Challenges of using nudging and gamification to drive real cultural change.

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Photo credit: Photo by Gritte on Unsplash

Transcript of the podcast Challenges of using nudging and gamification to drive real cultural change:

Brittney: Imagine a world where your company’s culture is as engaging as your favorite mobile game. Sounds crazy, right? Well, that’s exactly what an app called Cultr is trying to do, and it’s got the corporate world buzzing.

Eric: Hold on a second. Are we talking about turning office life into some kind of Candy Crush for corporate values? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Brittney: well, not exactly Candy Crush, but you’re not far off. Cultr is a digital platform that’s shaking up the world of organizational behavior. It uses what they call social nudging to drive real action in the workplace.

Eric: Social nudging that sounds like a fancy way of saying they’re trying to manipulate employee behavior. How does that actually work in practice?

Brittney: It’s not as Orwellian as it might sound. Essentially, it’s an app that helps companies walk the talk. Employees participate in challenges, missions, quizzes, and surveys, all designed to align with the organization’s goals. Think of it as gamifying your company culture.

Eric: Hmm… I can see how that might be more engaging than another boring PowerPoint presentation on company values. But does it actually work? We’ve all seen companies try to force fun on their employees, and it often comes across as cringeworthy.

Brittney: That’s a great question. The Cultr campaigns are designed to be real and meaningful. They’re not just slapping a gamification layer on top of boring corporate mandates. The activities are meant to bring more action to what really matters in the workplace and among teams.

Eric: Okay, but let’s play devil’s advocate for a moment. How do we know this isn’t just another fad that companies will throw money at and then abandon when the next shiny object comes along?

Brittney: Well, Cultr have anticipated that concern. They’ve structured their pricing model so that companies only pay for the employees who actually participate. It’s a way of minimizing risk for the organizations trying it out, and then scaling it cost-efficiently.

Eric: That’s an interesting approach. It puts the onus on Cultr to create something that people actually want to engage with. But I’m still wondering about the long-term impact. Can an app really change a company’s culture?

Brittney: It’s a valid concern. Culture is such a complex and deeply rooted aspect of any organization. But the Cultrsolution isn’t trying to be a magic bullet. It’s more of a tool to support and accelerate cultural initiatives that companies are already working on.

Eric: So it’s not about replacing human interaction or leadership, but rather augmenting those efforts with technology?

Brittney: Exactly. It’s like giving your culture a megaphone and a stage. The values and behaviors you want to promote are usually already in place, but the Cultr tool helps make them more visible and tangible. And in an era where remote and hybrid work are common, having digital tools to reinforce culture could be more important than ever.

Eric: That’s a good point. With more people working partially away from the office, it must be even harder to maintain a strong company culture. I can see how an app like this could help bridge that gap.

Brittney: Absolutely. It’s all about creating connections and shared experiences, even when people aren’t physically in the same space. But let’s dive a bit deeper into how this actually works. Imagine you’re a new employee at a company using Cultr. You might start your day by opening the app and seeing a challenge related to the company’s core values.

Eric: What kind of challenge are we talking about here? Something like “Have lunch with a new someone from sales”?

Brittney: It could be something like that, but it might also be more substantive. For example, if one of the company’s values is innovation, you might have a challenge to share one new idea to improve a process in your department. Or if the focus is on collaboration, you might be tasked with reaching out to someone in a different team to learn about their role.

Eric: I can see how that could be useful. But what about privacy concerns? With an app tracking all these interactions and achievements, are we looking at another potential data nightmare?

Brittney: That’s a question I’m sure most companies will be asking. Cultr does emphasize data security and privacy in their platform. They use encryption and secure data storage practices. But you’re right, it’s definitely something that organizations would need to scrutinize carefully before implementing.

Eric: And what about employees who aren’t comfortable with this kind of gamification? Not everyone wants their work life to feel like a social media platform.

