Soziales Faulenzen

Sometimes, in a large group setting, like a work environment, a few individuals may feel that someone else will contribute more effort to achieve a common goal, such as taking customers’ orders.

This tendency is called social loafing and refers to the diminished effort of individuals who perform as part of a group compared to the potential that they would exert on their own.

In other words, the more people there are, the less hard each one will work—which is an inverse relationship between the size of the team and the effort expended. This connection is also called the Ringelmann Effect, after the original investigator who inspired subsequent research.

Understanding the factors that contribute to loafing can help eliminate the phenomenon and maximize teamwork. 

In one influence called the diffusion of responsibility, an individual may feel less accountable, that their personal efforts don’t really matter to the outcome. As the group size increases, they may assume that others will take the necessary actions, and their individual contributions are dispensable.

These issues are why managers should establish clear expectations for performance standards and achieving goals for everyone involved.

Another person simply may not be motivated—they are not aligned with the group or larger goal. In this case, superiors could acknowledge individuals’ achievements to show that their work is valued.

In the end, cohesive groups can achieve more together than they would alone!