Let’s dive into a critical area where behavioural science truly shines: Change Management.

The unfortunate reality in the current workforce is that 93% of change management programs fail. That’s a staggering statistic! But it doesn’t have to be your reality. According to the Behavioural Insights Team, behavioural science is a “secret weapon for foolproof change management,” helping organisations design solutions that work with people’s natural behaviours instead of against them.

Change Management Needs a Glow-Up

Change management is often treated as a process of rolling out new policies, tools, or ways of working and expecting people to simply follow along. But human beings don’t work like that. People resist change, get stuck in their routines, and actively push back. Traditional approaches focus on logistics like timelines, training, and communication, but miss the most important factor: human behaviour.

Effective change management isn’t just about what you need to implement; it’s about understanding why people behave the way they do and using that insight to guide them through the process. That’s where behavioural science comes in.

Everyone’s more focused on ticking completion boxes than truly engaging with the content and educating themselves. This "compliance cram" habit isn't effective for learning or retention.

Why do staff leave training until the last minute, and how can we make it something they actually look forward to?

From the perspective of a staff member, training can often feel tedious: "I’m here to do my job and make money, not sit through hours of boring training videos.”

When material is dry, repetitive, and far removed from their day-to-day tasks, it’s no wonder they leave it until the last minute, prioritising other tasks over mind-numbing slides, videos or classroom training.

The Cheat Code to Foolproof Change

At its core, behavioural science is about understanding the motivations, biases, and habits that drive human behaviour. When applied to change management, these insights help you design solutions that actually work with people’s natural tendencies, rather than against them.

1. Make It Easy, Not Painful.

People tend to avoid things that seem difficult or disruptive. If a change feels like a burden, they’re less likely to adopt it.

Simplify the change as much as possible. Break down the process into easy, bite-sized steps that don’t overwhelm people. For example, when introducing new software, start with the most essential features first and let employees build their confidence before rolling out more advanced functions. This way, the learning curve feels manageable rather than daunting.

Let’s say you’re rolling out a new reservation system at your hotel. Instead of overwhelming your front desk staff with every feature at once, start with the basics—how to input a new booking, check availability, and update customer details. Once they’re comfortable with these core tasks, gradually introduce more advanced features like loyalty program tracking or reporting.

By breaking it down into small, manageable steps, your team can build confidence without feeling overloaded, making the transition smoother and less stressful.

 2. Nudge, Don’t Push.

Small, timely reminders can make a huge difference in getting people to embrace change.

Use behavioural nudges to guide your team in the right direction. Email reminders, task progress bars, friendly competition, or visual reminders like stickers or posters all help nudge a new behaviour without pressure. 

3. Social Proof Matters.

People are more likely to follow through on change if they see others doing it too.

Leverage social proof by highlighting early adopters and positive examples in your teams. Share successes from people who have embraced the change, showing others that it’s not only doable but beneficial.

Make this nudge even more effective by focusing on how the change is benefiting the employee directly, rather than just the organisation. It might be making their job easier, giving them more control, or reducing stress, for example:

“Quick shoutout to Mia for jumping on board with the new scheduling tool. She mentioned it’s cut down her shift-planning time by 20 minutes each week, with less admin. Nice work, Mia!”

Case Study: How Microsoft Used Behavioural Science to Drive Change

When Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, he didn't just tweak things, he kicked off a major cultural revamp using behavioural science. Under his leadership,

Microsoft went from stagnant to thriving, and it’s all thanks to embracing a growth mindset and shaking up the way they approached change.

Here’s how Microsoft pulled it off:

Ditching the Old-School Vibe

Microsoft scrapped their outdated stack ranking system (you know, the ones that pit employees against each other) and replaced it with something fresh. Instead of fearing failure, employees were encouraged to grow together. Now, success was about collaboration and teamwork, with regular reminders to approach challenges with a growth mindset. This shift created an environment where everyone could thrive.

Leading by Example

Nadella didn’t just talk the talk, he walked the walk. After making a controversial comment about women and raises, he owned up to his mistake and sent out a public apology. This was a huge lesson in humility and growth. Leaders at Microsoft were also encouraged to take on stretch assignments to bust out of their own fixed mindsets. When the CEO and leaders role model growth, employees are more likely to follow.

Next-Level Comms

Nadella’s mantra? Turn Microsoft from a bunch of "know-it-alls" to "learn-it-alls." And they didn’t just rely on emails to get the message across. Microsoft went all-in with interactive games, quizzes, curated book collections, and even a mobile empathy museum. It wasn’t your typical corporate training—it was an experience that made embracing change fun and relatable.

Want Change That Sticks? You Need Behavioural Science

Behavioural science isn’t a magic wand, but it’s about as close as you’ll get to one when it comes to change management. When you make change easy, timely, and socially acceptable, you’ll see higher engagement, faster adoption, and long-term success.

Need more?

Don’t waste your time with approaches that ignore the human factor, make behavioural science your must-have tool for driving real, lasting change! If you need a hand making it happen in your organisation, Get in touch.

About the author

Tricia Martin is an FYA Young Social Pioneer and an Australian Women Leading Tech Finalist. She also coached an Under 9’s netball team in her local community, which she thinks is just as impressive. She continually looks for ways to use technology, behavioural science and digital experiences to meet people’s needs and find people-centred solutions to messy problems. She spends her free time reading sci-fi books, scouring thrift stores and watching Buffy for the fifteenth time.