Being a member of a healthcare team can be challenging and stressful. On some days, the pace can be frenetic, and on others, the necessary but repetitive daily tasks your team must complete can become predictable and dull. Employee gamification is an effective way to motivate your team to work harder and more collaboratively, tough it out when they have to, stay motivated, and learn more. It is an excellent tool you can use to keep your team spirit high and the work more fun, interesting, and rewarding.
This article explores 10 gamification features that will engage your team in learning and improving. First, let’s understand more about workplace gamification — what it is, potential benefits, and pitfalls to avoid.
What Is Team Gamification?
Workplace gamification is the application of game design elements, principles, and mechanics in a work environment to engage and motivate employees, improve productivity, foster teamwork, and encourage other positive behaviors. Contact Monkey(1) says, “The main goal is to make routine tasks more engaging by incorporating elements of play and competition — encouraging employees to participate more actively.” Gamification works because it taps into human psychology by heightening motivation and fostering achievement, friendly competition, and social connection. It can help teams bond, too, while employees cheer on one another and learn how to work through challenges and setbacks together.
Team gamification also can provide an excellent way to engage your team in learning complex new skills. Any new process or system rollout requires employees to unlearn some old behaviors and skills and learn new ones. Traditional rollout and training activities often give teams the perception that a change is being forced upon them. They may feel pressure from above to behave in new ways and on a tight deadline. However, Pawan Gulati(2) says, “Gamification gives them the control to make those behavior changes at their pace. A sense of ‘competition’ with their peers keeps them engaged and motivated.”
The key elements of team gamification may include any or all of the following:
Personalized identity. Have you ever wondered why the board game Monopoly designed player tokens such as the thimble, car, iron, or top hat? That personalized identity engages players from the start and increases their investment in the game. A similar approach to workplace gamification is to allow teams to choose their own names and avatars. If you like, ask them to develop a team motto and nicknames for each team member, too. Personalization can be a lot of fun and can increase your employees’ excitement and emotional investment in the game. It can remain a part of your team’s culture long after the game is over, too.
Points. Games often provide ways for teams to earn points for completing tasks or achieving goals. Points are highly motivating because they provide instant feedback and gratification for actions, as anyone who has played a video or arcade game knows. They function like the gold stars young learners earn from their teachers. Points become strong incentives, too, when they may be redeemed for attractive rewards. However, just the points alone have value.
Badges. Badges are visual symbols or virtual trophies awarded for team achievements and status. Often, they are used to identify levels accomplished such as junior, intermediate, and expert levels in skill development. Badges can be earned, too, for achieving team milestones such as a specified number of consecutive days without errors or to recognize a single outstanding achievement. Funny badges can be a great morale builder, too. However, be sure that funny badges are workplace appropriate and don’t make a joke at anyone’s expense.
Leaderboards. Leaderboards are visual representations that illustrate how teams are ranked. If you use a leaderboard, share it on a virtual dashboard or at a team meeting. However, don’t overemphasize leaderboards or share them too often, because that can discourage your less competitive and last-place participants or foster unhealthy competition.
Challenges and quests. Teams are given short- or long-term goals to complete. For example, a challenge could be “Complete Training Module 3 by Friday for 100 bonus points.”
Levels and progress indicators. Bars can illustrate team growth, learning, or task completion over time. Or a virtual thermometer with climbing levels of mercury can indicate progress toward completion of a large project.
Rewards. Teams can work toward earning desirable real-life rewards such as bonuses, recognition, or a special team outing or overnight trip. Think of rewards in three categories: monetary (bonuses, gift cards, and tangible items); recognition (shout-outs and certificates); and privileges (extra time off and flexible hours). Mystery rewards and surprise bonuses can heighten excitement. Everyone loves a good surprise, and mystery rewards inject excitement and anticipation into everyday tasks. Imagine employees completing a project, only to receive a surprise. That surprise will feel like a little gift, and the recipient will experience a morale boost. The unpredictability keeps everyone on their toes eagerly awaiting their next surprise. Consider adding “random acts of recognition,” where employees can nominate a colleague who’s gone above and beyond, and that person receives a surprise bonus or recognition. Such spontaneous appreciation not only boosts morale and gratitude but also creates a ripple effect, encouraging others to bring their best selves to work.
