Why Peer Recognition Works Better Than Bonuses
Social validation is the most effective way to motivate employees, yet it is largely ignored by companies.
Have you ever wondered what motivates netizens to post knowledge and answers to platforms like Wikipedia, Reddit and Quora?
An overwhelming need to share their knowledge? Or just too much time on their hands?
Probably just the desire to receive social validation.
It is one thing to occasionally contribute to an online forum among like-minded members. It is quite another to be consistently helping to answer questions or edit wiki pages for free; and for the benefit of complete strangers.
Yet there are many netizens who do that, day after day, year after year.
Why?
Because human beings instinctively seek out social validation and peer recognition, regardless of status, wealth, race, nationality, religion, gender or intellectual capabilities.
It is the sole reason why Facebook and their little ‘like’ button has fueled a whole era of social media businesses, leading to wildly popular apps like Instagram and Tik Tok — and a whole new profession called ‘Influencers’.
