TalentLMS conducted a gamification survey in 2014 to examine how gamified elements change the state of training. In 2018, their gamification stats focused on productivity, motivation, and gamification for employee engagement. This year, the TalentLMS survey covered both topics.

“Recruitainment” incorporates entertaining game elements into the recruitment process.

The interest in gamification seems to be constant. A simple search online comes up with 11 million pages with published content on gamification in business, statistics, and gamification studies.

But does it work? Is employee gamification worth the publicity? In 2018, the answer was yes. But what about now?

TalentLMS turned to almost 900 employees and asked whether they had noticed any gamification elements in an app or software they use at work. 374 answered no and were disqualified.

Summary of key findings from TalentLMS’s 2019 Gamification at Work survey :

• Employees say gamification makes them feel more productive (89%) and happier (88%) at work.
• 43% of the employees haven’t noticed any gamification elements at work.
• 33% would like more game-like features in their employee training software.
• 61% of the respondents receive training with gamification.
• 83% of those who receive gamified training feel motivated, while 61% of those who receive non-gamified training feel bored and unproductive (Yikes!).
• Gamification in the workplace still has a significant impact on employee engagement, motivation, and psychology.
• 89% believe they’d be more productive if their work was more gamified.
• 78% of the respondents say that gamification in the recruiting process would make a company more desirable.

Gamification at work: What is it, and how do employees experience it?

When we’re talking about gamification at work, we’re basically talking about turning work activity into a more game-like experience. This way, processes like training and everyday tasks become more interesting and engaging.

Here’s a list of the most common gamified elements staff come across, in order of popularity:

• 71% mention badges as the most common gamification element.
• 59% say they’re granted points by an app or software at work.
• 56% are awarded virtual or physical rewards for accomplishments.
• 51% put leaderboards fourth.
• 47% work with levels.

These findings suggest that, although the technology of gamification is getting more complex, companies, for now, prefer to stick to traditional gamification features.

Gamification and employee training: A complete tie-in

Gamification in training is not a new concept. According to our gamification stats, 61% of employees receive gamification in training.

But which kind of apps would employees like to see more game-like features in?

As it turns out, employees would like to see more gamification in their corporate training software, as well as in communication apps: two areas that don’t have to do with their everyday and repetitive tasks at work per se, but mostly with additional projects that can make their work better.

As for the type of training employees would gamify more if they had the chance:

• 30% picked gamification in corporate compliance training first
• 18% chose training on products and services
• 16% selected technical skills development training

It’s no secret that compliance training could use some entertaining elements. And this 30% who picked it first don’t want to feel bored while taking it.

We also asked employees how they feel while taking their employee training. The good news is that 62% feel motivated. The bad news is that 31% feel bored and unproductive. But what happens if you compare gamified to non-gamified training?

Gamified training vs. non-gamified training

There is also a correlation between gamification in training and employee engagement. When gamified elements are added to training, motivation climbs up to 83%, and boredom drops to just 10%.

Let’s dig into the details.

The majority of people who receive non-gamified training score really low in motivation (28%). They also find their training boring (49%) and unproductive (12%).

Now, here’s what happens when they receive training that features gamification elements (usually eLearning gamification): 83% feel motivated, and only 13% feel bored or unproductive.

In a nutshell, when compared to non-gamified training, it seems that gamification boosts the motivation to learn, and decreases boredom and unproductiveness.

Gamification, motivation, and engagement: A success trio

In 2018, gamification survey results were focused a lot on employee motivation and engagement and on how these two were affected by the concept of gamification. This year, we wanted to see how much the numbers have changed.

In 2018, 81% of respondents said that gamification provided a sense of belonging and purpose in the workplace. Today, the numbers look slightly higher:

But it goes much deeper. In the previous section, you saw how eLearning gamification creates motivated learners. Now, we can see how gamified software can affect employee psychology and even can be associated with feelings of happiness.

As a matter of fact, the gamification engagement stats suggest that almost 9 in 10 employees feel happier when they use gamified software at work.

