More and more organizations are incorporating gamification mechanisms to engage their employees and drive behavioral changes across different areas of their organizations.
Today, an increasing number of organizations are offering wellness programs. According to research conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, 75% of employers indicated that their companies offered this type of program, resource, or service to their employees.
But how can employee engagement in these types of programs be enhanced?
One possible secret? Gamification.
Using the logic of a game, gamification aims to introduce a playful element into various activities that are generally not competitive in themselves. It transforms larger tasks into small, achievable short-term goals while offering a reward when those goals are reached.
By turning users who would otherwise be passive members into active “players,” organizations can achieve a dual purpose: (1) increase employee interaction and participation; and (2) turn these new actions into positive habits.
Additionally, it is possible to create a unifying experience centered around something that may initially be unfamiliar, while frequently changing tasks to introduce greater challenges.
But what is the relationship between game mechanisms and health and wellness programs?
In fact, the connection between these two areas is significant.
Game mechanisms are a proven and effective strategy for increasing workforce participation and completion rates in technology-based Wellness 2.0 programs.
These gamification strategies not only increase participant engagement in programs but also serve as a bridge between all the positive habits carried out offline and online.
The competitive aspect introduced by games also motivates employees to make healthier choices, improving the overall health of an organization’s workforce while helping control costs associated with healthcare expenses.
However, it is important to point out that gamification of health and wellness programs is not the ultimate goal, but rather a strategy for creating a stronger and healthier workforce.
It is important for organizations to recognize the benefits that technology can bring to their wellness programs. In addition to being motivating, engaging, and competitive, the use of technological devices or applications enables data collection—information that is essential for developing and improving programs that are highly customized to each company.
In fact, there is scientific evidence that health and wellness programs that evolve over time with a primary focus on fun and competition support greater long-term participation, behavioral changes, and sustained improvements in clinical outcomes.
One of the best examples of implementing this gamification strategy is the Ochsner Health System, an American organization that operates 7 hospitals and 35 clinics. At this organization alone, 85% of the workforce benefits from the various programs offered by the company through a health-promotion game.
Another example is Cummins Inc., a company involved in the design, production, and distribution of engines. In 2011, Cummins began incorporating an interactive gaming component into its Wellness program. In general, users earned points for every goal they achieved. For every 500 points earned, they received an entry into a drawing for a random prize.
However, despite the benefits, it is possible that many employees may be resistant to using internal platforms, either because they are too complex or not appealing enough.
The key is to develop modern applications that are centered around the real needs and preferences of employees.
A Game of Benefits
Another reason why gamification of wellness programs—in a digital environment—is successful is that positive reinforcement is one of the most effective strategies for promoting behavioral change.
In other words, whenever a user/player achieves a goal and is recognized and rewarded for it, new neural connections are developed that establish and reinforce the idea that the new behavior brings positive rewards. This is where sustained change takes place.
Before wearable devices became so popular, health and wellness programs relied on participants’ self-assessments. Unfortunately, this system has limitations, as employees can quickly lose interest in the different components of the program.
In this regard, using an electronic device (smartwatch or another device) is an advantage because it eliminates the need for self-assessment and provides accurate metrics that increase program effectiveness while allowing for simpler and more efficient adjustments.
Given the popularity of these devices, companies consider them tools that enable employees to make more positive choices and help address the costs associated with poor health.
A company that provides this type of device helps overcome one of the main objections users may have—the lack of physical resources that allow data to be digitally and automatically integrated into platforms.
Gamification also recognizes human nature, as these tools encourage users to make more positive choices that have a greater impact—both at an individual level and for the organizations they are part of.
