Can Gamification Motivate Non-Competitive Professionals?

Not everyone is competitive, and in fact, many people highly value collaboration over competition. Is gamification of business applications a non-starter amongst non-competitive professionals? How can gamification motivate targeted actions and desired behaviors when competition is not the goal nor even wanted?

Gamification means adding game, social and reputation mechanics to tasks business people need to or want to do anyway. It's about designing and reinforcing targeted actions, like participating in an online community or entering timely data into your CRM solution. Gamification can provide rewards that are valued by business users, without feelings of competition. So, how do we determine what's valued? Here are some of the ways people feel valued by being collaborative instead of competitive:

Many people value being an expert who can help others. They are the givers of the world who will share their knowledge and appreciate (but don't require) being recognized for it. Gamification helps these experts by using reputation mechanics to make them visible. When gamification is applied to online communities, for example, it surfaces subject matter experts who share knowledge with other community members.

Some people value setting and achieving personal goals. They feel no need to compete with others on the path to similar goals, and are likely to bond with and encourage their fellow goal setters. Gamification helps track personal goals and provides a guided, visual pathway to success. When gamification is applied to learning in a professional environment, for example, it helps to provide a sense of progress and achievement.

Social media has shown us that a great many people value being the first to share something new or unique. There’s value in being the first to spread a new idea within a network, and such people can develop a reputation for being innovative. With gamification, there’s the potential to reward social media sharing and the contribution of new ideas. When gamification is applied to consumer brand sites, for example, consumers are rewarded for sharing their brand loyalty on social media networks and spreading the word about the newest trends.

Understanding which actions you're trying to motivate and how to value them is crucial to your success with business gamification. That's why our business includes experts who understand human behavior, data science and game design. Even if your team despises competition, gamification can drive targeted behaviors that contribute to business success.