Definition: When individual performance is not directly visible and blends into the group effort, individuals exert less effort.
Examples: Horses pulling a cart, humans pulling a rope, brainstorming, group work.
Reference: Maximilian Ringelmann, French Engineer: studied the performance of horses, and then humans in physical tasks.
Insight: Social loafing is rational: if lower (or higher) effort goes unnoticed, why exert additional energy?
Insight: When people work together, individual performance decreases, usually as much as can go unnoticed.
Insight: Social loafing is not limited to physical tasks, it extends to mental energy - noticed in brainstorming tasks.
Insight: The extent of social loafing can also be cultural - it happens much less in Japan that American and European culture.
Insight: Social loafing also extends to accountability within groups - the more people in groups, the less accountability: we hide behind team decisions.
Principle: Make individual performance transparent.
Principle: Practice meritocracy.
Insight: Some research suggests that group brainstorming may fail in part due to social loafing.
Reference: Max Ringelmann, French agricultural engineer studied the efforts of workers in groups lifting heavy weights - the results showed that people working in groups exert less energy than on their own.
Principle: Listen to the quiet guy.
Example: Creativity and brainstorming in groups.
Insight: Data suggests that people working alone have more creative output than working in groups because in groups we can let other people do the work.
Insight: Group brainstorming often fails because some individuals sit back and let others do the work.
Key Insights & Principles
Teamwork and Management
When working in groups, where individual performance is difficult to determine, individuals tend to exert less effort.
Social loafing is rational, and effort tends toward the lowest possible without negative consequences.
Social loafing is related to culture, whether by location or business culture.
Create systems where individual performance is transparent.
Practice meritocracy.
Pay attention and listen to the quiet individuals in groups.