Happy staff equals a happy company. To succeed in that, it would be a good idea for a company to focus more on making processes more fun and, of course, more gamified.

But it should be done the right way.

Karl Kapp, gamification expert and TEDx speaker, notes on gamification and its potential:

“[…]gamification does have great potential but, it’s not reaching that potential as currently implemented. However, when it is implemented it seems to be motivating.”

Gamification, however, doesn’t only increase engagement between a company and its workforce. According to our findings, it also engages them with the actual gamified tool itself.

In 2018, 85% said they’d spend more time on an app or software because of gamification elements. This year, the number has grown by 4%.

You know companies should introduce gamification at work. But what type of gamification should they invest in?

To figure out the most commonly accepted gamified elements, we asked employees to rank a list of them from most to least motivating. Rewards, for the second year in a row, came first.

Here are the top 5 most motivating gamification elements according to employees:

1. Rewards
2. Badges
3. Points
4. Leaderboards
5. Levels

Again, trainees seem to be familiar with the traditional gamification elements that, as seen above, companies already provide.

Gamification is a productivity booster

So, gamification can affect employees psychologically. Now, let’s examine how it helps them on a practical level. How do employees respond to gamification when it comes to their actual job and day-to-day tasks?

The news is still good. Employee gamification seems to be boosting competition and eagerness among 89% of the respondents.

On top of that, another 89% clearly states that gamification makes them productive at work; a number which, compared to 2018, is higher by only 2%. But, compared to 2014, it’s higher by 10%.

Last but not least, it looks like gamification is highly requested. Eighty-nine percent say that, if their job had even more gamified elements, they’d probably be more productive.

It’s worth noting that, despite our respondents indicating gamification would make them more productive at work, Karl Kapp says management has expressed some doubts:

“An argument against gamification I often hear from management is that gamification would be a distraction and undermine productivity [. ] It doesn’t appear from this response that the employees would be distracted.”

Recruitainment: Gamification in recruitment is gaining ground

Gamification is already very involved in employees’ everyday tasks. It’s time to take a look at a new gamification trend: gamification in the hiring process, also known as recruitainment.

In an attempt to make it more interesting, more effective in terms of hiring the best talent, and shorter, gamification has entered the hiring game.

A 2015 research by Glassdoor indicated that the average time-to-hire was 22.9 days. In its 2017 report, it was 23.8, and, according to a survey by Workable, in some industries recruitment takes even longer than a month.

To see how much of an actual trend it’s becoming, we need to see how much it’s really implemented. Have people come across any gamification elements while being recruited for a job?

With 45% saying yes, we can say that recruitainment is slowly becoming more frequent. Almost as much as gamification at work.

And how do employees feel about recruitainment? Would gamification in the hiring process make a company more likable? Turns out, it would:

Conclusion: Ask the right question

It’s not about whether gamification at work is an asset to companies. Several reports, including this survey, show how much employees appreciate gamification — both as a concept as well as a reality.

The real question is what type of gamification businesses need to implement to achieve engaged, happy, and productive employees. According to our findings, these are the key points a company should focus on:

• Gamification in training with the use of a gamified LMS.
• Gamification in their communication software and tools.
• Digital or physical awards based on their performance or goal achievements.
• Gamified elements with the purpose to boost employee productivity.
• Gamification in recruitment (recruitainment) to engage employees even before they come on board.

All in all, the findings from the TalentLMS 2019 Gamification at Work survey suggest that gamification is, indeed, gaining traction. In addition to its rising popularity, it looks like gamification is likable — not only among the HR community but also among employees who vote in its favor.

The types or the circumstances under which gamification is implemented may have changed. The fact that gamification is here to stay, hasn’t.

Aris Apostolopoulos is a faithful follower of the eLearning mentality, and a cosmonaut in orbit around the latest trends in the eLearning solar system. After multiple, around-the-eLearning-universe tours, his spaceship has landed on TalentLMS. This is where he publishes articles related to eLearning, the continuous learning philosophy, as well as posts on the latest industry news and trends.

