Our lives are becoming more and more like video games. This is partly because games have advanced by leaps and bounds over the last thirty years, becoming better and better at imitating reality. And partly this is thanks to Generation Y, the children of the 1980s and early 1990s who grew up just as consoles and computers were working their way into every home.

A large and growing proportion of the workplace is dominated by employees who are used to viewing life through the lens of video games. Gamification isn’t just a buzz word; it’s a bona fide trend that can transform the way a modern company does business.

By applying characteristics of gaming into a workplace context, gamification seeks to motivate Gen Y employees with elements of a system they know by heart. This can mean features like transparent performance statistics to encourage competition, and badges or leveling to reward good work, but the what’s most is the idea that clear rewards and performance metrics are the new key to motivating your employees.

Generation Y already makes up 25 percent of the workforce, and that number is certain to grow. For them, gaming is a vehicle for cooperative and competitive interactions, problem solving and discovery, all attributes that can apply to the workplace. And they already use gaming as a lens to view their life, telling an MTV study that a “game-like metaphor” applies to almost any aspect of it. These workers instinctively know how to function in a game-like environment, and that represents untapped potential for new motivational techniques.

The idea of gamification has already inspired a new form of employee rewards with sites like Achievers who allow employees to earn benefits in many forms and levels as set by companies. Rypple uses social badges and introduces some gamification to employee feedback. For companies who have young employees and are looking to inspire gamification is a natural fit. The same principles can apply across industries, wherever young employees are looking for a chance to show their skills.

There are lots of great resources on Gamification and I encourage you check out how the concept can help you and your company connect with younger employees.


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