Out of the box gamification ideas for the workplace

Gamification is often used to track performance and professional development, but it can also incentivize achievements that are invisible to traditional performance metrics. With gamification, there are no unsung heroes.

The key difference between a gamification platform like Bunchball Nitro and a traditional “leaderboard” style competition is that Nitro is infinitely versatile and can be used to encourage contributions outside of the box. Instead of quantifying success along a single axis, Nitro can incentivize a cluster of achievements, rewarding your workforce for a wide range of contributions that might otherwise be invisible.

A gamification platform can be used for out of the box goals, such as encouraging procedural compliance, identifying team players through continuous 360 reviews, and even promoting a culture of workplace safety.

Carrots not Sticks

Traditional performance metrics are good at chalking up the wins—it’s easy to create a leaderboard to track sales figures or keep a running tally of customer calls answered. But success often hinges on less easily tracked metrics: are your sales representatives following up with adequate customer support? The representatives who notch the highest sales figures might be cutting corners elsewhere.

The old way of incentivization was a combination of carrots and sticks: rewards for making sales, penalties for not following up with the client; rewards for answering a high volume of customer calls, demerits if the customer’s complaint falls through the cracks and is left unresolved.

The trouble with this system is that it rewards workers for doing the absolute minimum necessary to duck the penalty. Sales representatives may be taking every incoming call, but if they’re rushing documentation, the paper trail may be so thin as to be useless. If your most thorough employees are never recognized, conscientious workers will begin to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Gamification is more carrots, less stick. It links incentives across the full range of workplace responsibilities, encouraging employees to be thorough. When workplace incentives are aligned, there are no unsung heroes. A gamification platform like Bunchball Nitro can be configured to reward tasks that would otherwise be overlooked.

Procedural Compliance

Getting employees to follow the proper procedures can be a challenge. Since tasks like documentation are rarely quantified, workers can come to see them as “busywork” that can be neglected or rushed. Gamification allows you to track compliance and reward the workers who take procedure seriously. When doing a thorough job is recognized and incentivized, it’s remarkable how many staff members will suddenly start taking notes.

The 24/7 360 Review

Organizations have long understood the value of getting feedback from subordinates as well as supervisors—the “360 Review” can provide a new perspective on performance. A gamification platform incorporates the 360 review into everyday tasks. Workers at the lowest ranks can be given the power to award trophies and badges to the managers who go the extra mile. Coworkers can single out their most helpful teammates for recognition and rewards. Being a team player is a lot easier when you know the team is behind you.

Workplace Safety

Safety is no game, and gamification’s reward structures can be set up to discourage complacency. Workers can earn badges for compliance with safety meetings and participation during the daily safety meeting. Your safety officers can be given the power to reward workers who make suggestions on the job site and identify hazards before they become an issue. Gamification’s use of badges and incremental rewards can recognize the ongoing efforts of those who cultivate a culture of safety.

A gamification platform like Bunchball Nitro can build an incentive structure that rewards contributions that might otherwise be overlooked. With a gamification platform that provides continuous feedback on all aspects of the job, you can encourage the routine achievements keep the workplace humming along.