Gamification: A Different Strategy for Doing Business [Infographic]

Gamification gives a company the possibility to increase the productivity of employees of a department. It can also give a company the possibility to outrun their competitors. So, what is gamification and how exactly does it work?

Market Inspector, a B2B digital marketplace, has created an infographic that delineates what gamification is and how it can be used by companies to level up their business.

Human beings tend to be competitive. Therefore, in different measures we are all attracted to games as they release our competitive instincts. Gamification brings this equation into the working environment by applying game methods and game thinking to different pre-existing tasks. The final aim is to increment the engagement of the employees through these gamified tasks.

Still, what are game methods and game thinking? The tools used for gamifying a task can be many, between those: badges, points, challenges, leaderboards, levels, etc. These tools are  analogous of specific game dynamics such as reward, competition, status-building and pride. Addictive game dynamics of a task corresponds with a higher level of engagement from the employee. As mentioned in the infographic, employees that are faced with gamification are more engaged and less likely to leave their job.

The enhancement of the employee commitment can be the solution for a series of different issues. Market Inspector highlighted three key issues related to employees that can be approached and solved with gamification.

The first one is connected to the hiring process. Finding the perfect fit for a job position is never easy. It takes time and the future employee might not be as prepared as expected. Gamification can reduce time and mistakes by transforming the hiring process into a game composed of challenges or tasks. Thanks to this game, the HR team can identify individuals with better skills and knowledge.

PwC’s Hungarian branch offers a real life example. The consulting company relies on a platform called Multipoly which recreates business cases that the applicant has to solve.

The second issue mentioned, which businesses face on a recurring basis, is the retention of talents. By implementing a reward or status-building type of dynamic, gamification can increase the engagement and motivation of employees, and thus increase the retention rate.

The third issue that a company might face is the learning time needed after the implementation of a new system. Naturally, employees are required to understand the new programmes to work with them. This learning process requires time. This time can be efficiently reduced by implementing gamification, as gamification and education have been associated for a long time.

Another practical example of implementation in a company, is Deloitte’s academy. This platform helps the employees to be always up to date with business trends.

Moreover, gamification is a strategy that can be applied in marketing campaigns. The scope of every marketing campaign is to create and maintain engagement. This final goal resonates with the aim of gamification. The same game dynamics mentioned before can be applied again for customers. In this case, the tools are focused on giving customers discounts, prizes, the chance to discover new products, or the opportunity to share their opinion.

Furthermore, the infographic analyses two customer-facing issues that can be resolved using gamification: engagement at trade shows and increasing the number of brand advocates for your company.

It can be difficult to attract the attention of people at trade shows, however with gamification you can incentivise engagement by offering discount tickets at your booth that can later be redeemed in your shop or on your website.

Finally, gamification can also increase the number of brand advocates your business has. Samsung Nation, which is a platform developed by Samsung, exemplifies this in an effective way. The platform  brings customers to upload feedback online by rewarding them with badges and trophies.

Therefore, gamification is an effective tool that a company can use for an array of different issues it may face. Game thinking can be applied to both internal-facing and external-facing matters in order to boost engagement and ultimately level up a business.

Author Bio

Arianna Duse is a communication assistant at Market Inspector. She has recently concluded her studies at Aalborg University in Culture, Communication, and Globalisation, and now she is part of Market Inspector, a B2B marketplace that helps businesses find quality suppliers and make informed decisions.