Designing Digitally
09/13/2017
A recent Gallup poll showed that the percentage of employees who say they are engaged at work is a mere 32%. The flip side of that percentage means that 68% of employees say they are not engaged at work.
The repercussions of this massive amount of workers not mentally occupied with their jobs are far reaching. Productivity certainly suffers, quality suffers, and it can ultimately have a negative impact on a company’s financial standing.
What is the key to turning these abysmal numbers around? What will make the difference? The answer very well may be elearning gamification.
Gamification sometimes gets a bad rap. It can be seen by some as frivolous and a waste of time. That assessment couldn’t be further from the truth. Sometimes, gamification can be as simple as rewarding employees for tasks that they already normally do. It can also be integrated more comprehensively with great benefits. Think about this statistic: the use of gamification can increase employee engagement by 60%!
Gamification can have a positive impact on each area of a business. Take a look at how it affects these facets of company success:
Employees. For the employees, introducing gaming aspects to the tasks they already perform can be a great start. For example, attach a points system to the travel that employees do for work. Miles could be counted and a leaderboard used so that everyone sees the standings. It motivates, adds a level of competition, and it adds a bit of fun. An employee who is having fun is going to be a lot more interested in their job. Engaged employees are 43% more productive, produce 23% more revenue, and are 83% less likely to leave their jobs.
It isn’t playing games at work! It’s using the principles of games in a corporate environment to meet business objectives. It’s not a new concept in the workplace, though it has changed significantly in the last several years. The biggest shift has been in the area of technology. As with the rest of the world, advances in the tech world have left their mark on the training programs that corporations use to educate their employees.
Consumers, employees, and the companies they work for all benefit from gamification. Engaged employees care about their work and are invested in the company. Engaged consumers supply repeat business. The advantage for the corporation is increased revenue and a well-prepared workforce that is committed to their work and to the company.