Behavioural change: Practical insights from Liz Gilbert’s talk at Epsom Business Club

On Wednesday 2nd July 2025, Liz Gilbert delivered a lively and insightful talk on behavioural change at the Epsom Business Club’s breakfast networking event. Drawing on her extensive experience in the NHS and as a behavioural change consultant, Liz shared practical examples and frameworks to help individuals and organisations understand—and influence—behaviour more effectively.

What is behavioural science?

Behavioural science is the study of how people behave and, crucially, how those behaviours can be influenced. Liz began with a memorable example from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport: cleaning staff were struggling with mess around urinals, despite posters and polite requests. The breakthrough came when a tiny black fly was etched into the centre of the urinal—giving users something to aim for. This simple intervention reduced cleaning costs by 80%. The lesson? Behavioural change doesn’t always require grand solutions; sometimes, the smallest tweaks can have the biggest impact.

Another example came from Stockholm, where piano keys were installed on a set of stairs in a metro station. The musical stairs encouraged people to use them instead of the escalator, increasing stair use by 60%. Making a behaviour fun can be a powerful motivator.

Understanding behaviour: The COM-B model

Liz introduced the COM-B model, a widely used framework in behavioural science. For any behaviour to occur, three elements must be present:

• Capability: The person must have the physical and psychological ability to perform the behaviour. For example, managing diabetes requires a certain level of mathematical understanding—not everyone has this, which can make self-management challenging.

• Opportunity: The environment and social context must support the behaviour. Physical opportunity might involve access to a park for exercise, or having the right equipment. Social opportunity is shaped by the people around us—family, friends, colleagues—who can either support or hinder our efforts.

• Motivation: This includes both automatic processes (habits, impulses) and reflective processes (planning, intentions). Motivation is often lowest when capability or opportunity is lacking.

Liz emphasised that when trying to change behaviour—whether in ourselves, our teams, or wider populations—it’s essential to diagnose which of these elements is missing or needs strengthening. For instance, if staff aren’t completing mandatory training, the solution may not be more training, but rather better prompts or systems to support the desired behaviour.

From individuals to populations

The COM-B model is versatile: Liz uses it with individual clients, groups, and even for population-level interventions. For example, when a council wanted to encourage smokers to use vaping as a quitting aid, insight work revealed that many people misunderstood what vaping involved and preferred traditional cigarettes. By understanding the audience’s beliefs and barriers, interventions could be better tailored to their needs.

Designing effective interventions

Once barriers are identified, Liz recommends using the Behaviour Change Wheel to select the right intervention. Options include:

• Education: Increasing knowledge and understanding.

• Coercion: Creating expectations of punishment or cost.

• Rewards: Offering incentives for desired behaviours.

• Environmental restructuring: Changing the physical or social context to make the behaviour easier or more attractive.

Liz also introduced the APPEASE framework to assess potential interventions: is it Acceptable, Practical, Effective and cost-effective, Affordable, has minimal Side effects, and is Equitable? This ensures that solutions are not only effective but also fair and feasible.

Key takeaways

• Behavioural science offers practical tools for driving change—often through small, simple interventions.

• Understanding your audience is crucial: talk to them, find out what really matters, and tailor your approach accordingly.

• The COM-B model provides a clear structure for diagnosing and addressing barriers to behaviour change.

• Effective interventions go beyond education—consider environmental and social factors, as well as motivation.

• Use frameworks like APPEASE to ensure your solutions are robust and inclusive.

Liz concluded by sharing a behavioural diagnosis worksheet, encouraging attendees to apply these principles to their own challenges. With behavioural science in your toolkit, even the most stubborn habits can be shifted—one small step at a time.

About the speaker