The Benefits of Team Gamification
Workforce gamification has been on the rise in recent years. Robert Cowlishaw(3) says, “Whether boosting productivity, retaining top talent, or creating better experiences, gamification is one of the tools being deployed to achieve these goals, and it’s gaining traction fast.” We can identify several possible reasons for this increase.
For one, gamification can improve employee retention. Nicole Fallon(4) says, “By adding elements of games to the standard employee/manager dynamic, businesses have found that employees are more likely to stick around….” For another, gamification can improve your recruitment efforts. It appeals particularly to a younger workforce and can improve a younger job candidate’s recruitment experience. Fallon explains, “Younger generations have different motivational and behavioral patterns and require a set of techniques that better align their style of learning and skill development with business goals. Gamified onboarding is a natural, fun and effective alternative for a changing workforce.” In fact, gamification can revolutionize the way an organization recruits talent. Mile Živkovic(5) says, “Unlike a traditional recruitment process, gamification in recruiting means saying goodbye to resumes, cover letters, and lengthy job application processes. It means providing an exciting way for the candidate to quickly show their skills and value to a prospective employer in a way that makes hiring decisions easier and fairer.”
Gamification also can encourage creativity and innovation. Joy Katheka(6) explains, “Games inherently require players to think critically, strategize, and find creative solutions to challenges presented within the game’s framework. When these principles are applied to real-world scenarios, employees are encouraged to approach problems with a fresh perspective.” Gamification introduces a sense of playfulness that breaks down mental barriers and encourages teams to explore unconventional ideas. By presenting challenges in a safe, game-like format, employees are more likely to view them as opportunities for creativity rather than daunting obstacles. Katheka says, “This shift in mindset promotes a culture of innovation where individuals feel empowered to contribute novel ideas and explore unconventional solutions to problems.” Perhaps Contact Monkey succinctly sums it up best, suggesting, “When work feels like play, everyone wins.”
Most importantly, gamification provides a platform for fostering collaboration by creating shared goals and objectives that encourage employees to work together towards a common purpose. Katheka says, “Through collaborative games and challenges, employees learn to leverage each other’s strengths, communicate effectively, and pool their creative resources. The competitive yet supportive nature of gamification promotes a sense of camaraderie among team members, breaking down silos and fostering a collaborative spirit.”
There has been some research about the benefits of gamifying a workplace team. Here are a few interesting research findings that Cowlishaw shares:
90% of employees say gamification makes them more productive at work.
85% of employees feel more engaged when gamification elements are integrated into their work processes.
83% of employees with gamified training feel motivated.
78% of employees notice no gamification elements in their work.
61% of employees with regular training feel bored.
Gamification increases workforce productivity by 50%.
Gamification increases employee engagement by 60%.
Organizations that use gamification in recruitment experience 40% lower turnover rates and improved retention.
The global gamification market is projected to grow to $48.72 billion by 2029.
Ten Best Practices for Using Gamification Effectively
The best workplace games focus on engaging elements and purposeful design targeted to clear and measurable outcomes. Here are 10 best practices for using workforce gamification effectively:
Take the long view. It’s very easy to get people excited about gamification when you first introduce it. However, over time, that enthusiasm can wane, especially if your gamification attempts are needlessly complicated. Cameron Yates(7) warns, “One of the chief things to avoid when it comes to gamification in the workplace is going too deep too early.” Make sure that whatever game you launch is appropriate for your team and not going to be a one-and-done event. Yates says, “After all, the goal is long-term engagement — not a brief spike.” Naturally, there will be some members of your team who relish competition more than others. However, your goal will be to engage as many of them as possible. Keep an eye on what works and what doesn’t. Then make tweaks and larger adjustments to the game as it goes along, and apply lessons learned to future games.
