I don’t know about you, but I dreaded group projects when I was in school because, inevitably, I ended up doing more than my fair share of the work. There always seemed to be at least one student in my group who didn’t pull their weight. If we complained to our teachers about this, they told us to work things out ourselves. That, they said, was part of the assignment. Some lesson, I figured. Did I need to deal with slackers on top of the rest of the assignment? Apparently so. I didn’t want my grades to suffer, and I wasn’t big on confrontation, so I learned to keep my thoughts to myself and do more of the work than was fair — unhappily, I might add.
Social psychology describes those non–weight pullers in my classroom groups as social loafers. No doubt, you’ve met more than a few social loafers when you were a child, and in your adult life, too, and perhaps you’ve had your frustrations with them as I have. Or maybe, if we’re being honest, there have been times when you have been the social loafer. Perhaps it was in a very small way, such as when you didn’t feel like volunteering for a task and averted your eyes so you didn’t get called on, even though you knew you should do your share of the work. I remember doing that more than once at PTA meetings lest I be put in charge of a booth at the fall festival or be tasked with baking four dozen cookies for the upcoming bake sale. That’s an interesting observation, don’t you think? I was a social loafer at PTA meetings, yet I hated dealing with social loafers in group classroom assignments. As you’ll see, my story is not unusual. Social loafing has everything to do with the context and our perceptions about the importance of our contributions.
When everyone is seated in the same boat and handed a pair of oars, some will row their hearts out while others will coast along on the work done by others. While that is unfair to the hard rowers, it is not always a simple task to prevent social loafing, or even to recognize it in your healthcare team. The hard rowers can provide very effective cover for social loafers for the sake of your patients, a project, or so they don’t get blamed or penalized for a bad outcome. Some may be like me as a student and dislike confrontation. Some may feel put upon and angry about the predicament but do the extra work anyway, as I did. But others may not mind the extra work, or may, even, find something strangely positive about it. For example, a martyr on your team or an employee with low self-esteem may find satisfaction and reward when they cover for social loafing coworkers. This is especially so when pulling more than their weight makes them popular among their coworkers, the loafer is charismatic and manipulative, the employee overworks to compensate for impostor syndrome, or because overworking is a powerful distraction from their personal problems. And sometimes, they don’t trust their teammates to do a good job and prefer to do the work themselves.
What can you do to prevent social loafing on your healthcare team? How can you recognize social loafing when hard-working employees effectively cover for loafers? And what should you do when social loafing is staring you in the face and no one on your team is doing anything about it? Let’s explore these topics.
What Is Social Loafing?
Social loafing is a phenomenon rooted in social psychology that is particularly relevant in group work. Specifically, social loafing describes the tendency of individuals to exert less effort when they work in a group compared to when they work alone. This concept reveals how the dynamics of group tasks can influence, and, in many cases, lower individual performance. Rinaily Bonifacio(1) explains, “The crux of social loafing lies in the dilution of personal accountability. In a group task, the individual’s contribution is often less identifiable, leading some team members to decrease their effort.” Social loafing is a subtle yet impactful occurrence that can be observed in various settings, from large and complex corporate projects to simple everyday tasks. It can occur within a department or other work group in your healthcare organization on any given day, sometimes creating friction and damaging team morale.
Social loafing occurs because of several psychological factors. The diffusion of responsibility in larger groups can make each group member feel less directly accountable for the outcome. Additionally, when individual tasks are absorbed into collective tasks, the visibility of an individual’s contributions diminishes, sometimes leading to a “free riding” mentality where one relies on others to shoulder the bulk of the work. Bear in mind, though, that social loafing is not synonymous with laziness or a lack of motivation. On the contrary, it is intricately tied to how individuals perceive their role and effectiveness within a group, and how much importance they attach to the task at hand — hence, my own example of picking up the slack for social loafers in the classroom and becoming a social loafer at PTA meetings. Add to the complexity of this phenomenon that social loafers may not be conscious of their loafing. Bonifacio says, “When a person believes their effort won’t significantly impact the group’s success, they might unconsciously reduce their input.”
It’s important to note that social loafing is distinct from procrastination. Procrastination involves delaying tasks, and it can be done individually or in groups. Social loafing, on the other hand, is about reduced effort of individuals specifically within groups, often resulting in complete work avoidance, rather than delay.
