Once there were training courses, then quizzes and contests came. Once we communicated via email, today new formats are used for effectively conveying information through a video game's atmosphere. At least half of the Italian population - according to the AESVI 2018 report - has played a video game at least once in the last 12 months. It is therefore not surprising that the typical mechanisms of the game are reproduced in multiple fields as fundamental and innovative communication tools.
Is gamification a new magic word? Gamification means making gaming experiences live by applying the same dynamics to other contexts such as work, communication or information. In fact the game maintains its characteristics and it is able to involve, retain and transfer information and concepts in a faster and more effective way, although with different objectives. In the epoch of video games’ success, gamification is the perfect tool, especially for the new generations, to create engagement within communities, improve performance, measure behaviors and generate an active interest in the message which has to be communicated.
Gamification enters the company In the enterprise sector, gamification is positioned as one of the most relevant trends in the service of employee engagement: it is possible through this tool to transform training into an engaging experience, to make boring tasks more pleasant, to encourage employer branding, to acquire new hires and to support the recruiting phase. In fact, HR managers increasingly rely on games and applications starting from the candidate selection process to attract resources and retain talents. Interactive game applications are particularly useful in the preliminary phases of recruitment because they help to outline a detailed profile of potential employees, reducing time and resources in the recruitment process. There are multiple possibilities of gaming applications even in employees training. Game is more engaging and less demanding than traditional classroom with the advantage of being more flexible and according to individual needs and times.
Creating an effective gaming experience Scores, levels, missions, challenges and goals make employees involved and active. To correctly set up a winning gamification strategy by giving homogeneity to the project, the analysis of the context and potential players must not be underestimated. The mission is to design game dynamics that should be appropriate to the corporate culture and to identify concrete and measurable business objectives for the company. Strategic workshops, participatory co-design methodologies, that involve employees, help to identify explicit and implicit needs and to maintain contact with the user during the entire design phase. Effective communication of game rules and attraction of audience attention, that is often subjected to numerous factors, require the development of a supporting communication strategy that helps employees to understand the usefulness of the game and to make the impacts evident on working life.