Provide clear instructions. The last thing you want to do is to launch a new game and leave everyone on your team scratching their heads. That’s a sure-fire way to demotivate employee participation. Sindhuja Ramakrishnan(8) says, “Offer straightforward guidelines to ensure learners can easily navigate gamified sections without confusion, optimizing engagement.”
Don’t overemphasize rewards or make them too lavish. It’s a gamification fallacy to think that your team will participate in your gamification program only if the rewards are huge and flashy. You don’t have to dangle an all-expenses-paid vacation in Tahiti to motivate your employees. There are three problems with relying on big rewards to motivate people. First, you can’t keep funding big rewards over the long term unless your pockets are extremely deep. Second, you can motivate behaviors you don’t want when the stakes are too high. For example, you may find employees cutting corners or neglecting crucial non-game tasks just to win. Third, while the winners will be elated, the losers, who probably represent the majority of your team, may resent the winners and be left with a sour taste in their mouths. Resentment is not the outcome you’re going for. For these reasons, Yates says, “The best corporate gamification programs are about the competition itself,” not the rewards.
Choose meaningful rewards. While you won’t want to go overboard with lavish rewards that can backfire, small tokens won’t be very motivating, either. For example, a $5 gift card to a coffee shop is nice but probably will lose its allure very quickly. Yates says, “We’ve found that some of the best gamification rewards are those that are connected to professional recognition and advancement. These include such prizes as lunch with the CEO, a LinkedIn recommendation from a VP, a shout-out at an all-hands meeting, an invitation to guest blog on the company blog, etc.” It helps to know your employees to figure out which prizes will be most meaningful to them. If you don’t know, invite the informal leaders on your team into the discussion about rewards. They may have a better idea than you do on the rewards that will be most motivating to your team.
Add urgency strategically. Every game should not be a relentless beat-the-clock challenge. However, a little short-term time pressure every now and then can add excitement, especially to a longer game. Ramakrishnan says, “Incorporate countdowns or time limits where appropriate to maintain focus and create excitement.” Just be certain that everyone has the same amount of time to devote to the timed challenge or it won’t be a fair competition.
Create a level playing field. While we’re on the topic of fairness, also be sure that the entire game isn’t rigged to favor certain players over others. For example, don’t create a game that’s possible to win with points earned through positive interactions with your patients unless every participant has equal opportunity to interact with them. Employees will know if they don’t have a chance to win and may not only not participate but resent that the game exists.
Don’t celebrate top performers only. If 90% of your participants are fully engaged in your game, that’s a huge win, regardless of whether the top 10% drive the majority of the game results. Cameron says, “Yes, you should reward your very top performer, but be careful to reward your participators as well. If you don’t, you’ll likely see a big drop off in engagement.”
Invest in professional design. You can create your own homespun game. However, you want the game to be as motivating as possible. Ramakrishnan suggests, “Use high-quality visuals and smooth navigation to make gamified training appealing and credible.” If you can’t produce a quality game or don’t have the time to do so, employ a workforce gamification company to provide the technical support and guidance your need. Ideally, choose a company that has experience working with organizations like yours.
Schedule gamification selectively. Overuse of games can lead to fatigue and resistance. Give your employees a break between games and vary how long you play each game. One that goes on too long or games played back-to-back can become tiresome. Also be mindful of optimal times in your annual calendar for games. Block out dates to avoid.
Set realistic challenges and expectations. Strive to create a Goldilocks game, one that is not too hard, not too easy, but just right. Ramakrishnan says, “Maintain a balance in difficulty to keep learners motivated without overwhelming them.”