Social Loafing: A Brief History
The relative inefficiency of groups first was studied by French agricultural engineer Maximilien Ringelmann in the early 1900s, through his tug-of-war experiments. Ringelmann asked people to try to pull on a rope as hard as possible and measured how much pressure they were able to exert while on their own, compared to in groups. He found that a group of two worked less efficiently than two people working independently. Moreover, as the groups got larger, the amount of weight that each individual pulled decreased. Groups as a whole were able to accomplish more than a single person, but, in groups, the amount of weight that each individual group member pulled was less. The psychological finding is known as the Ringelmann effect.
U.S. psychologists Bibb Latané, Kipling Williams, and Stephen Harkins(2) coined the term social loafing in 1979 following their own research. They asked male college students to try to clap their hands and shout as loudly as possible. When participants were in groups, the noise made by each person was less than the amount of noise that they had made when they were working individually. In a second study, the researchers sought to find out whether participants merely thinking that they were part of a group was enough to cause social loafing. To test this, they asked participants to wear blindfolds and headphones and told them that other participants would be shouting with them. (In actuality, the other participants had not been given the instruction to shout.) When participants thought they were acting as part of a group (but were actually in the “fake” group and were shouting by themselves), they weren’t as loud as when they thought they were shouting individually. This second study by Latané and colleagues gets at the reasons that group work can be so ineffective. Elizabeth Hopper(3) says, “Psychologists hypothesize that part of the ineffectiveness of group work is due to something called coordination loss (i.e., the group members don’t coordinate their actions effectively) and that part is due to people putting in less effort when part of a group (i.e., social loafing).” Latané and colleagues found that people were most efficient when working alone, somewhat less efficient when they only thought they were part of a group, and even less efficient when they were actually part of a group. Hopper says, “Based on this, Latané and colleagues suggested that some of the inefficiency of group work comes from coordination losses (which could happen only in the real groups), but social loafing plays a role too (because coordination loss couldn’t account for why the “fake” groups were still less efficient).”
Cultural factors can influence social loafing tendencies, too. NeuroLaunch(4) explains, “Research has shown that individuals from collectivist cultures (which emphasize group harmony and cooperation) may be less prone to social loafing compared with those from individualistic cultures.” Thus, an individual’s tendency to loaf may be an expression of their culture. NeuroLaunch says, “These findings highlight the complex interplay between cultural norms and individual behavior in group settings.”
Gender, too, can influence social loafing tendencies. In 1985, William K. Gabrenya, Yue-Eng Wang, and Bibb Latané(5) found that in both Chinese and American cultures, women expressed less social loafing than men. The authors hypothesized that regardless of the changes in social roles and genetics, historical roles continue to make men in Chinese and American cultures more individualistic and women more relational. This finding was reinforced in 1999, when Naoki Kugihara(6) conducted another social loafing study in Japan using methods similar to Max Ringelmann’s rope-pulling experiment. Kugihara discovered that, when in a group, 40% more men exhibited less effort when performing the task than women. Kugihara attributed the difference to the tendency of women to have an interdependent self-concept.
What Causes Social Loafing?
Team members may loaf when they feel that their contribution is not important. In many cases, loafers do not make a conscious decision to loaf or realize that they are loafing. They conclude incorrectly that their participation is not necessary, for several reasons:
Loss of a sense of individual responsibility: Ringelmann’s tug-of-war experiment demonstrated how personal responsibility evaporated according to team size. Practical Psychology(7) says, “The best sports team coaches achieve incredible results when they hold the team together and motivate individual players as well as the collective.”
Reduced belief in the value of contributions: When team members feel that their impact will not be worth much, especially in a large team, they may decide to back off and enjoy a free ride at the expense of the others. This is one of the primary reasons many of us don’t volunteer for optional projects or leadership positions when there are lots of other people willing to step up. Practical Psychology speculates, “It’s probably also why half the American population stays away from the polls during presidential elections”.
Feeling lost in the crowd: Team members may feel that their effort would not be rewarded even if they put it forth. This notion causes them to believe they can hide in the crowd and avoid the adverse effects of not applying themselves. Intentional slackers will be the first to loaf when they feel they can get away with it.
