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Employer Branding

What are the Pitfalls of Workplace Gamification?

Games can make any task more fun. At least, that’s many companies’ thoughts when implementing gamification in the workplace, to increase employee engagement. Employees think so too. Seventy percent of employees felt engagement software would help them perform better at work, and 80% said they would be more productive if their work were more game-like. But research suggests that might not be the case, if gamification is not used properly.

The infographic below — compiled by Bonusly, a Web platform that helps companies reward and motivate employees by using peer-to-peer bonuses — explains how, when used properly, workplace gamification can boost employee productivity and happiness.

Takeaway stats:

  • 80% of gamified apps will fail to meet business objectives, primarily due to poor design.
  • In 8 of 9 tasks across 3 examined experiments, higher incentives led to worse performance
  • At the end of an 18-month period, participation rates at companies using gamification were 50% lower than companies using peer recognition.

Check out the full infographic below and to learn some of the unintended side effects that can come from workplace gamification.

What do you think? What are some other ways workplaces can misuse gamification?

RELATED: Why Recruiters Need Gamification

gamification in the workplace

By Jörgen Sundberg

Founder of Undercover Recruiter & CEO of Link Humans, home of The Employer Brand Index.