Congrats on hitting the 5000 mark, Matteo. I'm a new subscriber, so I'll take credit for your achievement. 😉
Your post does an excellent job of covering gamification at work. Coincidentally, an hour ago, I published a piece about jobs that "require" smiling (emotional labor). Between that, and 25+ years implementing gamified programs in the workplace, I'd say there are pitfalls to watch out for.
Gamification, playful work design, fun at work, and emotional labor are all related, at least somewhat. I've often seen gamification go wrong, mostly when it's used as a way to manipulate employees into doing something they may not be motivated to do and/or when there's an expectation that they have fun participating in the game mechanics.
I advise leaders, especially if they are committed to inclusivity, to be mindful that some people hate games, especially at work. "I just want to do my work" is a common refrain I hear in focus groups.
Also, leaders should be careful about what they gamify. For example, having departments compete to see which one can maintain the best safety record (lowest injury rate) would be viewed unfavorably by many employees and many courts (because it discourages injury reporting). Your idea of gamifying a safety assessment is a much better alternative.
Ultimately, I think you hit the nail on the head by emphasizing employee autonomy. It's a big part of the reason some employees hate workplace gamification. So, if a leader is integrating gamification elements into the work, their priority should be to incorporate employee voice/input into the development process.
Sorry for the diatribe. I loo forward to reading more of your content!
Congrats on hitting the 5000 mark, Matteo. I'm a new subscriber, so I'll take credit for your achievement. 😉
Your post does an excellent job of covering gamification at work. Coincidentally, an hour ago, I published a piece about jobs that "require" smiling (emotional labor). Between that, and 25+ years implementing gamified programs in the workplace, I'd say there are pitfalls to watch out for.
Gamification, playful work design, fun at work, and emotional labor are all related, at least somewhat. I've often seen gamification go wrong, mostly when it's used as a way to manipulate employees into doing something they may not be motivated to do and/or when there's an expectation that they have fun participating in the game mechanics.
I advise leaders, especially if they are committed to inclusivity, to be mindful that some people hate games, especially at work. "I just want to do my work" is a common refrain I hear in focus groups.
Also, leaders should be careful about what they gamify. For example, having departments compete to see which one can maintain the best safety record (lowest injury rate) would be viewed unfavorably by many employees and many courts (because it discourages injury reporting). Your idea of gamifying a safety assessment is a much better alternative.
Ultimately, I think you hit the nail on the head by emphasizing employee autonomy. It's a big part of the reason some employees hate workplace gamification. So, if a leader is integrating gamification elements into the work, their priority should be to incorporate employee voice/input into the development process.
Sorry for the diatribe. I loo forward to reading more of your content!