If you read our post “4 Reasons Gamification is the future of Digital Marketing” you probably have some insight into what gamification can do for your business. However, we left out one very important benefit of Gamification (on purpose).
Gamification Can Be Used Internally
In the past we have mostly discussed the use of Gamification as a form of customer interaction, but this is only one way you can use it to help your business thrive. Beyond being used to improve customer interaction, Gamification can be used to motivate and engage your employees.
How? Well it is simpler than you might imagine. Gamification plays off of our basic desires and instincts. Our instinct to win, our desire to prove ourselves; the basic tenacity and determination that comes with good old fun and competition. Gamification engages us in all of these ways and more.
Let’s take a look at the 3 ways you can use Gamification to increase your bottom line.
1. Training
One way Gamification can be utilized is in training new employees. Many companies are switching to more fun and fluid methods of training, but if your experience has been anything like mine, your first three months at a job are often filled with superfluis amounts of boring reading materials and quizzes. So ask yourself:
Is this the best way for new employees to learn?
We don’t think so. The best way to learn is to engage, and what better way to engage new employees than by having them play games?
Think back to your high school and middle school days. The day before a big test your teacher might have divided the class into teams to play jeopardy or some other game. This wasn’t done to give students a break, your teacher was tricking you into studying. And it doesn’t just work on kids.
According to a study conducted by the University of Colorado on the impact of games on adult learners, participants experiencing gamified learning scored 14% higher than those experiencing traditional learning methods in skill-based-knowledge assessments, 11% higher in terms of factual-knowledge and showed a 9% increase in retention rate! (Click here for more learning statistics)
By using Gamification in your training programs, you are increasing the quality of your employees, allowing your business to thrive.
Less training + Better Employees = Profit
2. Motivation (Competition)
Competition can be an incredible motivator no matter what you are doing. Work is no exception. I am sure that you have seen competition take root in your company even if you have not introduced Gamification. That is because, as I said earlier, it brings out some of our core instincts. Some people just want to win. Gamification can take this want and put it to good use.
Beyond those competing just to compete, we have individuals who want to win for reward, for recognition, and those who want to win to prove to themselves that they can.
Having an employee of the month or a physical sales leader board is great, but these things do not compare to how gamification can be used. Imagine your employees getting updates by the minute on how they comare to collegues; those vying for a number one spot would work harder to be the best and those falling behind the pack, would be motivated to prove that they are valuable employees.
You can use Gamification to motivate a variety of different individuals in a variety of different ways. Employees that are motivated in the right way will produce a better quality product in less time. Sounds like an easy way to increase your bottom line.
3. Analyze
Not only can Gamification be used to produce data about customers, but it can produce relevant data on your business as well.
Let’s say the quality of your customer service isn’t where you want it to be, so you implement a gamified program where employees can earn badges and gain points for answering simulated customer questions. When analyzing the results, you may find that there is a gap of knowledge in a specific area of your business, causing customer service reps to give inadequate answers. You may also find that employees trained at a certian time or by a certian person perform better in the program than others.
In addition to giving you data on specific areas of your business, Gamification can also help you gain insight about individual employees.
Let’s say you execute a program that rewards employees for good work with credits. They can use the credits to “buy” things like money, an extra day of PTO, or being featured on the company website. With this type of rewards program you could learn more about what motivates each individual employee. In order to motivate an employee who chose the PTO, you might agree to send them home after lunch on a Friday if they can get a certain amount of work done before then. For an employee that chose the money, you might agree to give them a raise if they can achieve a set goal. And for an employee that chose to be featured on the website, you might take them out for lunch, and make an effort to verbally affirm them.
Finding the right rewards for your employees is kind of like finding the right love language. Once you find out what makes your employees feel happy and appreciated, you will start to see big changes. Happy employees make for a happy business. You can count on increased profits.
Now you might be thinking, “Well what does this have to do with me? This sounds like a human resources type of thing.”
Well you are right—to an extent. Training and employee happiness may not be your sole responsibility, but at somepoint customers are going to do more than interact with your website or your social media channels. At somepoint, they are going to interact with your employees and see your company’s culture. When they do, you are going to want employees who are motivated and driven, and you are going to want a company culture that exudes awareness and urgency. And think of what you can do with a more driven digital marketing team!
Gamification can make a difference no matter what your department. And hey, that bottom line isn’t going to increase itself. So stay competitive and start thinking of ways you can help your team reach its full potential (and increase your bottom line in the process).
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