Some argue that gamification can lead to short-term motivation and a superficial understanding of goals rather than genuine employee engagement and buy-in. Others believe that gamification can add an element of fun and competition, increasing employee motivation and morale.
Gamification is used to motivate and inspire positive behaviors from employees at work. Some of these behaviors include achieving specific goals and milestones, completing each stage of the desired action, or improving company productivity. But what are the pros and cons of gamification?
5 Pros of Gamification in the Workplace
One of the core benefits of gamification is that it encourages participation through rewards and other incentives, thereby creating a more dynamic and interactive experience for all users. And there are more benefits to consider when using gamification in the workplace that you may not have thought about. Here are five advantages to using gamification in the workplace.
1. Improved employee engagement
Gamification can lead to increased motivation and a stronger sense of competition among employees, leading to improved employee engagement in the workplace. By introducing elements of game-playing, like rewards and competition, employees are more motivated and engaged in their work tasks. Employees who feel like they’re being rewarded with points, badges, or other incentives are more likely to come to work every day excited about their job and ready to get things done. This can lead to increased productivity and overall job satisfaction.
2. Enhanced learning and development
Gamification can be used as a fun way to teach new skills or processes that employees will need during their careers with your company. Instead of boring them with long lectures or dry e-learning courses, you can use more engaging games while still teaching them what they need to know about your business or industry. This makes it easier for them to learn new things without feeling like they’re being lectured all day long!
3. Increase productivity
A Gallup poll found that only 13% of workers are engaged at work, while 51% are actively disengaged, meaning they’re unproductive or destructive. Gamification can lead to more efficient and productive work as employees strive to reach goals and earn rewards. It encourages them to focus on their goals, which leads them to take fewer breaks and devote more time and effort towards completing tasks quickly and efficiently.
4. Improved customer satisfaction
Gamification techniques can also be applied to customer interactions, improving overall customer experience. Gamifying customer loyalty programs can help businesses develop stronger relationships with their customers by giving them new ways of interacting with brands online or offline that they find fun and entertaining — not just transactional. This allows businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers at all stages of their buying cycle.
5. Increased company profits
With all of the above benefits, it’s no surprise that it boosts company profits. Gamification can help your business make more money by increasing employee engagement and boosting customer experience. This leads to higher retention rates and increased revenue.
5 Cons of Gamification in the Workplace
1. Some people just don’t like games
Not everyone likes playing games or being competitive in the workplace. This can be especially true if you’ve got a lot of older employees who aren’t too keen on trying out new technology or getting into competitions with their coworkers over who can sell the most items at a store or who can answer customer questions more quickly than others do. Some people don’t like competition, even if it involves getting paid more!
2. It may lead to burnout
The most obvious disadvantage of using gamification is that it can be addictive. For example, playing games at work may seem fun at first, but when employees take their job too seriously, they may become stressed out or burned out by the process. If they feel like they have to earn badges or points every day, they might feel pressured instead of motivated by the system. This can lead them to become less productive and less engaged overall.
3. Employees may become more competitive than cooperative
The goal of gamification is to get people to complete tasks faster or more efficiently, so they can earn points or other rewards. This type of competition could lead to negative feelings among workers if they don’t feel like they’re being treated fairly by their managers or coworkers. This could lead to low morale, resentment, and even sabotage at work.
4. Employees may stop taking the initiative due to fear of losing points or rewards
One of the main benefits of gamification is that it encourages employees to act before they’re told what to do by their manager. However, this benefit comes at a cost — employees may stop taking the initiative altogether because they’re afraid of losing points or being punished if they make mistakes while doing so.
5. Employees might feel like their performance is being judged all the time
Gamification systems often include leaderboards that show how well people are performing compared with other team members or the company. These leaderboards can be beneficial for motivating employees who want to improve their ranking. Still, they can also cause anxiety if someone feels like they’re always falling behind others on their team or the company. This can lead to lower morale among those who don’t rank highly on these leaderboards.
Final Thoughts
Gamification can make employee learning and execution more enjoyable, resulting in better retention and higher revenue. The pros outweigh the cons. However, consider your team structure, culture, and values.
