Experts showcase how Behavioural Insights can make us better communicators at work

The BIG Difference BC conference returned for a sixth edition to put the spotlight on using the power of Behavioural Insights (BI) to improve how we work—and specifically, how we communicate at work.

Close to 1,600 participants from over 40 countries joined the day-long conference, a testament to the power of the conference’s reach since it went virtual in 2020. 

Kirstin Appelt, Research Director of UBC’s Decision Insights for Business and Society (UBC-DIBS), highlighted the collaboration with co-hosts the BC Behavioural Insights Group (BC BIG) and WorkSafeBC in delivering yet another successful conference.  

"Tackling the challenges we face at work requires cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary partnerships," says Appelt. "Together, we're striving to harness the power of behavioural insights to create an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable future."

Speaking on the significance of the theme, Appelt says "So often we focus on the outcomes of our work—the projects we’re delivering. This year, we wanted to look at how we work. Our fantastic presenters really showcased how behavioural insights can help us work better, whether that’s changing organizational norms, creating effective hybrid workplaces, bolstering employee mental health, communicating more effectively, or protecting our information safety.”
 

Using BI to navigate information overload at work

Bing Feng, Manager of Behavioural Finance at TD Wealth, was a panelist who focused on the importance of effective 'internal communications' in the workplace—and how BI can play a role.

"Leaders and employees may often overlook the importance of communication within an organization," says Feng. "This can lead to misunderstandings, employee dissatisfaction and poor decision-making in the workplace."

On the flip-side, Feng says, effective internal communications can boost innovation, improve productivity and uplift employee morale. Feng gives an example of how BI bolstered internal communications in her own professional space. And it had to do with the most ubiquitous part of our work lives: emails.

"When drafting emails, I've developed a formula: I keep the subject line brief and clear with searchable keywords, the body of my email has action items with deadlines and I highlight the priorities,” explains Feng.

The behavioural insight that shapes Feng's approach? Our response to information overload. While the approach may seem simplistic, the detrimental effects of information overload cannot be understated. And Feng relies on her understanding of BI to prevent gaps in digital communication.

"Often, communication falls through the cracks not because of the subject matter, but because of the way it's drafted. Behavioural science teaches us that if you want people to act on anything, make it simple and easy to follow.”

- Bing Feng

Manager of Behavioural Finance at TD Wealth

Humans experience is at the centre of scientific insights 

Moderating Feng's panel was Kerri Buschel, Senior Director, Communications & Marketing and Chief Experience Officer (CxO) at WorkSafeBC. Her main takeaway from the event was the importance of putting humans at the centre of effective communications. 

"The speakers on our panel emphasized the importance of using behaviourally-informed communications to empower every human being at the touchpoint of a communication," says Buschel.

Adding to Feng's perspective, Bushel touched on the importance of enhancing the 'emotional experience' at a workplace.
 

"In our session, we discussed how to improve the ease and effectiveness of communications. Whether it's employees, customers or stakeholders, good communication practices can foster a superior emotional experience in a workplace, which in turn can build trust and enable teams to achieve their goals.”

- Kerri Buschel

Senior Director, Communications & Marketing and Chief Experience Officer (CxO) at WorkSafeBC.

Teaching employees to catch a phish 

While BI can be a force for good to improve sentiments at the workplace, the conference laid out another practical benefit: preventing scams.

Stina Grant, Methods Specialist with the BC Behavioural Insights Group, presented a study on how BI-informed training can help prevent public service employees in B.C. from falling prey to phishing scams.

"A successful phishing incident can mean catastrophic losses to government information and assets," says Grant. “And leveraging insights from behavioural science is a promising way to enable employees to recognize phishing.”

In the study, Stina's team tested the effect of two types of training emails on spotting a phishing scam: one with behaviourally-informed elements and another with a gamified quiz. The study concluded that the training email without the gamified quiz had a significant impact and resulted in fewer employees interacting with a simulated phishing email.

Stina explains the behavioural science behind this result: "We were really thoughtful in how we framed and presented the information in the training email so it was digestible. We made it easy for folks who may be busy and have competing demands on their time and attention.”
 

BIG Difference BC shaping careers 

The BIG Difference BC conference has earned a reputation as a hub for academics and industry and government practitioners to meet, collaborate and turn theoretical insights to practical solutions. 

It's also fueling people's careers. 

The conference took Feng, Manager of Behavioural Finance at TD Wealth, from being a participant in previous years to a panelist this season. 

Feng says: "Learning from experts about how these insights can be applied in the workplace helped me transition from an academic role to working with a financial institution, where I now have the opportunity to apply that BI knowledge."

Feng is confident that the conference will touch more lives and inspire more people—especially students at UBC Sauder—to pursue a career in BI. 

"My belief is that the BIG Difference BC Conference will make BI a very approachable topic for people from different specializations, and not just communicators and designers. The event has the power to build robust conversations that continue throughout the year," says Feng.

"The conference is enabling people to open the doors of opportunities in the BI field and create connections. And that's what will propel us all forward."

To learn more, visit the conference website to view videos and download pdf flies of all of the conference presentations at: https://bigdifferencebc.ca/program-2023