Pros and Cons of Gamification in the Workplace

Employers and organizations are in a never-ending effort of motivating and pleasing employees. The job market might have a list of potential employees, but it really is hard nowadays to find a decent talent that can conflate effortlessly within your workplace. Hence, organizations realize that it is better to keep a hold of their currently employees, rather than having to jump to others for help.

This dignified quest of employee motivation, employers have started taking cues from the likes of video games. We now see managers have a gamified scoring system with ranks and virtual badges used as accolades. These processes just make a workplace more fun to be at.

The process of gamification sure is hyped, which is why we help you weed through the hype by listing down a few pros and cons. Go through them and identify whether the process is meant for you.

Pros:

Increases Engagement

Most companies try gamification in the workplace, because they realize it as a method that can improve employee motivation and engagement. Apparently, we have a staggering number of workers who are in need of this motivation. More than 70 percent workers surveyed in a recent poll by Gallop said that they weren’t engaged in their current job.

Gamification process can increase the engagement levels and can lead to a world of good for the worker in question. Additionally, there have been researches that have studied the impact of gamification and have come out with the solution that it can really help increase employee engagement.

Immediate Signs of Progress

Gamification offers workers with immediate signs of progress and achievement. A gamified workplace is connected around the clock, and employees get feedback on how they are performing almost immediately.

Enhances Competition

Gamification allows the best and brightest within every organization to shine. The credibility that comes with topping a performance rank report enhances competition and makes employees positively contribute towards healthy competition.

Cons:

Ham-Fisted

Gamification often comes with a cookie cutter or a ham-fisted approach. Most organizations implementing this change follow the same generic ways that will soon become outdated with the passage of time. Also, there are high chances of you failing, if you don’t customize the process to match what your organization needs.

Invitation for Backstabbing

Some critics of gamification have mentioned that it is an open invitation for workers to cheat and stab each other in the back. To give perspective to this criticism, people have been cheating and using fraudulent tactics for as long as they have been playing games.

JS Benefits Consultant has been operating in the field of HR for several years and can design the ideal gamification plan for your workplace. Get in touch with us today for a free consultation.