In today’s fast-moving and competitive business world, companies are always looking for new and exciting ways to make their employees more productive and happy. One strategy that’s gaining significant attention, especially among the Gen Z workforce, is “Gamification.”
Recent studies have shown that gamification at work can increase productivity by a staggering 50% and enhance employee engagement by 60%.
These findings are especially relevant considering that boredom was identified as the top reason professionals were looking for new job opportunities, according to a Korn Ferry survey.
In this blog, we will delve into the concept of gamification at workplace, understanding what it entails, how it operates, and the numerous advantages it offers. We will explore how organizations effectively utilize gamification to address boredom, enhance productivity, and retain valuable employees.
Join us on this journey as we explore the fascinating realm of gamification at the workplace, where learning and enjoyment go hand in hand.
What Is Gamification In The Workplace?
As humans, we are wired to enjoy games and competition. Who doesn’t appreciate a fun, interactive, and challenging task? Gamification applies this natural inclination to the workplace, making work fun and engaging.
It’s like bringing the excitement and satisfaction of playing games into our jobs, releasing that feel-good chemical called dopamine in our brains! But when did this awesome idea begin?
Well, gamification actually has a pretty interesting history. It started gaining attention in the early 2000s when companies realized they could use game elements to motivate and engage their employees. The term “gamification” itself was coined around 2010.
The idea behind gamification for employee engagement is to make work feel less boring, more productive, and more enjoyable. By adding game elements, employees can feel motivated to complete tasks, compete with their colleagues, and earn rewards. It’s a way to make work feel like play and keep employees engaged and happy.
Fun Fact: Did you know that more than 70% of the world’s largest 2,000 companies have deployed at least one gamification application each year?
Workplace Gamification Examples
Let’s dive into some workplace gamification examples. Here are five companies that are gamifying work and having a blast doing it.
1. Google
You knew Google would be on this list, didn’t you? They’re no strangers to utilizing gamification in the workplace. Here are a few fun facts:
Google’s “Code Jam” competition challenges software engineers to solve complex coding problems in a race against the clock.
Employees can earn badges and other rewards through Google’s “G2G” program, which encourages employees to get up and move around the office.
Google uses gamification to train employees in unconscious bias, using “Bias Busters” quizzes and other games.
2. Deloitte
Yep, even accounting firms are getting in on the gamification trend. Deloitte has found creative ways to make work more engaging:
Greenhouse, a social network for employees, offers rewards for participation, such as badges and virtual currency.
The firm uses gamification to encourage employees to review each other’s work and provide feedback. It also uses badges, leaderboards, and status symbols – in place for participating in and completing courses.
3. Microsoft
Microsoft has implemented various strategies to infuse fun into the workplace through the use of gamification. Here are a few examples:
The company’s “Microsoft Certification Program” rewards employees for achieving new certifications and learning new skills.
Microsoft’s “OneWeek Hackathon” encourages employees to work on their own projects outside of their usual roles.
The company has also used gamification to improve customer service, giving employees rewards for resolving customer issues.
4. Cisco
Cisco has found success with gamification in a few different areas:
Their We Are Cisco social platform encourages employees to connect and share photos and stories about their work experiences.
The Great Workplace Escape is a scavenger hunt-style game that gets employees moving and interacting with their surroundings.
Cisco also uses gamification to encourage employees to complete compliance training.
5. Zappos
Finally, we have the beloved shoe company Zappos. Here’s how they’re gamifying work:
Zappos’ Culture Book encourages employees to share stories about their experiences with the company.
The company’s Happiness Experience Form rewards employees for providing exceptional customer service.
Zappos uses gamification to encourage employees to participate in health and wellness activities, offering rewards for steps taken and other healthy habits.
6. Hypabeez
At Hypabeez, we always try to keep our employees engaged through gamification. We conduct monthly team building activity and weekly Hypa Challenge to ensure great team bonding.
We also play “two truths and a lie” game to break the ice when a new member joins our team. So that everybody gets to know each other for better team collaboration.
What Are The Benefits Of Gamification In The Workplace?
Gamification has numerous benefits for organizations looking to drive team productivity like:
1. Increases Employee Engagement
Gamification can increase employee engagement by turning dull tasks into interactive games, providing feedback, and adding a sense of challenge to daily routines. When employees are engaged, they become more creative, innovative, and productive.
