Capterra Glossary
Social Comparison
Social comparison is when people compare their lives to the public portrayal of others’ lives. This behavior can result in feelings of anxiety and, ultimately, a desire to compete with the other.
Businesses use the ‘social comparison theory’ as a means to motivate their employees to work harder. Social comparison in the workplace gives employees an idea of how their behavior, attitude, and accomplishments in the workplace compare to the actions of their co-workers. It drives competition among employees, and inspires them to outperform their peers by working harder.
What Small and Midsize Businesses Need to Know About Social Comparison
Small and midsize businesses often use social comparison to highlight top performers with an aim to inspire other employees to work harder. For instance, a company could encourage employees to achieve their targets by promoting an employee that outperformed others. This would inspire others to work hard so that they can receive similar rewards.