Brittney: Another great point. Users’ participation is voluntary, which is important. Companies would need to be careful about creating a two-tiered culture where some employees feel left out if they choose not to engage with the app. It’s a delicate balance between encouraging participation and respecting individual preferences.

Eric: It really is a fine line, isn’t it? On one hand, you want to create engagement and energy around your company culture, but on the other hand, you don’t want it to feel forced or invasive.

Brittney: True that, it needs to feel relevant and meaningful. And that’s where the customization aspect comes in. Companies can tailor the campaigns to fit their specific culture and workforce. What works for a tech startup might not work for a more traditional corporation. The key is to make it feel authentic to your organization, not like some off-the-shelf solution that doesn’t really fit.

Eric: That makes sense. So, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather a flexible tool that companies can adapt to their needs?

Brittney: Yeah and that flexibility extends to the types of campaigns as well. Companies can use the platform to support many types of initiatives, like breaking down silos or promoting diversity and inclusion. Imagine having challenges that actually get people engaged with important topics like having a growth mindset or a digital mindset.

Eric: Now that’s interesting. I can see how having a tool for those kinds of initiatives could be really powerful. It’s one thing to have a company-wide email about, for example, accountability, and another to have missions and challenges that actually get people to take action on these issues.

Brittney: Another things is the importance of leadership and human interaction. An app like Cultr should be a tool to support and enhance a company’s culture, not a replacement for genuine leadership and relationship-building.

Eric: So in your view, what would a successful implementation of something like Cultr look like?

Brittney: I think it would be one where the app becomes a natural extension of the company’s existing culture. It would facilitate connections that might not otherwise happen, especially in large or distributed organizations. It would provide a platform for employees to share their experiences and insights, and it would give leadership valuable data on the health of their culture.

Eric: But it wouldn’t be the be-all and end-all of company culture.

Brittney: Precisely. It would be one tool in a larger toolkit. Companies would still need to focus on things like clear communication, strong leadership, fair policies, and creating a positive work environment. The app would simply help to reinforce and measure those efforts.

Eric: I can see how that could be powerful if done right. It’s like having a digital mirror that reflects your company’s culture back at you.

Brittney: That’s a great analogy. And like any mirror, it’s only useful if you’re willing to look at it honestly and make changes based on what you see. The real value of a platform like Cultr might be in forcing companies to be more intentional and data-driven about their culture.

Eric: I have to say, the more we talk about this, the more potential I see. But I’m still wondering about the long-term impact. How do we know if these digital interactions are translating into real cultural change?

Brittney: Obviously, that’s where analytics come in. Companies can track participation in the app, but the million-dollar question is how that participation correlates with other metrics like employee satisfaction, retention, and even business performance. It’s about connecting the dots between digital engagement and real-world outcomes.

Eric: So it’s not just about how many people are using the app, but how that usage is affecting the bottom line.

Brittney: Yes, at the end of the day, companies need to see a return on their investment in culture building. It’s not enough to have a fun app. It needs to drive tangible improvements in how the organization functions.

Eric: Well, you’ve certainly piqued my curiosity. It sounds like Cultr campaigns are trying to bridge the gap between the often-intangible aspects of company culture and the data-driven approach that modern businesses crave.

Brittney: That’s a great way to put it. It’s about making culture tangible, and most importantly, making it come alive. It’s certainly an innovative approach to a perennial challenge in the corporate world.

Eric: Indeed, and who knows, maybe in a few years, culture ambassadors will be selected from the top of leaderboards.

Brittney: I think it comes to more than that! But in all seriousness, it’s a reminder that as our work lives become increasingly digital, we need to be thoughtful about how we use technology to support our human needs for connection, purpose, and growth. Well, listeners, that wraps up our exploration of Cultr campaigns and the evolving landscape of company culture. Remember, whether you’re using an app or not, shaping culture is about actions, not words.

This podcast was provided by Cultr – the world’s most exciting culture change app. To learn more about culture, go to our website cultr.works