Gamification for Talent Development and Retention

Friday, November 15, 2013

 

We saw how gamification might play a role in the staffing of a new customer service center.  Now let’s look at the role that gamification could play in raising the skill level of talent and building employee affiliation with the organization.

 

Our new customer service center is up and has been operating for six months, but the analytics are pointing to some troubling trends.  First call resolution is below standard, mis-re-directed calls are too high, escalated call cases to Level 2 and 3 are too high, and staff turn-over is increasing.  Root cause analysis has identified several inter-related issues.  After reviewing various options, management has elected to re-design the gamification platform and re-introduce it to the call center staff.

 

All call center staff members are encouraged to explore the re-designed gamification platform.  Staff who participant and reach top level game performance will be recognized with an achievement “badge” as a mentor.  As part of their recognition, mentors will also be provided with development in coaching the work of other employees.  Staff members who are struggling with a specific issue, e.g., first call resolution are encouraged to voluntarily seek out a mentor for one-on-one coaching.  In addition, mentors will be asked to seek out and engage with employees who may be at risk of turnover.

 

Management is confident this approach will lead to significant improvements in the center’s analytics, nevertheless, they are expecting to see a change in the trend into more positive territory and they have allowed us 90 days to change the trend direction.  In addition to tools for recognizing mentors, staff members who improve their individual and team performance are eligible for spot bonuses, time-off with pay, and travel and entertainment gifts, and the opportunity to become mentors themselves.

 

While management wants to see improvement in individual performance, they recognize that call center functionality is highly correlated to the overall inter-workings of the “team”.  Management does NOT want to engender an “us vs. them” or a “have vs. have not” environment.  Consequently, in the re-design of the gamification platform now includes an internal “crowd-sourcing” component which was added to encourage and allow both real and spontaneous “teams” of Customer Relations Representatives to achieve recognition by solutions to performance issues.

 

While not a panacea, gamification holds the prospect of becoming another viable tool to address talent motivational and retention concerns.  Gamification may have a special and unique connection to both Generation “X” and “Y” employees.  Generation “X”, the lost generation, may be skeptical of gamification, nevertheless, they entered the labor force as personal computing took over the workplace.  On the other hand, generation “Y”, the millennium generation, has grown up with ubiquitous technology. 

 

Last but not least are Baby Boomers, an estimated 79 million Baby Boomers are in the work force and many plan to continue working well past their normal retirement age.  Baby Boomers are not “technology” novices, however, they are idealistic, competitive, loyal, and tend to question authority.  So, gamification design must address these characteristics if it is to be effective with this cohort.