Gamification is more than you think

Do you recall the emergence of gamification in the corporate sphere around a decade ago? It emerged as a significant trend, sparking diverse opinions. Some praised its innovative approach, while others remained skeptical or indifferent. However, its prominence appears to have diminished, but has it truly?

Many perceive gamification as a derivative of traditional gaming, utilizing similar strategies and elements to engage and retain users. This involves implementing features like point accumulation, badge awards, and leaderboard rankings, which sometimes feel trivial. If this is the prevailing view, one might question the relevance of gamification today.

Yet, if we frame this concept within the context of behavioral science, it may seem like an entirely different topic. In reality, it isn't. At its core, effective gamification revolves around influencing and modifying behavior. Observing current trends, gamification's influence is still apparent. It enhances customer loyalty, attracts new business, inspires employees, and secures a competitive edge.

Essentially, it boils down to comprehending the driving factors behind human motivation. While not always immediately obvious, numerous organizations effectively utilize and benefit from gamification strategies.

How to use gamification for your organization’s advantage?

To effectively encourage positive changes in behavior among customers and employees, gamification should be engaging, meaningful, and impactful.

Imagine wanting to cultivate a garden. The straightforward advice is to plant seeds, water them regularly, and wait for growth. If it were that easy, everyone's gardens would be flourishing. However, the focus point lies in maintaining enthusiasm and effort over time, especially when immediate results aren't visible. To initiate their journey towards a blooming garden, individuals often need immediate, small successes that spark continued interest.

Now, let's think about how to harness gamification for your customers and employees similarly and effectively.

1. Lay a solid foundation

Before diving into gamification, it's essential to ensure that the underlying process is sound and valuable. Gamification cannot salvage a flawed process. Firstly, evaluate the process in question and clarify the goals you aim to achieve. Only after establishing this foundation should you consider whether gamification could enhance the experience and how to implement it effectively.

2. Deeply connect with your audience

Grasping the nuances of your audience's motivations is key. People have diverse triggers for motivation. For instance, some are inspired by encouraging actions and messages (such as participating in community improvement projects for societal benefit). On the other hand, some react more strongly to motivators that convey a sense of immediacy or potential loss (like the opportunity to be an early adopter of a new technology or risk being left behind).

Combining both aspirational and cautionary motivators can be highly effective, guiding individuals to make proactive choices to achieve positive results. Hence, when devising your strategies for engagement and promoting positive behavioral shifts, it's important to integrate a balanced mix of these motivational elements.

3. Equilibrate your incentives

Avoid assuming that individuals will act solely for long-term advantages, whether for your business or their personal benefit. Begin with immediate incentives and gentle prompts while highlighting the long-term gains concurrently. For employees, the ultimate aim might be career advancement, with immediate motivators being tangible acknowledgments and public recognition.

4. Position them as the protagonist

Narratives have immense influence. Position your customers or employees as the protagonists in your story. A common thing in many businesses is to focus the narrative on themselves, but individuals are more engaged when they understand how interacting with your product or service will benefit them, explained in clear, straightforward terms.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

When we really think about gamification, we find a narrative far richer than its humble beginnings might suggest. By weaving gaming elements into the fabric of work and learning, gamification breathes life into routine tasks. It transforms the monotonous into the engaging, fostering an environment where motivation and enjoyment coexist, making every Jack and Jill far from dull.