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HomePlatformsGamificationStudy Finds Gamifying Work Boosts Performance

Study Finds Gamifying Work Boosts Performance

Researchers at West Virginia University have discovered that incorporating game elements into repetitive assembly tasks can enhance productivity and engagement among workers. This process, known as “gamification,” was explored in a study published in the journal Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. The study found that while gamification led to increased productivity and motivation on assembly lines, it also resulted in higher stress levels for the workers involved.

The experiment conducted by the research team, including Makenzie Dolly, a teaching assistant professor at WVU, involved participants assembling a Lego model of a telehandler in both gamified and control settings. The gamified group received rewards like progress bars and badges, which boosted their productivity, especially during their final attempts to achieve a personal best.

However, this increased productivity came with a trade-off. The gamified group reported higher levels of frustration, effort, time pressure, and mental and physical demands. Surprisingly, they also felt they performed worse than they actually did, contradicting the researchers’ initial expectations that gamification would reduce the perceived workload.

Dolly pointed out that the psychological load from gamification could be beneficial, keeping workers mentally active and preventing boredom, which can lead to errors and disengagement. However, she also noted the importance of balancing the level of challenge and stress, as too much could lead to negative outcomes like high turnover and increased sick leave.

The study also highlighted that individual traits, such as self-competitiveness and patience, significantly influenced how workers responded to gamification. This finding suggests that successful gamification strategies should consider the personal characteristics and stress tolerance levels of individual workers to find the optimal balance between engagement and stress.