Gamification principles can be effectively used in certain aspects to human resources
management to keep employees motivated and engaged. Behaviour motivating techniques of
traditional, modern and social games, like competition, real time feedback, addiction, fun,
transparency, design intuitiveness, and performance based rewards etc can be used by
organisations to achieve goals related to human resources management.
1) Employee Training and Development – Online and offline training courses related to
employees’ field of job or the mandatory HR training pertaining to compliance policies,
security and sexual harassment guidelines etc. are seldom attended with enthusiasm. These
courses, which are not always beneficial in the short term, are often neglected by employees,
who are busy dealing with their regular work. Adding some gamification experience to this
mundane job can spur action.
Employees can be motivated to pursue these courses by engaging them in a series of
challenges and contests. For instance, company might put up an online portal where
employees are rewarded for their timely progress in training programmes. These reward
points might be traded for actual gifts or perks. Real time feedback and rewards for top
scorers will induce a spirit of competition.
2) Recruitment and Onboarding – Rounds of multiple tests, interviews, discussions, and
verifications can be very boring and testing patience of prospective candidates. Applying
gamification techniques on few of these jobs can help in engaging candidates with ease.
Online tests, scheduling of interviews, submission of documents etc can be done in a
very game like manner using progress charts and achievements.
This would increase the probability of candidate accepting the job offer and ultimately
joining the company because by this point the candidate would already be highly engaged
with the organisation. It would also facilitate transparency, which is very much expected
by the candidates at this point.
Game elements of discovery and fun can also be used in the stages of verification
formalities, orientation, and HR training etc. during the onboarding and orientation
process. This keeps employees’ spirits high and catalyses the process of adjusting to the new
work environment.
3) Engagement and Retention – Gamification can help in achieving higher levels of employees’
engagement with the organisation as well as their social engagement among themselves.
Principles of social gaming like continuous visibility, regular updates and notifications,
multi tier connections, ratings, likes and dislikes feedback etc can be used to keep up
personal engagement with and among the employees.
It is very important that employees of various departments, even if not working directly
together, should have healthy and friendly relations with each other. Apart from events like in
house games and outdoor sporting events, social network games will facilitate the cause.
These games can gather wider participation, owing to certain employees’ hesitation, non
presence, or busy schedules which restrict their participation in regular events.
All these activities also contribute in employee retention as they induce happiness in the
workplace and bring management, HR, leaders and general workforce closer to each
other.