Do you ever want to quit something because it was getting boring or too hard? Not gonna lie. That’s one of the downsides of working from home and you wouldn’t want to let that happen in your team. 

Because of the distance, you may feel that your team members are becoming more disconnected and disengaged. It’s natural to wonder if meeting in person could be the solution to keeping everyone connected and motivated, but it’s not the only option. There’s always a way to create enthusiasm and connectedness even if you’re miles away. 

Have you heard of gamifying the workplace? It’s a cool concept that can really help bring some life and excitement back into the workplace, especially if you notice that some of your team members seem a bit too distant. Gamifying your work processes can be a good way to revive employee engagement remotely.   

Gamification is all about adding game elements such as point scoring and friendly competition among your team members and in different areas of work activity. The goal is to turn work into something that makes it more exciting and compelling and inject some energy into the workday. 

But gamification isn’t just about engagement – it can also help increase productivity, boost morale, and provide concrete metrics for tracking your team’s success. So, if you’re looking for a fun and effective way to improve your team’s performance, gamification might be just the ticket! 

Ready to start? The first step is getting to know your team members.  

Get to know their hobbies and interests so you can create a customised game experience that feels more harmonious and tailored to their individual experiences. How should they feel when they are at work? What motivates them? What actions can be rewarded? 

Once you have a good understanding of what drives your team, get creative with your gamification strategies. Set goals that encourage personal growth and foster a sense of community, rather than just focusing on hitting numbers and quotas. 

Here’s a great tip! Giving rewards and recognition is something that all employees appreciate, and it can be especially important for your remote teams. By recognising and rewarding meaningful actions, you can go a long way towards boosting your team’s morale and encouraging them to keep up the good work. And the good news? You don’t need to make big investments to make a big impact! Even small gestures can make a big difference in how your team feels about their work. 

So, how do you introduce gamification into your workplace to motivate and keep your teams connected when they are working from home? 

Start with friendly competitions

Everyone loves a good competition every once in a while, right? Incorporating some friendly gamified activities can be a great way to boost employee engagement! So why not create some fun gamified competitions between teams or individuals in your company? By tapping into people’s competitive spirit, you can motivate and inspire your team to do their best work. Just remember to keep it friendly and fun – after all, the goal is to boost morale and create a positive work culture. 

What we do here at Filta: One thing that we did was the Filta E-Sports Tournament. We thought that despite the limitations of working from home, we shouldn’t prevent our team from building camaraderie. So, we launched a virtual game series for Mobile Legend players. The grand champion took home a prize of P20,000. Even though the games weren’t directly related to our work, we felt that it was important to get creative with how we build connections within our team. By giving our team an opportunity to compete and connect with each other outside of work, we saw a huge boost in employee engagement and morale as a result! 

Recognise your team’s achievements

Giving your team members recognition and appreciation for their work is a great way to keep them motivated, especially in a remote work setup. One effective method is to use a point system that rewards them for their hard work and dedication. But remember, recognition doesn’t always have to come in the form of money or prizes. Sometimes, simply acknowledging their contributions and thanking them for their efforts can go a long way towards boosting morale.  

What we do here at Filta: This is what we are doing at our quarterly Filta ICON Awards Night. We recognise employees who have identified problems and come up with creative solutions, and who embody a growth mindset in their work every day. Celebrating their efforts is an open acknowledgement of the valuable role they play in our organisation. 

Host virtual hangouts and social nights 

There are plenty of employee team building activities that don’t necessarily involve games. For instance, scheduling 15-minute online coffee breaks in between work hours or organising post-work virtual happy hours can provide your team members with an opportunity to relax, be themselves, and interact with each other. If managed well, these activities can be a great way to cultivate work friendships and promote a sense of community within your remote team. 

What we do here at Filta: We have virtual hangouts where you can just pop in and out anytime, meet new friends, enjoy the music, or find your new lunch buddy! We also host game nights where we give out food vouchers as prizes. 

Next step

Gamification is all about making work fun and engaging, and one way to do that is by rewarding your team members for meaningful actions that align with your company culture. But don’t overcomplicate things! Start small and ask for feedback from your team along the way. Don’t focus too much on the rewards themselves, but rather the feedback loop that allows you to improve the program. And remember, gamification is a journey, not a destination. So be prepared for it to evolve and grow over time as both you and your team continue to learn and play. 

Do you want the same experience for your outsourced team? Partner with us! Send a message to Nerissa Chaux, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer, at nerissa@filtaglobal.com and she’ll be happy to walk you through the process!