Managers are people too
As social change agents, many of us focus on building public support and action for a better world. But what about when we’re working directly with leaders and decision-makers? How can we gain their support and motivate them to take action?
We sometimes assume that leaders can only be motivated by extrinsic values (such as wealth and power). On the other hand, social psychology and behavioural sciences tells us that engaging people’s intrinsic values (such as helpfulness, equality and creativity) boosts support for bigger-than-self issues.
Common Cause Australia recently put this to the test in a project undertaken for Wellbeing SA, NSW Health and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. The research included interviews, consultation groups and quantitative message testing with workplace leaders from a range of sectors, to develop messaging that would motivate them to create healthier workplaces.
The result?
In line with the values research, most leaders’ motivation for workplace health and wellbeing stems from care for their colleagues more than workplace performance or financial benefit. However, current messaging often appeals to performance and financial benefit.
Here are the research findings:
In the interviews and consultation groups, workplace leaders voiced their desire to look after the people around them. They expressed their dislike of “transactional” messages focussed on workplace performance or financial benefit.
Two out of three leaders who completed the anonymous message testing survey chose “positive outcomes for our people” over “positive financial outcomes for our workplace” as their primary motivation for creating a healthy workplace.
In testing, the strongest message was “Everyone deserves to work in a place where their health and wellbeing matter.”
These findings are consistent with other research suggesting that beneath our job titles and other external differences, most of us want similar things in life – to be respected and cared for, to feel we belong, and to make a difference. (For example, see What Makes Us Tick? - The ten desires that drive us by Australian social researcher Dr Hugh Mackay.)
In other words, managers are people too.
How could this understanding inform the way your organisation approaches leaders? Find out in the Healthy Workplaces message guide.
Healthy Workplaces
This guide contains evidence-based recommendations for messages that motivate workplace leaders to create healthy workplaces.
