Ivey Publishing's research paper, ‘Xoxoday: Solving the Conundrum of Gamification and Well-Being,’ authored by Jyotsna Bhatnagar and Mohammad Bilal, serves as a pedagogical tool in graduate-level and management and leadership development programs.
The SaaS industry has widely adopted gamification and involves game design elements such as badges, points, leaderboards, and challenges in non-gaming contexts. The global gamification market size was USD 6.33 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 37.00 billion by 2027. Coupled with increased user onboarding and product adoption, gamification as a strategy is here to stay.
But will gamification help with employee well-being? That’s a question being put forth to students of business management and human resource management, so they can come up with innovative solutions.
This research paper titled “Xoxoday: Solving the Conundrum of Gamification and Well-Being”, authored by Mohammad Bilal and Jyotsna Bhatnagar, explores how Xoxoday can use gamification to play a part in employee well-being and retention, and identifies the appropriate business models to solve these challenges.
With the worldwide implementation of AI, no technology is untouched by it. However, given its misuse and dangers in the past, can we trust AI and, therefore, gamification to contribute to employee well-being?
Xoxoday has plugged in gamification into Compass, a commission automation and management platform, to motivate and engage sales teams and channel partners with incentive programs. But would applying the same model of gamification to Empuls be of benefit to employees? Do digital badges, leaderboards, and trophies mean an improvement in well-being? That is indeed the dilemma Xoxoday is trying to address.
While gamification has shown user engagement, customer retention, and productivity improvement, what is the flip side? Let’s consider an example.
If a user claims a hundred points for having done thirty minutes of yoga in a week, would that mean that they had really done it? Gamification could create false incentives and incentivize winning over the objective of enhancing employee well-being. Further, it could create unhealthy competition and become a source of distraction.
The challenge now is to build models where gamification can help organizations launch tasks around physical and mental well-being in a manner that is ethical. It involves guiding employees in setting targets to prioritize well-being and setting aside time every day to focus on it. It has to be done in a way that creates accountability while motivating employees. When it comes to employee retention, the big question again is: can gamification be the answer? Could introducing gamification in employee learning and development, performance management, and engagement be the key? While gamification has been known to increase employee motivation, how can organizations leverage it in the best way? One way to do this is to build it into the employee engagement framework of the organization.
Should a platform like Empuls, which encourages well-being behaviors among the corporate workforce, include gamification despite its negative aspects? Could gamification have a negative impact on the responsible use of AI? Additionally, would people's concerns about the privacy of their personal information make it difficult for them to accept a new version of Empuls, if it incorporates gamification?
The high-level question remains: what is a balanced approach to using AI and gamification so employees participate without getting addicted, or gaming the system, while the organization’s data remains secure?The research paper addresses these thoughts and more. It serves as a pedagogical tool in graduate-level management and leadership development programs, enabling readers to navigate challenges in fostering employee well-being and improving retention.
You can access the research paper here: https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/product/xoxoday-solving-the-conundrum-of-gamification-and-wellbeing/01t5c00000DMX7VAAX
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