4 Pros of Gamification
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Gamification, as a whole, can be a beneficial programme to implement in the workplace. The integrating of game techniques in the workplace can stimulate motivation and engagement, as well as help employees, work on their skills. Linking both CSR and gamification can be especially effective due to the characteristics mentioned, and can heighten the CSR programmes and initiatives of a company by engaging both its customers and stakeholders.
1. Competition makes employees work harder.
By employing gamification in the workplace, the natural human need for competition is set to drive. People love competition, whatever it may be, and this is a great way of enhancing a CSR goal. The way that this works is the gamification needs a plan or narrative for employees to follow. In this way, each ‘competitor’ will have obstacles to overcome and a leaderboard to look to, to see who is ahead. For example, while working on CSR projects, special gaming programs can be set into place with a narrative that will help the company, and in turn, its employees, reach their CSR goals. Each employee has a role to play in the narrative with a competitive edge. This can be a great form of motivation, where each person aims to be on top and achieving the best results.
2. It allows employees to work on their strengths and weaknesses.
Within the example of my previous point, of the gaming program, leaderboards can be put into place within the program, to show who is ahead, as well as highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of employees, and of the company as a whole. Leaderboards drive the competitive edge even further, and with prizes put into place to reward the most hardworking. With this, gamification allows for immediate feedback to employees, and a chance to work on their weaknesses to get ahead. This, in turn, will help the overall goals of the company, as when their employees start achieving better, the performance of a company heightens. This is also significant in CSR, where employees will better their strategies towards implementing a sustainable or environmentally friendly goal.
3. Gamification works as a form of engagement.
Gamification can get employees motivated and excited for the next round and to try and beat their opponents, and this all leads to engagement. This form of engagement makes employees want to participate and find fun in their daily work routine. Not only this, but employees are then inclined to participate better in CSR related projects when gamification is employed. For example, when working on a project such as ocean conservation, an engaging initiative (that is also linked to my next point) would be to include facts about how this CSR project works on the ground. There could also be initiatives that link to competition also, by including incentives or prizes to whoever comes top. More engaged employees lead to a better performance within these projects, heightening the overall CSR image your company has. While gamification is engaging for your employees, it is beneficial for your company too.
4. Gamification enhances learning in the workplace.
As previously stated, gamification can work to motivate and engage employees, all in a way of making work more fun. Just as when it is employed in the classroom, gamification allows for a better learning environment and a way of increasing knowledge of a specific CSR project to employees and customers. In this way, gamification can lead to an increased involvement in and help the goal and project you have set. Through a gaming program, once a goal is hit, the game or the narrative can include short, but fun facts about the project you are working on. This allows the employees to learn more about the CSR work they are taking part in. This influential nature that gamification has can help more stakeholders invest in both your company and your project, making gamification and ideal tool within the workplace.
Nicole El-Helou