Extinction
When was the last time you were personally recognized by your supervisor? Do you feel fully appreciated at work? When did you last personally recognize one of your employees? Do you believe you are doing a good job of recognizing your employees?
According to Aubrey Daniels, the extinction or cessation of desired behaviors occurs when positive reinforcement is withheld. For example, employees may eventually stop using fall protection if doing so is always ignored by their supervisors. Ignoring desired behaviors is the most common consequence employees receive in the workplace. In fact, Daniels states that extinction is an epidemic! We're just too busy, right? Or are we working under the oppression of a fear-driven workplace culture that does not support positive reinforcement?
Examples of consequences that extinguish desired behaviors include:
- Employees comply with all safety rules, but their compliance goes unrecognized.
- Employees report workplace hazards, but their efforts are neither recognized nor rewarded.
- Employees are ignored when they make suggestions for improvement.
Remember, if first-line supervisors and managers would just thank employees more often for doing a good job, the benefits could literally transform the workplace culture.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
7-6. Which of the following is an example of a consequence that extinguishes desired behaviors?
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