283 — How does nudge theory support workplace learning?

In 2008, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein published Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness. Since then, nudges have been applied to public policy, healthcare, business and tech.

Today on The Mind Tools L&D Podcast, Gemma, Ross G, Ross D and Sean look at how nudge theory can be applied to workplace learning. We discuss:

• What nudge theory is
• How understanding learner context helps us identify nudges
• Criticisms of nudge theory.

The book we based most of this discussion on has just been revised. Check out the latest version of Nudge here: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300262285/nudge 

We also referenced Thinking Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman: wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking,_Fast_and_Slow 

We mentioned Dan Pink's Drive: danpink.com/books/drive 

And Deci and Ryan on 'Self Determination Theory': wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination_theory 

If you want to hand over cash to help you make commitments, then stickK offers this service: stickk.com (We've never tried it, so this isn't an endorsement).

In 'What I Learned This Week', Ross G discussed The Book of Boba Fett, now streaming on Disney+. For more on spinning space stations, you nerds, check out: wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotating_wheel_space_station 

And Gemma discussed her experience of Julie Drybrugh's Write Nights: fuchsiablueblog.wordpress.com/write-nights-at-fuchsia-blue/ 

Julie joined us to discuss writing back in episode 278. You'll find that episode in this podcast feed.

For more from us, including access to our back catalogue of podcasts, visit mindtoolsbusiness.com. There, you'll also find details of our award-winning performance support toolkit, our off-the-shelf e-learning, and our custom work.

Connect with our speakers

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with our speakers on Twitter:

• Gemma Towersey - @GemmaTowersey
• Ross Garner - @RossGarnerMT
• Ross Dickie - @RossDickieMT
• Sean Brown - @SeanBrownHRTech