Personal characteristics: Some individuals have a greater propensity for social loafing than others. For instance, NeuroLaunch suggests, “Individuals with a strong work ethic or high levels of conscientiousness may be less likely to engage in social loafing.” On the other hand, those with avolition, that is, a lack of motivation or inability to initiate and complete goal-directed tasks, may be more prone to social loafing.
Organizational culture and leadership styles: Social loafing is less likely to occur in environments where individual accountability is emphasized and rewarded. Likewise, healthcare administrators, leaders, and managers who foster a sense of team cohesion and clearly communicate the value of each member’s contribution can help reduce instances of social loafing.
Inadequate or unfair resource allocation: When resources such as time, tools, and personnel are not adequately and fairly allocated, employees may feel overwhelmed or unsupported, leading to social loafing. Similarly, Abhinaya(8) says, “If employees perceive that others are not pulling their weight or that there is an unfair distribution of work, they may engage in social loafing as a form of retaliation or as a way to restore equity.” This attitude is very similar to that of employees who pilfer office supplies because they feel that they are not being paid enough.
Sucker effect: Some employees may loaf because they fear that others in the group will leave them to do all the work while they take the credit. Perhaps this has happened to them before. Christina Sanders(9) says, “It can feel like you are being taken advantage of if you are working harder than others and not receiving the credit for it.” No one wants to feel like a “sucker,” so team members reason that they should hang back to see how much effort others will put into a group before they volunteer to take on any of the work. My behavior at PTA meetings is a perfect example of this.
Sense of inferiority: Team members who are (or believe they are) less skilled or average performers may loaf to defer tasks to team superstars. Loafing may be more likely for individuals who feel they are inferior and for those who have been undervalued and ignored.
Low expectations: Team members who expect the team to perform poorly are more likely to loaf. Perhaps the team has a history of underperforming. Or, its goals may seem too ambitious, if not impossible to achieve. School of Ireland(10) suggests that employees in these seemingly hopeless circumstances won’t prevent others from trying, but they will be more likely to loaf.
Profiling Social Loafers by Type
There is not one single type of social loafing. In fact, Bonifacio suggests that each of the following four profiles represents a different manifestation of social loafing, each with distinct motivations and behaviors:
The conformist: Conformists typically go with the flow, adhering to the minimum required standards set by the group. Bonifacio says, “They tend to contribute just enough to blend in, avoiding both the spotlight and any potential scrutiny. Their participation in group tasks is often passive, and they rarely take the initiative to drive projects forward.” Conformists may not be outright negligent, but their lack of proactive engagement is a subtle form of social loafing that can hinder a team’s progress and creative potential.
The bystander: Bystanders are characterized by their detachment and disengagement from the group’s activities. Unlike conformists, who at least follow along, bystanders remain largely aloof, contributing little to group discussions or tasks. Bonifacio says, “They often appear uninterested or disconnected from the group’s goals and are more likely to be observers rather than active participants.” Bystanding social loafers can be particularly challenging to manage, because their disengagement can be mistaken for a lack of understanding, shyness, or personal issues.
The procrastinating perfectionist: Procrastinating perfectionists present a unique challenge. They often justify their lack of timely contribution with the pursuit of perfection. Bonifacio explains, “This type of social loafer tends to delay their part of the work under the guise of achieving higher standards. While their intentions might seem noble, their procrastination can cause significant delays and frustration within the team.” Procrastinating perfectionists can be particularly perplexing because their eventual contributions may indeed be of very high quality. However, their inconsistency and unreliability can disrupt the team’s workflow and deadlines.
The “too cool” team member: “Too cool” team members feel superior to their teammates. Bonifacio says, “They might believe that the task at hand is beneath their abilities or not worth their full effort.” Too cool team members often minimize the importance of the task and may prioritize individual tasks or outside interests. Their lack of commitment to the team’s objectives can undermine team morale and cohesion.
What Encourages Employees to Loaf?
Social loafing is particularly problematic when the employee perceives a problem with the work assignment. Specifically, team members may loaf when asked to do work that seems to fall into the following categories:
Too creative: Some team members work harder at creative tasks than others. Practical Psychology asks, “Have you ever been in a brainstorming meeting with your team and someone lets everyone else come up with solutions? Or worse, they only chime in to shoot down another person’s idea. That’s social loafing.” Team members may let others come up with all the creative ideas because they lack confidence in their creativity and confidence, don’t know how to exercise their creativity, or don’t value creative sessions and think they are a waste of time.
