Can organizational nudges promote energy efficiency in the workplace? Evidence from an Italian manufacturing plant

Energy conservation is one of the key topics of the sustainability issue. Several studies conducted in household domains have proven nudges to be effective in promoting energy-saving behavior. However, less attention has been paid to workplace environments, although industrial facilities are large consumers of energy and are responsible for a substantial amount of greenhouse gas emissions. This study aims to investigate whether an organizational nudge is able to promote energy-saving behaviors in a manufacturing workplace. The target behavior consists in the de-energization of workshop machines when their functioning is not needed. A mixed-method design is adopted. The first qualitative phase aims to understand barriers related to the target behavior. A subsequent controlled case study tests the effectiveness of the nudge intervention. Results indicate a significant reduction in energy waste, particularly in the short-term period following implementation. Moreover, the intervention highlights some specificities of applying nudges in organizational settings. In particular, intervening in a complex organizational context and targeting a behavior that is strongly related to the company's core business might require the complementary use of nudges and other more traditional interventions, as behavioral and decision-making changes may involve a systemic, procedural, cultural change.