Source

The 2019 Gamification at Work Survey

TalentLMS

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Now is the time to invest more, not less on employee engagement. One of the best ways to do this is through online learning. This will not only help you retain and engage your existing workforce, supporting them during a time of change, but fill critical skills gaps as we continue to shift to digital processes.

If you’re one of the many organisations looking to implement a new online learning solution, or improve your existing online solution, there’s a right and wrong way to go about it.

For learning to be effective, people need to be engaged. When people learn new information is an interesting, fun, attention-grabbing way, this can be the difference between them remembering or completely forgetting it an hour later! 

Gamified learning is becoming increasingly popular in workplace training because of how it engages people. Gamification is the process of applying game-design elements and principles into non-game contexts. It’s the set of activities and processes to solve problems by applying characteristics of game elements. For example, point scoring or competition. 

So, how can workplaces gamify learning? 

1. Use storytelling 

You can incorporate storytelling through online training and face-to-face workshops. 

Games are often based on a narrative. So learning can be structured in a similar way, with the learner moving through a series of scenarios to reach a desired outcome. Many of Scout Learning’s online training providers include a narrative-style and or scenario-based concepts in the delivery. For example, Via Up, Pearls of Wisdom, Vado.

People are highly attuned to storytelling, so a narrative structure helps participants stay engaged. Engaged learners are more likely to retain information and be able to apply it in the workplace. 

2. Levels and awards 

With online learning, modules can be structured in the same way as the different levels of a game. 

In order for participants to gain access to the next level of learning content, they need to complete their current stage with a certain standard. Progressing to the next level might take the form of a quiz or another demonstration of understanding. 

We can also structure awards in the same way. For example you could use bronze, silver and gold awards for customer service, or awards with levels of achievement relating to job or role progression. For example, new starter, 2IC and manager. Training or awards can be set up to track CPD (Continuing Professional Development) hours. 

3. Points, credits and badges 

Points or badges can keep learners engaged. Many apps (for both children and adults) are designed in this way, giving participants recognition for the number of times they have completed an activity or engaged with content. 

This activates the reward centre in the brain, encouraging participants to progress to the next stage to earn another reward.  

Points and credits can be used to create targets. They can also establish clear expectations for learning goals. 

Create set training targets for teams and individuals to bring a competitive element to learning. These targets can be tracked and measured with associated rewards for reaching goals. 

4. Use surveys to insights from participants 

Talk to your learning provider about setting up surveys and assessments as part of your implementation. 

While data on the LMS (Learning Management System) dashboard will tell part of the story of learner engagement, here are some tips to gain a more in-depth understanding of your users’ learning experience:

• Assess learner engagement through surveys: You can include built-in surveys (e.g. Survey Monkey) in your customised courses and/or embed a learner engagement survey link in your LMS (Learning Management System) homepage. Many of our clients love this feature!
• Ask for feedback on courses: Use built-in “discussion and feedback” features to obtain feedback and promote collaborative learning.
• Use assessment data: Your LMS dashboard is a great place to assess learner engagement. Track login and completion rates. If they’re low or high, you can identify if the content you’re providing is hitting the mark. 

Engaging learners through gamification is a sure-fire way to help your people get the most out of their training and remember key concepts over the long-term. 

Gamification is simple and easy to implement. Choose a trusted provider that will design learning that incorporates gaming elements to engage your people and improve long-term outcomes for your business.  

Exclusive offer for Recruitment Marketing Magazine readers: join me and our Executive Director in May for our webinar on Learning Management Systems during a pandemic, economic downturn and beyond – when, why and how?

Natasha Scott is an Account Manager and Learning Services Specialist for Scout Talent. She has certifications in Learning Management Systems and extensive experience supporting clients with Scout Learning. In her current role, she delivers tailored solutions, training and support for users of Scout Talent’s recruitment software products and services. With a background in business development and account management, she is passionate about building relationships, developing learning cultures and getting the best value for clients.

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