Although almost everything can be gamified does not mean that everything should be done so. This month there has been lots of talk about gamifying whole organizations. This has also understandably received some critique.
The main idea is simple: Companies are encouraged to move their business models and become better work environments by using just a little bit of genuine gamification magic. The problem: it is not necessarily good thing to apply gamification everywhere, since it does not automatically provide any added value.
There are some areas where gamification can be used efficiently within any (bigger) organization, though. Here are some good examples:
1.Giving more efficient feedback and rewards to employees to increase motivation. Just like in games.
2.Gamifying innovative processes: If innovative processes are gamified and made more playful, there is a chance that not the big bosses only get to change the directions of these processes. How can one get feedback from a factory worker, whose motivation is only to get one’s salary instead of making a company work more efficiently? By listening and rewarding them. They are most likely the first ones to notice the things that need enhancement in the grass root –level, anyway.
3.Using games as part of management training. Show the managers the way how their actions influence the whole working environment and the mindset of their employees.
It’s not about changing the whole company or business model but enhancing the work atmosphere and making some of the organizations processes more efficient by using game mechanics. Some gamification tools could also be used at the organizations strategy making, why not? As long as it makes sense (and the workers will not feel like they are taking part into some kind of playoffs / elimination scheme. )