Ten Gamification Pitfalls to Avoid
The advantage of introducing gamification in the workplace is clear; it makes work feel less like a chore. However, poorly designed gamification will encourage your team to feel that the game is confusing or just another task on a “to-do” list. Here are 10 pitfalls to avoid when embarking on a team gamification program:
Ignoring learner preferences. Not all employees will enjoy games, so offering a non-gamified option can be very important. For instance, Ramakrishnan says, “Allow employees to complete readings and quizzes outside of a game setting to respect varied learning styles.” Also offer participants their own customized leaning pathways. Adaptive game technologies create personalized learning journeys, making content relevant and challenging based on each learner’s needs and preferences. Participants can track their progress and adjust the difficulty level of the material accordingly, ensuring that they are always appropriately challenged.
Privacy concerns. Gamification typically involves collecting and analyzing data on employee behavior and performance. Mark Travers(9) warns, “This data collection can raise privacy concerns, potentially leading to employee distrust.” Take great care to protect employee data when launching any game for them to play. Share with your employees what you will do with the data you collect and who will have access to it.
Gamifying for its own sake. Simply playing games with your team won’t yield the results you seek. First, you must identify your targeted outcomes. Ramakrishnan says, “Prioritize defining learning objectives and outcomes first; gamification should complement these goals, not overshadow them.” What do you want your team to learn or do differently because they have played the game? What skills would you like them to develop? How, specifically, do you want them to improve their ability to work with one another? And how will you know if the game has helped you achieve those goals? Answer these questions first. Then, design the best game to achieve those outcomes.
Unintended negative consequences. Gamification done poorly may result in unintended consequences, such as fostering unhealthy competition among employees, creating a culture of favoritism, or reinforcing stereotypes and biases. Travers shares an interesting example of a game gone wrong. Travers says, “Within Disneyland’s gamified system, the live display of each employee’s productivity on leaderboards led to unintended consequences. It inadvertently sparked competition among them, ultimately undermining their collaborative culture.” Be mindful of the culture you wish to foster and consider whether a game or specific game rules may affect it negatively.
Neglecting known game design principles. Workplace gamification requires more than a game-like appearance. Ramakrishnan says, “Thoughtful design rooted in motivational psychology can keep learners engaged and encourage long-term learning.” The best games balance intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, fostering a sense of achievement and social connection. They align with self-determination theory (SDT). This is a psychological framework that focuses on human motivation and personality, emphasizing the importance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in fostering intrinsic motivation and personal growth. Travers warns, “Excessive use of gamification elements, such as extrinsic rewards, can undermine employees’ intrinsic motivation and autonomy, reducing their enjoyment and satisfaction at work.” Applying SDT, games that provide intrinsic rewards, rather than simply external motivators, lead to higher levels of engagement, participation, and motivation among employees. That’s why the best workplace gamification companies design their games with a basis in SDT and other aspects of human psychology.
Loss of authenticity. By gamifying work tasks, there is a risk of reducing the authenticity and meaningfulness of the work itself. Travers explains, “Employees may focus more on achieving rewards or points rather than engaging with the task for its inherent value.” You can make games more authentic by designing them for long-term learning and behavior changes. Then, follow up both immediately and long after your team has completed each game to reinforce those outcomes.
Going all-in too quickly. Avoid jumping into a long and complex game without testing it first. Ramakrishnan says, “Start small, such as with a pilot module, to test effectiveness. Gradually build out gamified features, using feedback and engagement metrics to guide further expansion.”
Ethical dilemmas. Ethical considerations arise when gamification enhances engagement without addressing serious underlying workplace issues, such as low pay or hazardous conditions. Travers says, “Gamification can raise ethical dilemmas regarding fairness, transparency and balancing organizational goals and employee well-being.” Games cannot be used effectively and may seem frivolous in organizations that have not addressed serious underlying problems. Travers says, “Workplace gamification cannot replace the minimum standards required for a productive and happy workplace, such as fair pay, healthy work-life balance and ensuring conducive working conditions such as adequate lighting and proper ventilation.”
