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Gamification in the Workplace - It’s a Win-Win

Last summer the unexpected happened, no one saw it coming, least of all her. Handbag in one hand, iPhone clutched in the other, trying to navigate the uneven cobbled streets of London in heels. She was on a mission. Yes, she was catching Pokémon. All summer long. As a kid she had little interest in Pikachu and his friends, but startlingly as an adult Pokémon Go! had gripped her. Nonetheless she was not ashamed. The game increased her daily step count, helped her to get to know the local neighborhood and more pertinently, allowed her to connect with other players at the office. For the first time in her life, she had become a “gamer” and the thrill was real.

Gamification is not just changing the way we live and interact with our nearby surroundings, but for organizations is becoming a key driver for engaging people in the workplace. Innovative organizations are already reaping the rewards and its evident that the future of the workplace will be influenced by gamification. Traditionally, the workplace is the last place you should play games (yes, we’re looking at you solitaire players). However, forward- thinking organizations have introduced table tennis or foosball for employees to relax, get away from work and socialize with colleagues. But imagine if you had to play games to get work done? The term “work hard, play harder” would gain a whole new meaning.

WHAT IS GAMIFICATION?

Gamification is the application of game-like elements such as points, leaderboards and badges to engage and motivate people to reach a specific goal. The concept is not new – think frequent flyer programs and loyalty cards. However, gamification in the workplace is a fairly recent concept. As such, organizations are only just getting the ball rolling. The advancements of mobile, social and location based tech services have been key drivers in the rise of Gamification, yet Gartner also highlights research that shows 43% believe this is just a trend.

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