Using gaming to engage employees has been proven effective in a number of different scenarios. Here are three stages of the employment process where gamification has been successful. How does your company use gamification to engage employees?
Recruiting: Companies, such as Marriott have used online games through popular channels, such as Facebook, to engage people in the company’s line of work. In the case of Marriott, their Facebook game engages people in different aspects of hospitality management, to attract individuals who may be interested in a career in hospitality. The next phase of this process would be to integrate this type of gaming into the direct recruiting process, specifically for people looking to apply for positions within Marriot.
Professional Development: Using gamification to both teach employees lessons and create simulated real life situationscan be the most effective and lowest-risk solution to training employees. Using gaming allows employees to encounter uniqueand difficult workplace situations. This is effective both for the organization to communicat
Health and Wellness: Traditionally we have seen this tactic used as a health and wellness program motivator, using the game to either create friendly competition within the office, or track individual health goals. According to a survey released in March by Towers Watson, 60% of employees (of a 500 person sample) indicated they would engage in some type of gaming along with other types of competition against other individual employees or other employee groups. Using small rewards for “winning” employees or employee teams, such as gift cards, can show both appreciation for effort, and organizational support for the employees’ achievement in their quest to live a healthier lifestyle.
The author:
Rachel Merkin is a digital marketing professional . She has been exploring the worlds of social media and B2B gift cards since 2006. When she is not blogging, tweeting, or finding ways to leverage Facebook as a marketing tool, she spends as much time at the beach as she can.
Tags: employee engagement, employee incentives, employee motivation, gamification, health and wellness
