How could games help your business?

All Work and No Play? Why You Should Be Taking Notice of Gamification

 

Gamification is fast becoming one of the business sector’s most overused buzzwords. You have probably heard of this trend in some form or another, as organisations across the globe look to mix work and play.

Essentially, the term gamification relates to transforming difficult or mundane tasks into fun competitions. Many of the apps on your mobile phone are designed with a gamification concept. DuoLingo, for example, motivates users to learn a language by offering points and badges for achievements.

So, what does this have to do with workplace leadership?

If you’re working as a manager in a busy office environment, you may have noticed the importance of keeping your team motivated and engaged. However, achieving this can cause a significant strain on your people-influencing skills and training.

Fortunately, gamification can be a great way to supplement your practices and boost engagement among your employees. In particular, injecting a little fun and play into the workday can help businesses achieve significant successes.

“Game mechanics and design have been used to engage and motivate people to achieve their goals throughout recorded history,” Gartner Research Vice President Brian Burke explained recently.

“The sweet spot for gamification is shared goals. If a business can identify the goals it shares with its audience or provide its audience with goals that are meaningful to them, then it can leverage gamification to motivate these players to meet those goals, and the company will achieve its business outcomes as a consequence.”

If you’re wondering how to promote gamification in the workplace, consider these simple and effective business games:

  • Points and reward systems – Offering employees the chance to earn points for exceptional work in order to win or purchase prizes can be a great motivating tool.
  • Level-ups – By undertaking training, workers can “level up”, earning a new title and perhaps unlocking benefits like better parking spaces or priority seating in meetings.

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