Gamification is the application of game thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts to affect behavior positively. Despite numerous myths about the ineffectiveness of gamification, several employers have found that gamified incentive programs have a positive and lasting impact on employee performance, engagement, and motivation. By introducing a little healthy competition to the workplace, employers are creating a fun and rewarding atmosphere that also increases participation and takes employee performance to a higher level.
Some key components of gamification programs include reward points, milestone recognition, achievement badges, and leaderboards that encourage employees to work hard and stay motivated. These program components use both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators to encourage positive behavior, healthy competition, and peer-to-peer interaction. Gamification programs make creative use of puzzles, quizzes, arcade-style games, and challenges or missions to keep employees engaged and excelling at their job tasks.
How Does Gamification Improve the Bottom Line?
Through gamified programs, employers are seeing increased sales and improved employee loyalty. Employees thrive in environments that offer engagement, learning opportunities, and rewards. Incentive programs that incorporate gamification help individuals and teams to grow. This affects employee job satisfaction and the company’s overall bottom line.
Some might think that gamified programs take away from workplace goals and distract employees from their day to day tasks. Many even consider gamification to be a short-term solution to a long-term problem. It can be challenging to track the success of any employee recognition or incentive program, but many fear that gamification is only about fun and games and no scientific proof of long-term benefits to the company’s bottom line. However, it has been proven that through the use of gamification tactics, companies are able to:
- Better train and educate employees for long-term success
- Encourage participation from all employees regardless of age or skill level
- Provide much needed social interaction and peer-to-peer recognition
- Give extrinsic and intrinsic rewards that lead to positive work attitudes and motivation
- Encourage long-term engagement and enhances employee performance overall
When aligned with company goals and values and used as an incentive tool, gamification programs can be an effective way to increase learning, raise employee engagement levels, improve company loyalty and employee retention, boost motivation, and drive productivity. Using progress tracking, leaderboards, point distribution, and other gamification tools, employers can reward success and celebrate employee achievements. All of these things go a long way to drive revenue and improve the workplace culture.
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