Everything you need to know about gamification

A concept that has become widely popular in the last decade, game based-learning has been transforming the business world for several years. This strategy promotes games in order to get employees to change their practices and behaviour. Also called "gamification", this concept makes it possible to find new levers of motivation towards interactive and engaging training. In a context where every organisation is considering a transformation, whether cultural, organisational, digital or other, gamification offers a creative and lively way to solve current problems. 

What exactly is gamification? 

Definition of gamification: it is actually a real trend that operates in all aspects of our lives: work, school for the youngest and everyday life. This approach, which is not so new, consists in integrating game mechanics into a context which, at first sight, does not lend itself to it. In the business world, gamification helps to present a product, a service or new information in a way that engages the target audience, stands out from the crowd and ensures that the information is properly assimilated. A study menée en 2020 par Elearning Industry démontre que 89% des employés en entreprise se sentent motivés ou challengés dans l’exécution de leur travail lorsque la gamification est utilisée. Il semblerait que la formule fasse effet !

As part of a marketing strategy, gamification makes a concept more accessible to a non-expert audience. In the context of complex technologies or innovation, the contribution of game mechanisms facilitates the understanding of the product or service. The advantage of a game experience is that it opens up the mind by immersing the player in a context that they are not used to. The target is more likely to play the game as a competitive reflex but not only (see Roger Caillois' principles of gamification below) and at the same time to remember the experience better. Internally, gamification often responds to issues related to change management and team skills development. According to a study by TalentLMS about this topic, 83% of participants who have taken a gamified course feel motivated, alors que 61% de leurs collaborateurs qui ont participé à une formation classique se sentent lassés et peu productifs. De toute évidence, les employeurs gagneraient à insuffler leur activités dites “sérieuses” d’une dimension récréative ! 

The 7 Pillars of the Game according to Roger Caillois :

According to Roger Caillois, the function of play is to provide security. Games allow us to master both our internal drives and our destiny. Games fall into several categories: collaboration, vertigo and risk, role, recognition, chance, individual challenge and competition. It is possible that a game refers to several motives.

In a rapidly changing world, it can be difficult for businesses to get their target customers on board or to encourage their employees to adopt new practices that are more in line with their market. To do this, it is necessary to foster cognitive flexibility and capture the attention of its target audience, which is what gamification does so well.

When it addresses the challenges of the business world, gamification commits employees to problem solving through intentional learning. Basically, it encourages them to take an active part in their professional development. 

The dynamic and engaging experience at individual and group level frees the training from the burden of a more formal approach. By the same token, The casualness that characterises a playful environment reduces the notion of failure and encourages employees to move away from their usual ways of thinking and operating. Because there is no game without a sense of competition, with others or with oneself, everyone will try to overcome the obstacles and solve the riddles that stand in their way to advance to the next stage or to win the round. The game can arouse employees' curiosity, determination to win and critical thinking. Ultimately, gamification shows the power of motivation and how the level of involvement of each individual can influence the learning process. 

According to a study by Harvard sur la performance des étudiants, notre cerveau est plus actif lorsque que l’on fait des choix. Il a été prouvé que les techniques de classe conçues pour amener les élèves à participer à leur propre processus d’apprentissage permet aux élèves d’avoir de meilleurs résultats éducatifs à tous les niveaux. Lorsque le cerveau est passif (écoute ou lecture) il n’est pas stimulé et l’apprenant a plus de mal à retenir les informations. La gamification ne peut qu’être bénéfique pour les apprenants.

La gamification en entreprise c’est avant tout :

Creativity is stimulated 

When the game emphasises employees' creativity, creative minds and skills are stimulated to solve problems or to acquire new knowledge. In a way, gamification allows participants to get closer to innovative ideas that would normally be out of reachoff screen. 

Increased participation rate 

The various game mechanisms stimulate and encourage individual participation and commitment before bringing the notion of challenge to the collective level. This is why gamification offers an attractive, unifying and impactful employee and candidate experience. 

A means to develop soft skills 

The implementation of game mechanisms linked to interpersonal relations, from manager to employee for example, shows skills that are sometimes misunderstood in a different light. The different levels to be validated require the participants to use their soft skills, and the answers in case of failure say more about each soft skill dear to the organisation: leadership, empathetic listening, cognitive adaptability, stress management, etc. 

More effective training sessions

Une aide pédagogique reconnue dans la formation en entreprise, la gamification mêle l’apprentissage à l’amusement. Le format interactif et ludique rend l’acquisition des messages plus rapide et pérenne, puisqu’ils ne sont pas absorbés par un mode par cœur, mais au travers d’une véritable réflexion dans le cadre du jeu. 

