Benefits of Utilizing Gamification in HRD

Abstract: The development of industry and the advancement of technology drive new learning strategies, one of which is gamification (Pereira et al., 2018). Within HRD, the most common applications for gamification include motivation, engagement, and performance, recruiting and talent management, training and development, and knowledge management (Scholz, 2022). This poster discusses some benefits of integrating gamification in HRD. The authors focus on ways gamification can be applied to HRD to enhance learning, increase engagement, simplify tasks, and increase knowledge-sharing. The authors then present several disadvantages to implementing gamification in the workplace and provide recommendations for HRD.
Defining Gamification
Gamification is a tool that makes use of elements from games in various contexts that, when applied in an innovative way, can encourage the interest and the learning of employees Pereira et al. (2018). Gamification works using technology like Fitbit; wearers earn badges, points, and rewards as they achieve daily goals (Pittsburg State University, 2021). In HRD, the benefits of gamification include but are not limited to employee engagement, talent acquisition, education and training, and knowledge management.
Employee Engagement
Research indicates that gamification can with employee engagement and boost productivity (Shah et al., 2020; Baer, 2021). According to Reynolds (2022), gamification in employee training leaves employees feeling 89% more productive and 88% happier in their workplace. By rewarding intrinsic motivation and increasing employees’ knowledge and skills, gamification helps employees to advance their career goals and consequently the organization’s goals (Janovac, 2020).
Talent Acquisition
Organizations can also use gamification to disseminate information regarding an organization’s culture and operations to candidates (Stojkovic et al., 2020). This non-traditional application process narrows the applicant pool to candidates with a sincere interest in the organization, reduces resources used to review unqualified applicants, and thus improves an organization’s ROI (Buil et al., 2020; Baer, 2021). HRD professionals can use gamification to assess individual applicants’ knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics to determine the person-to-organization fit (Stojkovic et al., 2020).
Education and Training
Gamification caters to three learning styles–visual, kinesthetic, and auditory (Rabah et al., 2018). Leaderboards highlight top performers’ statistics while badges model milestones completed (Rabah et al., 2018). Visual learning occurs through the use of mazes, matching, and sorting mechanics as well as levels, progress bars, countdown clocks, and avatars (Baer, 2021). For the kinesthetic learner, customized design principles such as the creation of avatars and push-button access unlock content and increase competition and social engagement (Baer, 2021). The auditory learner may be enticed through “dings” or other sound effects (Baer, 2021). Videos allow auditory learners to engage in gamification without necessarily being visually present (Rabah et al., 2018). The use of trivia games can also enhance skill sets such as recall on which auditory learners thrive (Baer, 2021).
Knowledge Management
According to Feng et al. (2022), “in recent years, gamification mechanics have been extensively adopted by crowdsourcing platforms to improve solvers’ participation and user experience.” Many organizations have created similarly configured platforms for employees to contribute ideas, problem-solve, and post FAQs. To encourage the conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge, organizations must incentivize employees to share (Friedrich et al., 2020). Feng et al. (2022) state that gamification utilizes three intrinsic motivators–self-esteem, competence enhancement, and a sense of virtual community–to drive knowledge sharing and organizational learning. Preliminary research indicates that encouraging employees to participate in collaborative platforms increases engagement, which may affect efficiency, performance, and productivity (Sampaio et al., 2019).
Disadvantages of Gamification
Gamification is often geared towards Gen X and Gen Z adults while ignoring the needs of older workers (Koivisto & Malik, 2020). However, prior research indicates that older generations also enjoy playing games (Koivisto & Malik, 2020). According to Statista Research Department (2022), the cost of gamification technology is approximately $319 per employee ($148 per employee in large organizations), which is a large financial investment.
Implications for HRD and Conclusion
Gamification has many benefits yet to be realized and quantified. HRD professionals must ensure that all training materials are updated regularly and that open-forum knowledge management systems utilizing gamification are monitored appropriately to support the free exchange of ideas. HRD professionals must also find ways to engage older workers who may not assimilate new technology quickly. While gamification is often cost-prohibitive for smaller organizations, gaming principles can be applied to engage employees in various tasks and learning experiences. HRD professionals should continue to monitor the evolving uses of gamification and incorporate it when possible to promote an environment of shared learning and exploration (Lee, 2022).