Gamification: A "step too far" or a "fad"

The term “gamification” itself may suggest that the concept is light-hearted at best and, at the other end, a fleeting or irrelevant fad. The growing interest in gamification stems from a desire to increase engagement levels among employees and in the process bring more visibility, openness and a system of rewards and recognition into the workplace.  To address employee engagement crisis, the human resource departments of Fortune 500 companies are launching gamification pilots. The power of gamification comes down to this: it taps into the competitive fires we all have and as we play a game, we become more engaged, feel a greater sense of accomplishment and are more willing to go the extra mile in either making more sales calls, completing more training programs, or answering more customer center calls.

The difference between gaming and playing is that gaming has rules. Furthermore, gamification does not map a complex whole context, as is the case with simulation games. Instead, individual elements are used, for example, the collection of points in loyalty programs, or a progress bar showing the completion of your LinkedIn profile. 

There are different game preferences depending on the target group. Some players prefer - To explore (explorers), To interact with others (socializers), To take on challenges (achievers), To impede or defeat others (killers). It is important to satisfy the different preferences. However, most people belong to the socializer group.

 You can easily turn the hiring process into a gamified experience by rewarding prospects with both acknowledgment and tangible perks for completing each step, from application to start date. At the same time, much like a sales function, HR teams can also use gamification internally to reward top recruiters and incentivize employees to refer top candidates. The opportunity for an employee to earn Referrer of the Year status can encourage employees to take a more active role in talent acquisition.

Qualcomm is modeling gamification techniques employed on sites such as stackoverflow.com to its internal Q&A process where employees ask and answer technical questions and the best answers are voted up and rise to the top.

 Aetna is now making the premium version of a new online social game called Mindbloom, available to both employees and healthcare customers. The game is aimed at improving your health and  wellness and helps you lead a healthier, more balanced life.  

Gamification can be used for the HR Visibility because employees talk about the new game or the competition in the business. If HR includes the fun element into a match, the engagement of workers increases. Allowing employees to see results online on the Intranet home page is always a good way to promote and engage them.

The key intention of HR should be to form the group into an efficient team. In such a case, it is a good example of excellent HR investment. It makes Human Resources visible in the organization and makes employees know each other better.