A strategy that must remain authentic

It is important not to force employees to adopt the approach, gamification must be kept voluntary. Participation in the game, quiz or challenge must be at the initiative of the employee to avoid creating resentment, and this risks producing the opposite effect of a game situation. Without authenticity and transparency, gamification is a farce that will not keep the attention and motivation of employees for very long.

Not a serious game

Please note that we have only focused on game mechanisms and their effects on existing programmes or content. Gamification complements a learning theme, not reinvents it. Therefore, it is important to keep it separate from serious game which involves the creation of an entire game for the purpose of simulation or immersion. 

The goals of game based-learning

Gamification serves different strategic objectives: an organisational transformation of the business, a stronger corporate culture or a product presentation in the context of a professional event. Although gamification addresses a variety of issues, both short and long term, it is most effective in the area of learning. More dynamic, training programmes that combine games and performance significantly increase learner engagement. This makes it the ideal training ally and the ideal tool for building a learning approach to rapidly changing jobs. 

What does gamification bring to corporate training?

HR and trainers can use gamification where learning can become boring or too repetitive. To ensure that it addresses the issues it is trying to solve, the programme will be built around clear objectives: 

• a joint construction A training course that inspires others and strengthens ties. 
• Increases adherence Increased individual and collective participation.
• Raising attention To make the topics more interesting and captivating. 
• Intensifying learning A positive atmosphere encourages listening and the desire to keep going. Also, delivering new information in a stimulating environment makes it easier to learn.

Which approach for trainers? 

Successful game-based learning is not only about fun, but also about conveying ideas accurately and pedagogically. To do this, organisers need to understand the levers that apply to their target audience and incorporate them into the process. Thus, the trainer himself must analyse the situation, the group and the working environment. To structure the approach, gamification of a subject can be structured around two main axes: 

• The challenges of training are Translated into the game objectives.
• Points of tension  are presented as riddles to be solved or pitfalls to be overcome. 

Storytelling, surveys, quizzes, top five players or a points counter, various formats exist to facilitate this active learning. The final objective is to observe whether or not the new knowledge has been assimilated: 

• Contests appeal to people' will to stand out and produce proof of success (validation of levels, medals, badges, etc.). 
• Role plays bring a new perspective to problem solving and allow for comparison of the participants' different approaches. 
• A challenge with rewards creates additional leverage for engagement and culminates in a strong mark of recognition. 

Gamification best practice examples 

Sometimes gamification is synonymous with the gadgetisation of training. As a reminder, gamification consists solely of applying game mechanisms. It will change the format, sometimes the methodology, but not the core of the training. To avoid a misinterpretation that could result in an inconclusive training, we have compiled a list of the essential elements to remember. 

Specifying its parameters

What is the purpose of applying a scoring system or creating a challenge? The right questions need to be asked in order to ensure in-depth effectiveness. 

• What are the objectives of game-based learning 
• Who is the target audience for the gamification project? What are their motivations?
• What actions and behaviours are we trying to change?
• What other modes of learning complement the project?
• Does this training module contribute to a more formal validation of learning? If so, what are the issues? 

Analyse the type of training content

• What knowledge is central to each part of the training?
• How do the new skills apply to their daily work?
• Is this content suitable for gamification? 
• What will be the progression indicators? 
• Who will be responsible for ensuring content compliance? 

Being able to draw conclusions

• What criteria will be used to measure the effectiveness of the gamification ? Will you be distinguishing between the different stages or will it be a general evaluation?
• How will participants' behaviour be assessed and their adherence to the format be evaluated?
• What kind of feedback do you expect from participants? Will you submit a feedback questionnaire to them? 
• How often will you deliver this content? 

What does gamification look like to others?

Reconnecting with the excitement of learning is relevant to all issues, whether they are commercial, relational or skills development. Many organisations have infused their communications, marketing, recruitment, talent management or training with game mechanisms. Here are some selected examples. 

Nurturing the customer relationship to boost commercial challenges

Dropbox offers its subscribers 500 MB of data storage space each time they sponsor a new registrant. Online bank Revolut offers rewards in the form of discounts from partners such as Nike, Cdiscount and offers personalised promotions such as holiday packages. On its side, Audible adds badges to its listeners' profiles based on how often they listen (devourer, nibbler, scroller, etc.) and when they use the app (night owl, Sunday warrior, between noon and night, etc.). Finally, le programme Questions in the Sky d’Air France embarque les enfants dans l’exploration des différentes parties d’un avion.  There are also a variety of answers provided by crew members. These examples show that gamification has become part of our lives, both as consumers and as employees. 

