“Gamification” may be a word that’s new to you, but the strategy it represents is one you’ve probably seen or even used before. Gamification is the concept of motivating employees or making learning more fun by turning it into a game.
In today’s gaming-centered culture, this simple strategy is being put to use in more ways than ever before. Recently, health insurance companies have begun instituting game-like rewards to incentive its members to live healthier lifestyles. For example, in certain gamified programs, if a member gets an annual check-up or walks a certain number of steps, they can earn points, unlock secrets, or “beat” family and friends.
For many managers in the fields of manufacturing and construction, motivating employees to change their behaviors can be a difficult task. However, it can be quite easy to improve safety if your employees personally believe in its importance, and gamification may help. There are a variety of gamification techniques that your facility could use to boost the importance of safety, increase employee awareness, and even reduce accidents.
Points Systems – This gamification strategy awards employees with points when they behave in the desired way. You could offer employees points for reviewing standards each day or for delivering new ideas for improving safety. Points incentives can be a great way to encourage employees to participate in safety evaluations, too.
Gain Sharing – You may already have an incentive in place that rewards the full team for reaching a certain number of days without an accident, but to gamify, consider having them compete against their past performances, or earn badges for milestones along the way.
Goal Tracking – Whatever your safety goals are, gamification can help you reach them. Just like salespersons have sales targets, “safety targets” can be reached and rewarded within your game.
Employee-Issued Rewards – This gamification tactic encourages safety and camaraderie by allowing other employees to pay it forward. If you catch an employee following a safety protocol, give them a special token, or a hint towards unlocking a mystery. They can then award their co-workers with the same incentive when they see them correctly following safety rules.
However you chose to incentive safety in your facility, brainstorm a few ideas for how to make it a game. It’s a proven way to boost morale and keep employees engaged. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!
More Information:
https://www.clicksoftware.com/blog/top-25-best-examples-of-gamification-in-business/ http://www.gamification.co/2016/07/22/insurance-companies-gamify-healthcare/ http://ehstoday.com/news/ehs imp 33796
 |
Charity Murphy is a freelance writer for Insured Solutions and Improv comedienne based in Louisville, Kentucky. She lives with her husband Ben and their two dogs, Sprocket and Ms. Brisby. |