Redundant: Team members may loaf when they perceive that their efforts or contributions will duplicate the efforts or contributions of other team members.
Too easy: Team members may be more likely to loaf when the task is easy than when it is difficult or challenging. They may believe that anyone can handle the easy tasks, so they step back and let others handle them. In some cases, they may believe that the tasks are best handled by less accomplished, less capable, lower status employees.
Unimportant: Team members may deem assigned tasks as of lower importance and feel that they have much more important things to do. That was my motivation for loafing at PTA meetings. I told myself that I had only so much bandwidth and that baking cookies for a fundraiser was not a good use of my limited time and energy. Instead, I often wrote a check to the PTA.
Not personally beneficial: Employees generally focus their attention and effort on what their managers measure. They may not believe that they will be accountable or rewarded for their contributions to the team. Therefore, they deem that the work will be of no personal benefit and loaf to avoid doing it.
Impersonal: When team members are in a large virtual conference room, it’s relatively easy for them to feel that they can turn off their camera, grab a snack, work on something else, or zone out while someone else participates in the meeting. Personal accountability can plummet, and loafing can seem very attractive when they aren’t going to be seen or heard.
Untraceable: Employees may believe that no one in management will notice their contributions to the team. Psychology iResearch(11) says, “When contributions cannot be identified, individual contributors cannot be appropriately rewarded for their high efforts but also cannot be appropriately punished should they loaf.”
Sometimes, team members loaf not because of the task, but because of the team itself. Low-morale, disjointed, poorly functioning teams are fertile breeding grounds for social loafing. Employees will be far less likely to loaf when they feel part of a solid, spirited team where everyone contributes and has one another’s backs. Likewise, employees may seize opportunities to loaf when they strongly dislike their managers. Unhappy mice will be more likely to play when their mean old manager cats are away.
Sometimes, social loafing has nothing to do with the team or the organization, but everything to do with the individual. For example, employees may loaf because they find social interaction difficult. Social hiding, a form of loafing, occurs when employees deliberately withdraw from group interactions and avoid participating in collaborative efforts. They may isolate themselves from team discussions, meetings, or projects, thereby limiting their contribution to collective tasks. Abhinaya says, “Social hiders may feel disconnected from the team or lack confidence in their abilities, leading them to disengage from group activities.” The intention of a social hider usually is not about avoiding work but avoiding having to interact with others. Moreover, individuals who lack confidence in their abilities may loaf for fear of being discovered. For example, those who have poor skills or who experience impostor syndrome may loaf to hide their real or perceived shortcomings from their coworkers. In extreme cases, they may loaf because they believe that hanging back will help them to keep their jobs for as long as possible.
How Social Loafing Affects Team Performance
Social loafing can be very costly. However, your work as a leader is not only to identify and weed out loafers to save the cost of carrying them on your payroll. It also is to recognize a fundamental aspect of human behavior in group settings and develop strategies to bring out the best in everyone, thereby improving the bottom line. NeuroLaunch says, “By addressing social loafing, we can create more equitable, productive, and satisfying group experiences for all involved.” This is very important, NeuroLaunch says, because unchecked social loafing ultimately can lower team productivity and performance, waste resources, and cause a costly retention problem. There will be only so much that your good employees are willing to do to cover for loafers before they look for greener and more equitable pastures.
Social loafing significantly impacts team performance by reducing employee productivity and morale. Bonifacio says, “When social loafing occurs, the collective effort of the team diminishes as certain members contribute less than their fair share.” Loafing leads to a decrease in the overall output of the team, particularly in collaborative tasks where each team member’s contribution is integral. Moreover, the reduced effort from some team members can demoralize those who are fully engaged, often leading to a general decline in the team’s enthusiasm, commitment, and output.
Social loafing causes a poor and inequitable distribution of work. This imbalance can lead to feelings of resentment and unfairness, negatively impacting group dynamics and efficiency. Bonifacio warns, “Group members who consistently contribute more might feel overburdened and underappreciated, which can also affect their individual performance and satisfaction.”
