Door-in-the-Face (DITF)
Introduction and Purpose
Door-in-the-Face (DITF) is a behavioural strategy that begins with a large request that requires significant effort or commitment, which most people are expected to refuse. After a short interval, a smaller and more manageable request is made, which represents the original desired action. Compliance is higher when the smaller request follows the larger one because it activates the social rule of reciprocity, where individuals feel inclined to agree to a concession after one has been made. For the method to be effective, both requests must appear reasonable, and the difference between them must be clear.
In a workplace context, the DITF approach can be used to promote biodiversity-related actions by linking requests to specific organisational goals. Begin by identifying clear biodiversity objectives and designing a sequence of requests that start with a demanding action and progress to smaller, achievable ones. Provide resources such as training, guidance, or access to green spaces to support participation. Communicate and monitor each stage carefully, celebrate engagement, and use feedback to refine future requests based on participation levels and progress toward biodiversity outcomes.
DITF supports biodiversity by motivating employees to take part in conservation and sustainability actions that might initially seem demanding. The method can encourage participation in activities such as habitat restoration, waste reduction, or pollinator planting. Over time, this approach can build confidence, normalise pro-biodiversity behaviours, and cultivate a workplace culture that values and supports environmental responsibility.
Key Features
Timeframe:
- Once the type and number of pro-biodiversity requests have been identified, the method can be designed and implemented relatively quickly, from 1 week, and could extend up to 3 months.
- The creation and implementation of a DITF approach will depend on the organisation’s size, the number of employees involved, and the range of requests being made.
Materials Required:
- Resources and materials needed to design, communicate and carry out each biodiversity-related request
- Internal communication channels (such as email, newsletters, or intranet) to deliver and promote requests
- Tools or spreadsheets to record and track levels of participation and compliance
- A designated channel or platform to collect employee feedback and reflections
- Equipment or software to measure the impact of participation on the identified biodiversity goals
- Recognition or reward systems to celebrate engagement and encourage continued involvement
- A dedicated budget to support implementation, communication, and evaluation of the DITF approach
Skills Required:
- Communication to ability to engage employees, motivate participation and clearly explain the purpose and benefits of each request, while also maintaining collaboration with partners or external hosts
- Creative problem-solving capacity to design progressive requests that meaningfully contribute to the organisation’s biodiversity objectives
- Analytical skills competence to gather, interpret and report data on compliance levels, engagement trends and feedback
- Training and facilitation to organise and lead biodiversity-related workshops or events and supporting staff learning and reflection
Potential Impact:
- Greater awareness among employees of biodiversity challenges and how they can contribute to addressing them
- Positive transformation in workplace behaviours that support biodiversity and sustainability
- Improved staff morale, motivation, and sense of purpose through meaningful engagement in biodiversity initiatives
- Enhanced employee skills through participation, reflection, and practical involvement in biodiversity-related activities
- Adoption of biodiversity-friendly workplace practices, such as reduced energy use, responsible waste management, and the creation of green spaces.
Instructions
To implement DITF within an organisation, use the following steps as a guide:
- Large Request: Begin with a challenging biodiversity-related request that may initially seem demanding. For example, invite employees to volunteer every weekend for three months with a local NGO to support woodland restoration.
- Delay: Allow a short pause before following up, giving employees time to reflect on the initial request and their response. This creates space for consideration and primes them for the next stage.
- Smaller Request (Desired Goal): After the delay, present a more achievable request linked to the same biodiversity objective. For instance, ask employees to volunteer one hour a month to plant native flowers on company grounds to support pollinators.
- Increase Engagement: Once participation in the smaller request is secured, maintain momentum by introducing further opportunities that are slightly smaller, equivalent, or larger in scope. For example, invite employees to spend an afternoon each month assisting the local NGO in ongoing woodland restoration.
- Obtain Ongoing Commitment: Reinforce the positive outcomes of their actions by sharing the tangible biodiversity and wellbeing benefits achieved. Encourage staff to continue embedding biodiversity-conscious practices in their daily work, such as reducing energy consumption, improving recycling habits, or creating small wildlife-friendly spaces around the workplace.
Rationale
The DITF technique draws on psychological principles of reciprocity and behavioural framing to promote biodiversity engagement within organisations. By first presenting a large request that is likely to be declined, followed by a smaller, more achievable one, employees are more likely to agree to the latter. This approach helps overcome initial resistance, makes pro-biodiversity actions seem manageable, and gradually embeds these behaviours into organisational culture. Over time, small acts of participation can evolve into deeper, sustained commitments that foster ecological awareness and responsibility.
Benefits:
- Builds on the social norm of reciprocity, motivating employees to accept smaller requests after declining larger ones
- Reduces resistance to biodiversity-related actions by framing them as manageable and reasonable
- Encourages peer influence and normalises participation through visible engagement among colleagues
- Enables small biodiversity actions to develop into sustained commitments and long-term behavioural change
- Cultivates a culture of collective responsibility for biodiversity across the organisation
- Links biodiversity engagement with positive recognition and shared purpose through celebration of participation
- Adaptable for both small enterprises and large organisations, ensuring applicability across workplace contexts
Links to Resources
Psychologist World outline of the door-in-the-face technique
