusing or unusually protracted hiring processes, fake job postings, and ghosting recruiters.Kim Stevens is the manager of talent acquisition at Lever, an applicant tracking system. She’s spent a decade in talent acquisition, working across industries, and at both B2B and B2C companies. She says it doesn’t have to be this way, and employers have an obligation to do better–by their recruiters and their applicants.“Full-cycle recruiting is a holistic approach,” Stevens said during a From Day One webinar on how full-cycle recruiting can help employers hire top talent. “Instead of passing candidates from one recruiter to the next to move them through the process, there is a single recruiter managing the process from the initial job requisition all the way to how new hires are integrated into the company.”Many companies have already adopted a full-cycle process, but some are still stuck on old models, like a sourcing-led path where one recruiter brings in the talent then candidates are passed among the team; very early on, the hiring experience is interrupted. For job candidates, full-cycle recruiting should be unnoticeable. “Having one person manage all of it does create a more seamless transition for the candidate and one point of contact. 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I needed to reset and really value what my job is and the impact that it can make on people, their lives, and their livelihood.”She also felt the importance of having a single point of contact at the hiring company. “I saw the good and the bad and the ugly when it came to the candidate experience.” Whether it was being passed around among a recruiting team or having to create a username and password for every application (even if it was at the same company).“Being in the job market is stressful enough. If we can mitigate some of those steps and automate and customize, it’s such an important way to create that seamless experience for the company and for the candidate. 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The reality of our market is that we have so many people in it–how can we really make sure that our ATS is working for them too?”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Lever by Employ, for sponsoring this webinar.Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | October 04, 2024

Beyond Birth: How Employers Can Invest in the Postpartum Period

More and more organizations are realizing that providing fertility benefits is essential to support and retain employees who are looking to start their family-building journey. However, a key period may be getting overlooked in the process: postpartum. 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It’s what comes next that can be the challenge. “The exhaustion in those periods after can be worse,” she said, as can the complications that appear later after the stress-test of childbirth.“In the U.S., many of us have heard about the high rates of maternal death that we have compared to our peer nations. 65% of those deaths actually happen in the postpartum period,” Saltzman said, noting that fatal complications can arise when mothers are back home and more or less alone. She notes infections, high blood pressure, cardiovascular complications like cardiomyopathy or blood clots, and mental health issues like postpartum depression or psychosis are conditions that need to be monitored and addressed during this period. And complications diagnosed during pregnancy such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in women for the rest of their lives.What Postpartum Care Looks LikeThe American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that every person that has a delivery has contact with their provider, whether that's OBGYN or a midwife, within three weeks, with ongoing care as needed up until a final visit at around 12 weeks. “What that’s translating to for most people is a phone call followed by a single visit,” Saltzman said. Only about 60% of people even go to that postpartum visit, Saltzman says. Many people don’t even have 12 weeks off for parental leave, making it even more challenging to attend the appointment. Most daycare centers won’t even accept children until they are at least six weeks old. “You’re still trying to figure out how to feed your baby at that point,” Begley noted. 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In turn, employees also need to be trained on how to communicate their needs.Lastly, transition plans should be put in place to allow employees on leave to be able to ensure their continued professional development and assignments. “We're often afraid to step away because we feel like it might set us back. Adjusting the culture to support the employee and having that manager training to create that inclusive environment related to situations like this are critically important,” Hobbs said. “It really improves the workforce culture around [pregnancy] and postpartum.”Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Ovia Health, for sponsoring this webinar. Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.

Katie Chambers | October 01, 2024

How HR Can Become a Strategic Partner in Annual Business Planning

Poor planning returns poor results. In a company where the workforce is unprepared to meet shifting business needs, organizational performance can drop by as much as 26 percentage points, Gartner found in 2024. Human resources is responsible for delivering a workforce fit to meet the firm’s goals–no matter how fickle–so when business leaders plan poorly, or plan alone, HR teams struggle.John Bernatovicz is the founder of human capital management platform Willory and the author of HR Like a Boss: Your Guide to Amazingly Awesome HR. He believes the buck doesn’t stop with HR or talent acquisition; the business plan is a shared responsibility. “If you don’t feel like your company is effective in annual planning, look no further than your CEO, your board, or other key executives responsible for driving that critical business function,” he said during a From Day One webinar on how to become a strategic HR partner in your global annual business planning. 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Unless talent acquisition learns to link workers to revenue and teach executives to do the same, they won’t prove their relevance. “I see oftentimes that companies look at the bottom of the P&L first, not realizing that profit is an outcome of a number of unique things that are going to happen and run effectively in a strategic manner.”The panelists spoke about "Becoming an HR Strategic Partner in Your Global Business Annual Planning" during the From Day One webinar (photo by From Day One)“They need that data to understand where you’re coming from,” said Lane McFarland, senior director of talent management at data intelligence company Flashpoint. “Maybe the finance team just needs to hear the cost savings initiatives or the vacancy savings during the hiring period. Maybe the CEO just needs to know how many [positions] you’ve fulfilled by department.”Strategic thinkers ask good questions and answer them. Know the short-term and long-term business goals–and whether you have the workforce to achieve them, McFarland said. Inventory the skills of your team and find the gaps. If you don’t have what you need, can you develop those skills, or should you hire from the outside? Consider potential labor market shifts and how they might bump up against those plans. Could overall market swings change the business needs in the coming year? What are the consequences of hiring now versus later? What are the risks of over-hiring? What happens when you overload a manager and it pushes them out the door? If you hire in less expensive markets to save money, can you properly support those employees? What about regulatory requirements? Business leaders rely on their HR partners to inform them on the labor market and advise on how it will help or hinder achieving business goals.It’s not enough to be only a dollars-and-cents business contributor: Trust and influence are ultimately won through relationships. Start with the business leaders you already know, said Moll. That might be the sales director or head of content marketing. “Just get on their calendar for 15 minutes or 20 minutes every other week or every month to talk about what they care about,” she said. “Start learning about their business: What are the metrics that they are looking at? What are the pain points they’re experiencing?”Bernatovicz recommended starting with the finance team in particular. “Develop a relationship with [the finance practitioner] at whatever level you’re at, so if you’re the head of HR, then that’s the CFO. If you’re a manager, then find a manager. Get to know them as individuals, what makes them tick, why they’re working at the company, what they do outside of work.”As you embed yourself with your business counterparts, track the impact of decisions made about the workforce and provide regular updates, Moll advised. Know your time to hire and turnover, the cost of recruiting versus training versus internal moves, the success rate of onboarding, and how long it takes. Then involve business teams in your work, inviting them to work alongside you in investigating turnover rates, pipeline problems, or onboarding results.Be a helper and be a problem-solver, said McFarland. “Even if your team is split up between a people experience side and a talent side, talent acquisition specialists can be the ear for another team member, even if they just need someone to vent to or help them through difficulty or bounce an idea off of.”“They have to first see you as a partner that they can trust,” Moll said. “That takes time, and that means building relationships a little bit at a time, and that means maybe not participating in workforce planning this year, but you’re building to be part of it the next one.” The good news, McFarland noted, is that the relationship between HR and business is already becoming more strategic, and the direction of travel is positive.“Workforce planning is a tool, not a result. It’s not about having the perfect plan. That doesn’t exist,” Moll said. A plan is a guide. When you have a guide, you can adapt when things change. And things will always change.Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, HiBob, for sponsoring this webinar. Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | September 30, 2024