Social slack can be defined as the tendency to put less effort into tasks when working in a group. This is because a person can perceive that people will loose when working in a group, which gives them a reason to slow down too. However, this idea does not apply to all tasks, but it is a common problem.
Working in groups can be seen as unproductive for some tasks. The different causes of social slack include anonymity, a lack of norms and people hoping that other members of the group will slack off . People who work in large groups may not be well acquainted with each other, and this can encourage time off. Often, groups do not have the clear standards needed to provide direction and ensure work performance.
How to minimize social slack / How to avoid social slack
Social slack can be reduced in group projects by improving the group’s importance , classifying tasks based on group importance and motivation .
People tend to put a lot of effort into tasks that are considered important, which helps to increase productivity. The group manager must also work on improving the importance of the group. This will make members work harder. The group’s motivation is also essential, especially in reducing the laziness effect, which causes people to “go slow” at work, because other people go slow too.
