Many prefer the certainty of misery over the misery of uncertainty. The same goes for behavior: You can experiment with it, but that can be quite daunting when the outcome is uncertain. These observations may have inspired Icek Ajzen’s research that resulted in the theory of planned behavior, a model that you can use to motivate your employees to learn successful behaviors.
Based on his earlier theory of reasoned action, Ajzen knew that behavior is more likely to change if there is intention. An employee’s desire to change their behavior is influenced by three factors:
- Attitude: What is the learner’s opinion of the new behavior and its possible consequences?
- Subjective norm: What is the learner’s view on others’ opinions of the behavior?
- Perceived behavioral control: To what extent does the learner believe that external factors prohibit them from displaying the behavior?
If you want to change employee behavior, you will need to challenge these factors. Our article for TrainingIndustry presents some tips to help.