Chameleon wants to take you back, specifically to elementary. Do you remember when you did something good, the teacher stuck a sticker next to your name? And, if you did something bad, the sticker was removed?
This is exactly what gamification is.
Stickers promoted good behavior; an incentive that alluded to kids. The removal of stickers suggested poor behavior, making kids feel guilty or ashamed in front of their other classmates, which in hope, stimulated them to do or be better next time.
Gamification is the process of adding games or gamelike elements to something. A simple tool used to encourage better behavior in exchange for instant gratification. Essentially, high impact and fast results are the goals.
We live in a world where we need and depend on instant gratification. Results. Rewards. Response. We want these quick and fast.
The up and coming powerful management tool, gamification enables exactly what we are looking for. When used systematically and in a way to further growth and success, gamification has proven to be very effective.
As a staffing firm, Chameleon understands the need for other staffing firm leaders to get the most out of their teams. Gamification allows for this. It not only engages employees but also makes them more productive.
Gamification can transform workplaces but like any game, there are obstacles and tricks so Chameleon is here to give you the instructions (and the cheat sheet).
Like in elementary, gamification can be implemented and executed quite simply. You don’t need expensive technology or fancy scoreboards, but these tools can ease the process and collection of data for later.
As a staffing firm, you want to boost recruiting opportunities. Through gamification, you can expect to change your employee’s habit. Through the contagiousness of the game you create, you can incentivize employees to work harder, longer, and better by implementing rewards they would want. Perhaps, 30 points will grant them a gift card; a 100 points for a bottle of champagne, or 500 points to earn an extra day off; whatever reward you deem fit for the work.
However, the game will only work if you implement it correctly. This breakthrough management technology is only as good as you make it.
When it comes to implementation, you need to ask yourself four questions.
- What is the problem you’re trying to fix?
- Who can fix it?
- What are the KPI’s?
- What is the frequency and goal of the game?
For instance, if your problem is that your employees are not presenting enough candidates, you know that you need the recruiters to fix this. Now for the KPI’s and frequency? Perhaps, the number of send-outs per recruiter monthly would be a good measure.
But, that’s not all. You need to understand common concepts when it comes to gamification. The time-based versus goal-based games and the individual versus team games.
Remember, all games must be fair. Recruiters are finding different jobs so you need to create an equal playing field for everyone. Don’t forget to test your game to validate equalizers as this is important to check for fairness. A point system helps in this case and so do boosters.
Boosters are helpful when priorities change or when new clients come through as this promotes additional earning capacity for the recruiter.
Another fun tip is to also go live, creating a happening work atmosphere that encourages every employee to play during office hours.
Also, don’t have too many ideas; it makes games confusing. Keep your game, the goal, and the reward as simple as possible. It’s better to have many kinds of games going at the same time than to have too many aspects into one game.
Appreciate and encourage your employees by letting them know that you care about the game and are looking at the scoreboard. Show your employees the real-time data so they know they are being valued. If you need help with this, Chameleon offers data services that can provide you with all the reporting you need.
Remember, your game is not going to be perfect. It’s an evolutionary process, which means you cannot just set it up and let it go; you have to keep at it and make changes accordingly (when the game is over, not during).
Last but not least, have fun! It’s a game. You and your employees are meant to enjoy it!