Talent acquisition and management

Constantly looking for alternatives that are more motivating for employees than traditional training, BNP Paribas provides its managers with a gamified training tool that invites them to identify the soft skills necessary for better leadership. What's the goal? To propose a more engaging team management that is in line with the current environment. Integrated into a training module combining classic and innovative approaches, the game addresses recurring management issues. As for the recruitment aspect, Décathlon propose d’inverser l’expérience candidat avec CVCatcher by inviting Internet users to submit their CVs in order to match with avec des offres qui pourraient leur correspondre. On reconnaît là non seulement des mécanismes de jeu, mais aussi un vocabulaire tiré d’applications de rencontres, elles aussi fortement gamifiées (likes, invitations comptées, délais de réponse, etc). La gamification au travail s’inspire de nos modes de vie et des tendances de sociabilisation jusque dans l’intimité. 

Ces diverses applications de la gamification montrent bien sa polyvalence. En revanche, le jeu ne doit en aucun cas prendre le dessus sur l’apprentissage. Smart gamification Smart gamification urges a real reflection on the learning objectives to spread the initiative to as many employees as possible. 

Gamification: a real HR asset

HR departments can benefit from gamification, whether it is for talent acquisition, retention or internal employability development. Combining clear objectives with a fun process encourages employees. Whether it's a level to achieve, a badge to earn or a task to complete within a certain time frame, these elements encourage them to follow through and add extra motivation. Moreover, it is relatively simple to set up, as it is superimposed on pre-existing content. 

In any case, be careful not to force it as this could undermine the notion of commitment and play. Gamification should be used as a win-win strategy to support the bringing on board of new information and business objectives. It should never be a source of resistance from employees. 

Gamification and Recruitment

Gamification enhances the organisation's employer brand by providing a unique candidate experience. Personality or quick skills tests remove barriers to job applications. Visually appealing and easy to access, gamified recruitment stages have several advantages. By making the candidate experience more fun, they capture the attention of prospective candidates. Recruiters can then better observe the participants' approach and thinking. Gamification allows you to get to know the candidates in an environment outside the stress of the classic job interview. It also sometimes allows the traditional cover letter and recommendations to be avoided, which is an obstacle for candidates already employed. The implementation of a gamified recruitment stage also helps to optimise CV sorting and file selection. 

Gamification and Skill Decay 

Due to the digitalisation of processes and the emergence of new professions, business processes and technical knowledge are constantly changing. Gamification of a learning programme or a learning assessment makes the process less intimidating and daunting for employees. When learning is made easier, learners' motivation is enhanced. Gamification also allows accurate assessment tools to be put in place, from soft skills to IT skills, often with readable and teaching performance reports. 

Gamification and Risk Prevention 

Although there are many risks in the workplace, they rarely make for an engaging training topic. Some organisations are particularly concerned about their cyber security (for which employees are the primary culprits) while others would like to see a reduction in workplace accidents. A gamified approach to traditional risk prevention training transforms this uninspiring obligation into a source of competition and peer appreciation. If followed with more attention, intention and in a good mood, the training is more likely to make a long-term impact. 

Gamification and Improvement of Management Practices 

Who hasn't heard of an employee leaving for management reasons? Disengagement remains the result of frequent inappropriate management practices. It is easier to get messages across, and postures to adopt, with the help of a quiz or the accumulation of good points over time. Puisque l’acquisition de soft skills s’ancre dans une pratique quotidienne, proposer un mode d’apprentissage et d’ancrage ludique peut servir à maintenir la motivation and can encourage people to take the time to work on developing these skills on a daily basis. The acquisition of soft skills through a gamified programme is difficult to measure, but it also makes it easier to obtain measurable results. 

Gamification and Corporate Culture

Do your employees really know you? A challenge around themes related to the corporate culture allows us to assess their understanding while pointing out any misunderstandings that need to be clarified. Gamification is the ideal ally for teambuilding activities as it takes employees out of their daily environment and invites them to think together. A team version offers a team-building tool based on the corporate values, perfect for corporate seminars or for onboarding new hires. 

The success of gamification lies in its ability to leave a deep impression. The addition of a game mechanism makes the customer, candidate or employee experience more attractive, which in turn guarantees increased engagement. Levels to validate, progress bars, distribution of badges, points to accumulate, discounts or commercial offers, a multitude of modalities exist. All you have to do is play along!