The Psychology Behind the Leaderboard
Data is found everywhere we look. We use data in all kinds of ways including for work and in our personal lives. It is data that keeps us going and striving for better. However, have you ever noticed that it isn’t always just the data? Sometimes it is how that data is presented to us that really helps us strive to do better.
Leaderboards and How They Reflect Data
The idea behind leaderboards goes back to before technology was everywhere. People have always strived to be better than someone else and if they can see what they are trying to beat in terms of actual data, they know exactly what to work towards. You can trace this kind of behavior back to the original Olympics and beyond. It is a set of games that people play and try to be the best and beat records of other people. It is just another kind of leaderboard and today it is also a digital and technology driven one.
Leaderboards and Personal Technology
Leaderboards can be seen everywhere we look now. With the introduction of wearable trackers and other types of devices, people can now see how they compare to their friends. In this example, people are looking at how many steps they have taken. People can compare this to their own records or to others that they are connected to. You can even use this technology to start a race with a unique leaderboard just for you.
This is something that works too because many people like to compare and when they see others doing better, they are driven to push themselves even harder. This is mostly because competition is hardwired into our human behavior. It is the thing that really helps us go the extra mile and try to do better than someone else around us.
Using This Psychology in the Workplace
While this kind of technology has been vastly used in many ways for personal assistance with goals and with games, it has not been utilized very much in the business field until now. Databox is looking to change all of that by providing live stats from other applications all on one screen. This will allow you and your employees to always know exactly where they stand. This may be a new concept to bring to the work force- it is definitely one that can make a huge impact if it is implemented correctly.
People are already drawn to leaderboards because of human nature and being accustomed to it in their daily lives. It makes perfect sense to bring this into the work force and see what kind of impact it can have on both the individuals as well as companies as a whole.
How This Can Help with Employees Not Pulling Their Weight
If you have found that some of your employees are working much harder than others to get the same tasks done, the having a leaderboard can completely change the dynamics for you. Not only will your star employees be at the top of the leaderboard, but the ones who are struggling will also be showcased at the bottom. This will motivate all of your employees to do better so they can get higher up on the leaderboard. This is only a benefit for your business because the harder your employees work and the better that they do, the more you will notice it improving the business.
Using a leaderboard is a great way to motivate your employees without them ever realizing that they may be getting motivated. They may just think they are trying to prove something to themselves or the team but in reality, the business will continue to grow and prosper as a result and you will have employees who cannot wait to do even better with each passing day.
Making Better Data Driven Decisions
The leaderboard is not just a good idea when it comes to motivating employees but it is also a great way for you to use data differently. You will be able to better see the data available and can start to make some better decisions as a result of it. There is no way to know for certain what you will get out of the data but since it is a new way of looking at it, you can be sure that you will learn something new from it and will be able to make even better decisions for the company.
One thing you definitely will see from the data are who your poor performers are. You can try to motivate them in other ways but if they remain to be poor performers for you, you can use the data to make hiring and termination decisions. Doing this can bring in better employees who will drive your company even further. This is just one of the ways this kind of data can benefit your company.
The possibilities are endless when you bring a leaderboard into your business practice. You will only see positive results for your business by lowering your bottom line and ensuring you have hard working people working for you at all times. If you are interested in learning more about how Databox works and how you can implement the technology specifically within your company, we have team members standing by to answer all your questions and help get you started- just let us know you’re interested in the chat pane to your right.