Social loafing also can stifle creativity and innovation. In an optimal team environment, the diverse perspectives and ideas of all team members contribute to creative problem-solving and innovative thinking. However, when social loafing occurs, the input and engagement from all group members are not fully realized, leading to a narrowed scope of ideas and solutions. Bonifacio says, “The lack of active participation from some team members can suppress the group’s potential for creativity, as the entire team’s energy and brainstorming power are not fully utilized.”
Moreover, social loafing can create an environment ripe for conflict and increased dependency. Tension between team members can arise when the workload becomes unevenly distributed. Increased tension can lead to more interpersonal conflicts that disrupt team harmony and effectiveness. Teams with social loafers may become overly dependent on their more active members, creating a fragile dynamic where the group’s performance is heavily reliant on a few individuals. Bonifacio warns, “This imbalance can lead to burnout among the more engaged members and a lack of development or underutilization of the skills of less active members.”
Widespread social loafing can poison the broader organizational culture. An environment where social loafing is prevalent can lead to a weakened sense of accountability and commitment among employees. This erosion of core values can gradually permeate the organization, fostering a corporate culture where minimal effort becomes normalized. Moreover, the presence of social loafing in an organization can have a profound impact on overall employee engagement and job satisfaction. When employees notice that their efforts are not matched by their colleagues, they can become frustrated and disillusioned. Bonifacio says, “This imbalance not only affects those who are overcompensating but can also leave the less engaged employees feeling disconnected and unfulfilled, as they are not realizing their full potential.” The result is a workforce that lacks motivation, exhibits low morale, and displays reduced loyalty to the organization.
Ultimately, social loafing can hurt the bottom line because it poses significant hindrances to growth and development. Your healthcare organization’s ability to innovate, compete, and evolve will be severely compromised if your teams are not working to their full capacity. Bonifacio warns, “The reduced productivity and creativity resulting from uneven team contributions can slow down progress, hinder the achievement of goals, and limit the organization’s capacity to adapt to market changes or explore new opportunities.” The resulting stagnation can be particularly detrimental in highly competitive industries where continuous improvement and agility are key to success. Abhinaya adds, “The costs associated with addressing low morale, such as increased turnover rates, recruitment, and training for new employees, add an additional financial burden.” Finally, the inefficiencies arising from uneven work distribution and reduced productivity will translate into other financial costs. Projects may take longer to complete, mistakes may be more likely, or the quality of work may suffer, leading to increased operational costs, potential loss of revenue, and possibly, reputational damage.
Fortunately, a leader can do a great deal to prevent, identify, and manage social loafing. These topics are explored in the following sections.
How to Prevent Social Loafing: Twelve Strategies
It is not desirable to manage your employees so closely that you see every instance of social loafing. Such intense scrutiny will consume all of your time and create an environment in which your employees feel that every move they make is observed and evaluated. Few people want to work under such close management. That’s why preventing social loafing effectively depends on whether your employees are trustworthy, and whether you, personally, trust them. As Lauren Moon(12) says, “Reducing the social loafing tendency and increasing contributions among teams comes down to trust.”
That said, it is not desirable to trust your team so much that you pay little or no attention to the way it functions. The following 12 strategies can help you prevent social loafing on your team without over-scrutinizing your employees.
Create clear roles and assignments. Unclear roles and responsibilities are a common cause of social loafing. Dovetail(13) says, “To reduce this, make sure each team member is assigned clear tasks.” Then, hold everyone accountable individually for their tasks and assess the effort that was required.
Keep teams small. Ringelmann found that the larger the team, the greater the chances of social loafing, and later research strengthened Ringelmann’s findings. Therefore, you will be able to discourage social loafing by keeping your teams small or dividing them into subgroups. Dovetail explains, “This will reduce anonymity and ensure that each team member is held accountable.” How small should your team be? Jeff Bezos famously suggested that you should be able to feed a team with only two pizzas.(14) Teams of this size can be nimble and highly productive, and social loafing will be much less likely to occur. In addition, recognizing individual contributions is easier in smaller groups than in larger groups.
Monitor each team member’s work. Ideally, Hopper says, “The work should be meaningful.” Create task assignments so that each team member is able to make a unique contribution and feels that their part of the work makes a difference. Technology can play an important role in monitoring work. NeuroLaunch says, “Project management tools that track individual contributions, virtual collaboration platforms that make participation visible, and performance analytics can all help identify and address social loafing.” Keep in mind, however, that it’s important to use these tools in ways that foster collaboration rather than creating a culture of surveillance.