Assuming that gamification appeals only to younger employees. Tailor your gamification efforts to suit the diverse demographics of your workforce. Ramakrishnan says, “Gamification isn’t just for younger learners; a significant portion of older employees also enjoy it.”
Exploitation and manipulation. Popular gamification techniques such as reward systems and leaderboards may make some employees feel that they are being manipulated or exploited. Do not create and launch a game that is likely to increase employee stress, burnout, and sense of control. Also, do not rely solely on gamification to motivate and manage your team. Travers warns, “Relying solely on gamification risks overlooking the more profound sense of purpose and belonging that meaningful work provides, potentially leading to superficial engagement and dissatisfaction in the long run.” Meaningful work entails a broader purpose that serves more excellent, reasonable or prosocial goals while facilitating self-realization, autonomy, authenticity, and self-expression at work. Use gamification with teams that already believe that their work is meaningful. Otherwise, a game will be just another carrot in a carrot-and-stick approach to managing them, which never works the best in the long run.
Ten Team Gamification Features that Will Engage Your Team
Be mindful that not every type of game will appeal to you or be right for your team and desired outcomes. The following list provides a sampling of gamification features that are commonly being used in workplaces with great success:
Training quests. Training quests transform skill development into engaging, interactive experiences. Jacob(10) explains, “Instead of traditional training methods, such as lectures or presentations, employees embark on quests that require them to acquire new knowledge or skills.” These quests can be in the form of interactive e-learning modules, simulations, or real-world challenges. Jacob suggests, “When designing training quests, ensure that they are relevant, interactive, and aligned with your organization’s learning objectives. Incorporate game elements, such as levels, achievements, and rewards to enhance motivation and engagement.” Then, be sure to provide regular feedback and assessments to track progress and celebrate employees’ learning achievements.
Virtual reality simulation games. Virtual reality refers to engaging computer-generated simulations that immerse users in a three-dimensional environment. The greatest benefit of using VR for team gamification is that it enables employees to experience hands-on learning in a safe environment. This type of practical experience can help learners retain information better and make them feel more confident when applying new skills in the real world. Team Building World(11) says, “[Virtual reality] simulations can help teams develop soft skills such as communication, leadership, etc. through realistic scenarios.”
Trivia competitions. Promoting a deep understanding of your healthcare organization’s mission, values, and culture is essential for employee engagement. Trivia competitions are a fun and interactive way to celebrate learning and align employees with your organization’s core values. When organizing trivia competitions, ensure that the questions are relevant, challenging, and aligned with your organization’s goals. Jacob suggests, “Consider incorporating various formats, such as live quizzes, online platforms, or team-based competitions. Celebrate the winners and provide feedback to participants to encourage continuous learning and engagement.”
Puzzles and quizzes. Gamification software and apps can incorporate puzzles and quizzes into their modules. Brainteasers related to the topic at hand are a fun way to challenge your team’s critical thinking skills. Team Building World says, “This can help learners retain information better and make the learning process more interactive and engaging.”
Locked content. Gamification can create a sense of mystery and discovery by keeping certain content locked. In fact, locking some content can tap into your employees’ natural desire for discovery and give them a reason to go above and beyond the required material. For example, bonus content, advanced topics, or fun and entertaining content can be unlocked only after your team achieves a certain level or completes a difficult challenge. Hidden secrets and jokes also can reward curiosity and exploration.
Treasure hunts. Organizing gamified treasure hunts can spice up your training sessions in a fun way. For example, you can create a treasure hunt or scavenger hunt that asks your team to find clues related to their training hidden throughout the workplace that lead to a final prize. Or you can gamify new employee orientation by creating a treasure hunt to help them learn your healthcare organization’s culture, values, and processes. Team Building World says, “This will motivate them to stay engaged in the training program and make the learning process more enjoyable.”
Narrative and storytelling. Storytelling is an effective technique to keep learners engaged and create an emotional connection to the material. For example, you can come up with a case study to illustrate how a healthcare organization successfully implemented a new process or strategy. Or you can use personal anecdotes or real-life examples to help your team relate the training content to their own work. Team Building World says, “By using stories to illustrate key concepts or ideas, learners can better understand the material and remember it more easily.”
