Finding great talent is only half the battle. The other is retaining and engaging those team members.
As more and more young people join the workforce, human resources professionals are changing their strategies to meet worker expectations and to encourage team members to grow within the company.
In comes gamification.
As the name implies, gamification is using game-thinking and game mechanics in nongame scenarios to engage users and solve problems. It can be used in recruitment, onboarding and employee engagement.
In recruiting, gamification focuses on personalization and adding elements of fun to the process. It can include quizzes around industry and company challenges and even behavioral quizzes. This takes the monotony out of recruiting and encourages applicants to engage with the company. Recruiters also are able to better understand behavior and capabilities.
Of all the new hire processes, onboarding can be the most tedious and taxing for new employees. Incorporating gamification can take the process to a whole new level.
One simple and easy way to utilize gamification is creating a digital checklist where employees can track their progress as they complete tasks. You also can set up actionable goals to complete before additional or new responsibilities are given. This will keep employees engaged and motivate them to accomplish their objectives.
After you’ve selected the right candidate, it can be a challenge to keep them engaged. Gamification can be used to make repetitive tasks more interesting, generate continuous feedback on employee performance and provide a new path to skill mastery. It also can help ease hierarchical barriers and keep lines of communication open between employees and upper management by adding an element of fun to providing constructive feedback.
One of the clearest and most consistent uses of gamification at Central Michigan University is the Virgin Pulse Wellness Rewards Program. This program operates on a points and level system, allowing participants to earn points for engaging in their choice of healthy behaviors and activities. The more points earned, the higher the cash incentives awarded to employees.
“We want to do our best to provide the tools that help people,” Tammy Griffin, manager of CMU’s health and wellness program, said. “We are human beings, so what helps us be the best people that we can be ultimately benefits the university and the students we serve.”
Make sure you have all the tools you need for effective human resources leadership with your choice of two master’s degrees in human resources from Central Michigan University.