Nudge interventions promoting hand hygiene: a large-scale field experiment in an industrial plant

Aim: This study investigated the effectiveness of nudge interventions promoting hand hygiene in an industrial plant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subject and methods: A large field experiment was conducted with 861 participants and 14,645 observations. The interventions involved manipulating the placement of alcohol gel dispensers, the presence of social norm messages, and the placement of footstep stickers on the ground. Results: All interventions significantly increased the usage of alcohol gel dispensers, with the combination of placement and social norm message providing the greatest results, increasing usage by 47%. People passing by in groups had a higher probability of using the dispenser than individuals, and this effect appeared to be solely mediated by the leading example of the first person in the group using the dispenser. Conclusion: The findings provide guidance for promoting health and safety compliance within organizations to combat surging infection rates related to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, such as the seasonal flu.