Increase individual accountability and responsibility. This can be achieved through individual performance metrics and regular check-ins. NeuroLaunch says, “When people know their contributions will be recognized (or their lack of contribution noticed), they’re more likely to pull their weight.” Also, consider implementing rotational leadership within the team. Abhinaya says, “Encourage different team members to take on leadership roles for specific projects or tasks.” This helps distribute responsibility evenly and gives everyone a sense of ownership and responsibility for the team’s success.
Enhance team cohesion. Social loafing is less likely to occur in bonded teams that work well together. NeuroLaunch suggests, “Team-building activities, shared goals, and fostering a sense of collective responsibility can all contribute to a more engaged and motivated group.” The best team environment is one in which everyone feels their contribution is valuable and necessary for the team’s success. Team members will be more likely to do their fair share of the work on cohesive teams so their teammates will not become overburdened and so important tasks are completed.
Establish and maintain standards and rules. Creating deadlines and defining the quality of the work that is acceptable will make team members more likely to contribute and less likely to loaf. Donelson Forsyth(15) says, “Make sure everyone in a group follows the rules and regulations and everyone works up to the set standards.”
Use peer-to-peer evaluation. Your employees will realize that there will be repercussions for loafing when team members are able to review each other’s work and criticize or comment on individual contributions. Therefore, they may be less likely to loaf. Praveen Aggarwal and Connie O’Brien(16) say, “As the number of peer evaluations during a project goes up, the incidence of social loafing goes down.” Peer evaluation also is a productive, efficient, and timely way to give constructive feedback.
Solicit feedback from team members. Colleagues often are the first to notice changes in a group member’s engagement levels. They can provide insights into their coworkers’ contributions to group tasks. The Indeed Editorial Team(17) suggests 10 effective ways to get honest feedback, as follows:
Have an open-door policy;
Ask meaningful questions;
Observe nonverbal communication;
Conduct regular surveys;
Explain the benefits of giving feedback;
Offer anonymity;
Show interest in your team;
Be a positive example;
Show gratitude for the feedback; and
Act on the feedback.
Consider stack ranking. Stack ranking is a method sometimes used in larger organizations that involves ranking team members according to their performance. Dovetail suggests that stack ranking, when shared with the team, introduces “a natural performance push.” Leaders also can use gamification techniques to make tasks more engaging and competitive. Abhinaya suggests, “Introducing elements like point systems, leaderboards, or rewards can motivate team members to contribute more actively.”
Improve team performance. Social loafing may be more likely to occur on teams with a track record of mediocre performance, or that have the bar set low for them. School of Ireland explains that there may be a lack of motivation, on the social loafer’s part, “because they expect the group to perform poorly anyway.” Raising the bar for your team may jolt social loafers out of their loafing. Abhinaya adds that social loafing will be less likely in workplace cultures that promote continuous improvement. Encourage a growth mindset within the team, where mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning and development. Abhinaya says, “Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous improvement to keep team members motivated and engaged in their work.”
Customize your motivational strategies. Different team members will be motivated by different strategies. Abhinaya says, “Customize your motivational strategies to meet individual needs and preferences, whether through professional development opportunities, personal recognition, or team-based incentives.” Also, provide clear paths for advancement for each team member. Show them how their efforts contribute to their career growth. Abhinaya says, “Knowing that hard work and commitment lead to advancement can motivate individuals to avoid social loafing.”
Lead by example. Social loafers will notice leaders who loaf, or who appear to loaf, and follow suit. Abhinaya suggests, “Demonstrate a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence in your team loyalty and own behavior.” The Indeed Editorial Team says, “Modeling the behaviour you want to see from your team helps them to understand your expectations.” Therefore, model the level of effort and dedication to your work that you expect from your team members. Make sure your teams are aware of your effort and the quality of the work you are doing.
How to Identify Social Loafing
It’s relatively easy to identify employees whose active behavior causes a problem for your team. For example, bullies, gossips, pessimists, drama queens, and slobs almost always give themselves away because of what they do. If you’re observant, you often can catch them red-handed, enabling you to take quick steps to remedy the problem.
