Many retail stores warn customers that “if you break it, you buy it.” But it turns out there’s an even better reason to keep products out in the open—handling something makes you feel like you own it.

Although the scientific evidence might not be all that surprising, a recent report explains this phenomenon:

“In four studies, we find that merely touching an object increases the feelings of ownership a person has for the object. This, in turn, results in a person being willing to pay more for most objects that they touch versus objects that they cannot touch,” the authors write. “We also find that when touch is unavailable, such as shopping online, having people imagine owning a product increases their perception of ownership and how much they are willing to pay for a product.”

Retail businesses love any method for converting shoppers into buyers, but what does this research have to do with workflow, methodology and productivity? It reminds us of the impact of perception of ownership on perceived value.

If we hold a product in our hands, or even imagine what it’s like to own that product, we start to feel like it is ours to keep. Likewise, if a business process is not just something we do (or we’re told to do), but something we have found, held close, designed and redesigned—it becomes something we own.

But if workflow is simply borrowed, it may not be respected nor analyzed. It is only when stakeholders take on actual responsibility and authority for the process of work that they become far more engaged at the office.

Just like shoppers visualizing that new product in their own home, employees should internalize a new or current process as part of their own work and their own career. If you need help engaging stakeholders in ownership of their own workflow, contact Slaughter Development. We help disconnected employees to find new meaning, passion and success at work.

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