2. Improves Collaboration
One of the most significant advantages of gamification in the workplace is that it facilitates collaboration and teamwork. By working together, employees are more likely to achieve the set goals, and the rewards gained will be shared equally amongst team members. This encourages employees to rely on one another and work towards a common goal.
3. Boosts Employee Motivation
Gamification in the workplace provides employees with additional incentives to achieve their goals. It doesn’t rely solely on monetary compensation or titles, but the idea of gaining recognition, earning points, or achieving a high score can be a strong motivator for employees. Gamification makes tasks feel more achievable and is a great way of encouraging employees to put in extra effort.
4. Enhances Training and Development
Gamification in the workplace can also enhance employee training and development. With the creation of simulations and gamified training programs, employees can learn new skills and concepts in an interactive, enjoyable, and low-risk environment. Training sessions are no longer boring, information dump sessions but an experience that is both informative and engaging.
5. Increases Transparency
Gamification can increase transparency in the workplace by providing tracking systems for performance. Employees can track their progress and know how their contributions affect business operations. Managers can track their teams’ performance, identify areas that need improvement, and implement changes. Transparency helps increase accountability and gives employees clarity on what needs to be done to achieve set goals.
6. Fosters Innovation
Gamification is a great tool for promoting creative thinking and addressing problems in the workplace. Employees can gain exposure to different approaches by taking on challenges, solving problems, and competing in games. Employees get inspired to think creatively and come up with novel solutions to problems when they are in a competitive environment.
7. Improves Performance Management
Gamification can also help improve performance management in the workplace. By using gaming elements and badges, employees can get immediate feedback on their performance and track their progress. This information is vital to ensuring that regular performance reviews can be conducted. Real-time feedback ensures that employees can make immediate improvements, while long-term monitoring helps managers identify personal growth patterns.
How To Use Gamification In The Workplace?
If you’re looking to bring gamification into the workplace, here are seven fantastic gamification at workplace ideas to get you started:
1. Employee Onboarding
The onboarding process can be lengthy and overwhelming, especially for new hires. Gamification can help new employees learn the ropes in a fun and engaging way. Create an interactive game around company policies, procedures, and culture. Incorporate quizzes, puzzles, and challenges to make the learning process more enjoyable.
2. Rewards and Recognition
Everyone enjoys being praised for a job well done. Gamification can be used to recognise and reward workers for their efforts in reaching certain objectives. Make your staff feel appreciated by giving them badges, points, and certificates of achievement.
3. Sales Performance
Gamification is a powerful tool for inspiring sales teams to hit their targets. Make a tally of the best salespeople and reward them with cash prizes. Sales will skyrocket when healthy competition is encouraged.
4. Training and Development
Ongoing training and development is crucial for the growth and success of any organization. Gamification can make the training process more interactive and engaging. Introduce new courses and training to teach new skills, reinforce old skills, and track progress.
5. Health and Wellness
Any organization’s first goal should be employee health and wellness. Employees frequently spend a lot of time in front of computer displays, resulting in a sedentary lifestyle that can be harmful to their health. One effective technique for addressing this concern is the introduction of step targets, which encourage employees to meet specified daily or time-based step goals.
6. Travel Incentives
Leveraging the power of travel rewards is a practical way to boost employee engagement. Employees are encouraged to pay closer attention to the tasks and assignments at hand by rewarding their efforts with special trip options. The awareness that their efforts may result in interesting travel experiences is a powerful motivator, strengthening their passion and commitment to reaching their goals.
7. Customer Service
Use gamification to encourage excellent customer service. Create a customer service leaderboard and reward employees for going above and beyond for customers. Encourage friendly competition between employees to improve customer satisfaction ratings.
Final Thoughts
Gamification in the workplace is an interesting and effective way to drive team productivity. It gives the ideal blend of fun and motivation to boost determination for hard work. It can also be utilized for employee onboarding and training, where play-based tactics can help staff acquire new skills faster and more efficiently.
Businesses can obtain a strategic advantage that propels them to success by building an environment that stimulates collaboration through games and rewards.
Businesses must remember that the fundamental purpose of gamification is to generate a feeling of community by giving the right incentive structure with achievable goals, whether they use leaderboards or roll out gamified apps.
Overall, gamification has the potential to revolutionize how we collaborate with our teams and push ourselves and one another to higher levels of performance.