Social loafers, on the other hand, cause problems for your team by what they don’t do. Their absence of expected team behavior may be much harder to spot, especially when the loafers are very good at loafing and other team members cover for them. It will be up to you to identify social loafing, because coworkers may feel uncomfortable ratting out a loafing team member. Abhinaya says, “Managers and team leaders must be vigilant in recognizing the signs of social loafing to implement timely interventions.”
The first step in any problem-solving process is to define the problem. That means identifying the root causes, scope, and impact of the problem. Unfortunately, social loafing doesn’t hold the monopoly on the specific problems they cause. There can be and often are other things at play. However, social loafing typically causes the following problems for their teams:
Increased complaints of heavy workloads;
Decreased individual output;
Lack of engagement;
Reduced communication with sparse updates;
Frequent absenteeism;
Uneven work distribution;
A general feeling of team disjointedness and unease;
Reduced quality of work;
Minimal initiative;
Lack of accountability;
Avoidance of responsibility;
Negative peer feedback;
Showing up late for meetings;
Hanging back from group discussions; and
Bitterness, tension, and short tempers among team members.
You will need to be sure that social loafing is the cause of what you are observing, or, if not, what else is going on. Meet with your team to discuss the troubling behaviors you see. Hold your meetings in ways that foster trust and that will make your employees feel safe to share what’s going on. For example, meet with them individually if they seem timid or if it is likely they will need to tell you something sensitive. Choose the time and place to meet so you won’t be rushed or overheard and you won’t disrupt the workflow for the rest of the team. Describe what you have observed and give specific examples. Focus on the behaviors without using judgmental or biased language. For example, describe the decreased individual output you see with examples, without labeling the work as lazy, sloppy, careless, mediocre, slapdash, haphazard, or shoddy. Express your concern in simple, nonthreatening language. Ask your team members if they have made the same observations. If they haven’t, ask them to describe what they are seeing and how that makes them feel. Tell them that you want to understand what is causing the problems you both see so you can help make things better. Then ask them very simply to describe what they believe is causing the problem. Rein them in if they use charged language, and encourage them to be specific and to provide examples, as you have.
You may find that the problems you have observed have been caused by social loafing. Or there have been other causes, perhaps some that have nothing to do with the team but with your healthcare organization as a whole, your community, a disturbing recent event, or a host of other possibilities. Whatever the culprit is, it is very important for you to thank your team for telling you what is going on. Reassure them that you are sensitive to their concerns and that you will safeguard what they have told you in confidence. Encourage them to speak with you individually if they have more to tell you that they’d rather not say in front of others. Share with your team what you plan to do as a result of your conversation, and by when. Then, tell them when and how you will follow up with them, and thank them again for working with you to solve the problem.
Employees may be more willing to describe sensitive or uncomfortable topics such as social loafing in writing, rather than face to face. That is why a staff survey can be a useful tool to help you identify social loafing within your team. See the sidebar, “Administer This Social Loafing Survey to Your Team,” for sample questions you can ask your employees.
Managing the Social Loafer
The sooner you spot and address social loafing, the better off your employees and your healthcare organization will be. Be on the lookout for the examples of social loafing discussed in the previous sections. Sean McPheat(18) says, “It also helps to take a macro view and look at teams and the business as a whole to identify indicators of social loafing.” Document occurrences of social loafing and include an explanation of how the social loafer is affecting the team’s progress and performance. McPheat says, “This documentation can help to clarify the severity of the issue.”
Once you’ve identified and documented a social loafer, it’s critical that you combat the problem before it has a chance to escalate. A good place to start is to ask the team leader or another appointed team member to meet with the social loafer. Or you can be the one to call the meeting. Describe specifically what you and others have observed and allow the employee to respond. Ask open-ended, thoughtful questions to understand the social loafer’s perceptions and why they are not pulling their weight. You may find that the team member is surprised, or doesn’t understand the tasks they’ve been assigned, or feels insecure about their role. Or you may uncover a bigger problem with the employee’s attitude that suggests that they may need extra training or counseling. Or you may find evidence that they are not a good fit for your organization. Work with the loafing employee to create a solution that benefits the team, and, when possible, the individual.