Video. Video can add sight, sound, and energy to gamified team training. You can use videos to present new topics or demonstrate certain processes during a training session that are best shown rather than described. Videos can be especially welcome when you have text-heavy learning materials. They can be very appealing, especially to team members who are more visual and auditory learners.
Interactive maps. Interactive maps can help your team explore virtual worlds, either real or imagined. They can simulate different locations or scenarios depending on your topic. For example, interactive maps can be helpful when you want to improve your team’s problem solving and decision making skills. Your team can move through locations on the map to a final destination — your targeted learning outcomes. Team Building World suggests, “If you want to increase competition and excitement, you can incorporate game elements like timers or point systems.”
Augmented reality. Augmented reality is a technology that overlays digital content onto the real world, enhancing the user’s perception of their environment. Unlike virtual reality, which immerses users in a completely virtual environment, augmented reality integrates digital elements into the user’s real-world view. Jacob(12) suggests, “Imagine pointing your phone at a diagram of a human heart and having it come to life in 3D, with challenges to place the valves in the right spot.” Some gamification apps are already making this a reality.
Twelve Questions for Choosing the Best Gamification Software
If you do an online search, you will find article after article that ranks the top 10, 20, 25, or more gamification platforms, apps, and software on the market today. They don’t all agree, so you may end up in a quandary about what to do. Faster Capital(13) suggests that you ask and answer the following 12 questions to help you make the best choice:
What are your objectives? Be as specific as you can about what you’re trying to achieve before you go shopping. Different platforms offer various features and functionalities, so it’s crucial to assess which ones align with your objectives. For example, some platforms may focus on leaderboards and competition, whereas others may emphasize collaboration, badges, and achievements. What are you trying to achieve with gamification? What are the desired learning outcomes and behaviors that you want to elicit from your team? And how will you measure the success of your gamification strategy?
Who is your game user? How many employees are on your team? What do you know about how they learn? Do you have subgroups within your team that will need to have a different gamification experience? What are your team’s preferences, motivations, and pain points? And when and in what context do you hope to apply gamification? For example, if your team is young and tech-savvy, you may prefer to use gamification tools that offer a high level of interactivity, personalization, and socialization, such as avatars, customization, or social networks. If your team is serious and highly professional, you may prefer to use gamification tools that offer a low level of risk, complexity, and competition and focus more on feedback, progress, or recognition.
What is your budget? How much is your healthcare organization willing to spend on gamification? What technical and human resources do you have available for gamification? Do you have any other constraints? For example, if you have a low budget and limited resources, you may prefer to use gamification tools that are easy to use, integrate, and maintain, such as plug-ins, widgets, or templates. If you have a higher budget and ample resources, you may prefer gamification tools that are flexible, customizable, and scalable, such as platforms, software, or services.
What are your existing systems and technologies? You’ll need to ensure that the gamification tools you choose are compatible and integrate seamlessly with your existing systems and technologies.
What options are available? Explore different gamification platforms and software. Read reviews, compare features, and consider the reputation and track record of each resource. Do any of them have experience gamifying a healthcare organization like yours? If so, that can be a plus.
How scalable is the platform and software? If your healthcare organization is growing, you will want to choose a gamification platform that can scale with your increasing user base. Ensure that the platforms you’re considering can handle higher volumes of users and maintain performance. Assess whether platforms and tools are compatible with your different browsers, operating systems, and devices, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
How customizable is it? Does the platform or software allow you to customize the gamification elements to align with your healthcare organization’s identity and culture? Customization will enable you to create a more personalized and engaging experience for your team.
What are the data and analytics capabilities? Robust data and analytics capabilities are extremely important because they will enable you to track user behavior, measure the effectiveness of your gamification strategies, and make data-driven decisions.
