20 17 International Conference on Communication, Computing and Digital Systems (C-CODE)
Usage of Gamification in Enterprise: A Review
Abdul Aziz [I]
Computer Science Department
FAST - National University of Computer & Emerging
Sciences Karachi
abduLaziz@nu.edu.pk
Abstract-Enterprise games have an amazing ability to hold
employee's attention, build loyalty, and increase motivation. The
acceptance of game context in business applications
encouraging; also, it motivates employees to perform their tasks
in an enj oyable manner. Enterprise gamification is growing at an
impressive rate. This analysis focuses on how enterprises could
use gamification for their benefits and discusses few implemented
examples. The review concentrates on positive and negative
aspects of gamification in business and discusses the mechanism
that helps in implementing the games in an enterprise. Our
findings revealed that, gamification has a fine line between being
a positive tool to motivate employees and being a source of
workplace pressure, which could affect the social and mental
well-being.
Keywords- Gamification, enterprises, employees, business,
engagement, motivation
I. INTRODUCTION
The term "gamification" first gained widespread usage in
2010, in a more specific sense referring to the incorporation of
reward and other social aspects of games in software [1]. In last
few years, there has been a progressive improvement in the use
of games in achieving real life goals. Gamification can be
defined as the usage of game, thinking and a game design
system that creates context (non-game context) where an
individual willingly and adequately attain goals [1]. In other
words, turning useful activities into games is called
gamification [2]. According to a research Americans had spent
more than twenty-five billion on video games in 2010 [3]. In
this era of technology, organizations use distinct games
(specifically game design principles) for their employees as
well as clients in creating ways, enhance their productivity and
gain good behavioral end-result in their workforce. Now
several vendors offer gamification as a service. At the same
time researchers are taking keen interest in gamification to
create engaging environment in workplaces [4]. Gamification
's fundamental objective is to boost the engagement of users by
adopting game-like techniques as scoreboards and personalized
feedback and its overall impact on organization. In November
2012, Gartner presented a report on gamification which tells
that "by 2015, 40% of Global 1000 organizations will use
978-1-5090-4448-1/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
Ana Mushtaq [2]
Computer Science Department
FAST - National University of Computer & Emerging
Sciences Karachi
k153066@nu.edu.pk
Misbah Anwar [3]
Computer Science Department
FAST - National University of Computer & Emerging
Sciences Karachi
k153036@nu.edu.pk
gamification as the primary mechanism" as positive prediction
and by 2014, 80% of current gamified applications will fail to
is meet business objectives, primarily due to poor design as a
negative prediction.
In 2014, health and fitness apps in the apple store used
gamification as a method to modify behavior the authors that
concludes "despite the inclusion of at least components of
gamification, the mean scores of integrations of gamification
components were still below 50 percent". The lack in
integration of important elements of behavioral theory from the
app industry, can affect the effectiveness of gamification apps
to change behavior [16].
This paper concentrates on the key factors of tasks and
exercise within the game design. Innovative ideas, talent
development and service efficiencies can be achieved by
gamification. Design theories of games have proven how
gamification is effective on engagement as well as on
motivation by looking current success of the gaming industry
[5]. For customer support centers a software program named as
Fresh desk is also available that aims to enhance not only
employee productivity but also for customer's peace of mind
[6]. This paper presents a summary of preliminary findings and
definitions of useful gamification. The paper also describes the
adaptation of the mechanics, dynamics, and provides an overall
synopsis of strategy, design, and user experience elements for
gamification initiatives.
II. AIM OF STUDY
The aim of this study is to identify how gamification is
important to motivate and increases employee engagement in
enterprise tasks. Currently enterprises are using gamification as
the best tool for employee engagement and motivation.
Enterprises give rewards on employee's activities although
rewarding badges that appears on their profile can also evaluate
employee positions. The main objective of this paper is to
provide comprehensive review of how the enterprise uses
gamification to solve their problems. Figure 01 show how
gamification technique in enterprise application can lead to
following success and failure. By using gamification, an
enterprise can achieve some of the benefits like:
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 Enhance productivity and level of motivation of its
employees.
Full engagement of employees with the new
initiatives of company.
Goals of the company are the goals of the employees.
Fig: 01. Gamification Platform
The flow of the paper is defined as:
1. Define gamification techniques and its elements
2. How the mapping of element is being done
3. Discuss how gamification helps in engaging employee
4. How gamification increase the productivity in enterprise
5. Discuss loophole that results due to bad implementation of
game design
III. SYNTHESIS OF PREVIOUS WORK
This section enlightens the previous work, basis of need to
explore gamification techniques. According to research 39% of
US employees are unhappy, and Gallop found that $300 billion
is the overall annual cost of unmotivated or disengaged
workers in the US.
Corporate Leadership Council indicated that employee
engagement can reduce staff turnover by up to 87%, and it was
found that employee's performance was boosted up until 44%
in companies. Gamification provides the solution to the
problem because enterprise gamification can drive employee
motivation to align their behavior with organizational
strategies, tasks and disciplinary plans, thereby resulting in
better acceptance of management plans along with increased
productivity and low attrition [50]. For review, the publications
have been chosen on the basis of main features of gamification
like: Mechanics, Measurement, Behavior, and Reward (Fig.
02). The visual representation of figure 02 clears the core
concept of gamification, its uses and the benefits. Key words
such as gamify, game-design, gamification, games with a
purpose, and user engagement were used for literature review.
Until now, barely there has been any academic effort
towards gamification. Nevertheless, a recent use of the
gamification seems to exploring different major ideas.
Gamification also leaves its impact on societal adoption. Thus,
a game-design is a useful start for building non- game
products, services and applications. It is more enjoyable and
motivating. Consequently, enterprise gamification has
appeared as one of the emerging human computer interface
trend of the 21st century.
