Work and play can go hand in hand when virtual meetings are enriched with gamification. The key is to include a system of points and rewards that boosts engagement and gives participants the chance to have a little more fun than usual.
Here’s a closer look at why gamification can improve virtual work gatherings and best practices for getting the most out of this meeting-enhancing strategy.
Why Gamification Works
Gamification strategies can help make your virtual meetings more engaging — and not only because they shake up the typical agenda.
In non-entertainment contexts like work meetings, gamification makes learning or completing tasks more palatable and satisfying by breaking up dense content.
Using gamified elements helps make the material lighter and more approachable. This also urges participants to explore their natural curiosity beyond their level in a more formal or traditional meeting environment. A deeper level of engagement can also inspire great questions and new discoveries.
In addition, gamification taps into participants’ motivation sources and generates real emotions that deepen engagement levels.
Members of a team may not be intrinsically motivated to complete a long and complex training program — or even to pay attention during an hour-long video-conference with colleagues and clients. However, adding a game-like structure taps into alternative sources of motivation, like the desire to compete and win.
The adrenaline rush that comes from scoring points, and the excitement of surpassing colleagues’ scores, are real and tangible experiences that create a more immersive and enjoyable experience.
How to Add Gamification to any Virtual Meeting
In a basic sense, gamifying a meeting involves adding a system of points and rewards to the meeting content and structure. There are many different systems to choose from, so the key is to choose one that you can easily adapt to support your meeting goals.
With some creative thinking, you can apply a dynamic points and rewards structure to any type of virtual event to keep your participants engaged.
Establish a point system
In order to compete or win, your meeting guests need to know how and when they can earn points.
You have lots of options on how to structure your point system. Depending on your meeting goals and format, you might choose to award points to people who:
Offer enticing rewards
Just like there are many ways to incorporate points into your meeting, there are several ways to structure your reward system. You could offer:
Whether your participants are competing for a free lunch, several different prize gifts, or simply bragging rights, let them know at the start of the game and make sure your chosen rewards and prizes will delight the group and encourage engagement.
Keep the game alive
Throughout the event, find ways to remind participants of how to score points and who is close to winning. Keep the point tally and possible rewards top-of-mind throughout the session.
Follow the golden rule of gamification: Make it fun!
It’s not fun if people can’t win or don’t know how to. Clearly communicate all the rules of the game so everyone can stay involved and upbeat.
Consider offering several different ways to win, such as several tiers of rewards. This way, most participants can come away feeling like winners.
Let the games begin!
Eager to start enhancing your virtual meetings with a gamification system your guests will love? Partner with JTB USA Meetings & Events and our team of innovative planning professionals will help you kick off a memorable and successful session.
