Gamification takes the characteristics that we like about games and applies them to everyday scenarios.
The aim of gamification is to appeal to our natural affinity for achievement and competition. People are motivated by competition as it gives them a reason to improve their performance and strive towards achievement.
Games are exciting because they are often structured around these ideas of achievement and competition. Therefore, it’s not particularly surprising to see that people are adding game-like elements to mundane tasks and activities, inciting motivation in participants.
In the workplace, gamification has proven to be an exciting opportunity for leaders to enhance the motivation of their team members. Increased motivation can lead to a more productive and happy workforce. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Gamification is starting to be tested in the workplace, particularly in large organizations where scaling company culture can prove to be challenging. It can be used as a tool to change workplace behavior through positive reinforcement, utilizing ideas of connection, competition and feedback.
The Gamification Of Sweden’s Speed Camera
When we drive down the street and we go above the speed limit, we risk getting a speeding ticket. In Sweden, they tried a different approach.
When you drive at or below the speed limit, you got entered into a lottery. This gave you a chance to win the proceeds of those who are speeding.
By simply focusing the attention on those who aren’t exceeding the speed limit, giving them a form of positive feedback, they were able to lower the average speed limit. It’s a smart idea that puts an emphasis on positive behavior.
Boosting Productivity & Morale With Positive Reinforcement
Sometimes, team leaders use negative feedback as a form of guilt for their workforce to behave productively. Allowing your workforce to set positive goals to strive towards can prove to be significantly more effective than delivering feedback that focuses on what they’re doing wrong.
Positive reinforcement is all about anchoring positive behavior, leading with what a person should do, rather than what they shouldn’t. Rewards are typically better at anchoring behavior than punishments.
How can you bridge the gap between the excitement of gaming and the predictability of your employee’s workload? People love to be productive, in a similar way to how they like to play games. Workplace gamification presents an opportunity to blend these two things together and boost productivity and morale.
TalentLMS’s 2019 Gamification At Work Survey
TalentLMS, a cloud software company has spent many years conducting surveys into workplace gamification. Last year, they spoke to almost 900 employees and asked whether they had noticed any gamification elements in an app or software they use at work.
Here are some of the key findings from the most recent survey into gamification in the workplace by Talent LMS:
- 89% of employees say gamification makes them feel more productive.
- 88% of employees say gamification makes them feelhappier.
- 89% believe they’d be more productive if their work was more gamified.
- 43% of the employees haven’t noticed any gamified elements at work.
The evidence is clear. Workplace gamification can come with a stream of positive benefits, enhancing the productivity and morale of your team members. Yet, nearly half of the employees who participated in this survey had not noticed any gamification elements at work.
If there currently aren’t any gamified elements to the everyday tasks and activities in your workplace, where does implementation begin?
Karma can bring gamification into your workplace with game-like incentives that foster a high-performance team culture. We help to build stronger, happier teams through consistent positive reinforcement from leaders.
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