Gamification in the workplace

August 8, 2023

Many of us can relate to the power of positive reinforcement and social validation. You share a point of view on social media and have your friends “like” it and reply back with their own positive feedback, letting you know that your POV is shared and acknowledged. Play an Xbox game and place first on the leaderboard for your friends and teammates to cheer you on and praise you for playing a great round. Gamification in the workplace uses the same concepts and can be a great way to help employees stay positive and engaged.

Types of rewards games provide

Video games have changed a lot in the last few decades. Pac-Man was all about advancing to the next level. Zelda was about completing the quest and saving the princess. The reward was knowing you beat a challenge. But today, most games are played online and have their own unique social society. In some games, it’s not enough to know that you beat a challenge, you need everyone to know.

Some games reward a player’s avatar, by giving them fancy items and apparel that they can show off to other people playing the game. Maybe a unique title that is rewarded to a player after achieving some ridiculously hard goal. The point of the reward is the social status that it represents, just like in the corporate office. When you see a player with the title “Immortal,” you know they have done something crazy to achieve and deserve that title. You also know that because of their “social status” you wouldn’t dare trifle with them, the sound of their title alone is enough to make you and your character respect what they have done. Rewards in a video game are similar to the social status rewards of the real world.

Gamification in the workplace

Gamification in the workplace is just as effective as in any other forum. A study done by TalentLSM found that 89% of employees said that it helps them stay productive and happy at work. Yet many organizations have yet to implement this type of strategy, and it is becoming more lost with the emergence of the remote workplace.

Love the sound of happier and more productive employees but feeling short on ideas that apply to your team? Here are some ways to get started with gamification in your workplace:

-Shoutouts for team members on your social media platforms

-A good, old-fashioned employee of the month program

-Making employee progress on virtual training visible to the team

-Recognizing achievements on team Zoom calls or other meetings

-Zoom badges recognizing top-performers

-Team competitions just for fun

-Sending gifts to team members who complete training first

-Reviewing course material live with the team and recognizing those who answer questions correctly