Inspiring Workplaces: Be Choosy When it Comes to Choices

Published: Wed, 07/24/19

Humor at Work

ISSUE 782 - July 24, 2019


			Be Choosy When it Comes to Choices

	Everyone likes having options - in fact, a very simple way to engage your fellow employees and help give them a sense of control is to offer them a choice in how they do something. Giving people a choice helps them feel more autonomous. Being offered options helps employees (and incidentally, teenagers) feel like they have real input, even when it's something they aren't particularly jazzed about. Just make sure you don't give them too many choices. The book, The Paradox of Choice – Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz, delves into how reducing options for customers can reduce their anxiety and boost sales. One classic study involved a jam display at a supermarket, where researchers found that only 3% of people who approached the display bought jam when 24 different flavors were displayed. But when only 6 were displayed, 30% bought jam. Another study found that for every 10 additional retirement fund options employees were offered, the participation rate dropped by 2%. So by all means offer people a choice whenever possible, just don't overwhelm them...unless you're my favorite gelato shop, in which case I think 374 flavors is totally reasonable.

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

One of my clients holds a wacky theme day a few times a year where everyone tries to "out-compliment" their coworkers by one-upping each other's compliments until it reaches hilarious proportions. A tad silly, but they say that's exactly why they love it. And it encourages people who often don't take the time to interact with one another to take a moment to pay them a compliment.
		Quote of the Week

“If you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you, but if you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it’s your joke, and you’re the hero of the joke. Nora Ephron
		It's a Wacky World

To once again prove that almost anything can be turned into a wacky contest, here are some of the 2018 finalists for the Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title: Call of Nature: The Secret Life of Dung Equine Dry Needling Joy of Waterboiling Why Sell Tacos in Africa? Jesus on Gardening And in case you're wondering, The Joy of Waterboiling took home the prize as the oddest book title of the year.

Cost-Savings to Bring Mike in to Energize Your Workplace!
Montreal: August 17, 21
Toronto: Sept. 10 Ottawa: Sept. 11, 12
Vancouver: Oct. 8-10
Montreal: October 17
Toronto: Dec.12-14

Leaving for a Summer Vacation? Mike is quoted in the Business Insider article, 7 Things Successful People Do the Night Before a Vacation.

Hire, Inspire, and Fuel Their Fire: How to Recruit, Onboard, and Train New Employees to Live Your Culture Out Loud is a quick read packed with dozens of inspiring ideas. Available via Amazon, Kobo, Kindle or right here for instant download (you don't even need to add water!) as an e-book: Hire, Inspire and Fuel Their Fire

Follow Humor at Work