The top 10

nudges of

2020

Over the past year, organizations—and their

people—made historic shifts. At Humu, we helped

leaders across the globe support their teams via

nudges: short, science-backed suggestions for how to

make work better.

So what small actions had the biggest impact during a

year filled with stress, isolation, and uncertainty? Our

data scientists looked at every single nudge we

delivered in 2020. Across themes like staying

connected, combating burnout, and making progress,

these were the 10 nudges that most improved morale,

engagement, and performance.

This week, be purposeful about taking a break for lunch. Schedule a virtual meal with a friend or coworker—or close your laptop and spend quality time with your family or a roommate.

Research shows that carving out social time can give you a big mood boost, even if your hangout is virtual.

Make time for lunch time

Be on the lookout for coworkers who are going through an especially difficult time personally, or have been more quiet than usual. Offer a quick phone call, or just send them a note saying that you’re thinking of them.

Lots of us feel like we need to hide our emotions on the job, but studies show that this can make stress even worse and cause problems in workplace relationships. By showing even one colleague that you’re there for them, you can make the whole team—including yourself—feel better.

Give emotional support

Create a folder on your phone or computer—this is your ‘smile file.’ Use it to save any positive feedback or notes from coworkers that make you feel great. The next time you need a mood boost, spend a few minutes reading through all of that goodness.

Reflecting on your strengths boosts confidence—and makes it easier to be a supportive colleague and friend.

Keep a smile file

This week, when you have conversations with coworkers (including your manager!), ask questions that show you care—and are more likely to inspire answers.

Instead of “How are you?” which is likely to result in “Fine,” try “What are you looking forward to this week?” or “What’s been the highlight of your day?

Meaningful conversations strengthen teams. And there’s a popularity bonus: people who ask more questions are better-liked by the people they talk to.

Ask more meaningful questions

If your team has a shared calendar (or if your calendar is visible to colleagues), add a few life events that are on the horizon for you. Birthdays, important dates, and holidays are all fair game—whatever is meaningful to you.

And if you notice an upcoming event on a teammate’s calendar, strike up a conversation about it.

Sharing details about your life outside of work can create connections, even between people who on the surface seem to have little in common, and has been shown to increase team cohesiveness.

Add non-work events to the calendar

In your next 1:1, talk to your manager about your workload. If you’re bored by your day-to-day, ask to take on more complex tasks or to be put on a project that plays to your strengths. If you feel like you’re sinking under all that you have to do, ask how you might rebalance your workload in order to be more intentional about applying your skills and learning new things.

By having a conversation with your manager, you can help them better understand how to give you the work—and workload—that best utilizes your unique skills and talents.

Is your workload working?

Take a moment today to ask a colleague, “How are you feeling this week?” Resist the urge to talk about yourself. Instead, listen and focus on what the person is sharing.

Hearing how others process their emotions can make it easier to think through your own—and can improve your mood!

Get curious

The next time you’re brainstorming with your coworkers, try building up new ideas instead of tearing them down. Try asking things like, “What would we need to implement your suggestion?” or “What’s the best way to quickly test a version of that idea?”

Remember: If you focus too much on the rough edges, you could miss a real gem.

Deferring judgment on an idea—by trying to make it work before deciding it can't—leads to better, more creative outcomes.

Look for the positive

Take a minute right now to send a note of gratitude to a coworker who’s been giving you some extra support, or who’s been dealing with a lot in their personal and professional life but is still showing up for the team. Make sure to tell them exactly what you’re grateful for, and the impact that their support has had on you in this difficult time.

Even the simplest thank you can increase resilience and decrease stress.

Say thanks

This week, make it a point to take on a new responsibility. Volunteer for a project you might not normally be a part of, or ask if you can help complete a task outside of your wheelhouse.

By breaking out of your normal routine, you can quickly develop new abilities—and you might even discover a new field or type of work that you love!

Go for it!

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Want people within your organization to receive nudges that help them improve—every single week?

Send us a note at hello@humu.com.

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