What ongoing support is provided? Timely support and access to resources can be invaluable in troubleshooting issues and optimizing your gamification efforts. Look for platforms and tools that offer support in various ways, such as online tutorials, FAQs, forums, blogs, webinars, and videos. Also look for those that provide users with support in various channels, such as email, phone, chat, and social media. It can be a plus if the platform or tool offers support 24/7 and in languages in addition to English.
How secure will your data be from unauthorized access, misuse, and loss? Look for platforms or tools that follow the best practices and standards for data security, such as encryption, authentication, authorization, and backup. Also determine whether the platform complies with the relevant laws and regulations for data privacy and protection. Look for a platform or tool that has a clear and transparent privacy policy and terms of service, and that allows you to control and manage your organization’s and teams’ data.
What is the bottom line, all in? The cost of a gamification platform or tool can vary depending on the features, number of users, duration of the campaign, and level of customization. Exactly what’s included, how much will it cost, and what kind of return on investment can you expect from your gamification campaign? Some platforms or tools may offer free or low-cost options for nonprofits or social causes, whereas others may charge a premium for more advanced or exclusive features. Explore the hidden and additional costs, such as maintenance, updates, integration, and hosting fees.
What do their references say? A reputable gamification provider should be willing to give you references. Talk to organizations similar to yours that have used the gamification platform or technology to learn about their experiences. Those references will be invaluable and guide you to make the best decision possible.
Sidebar: How to Measure Gamification Success: Four Metrics
Gamification is a fun way to engage your team. But when it’s all over, have you achieved your goals? Stephen Spiegel(14) says, “You won’t know how successful your efforts are until you measure their effectiveness. Because you’re the one who knows what you want to achieve with your gamification program, it will be up to you to determine which key performance indicators are relevant.” Here are the four essential metrics Spiegel says you should track.
Engagement. One of the main reasons for implementing a gamification program is to improve team engagement. Tracking engagement helps you know who is using your gamification system, how they are using it, how often, and for how long. Spiegel says, “Possible engagement measurements can include the average number of actions performed per user, the number of users performing those actions, the number of return players, and the number of levels achieved." For example, you can measure engagement by the number of shares, comments, likes, and levels attained on the leaderboard. You also can measure how often users pursue challenges to completion, where they’re getting stuck, and abandonment rates.
Adoption. How many of your employees use the gamification program? The most basic way to measure adoption is by dividing the total number of employees currently logged into the gamification program by the total number of users with access permissions to the program. However, Spiegel suggests, “Remember that employees may be logged in but not actually tackling challenges or moving up levels, so take your metrics a notch higher by tracking how many tasks or challenges your logged-in users have started and how many they’ve completed.” Gamification software can enable you to create weekly or monthly measurements showing percentages of employees that have started one challenge, two challenges, and so on. In addition, you can track the number of completed challenges so you can have a clearer picture of how your team is following through on the challenges they started. Also, software can enable you to track which of the challenges most users are starting, which ones they’re abandoning, and which ones they’re completing. These metrics can help you figure out where users are succeeding and where they’re getting stuck, which can help you improve your game significantly.
Productivity. How does the program affect employee productivity and performance? To measure productivity, you need to measure the key activities that users perform relative to the business goals you want to achieve. Spiegel says, “Because productivity measures the effect on the employees and the business, you can divide the metric into two parts: the program’s effect on employees’ behavior (such as improved motivation, job satisfaction, and retention) and the modified employee behavior on business performance relative to your business goals (such as shorter waiting times and fewer complaints from patients)."
Return on investment. What is the value of your gamification program versus its cost? You can measure cost reductions as well as increases in performance, patient retention, and revenue. Spiegel says, “The higher the figures, the more successful the program. If the figures are low, consider reviewing your program to find out where you can improve.” Also, consider the cost of the program in terms of the time and effort required. Is it a worthwhile use of your team’s time? What else could they do with the same time and effort to achieve your goals, and with what potential outcomes?
References
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