Thought Leadership
Companies are increasingly recognizing that gamers are particularly attractive as employees – they have skills that are a clear advantage in the new, AI-driven world of work. Companies should use gamification to appeal to this target group and set themselves apart from the competition.
The days when gaming was considered an annoying or perhaps even dangerous pastime for teenagers are fortunately over. Gaming has long since become socially acceptable – and is now part of everyday life for many young people.
More people than ever before are enthusiastic about computer games: According to Statista, 80 percent of online users worldwide play games via PC and PS5 through to Steam Deck. In Germany, around 54% of the population play computer and video games at least occasionally. However, they are much more popular among younger people: In the 16 to 29 age group, the proportion of video game players is even over 85 percent. According to Statista, the average gamer is 38 years old.
What makes gamers so interesting for employers?
Not only is our everyday life becoming increasingly digital, but our working world has also changed. Thanks to mobile devices and other technological developments, we now organize our working day differently than we did ten years ago. The ongoing development of AI will also gradually influence more and more industries. This makes it all the more important for companies to have employees who can deal with this change and, above all, support it. These people are increasingly to be found among gamers.
Anyone who plays games is digitally savvy – and so it stands to reason that gaming fans are more willing to go along with AI-related changes. They are already familiar with AI in the form of non-player characters (NPCs), i.e. computer-controlled characters, and are used to interacting with them. The step to communicating with ChatGPT and co. is therefore a small one.
Gaming not only promotes technical skills, but also soft skills such as critical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence. More and more companies are rightly seeing these skills as a valuable resource. In the future, 65 percent of employers want to consider candidates with gaming experience in the application process. This is shown by the latest “Gaming World of Work 2024” report by ManpowerGroup.
Skills shortage – presenting the company as an attractive employer
Companies that want to appeal to young people in particular should not ignore the gaming sector when addressing them, for example in the form of e-sports sponsorship. They are also well advised to make use of core elements from gaming and gamification. But how can this be implemented?
An attractive employer is not only characterized by competitive remuneration and good working conditions. Particularly in competitive industries, attracting skilled workers is all about being noticed in the first place. This is where sponsorship comes into play as a vehicle for employer branding: companies such as Techniker Krankenkasse and SAP have already been active in this area for several years and are involved in tournaments or as health or technology partners of individual teams or entire leagues. They are present on site and on microsites and actively engage with the industry. This enables them to address their target group at eye level where they like to be.
One thing is particularly important: the commitment must be authentic. Because authenticity is extremely important for Generation Z as well as for gamers in general. This means that companies must communicate in a target group and channel-specific manner. In addition, games or teams, for example, should have the same values as the company. For example, it is no use if a company whose managers are against weapons wants to claim a shooter like Counterstrike as its own.
Using gamification in continuing professional development
But it doesn’t have to be big sponsorship to gain a foothold in this world. The mere fact that companies are engaging with the topic and learning from it helps enormously – starting with the realization that people who play video games can bring special talents to the table.
Gamification can also be integrated into the application process: If it is used as part of an assessment center, this can increase the chances of a better hiring rate. According to the ManpowerGroup report, the probability of finding the right person for the job in a conventional application process, in which applicants are interviewed, is 50 percent. With the help of gamification, this success rate can be increased to up to 80 percent. This is possible, for example, by playfully testing factors such as solution-oriented work and critical thinking, but also motivation and likeability, i.e. whether someone is friendly, cooperative and pleasant to work with.
Around two thirds of employers in Germany believe that immersive technologies such as virtual reality and AI will have a positive impact on training and upskilling programs in the next two years.
When used in training and development, companies can use gamification to increase employee loyalty and improve business results. The use of game mechanics and experience design, for example by linking certain development steps to a points and rewards system, can also motivate employees. Gamification is seen as an effective way to increase employee satisfaction and improve performance. Employees state that gamification makes them more productive (89%) and happier (88%) at work.
There are many opportunities for companies to utilize gaming and e-sports to attract new talent, motivate and retain employees and improve their own branding. But there is one thing they should not do: Miss out on the opportunities that gamification offers.
