To Motivate Workers, Reward Them for "Streaks".

This article discusses new research that suggests that offering workers increasing incentives for maintaining "streaks" of consecutive tasks can significantly boost motivation and persistence. Across six experiments with over 4,400 participants, those offered escalating rewards for uninterrupted work completed more tasks and reported greater commitment than those receiving stable incentives. For example, participants in a simulated food delivery job or CAPTCHA task performed better and took fewer breaks when their bonuses increased with streaks and reset after breaks. The findings indicate that streak-based incentives can be an effective tool for encouraging consistent effort in repetitive or mentally taxing work.