{"id":258,"date":"2012-07-25T16:38:38","date_gmt":"2012-07-25T16:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.poly.com\/?p=258"},"modified":"2012-07-25T16:38:38","modified_gmt":"2012-07-25T16:38:38","slug":"let-the-games-begin-at-your-small-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.poly.com\/let-the-games-begin-at-your-small-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Let the games begin at your small business"},"content":{"rendered":"

Game on may be the new rallying cry around the office these days. Gamification \u2013 the use of game play mechanics for non-game applications — is now making some of the most routine tasks at work fun. By engaging in interactive online game initiatives that yield points redeemable for badges, titles and even tangible rewards, employees are being incented to collaborate, increase productivity and more.<\/p>\n

In \u201cThe Newest Trick Companies Are Using to Turn Awful Office Jobs into Awesome Ones,<\/a>\u201d Jeanne Meister, cofounder of HR research firm Future Workplace, says,\u00a0 \u201cGames are fun, addictive and challenging and when done right tap into our competitive sides that make us want to work harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many companies agree. Today elements of game mechanics are being employed by companies for training, marketing, education, and wellness initiatives, according to Pew Internet in its report on \u201cThe Future of Gamification<\/a>,\u201d\u00a0 Technology consultancy Gartner projects 50 percent of corporate innovation will be \u2018gamified\u2019 by 2015.<\/p>\n

Several examples of successful company gamification efforts include the use of video games by UPS to train newly recruited drivers when it was clear that nearly one third were failing the company\u2019s traditional training program. Marriott uses social media gaming to facilitate recruitment. In My Marriott Hotel on Facebook,<\/a>gamers manage a \u201cvirtual\u201d hotel restaurant kitchen before moving on to other areas of hotel operations.<\/p>\n

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Plantronics gaming headsets<\/a> improve game play<\/p><\/div>\n

Among other businesses, games are being used to boost sales, encourage attendance at industry events and encourage employees to post company information on social media sites. Whatever your goal and whatever your game, keep these tips in mind to foster engagement and ensure success:<\/p>\n