Despite of the major evolution and emergence towards
gamification, the unrevealed ideas have been previously
explored, but the core concept is to understand these
unrevealed ideas and to determine whether the term and its
current applications are notably different from the previous
research. Therefore, the real-time definition of gamification is
use of game-design elements in non- gaming contexts. Let's
unpack this definition in detail.
Games lie in composite category. Here it is about game
elements not about play because usually public observations
about games are games are to be played. However, there are so
many various types of games with different intentions but all
the games are to engage players and to motivate them to play
continuously. [15]
IV. MAPPING GAMEELEMENTS
Several techniques can increase the engagement of user.
Competition is another technique that can be used in enterprise
gamification as a good feature.
.Social feedback ·Perf0ffl18nce
-Visual C ues ·Quality
·ResponseObjects -Time
-Reputaticrl
·Gompletion
Mechanics Measurement
Reward Behavior
-Status
-Stuff ·Qaulity
·Aa:ess
-Mastery
.SUccessStoty -Retention
Fig: 02. Important features of Gamification
Users are rewarded on the completion of their desired task
or competition through gamification. Types of rewards include
points, [17] achievement badges or levels, [18] the filling of a
progress bar, [20] or providing the user with virtual currency.
[19].
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 Gaining rewards for accomplishment task is visible on
leader boards [20]. Game mechanism consists of game
components and by using the mechanism, game designer
rewards activities. Commonly used mechanisms are points,
badges, level, leader boards and challenges [11]. Over 70% of
global companies intended to use gamification for marketing
and customer retention [10].
Enterprises application falls into two gamification segments
that is internal gamification and external gamification. In
internal gamification, employees face application where as in
external gamification customer facing scenarios. Usually the
user behavior is influenced by integrating gamification in
business process. The core gaming elements are described
below.
A. Gamification Framework
This paper presents proposed framework shows the
successful support towards Gamification in an enterprise.
Fig: 03. Overall Framework
Figure 03 shows the basic conceptual framework for
gamification design elements. The best example of Project
planning (benchmark) is Microsoft Office: ribbon hero 2 that
serves to educate all the users regarding correct usage of
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote in Microsoft
Office [13]. The focus of domain research is to take decisions
that will have consequences, which is already it a reward. In
research & analysis section, it is better to choose for what
problem which gamification type will affect the personality of
the user. Actually the motive is to find out user's emotions
when interacts the various types of gamification [13]. In
conceptualization section, very interesting concept is to find
out the basic idea that is making an application that facilitates
users with fun. What are key functions of that gamified
application? Therefore, by synthesizing this information, this
research paper maps the current state of gamification in an
enterprise.
B. Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is emotional commitment to the
organization and its goals [15]. Through gamification,
employees are encouraged and make valuable contribution in
existing communication platform and collaboration. For
example, in CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
system, a point is given to a sales person who creates new
opportunity in CRM system. These points further motivate him
to complete more activities and earn more points. A sales
person is acknowledged by badges, titles and strives to become
a face on leader board with his title and rewards. This will lead
to motivate the team and teams improve the quality of their
services to customer [11]. Goal tracking is the core task for
employee engagement that confirms that employees are
comfortable with organizational culture [15].
C. Productivity Enhancement
Most of the organizations revamp their existing band sites
by introducing real time awards for user. Organizations are
trying to integrate KPI (Key performance Indicator) in business
in which data flow from gamming engine that allows KPIs to
observe employee performance and decides to improve
efficiency and overall product. For example, in call center
agent performance is judges by how quickly he deals with
customer.
Figure 02 provides the well-known features and the
important gamification technique that are necessary for the
organizational growth as well as its employee's better
performance. By using these techniques, it is very easy for
managing customer service engine better customer satisfaction
numbers with the rewards is shown on dashboards that help
them to provide them real-time feedback. If poor
implementation of competition is done this may result in
opposite outcome than desired. Excessive competitiveness
could go against the ideals of organization, as it is highly de­
motivating for all people involved in the process. If the game is
reduced based on competition, say if top salesmen are awarded
for their performance than it may result in maximizing only the
performance of peek salesman, but the people who realize that
they are not performing well (or aware of their poor sales
ability at the start of game) with probability resign to
participate because they are not going to win [14]. Bad game
design involve over-justified - prioritizing extrinsic over
intrinsic rewards as the people lose the motivation once
extrinsic rewards are awarded instead of intrinsic. For example:
if badges are earned by employee as making post on discussion
board, they might be motivated to earn those badges for a
reward, but become focused on the quantity of badges and
rewards that lead to lose the posting meaningful comments
[I 5].
V. CONCLUSION
As gamification is a pioneering and innovative
approach that tells that how the organizations/enterprises have
embedded these techniques in their software to increase the
employee engagement, loyalty with respect to social behavior
and organizational behavior, but adding more motivational
elements does not guarantee better performance. This study
discussed pros and cons of gamification implementation in
organizations. On positive side of the picture, features of
gamification are focused by which productivity of any
business could be increased by collecting valuable and more
accurate feedback from employees.
On the other side, it is also focused that employees
feel various constraints and pressure by providing feedback
using this technique, which could harm overall reputation of
organization. In addition, various frameworks are discussed to
make easier implementation of gamification procedure. It is
important to be noted here that this paper had considered the
beginning of an evolving formulate of gamification
technology and it's non- context game elements. The results of
this literature review should benefit future research, industry
applications and serve as an introduction to anyone interested
in setting gamification in enterprise.
VI. FUTURE WORK
The present study about the core concept of gamification
has several limitations as well as a good future direction.
Dealing with gamification in any organization it is very hard
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