How to get the most out of Gamification

Definition of Gamification

The concept of Gamification is not simply adding a game to something; gamification is the application of gaming elements such as point scoring, competing with others, introducing rules of play to a traditionally non-gaming activity, which encourages user engagement with a product or service. How does this apply in the workplace?

In today’s world, we face many digital distractions which can often result in business leaders finding it difficult to find ways to keep their audience engaged and thriving to achieve their goals. Gamification can be used to nudge individuals in a specific direction and drive communication in a fun and meaningful way.

BI WORLDWIDE incorporates various gaming elements such as badging, scoring, leader boards, and level completion, into client programmes and events as a way to incentivise, drive positive behaviours, and enhance the participant’s experience, which ultimately will meet the client’s objectives as a result. Humans are naturally competitive creatures, so providing them with gaming elements to compete whilst performing their expected tasks is very likely to prove successful.

Examples of incorporating gamification elements into client programmes

Working with a global pharmaceutical brand, BI WORLDWIDE incorporated gamification into the client’s event in order to tackle challenges with pre-event engagement. Delegates were reluctant to complete pre-event research before attending educational sessions each day, meaning interaction levels were low and there was a lack of understanding towards the client product. To increase engagement and enhance knowledge, individuals were entered into leader board competitions, competing with other delegates. This incentivised them to complete the learning ahead of the event each day.

In just 10 days of launching this approach, 90% of delegates had engaged and completed the required sessions, exceeding expectations. Not only had this encouraged people to complete their expected research, but people came to the sessions eager to earn more points and be recognised on the leader board amongst their peers and other regions. These types of gamification elements meant the competition and incentive continued after the event.

Gamify something and create a competitive environment to drive results.

Badges are a great example of gamification. You may be more familiar with the following brands which have seen success from utilising badging functionality. LinkedIn gives you a percentage completion score when setting up your LinkedIn profile, comparing your score against other users. This mechanism encourages you to complete each section to achieve an

Apple and Fitbit use gamification to motivate and engage users to enhance their workout regimes and increase daily exercise. This includes rewarding users on their progress with milestone badges and setting challenges to compete with other enthusiasts. As a result, users become loyal to their product in a fun and exciting way.

Badges are a great tool to outline and reinforce positive behaviours which your business is trying to achieve. BI WORLDWIDE has used badging functionality on incentive programmes to encourage individuals to register, participate in an online training quiz or encourage recognitions.

Not all individuals work in the same way or are motivated by the same outcome. We’re aware that one size doesn’t fit all. Applying gamification to your business objectives is just one of the many ways to drive engagement and brand loyalty. To incentivise your audience, we believe you must have the right solution in place which offers a balance of rewards, technology, communication, with reporting. When personal goals overlap with clear business objectives, this will achieve true success.