Gamification strategies in manufacturing and industrial automation are making their way as an innovative and effective solution to promote worker motivation and involvement and thus improve production team performance.
What is gamification? It consists of integrating elements of gaming into other contexts, such as the industrial one. This includes game design and mechanics such as badges, leaderboards, points and rewards to encourage active participation and make activities more enjoyable.
Engagement plays a fundamental role in productivity in the workplace. According to the “State of the Global Workplace Report” survey conducted by Gallup, engaged workers tend to drastically outperform those who are not. However, the report also found that the level of engagement globally is just 23%, leaving more than 70% of workers unchallenged to perform at their best.
Fortunately, companies have started to understand the potential of using solutions such as gamification techniques to stimulate their employees, especially those dealing with repetitive tasks. In this article we analyze some possible uses of gamification in industry.
How to apply gamification in industry
As already mentioned, the first advantage of gamification is the possibility of increasing employee motivation and, in general, creating a better working environment. As? One of the possible applications could be the creation of friendly competitions and challenges. The objective is not only to reward workers who give their best, but also and above all to stimulate and educate others. Promoting a culture of recognition is in fact useful for stimulating transversal recognition. Not only. This type of strategy is also effective in promoting team spirit and improving internal communication within the production team. As well as of course to give managers and employees the opportunity to monitor their progress.
Another crucial application of gamification in industry is the transformation of production processes to make them more punctual, standardized and stimulating. Production activity includes often repetitive tasks whose postponement or delay can negatively affect product quality, worker safety, and overall productivity. It is therefore essential to strengthen these processes and transform them so that they become an integral part of the professional development path of employees.
Lastly, it’s a great way to promote worker health and safety. How? First of all, by giving the possibility to establish clear safety objectives and monitor progress in this area, offering rewards for completing related tasks. Furthermore, a more pleasant approach to work helps to reduce stress and make some tasks less tedious, promoting the mental well-being of employees.