In some cases, it may be helpful to have a group discussion with the social loafer. Each team member can express what they’ve observed and how they’re feeling about it, and the loafer can explain why they have or haven’t been loafing. Or they can disagree and explain how they contribute more than others know. It’s important to come to these discussions with a goal of collaboration and problem-solving instead of attacking the social loafer and making them feel defensive. Facilitate the discussion so team members remain respectful and stay focused on the team’s goals. It may help to reclarify each team member’s role. McPheat says, “Sometimes, this is all that’s needed to combat social loafing and get everyone back on track.”
Give social loafers an opportunity to improve, with clear goals, deadlines, and assessments. Document everything. Excluding the social loafer from the team or taking harsher action should be a last resort. However, if loafing employees make it clear that they don’t want to contribute and aren’t willing to change, or, if they don’t live up to their promises to change, you will need to take the necessary steps to discharge them.
Healthy Socialization Versus Social Loafing
Of course, employees are not machines that can work nonstop at maximum capacity every minute of the day. They will socialize sometimes, and in fact, you want them to. Scott Ford(19) says, “I believe business leaders must put forth the extra effort to ensure staff relationships retain the spontaneity and free flow of in-person interactions as much as possible. From my perspective, allowing staff time to chat with one another … can result in a happier, more collaborative team.” Some leaders don’t allow casual conversations or midday team bonding because they don’t believe it to be as crucial as work-related discussions and activities. However, small talk can play a significant role in team cohesion and individual productivity at work, as long as it doesn’t interfere with it. Ford says, “I find it can also foster a sense of connection among co-workers. These connections are essential to effective teamwork and can help build loyalty with the company and peers….”
When team members come together, there is bound to be some sort of socialization taking place unless you outlaw and police it. As you’ve learned in this article, you will want to be on the lookout for social loafing. However, socializing in and of itself is not loafing. It becomes social loafing, and a significant problem, when it prevents your team members from meeting their goals. Track your team’s progress appropriately. Keep your eyes and ears open. And remember that employees who appear to be slacking off or socializing while they work may indeed be loafing, or they may be refueling or taking well-earned breaks. Find out more, and do not seek to squash all socializing. Prevent and eliminate socializing between employees only when it is a form of social loafing that becomes unhealthy and hurtful for your team, organization, and patients.
Sidebar: Administer This Social Loafing Survey to Your Team
A comprehensive social loafing survey for employees can be an effective tool to help you identify social loafing and address its underlying causes. Abhinaya suggests the sample survey questions below:
Do you feel that your individual contributions are recognized on your team?
How often do you feel that others rely on you to complete their work?
Do you believe that your efforts make a significant difference to your team’s success?
How clearly are your roles and responsibilities defined within your team?
Do you receive regular feedback on your performance in team tasks?
How motivated are you to contribute to team projects compared to working alone?
Do you feel a sense of personal accountability for the outcomes of your team’s efforts?
How often do you notice team members not pulling their weight?
Do you think the distribution of work in your team is fair?
How effectively does your team leader communicate expectations and goals for your team?
How cohesive do you feel your team is?
Do you believe that team members support each other adequately?
Are you provided with the necessary resources and support to do your work within the team?
How transparent is the communication within your team regarding your team’s progress and/or performance?
Do you feel empowered to make decisions and take ownership of your tasks in team projects?
How frequently are individual and team achievements recognized?
How effective are team-building activities in promoting unity within your team?
Do you believe that team meetings are productive and engaging?
How often are your suggestions and ideas considered in team projects?
How comfortable are you in providing feedback to your peers about their contributions?
Do you feel that your workload in team projects is manageable?
How often do you feel that team deadlines are reasonable and achievable?
Do you believe that your team leader addresses issues of unequal effort effectively?
How well does your team handle conflicts or disagreements?
Do you feel that there are opportunities for growth and development within your team?
How often do you feel motivated by your team’s goals?
Do you believe that your team has a clear vision and direction?
How often do you receive recognition or appreciation for your ideas within your team?
Do you believe that your team’s performance is regularly evaluated and improved?
How comfortable are you discussing workload concerns with your team leader?
Do you feel that your team’s efforts are aligned with our organization’s goals?
How confident are you in your team’s ability to meet deadlines?
Do you believe that your team members work efficiently and effectively together?
How often do you feel that your team’s strengths are utilized effectively?
Do you believe that your team is adaptable to changes and challenges?
References
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