THE ARCHITECTURE OF CHOICE IN CONDITIONS OF UNCERTAINTY: BEHAVIOURAL DESIGN OF THE ORGANISATIONAL WORK ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

In today’s environment of hybrid working arrangements, information overload and chronic stress (particularly due to the state of war in Ukraine), traditional approaches to human resources management are losing their effectiveness. Statistics point to high levels of burnout: global ‘active disengagement’ has reached an all-time high, and remote workers are twice as likely to feel unhappy due to a sense of social isolation. This highlights the need to seek new tools of influence, based on behavioural design and the creation of the right ‘architecture of choice’. The article challenges the notion of the perfectly rational Homo Economicus, drawing on the fundamental work of H. Simon, D. Kahneman and R. Thaler. In conditions of cognitive fatigue, employees tend to rely on the fast, automatic System 1 rather than the deep and analytical System 2, which inevitably leads to errors and exhaustion. An effective solution is to apply behavioural design concepts and the principles of libertarian paternalism, which allow behaviour to be gently guided through changes to the environment, without restricting the freedom of choice of the organisation’s staff. The practical aspect of the study is underpinned by an analysis of successful corporate case studies. It has been demonstrated that even simple visual changes (such as optical illusions regarding the size of tableware or colour-coded food labelling at Google and hospitals in Massachusetts) can significantly alter individual habits. At the same time, digital interventions yield tangible economic benefits: gamification of processes at NTT Data generated $1 million in additional revenue, whilst personalised nudges for Virgin Atlantic pilots saved $5.37 million in fuel costs whilst simultaneously increasing staff satisfaction. The article proposes a comprehensive algorithm for behavioural corrections (diagnosis, design, integration, testing). A key focus is the use, at the design stage, of the metaphorical ‘rider, elephant and path’ model, which comprehensively guides the rational component, motivates the emotional component and removes physical barriers in the working environment. In conclusion, it is emphasised that behavioural design is an economically viable tool; however, its sustainability requires further study of habituation mechanisms, long-term effects and the ethical risks of manipulation.