5WPR
Get in touch

Digital PR · Published July 27, 2020

Ronn Torossian
Founder & Chairman, 5W

Gamification Delivers Results

gamification strategies to improve engagement and motivation
Share:
In his October 9, 2016 blog about the Baltimore Ravens fourth-quarter loss to the Washington Redskins, former NFL player Dan Birdwell threw in this quote: “You have to play this game just like somebody just hit your mother with a two by four.” Game or what’s since evolved into gamification perked up again during the pandemic with so many people quarantined at home. Since 1984, companies were urged to use gamification to improve employee engagement and get workers to more clearly define their goals. It was viewed as a novel way to keep score and get more frequent feedback from employees. When digital began taking off in the 2000s, the computer folks at SaaS companies and consultants jumped aboard. They added points, leaderboards, and badges to software, and gamification became more popular than ever. Remember the popularity of Mozilla badges or games like Farmville in the early 2000s? Gamification peaked in 2010, then went on a steady decline for several years. In recent months, it began rising slowly until the pandemic, where it was almost as though mom got hit with a two by four.

Why?

A study last year by Paradis LMS reported that 80% of American workers found game-based learning more engaging. The company also discovered that the level of employee engagement increased by 60% due to the employment of gamification training and that production was up 50%. A different survey by TalentLMS said most employees like gamification. Of those 45 or older, nearly all (97%) said gamification would improve their work. Of those polled, 87% felt it would make them more productive, while 85% were willing to spend more time on gamified software.

Gamification Delivers Results

Studies show about 75% of the workforce in 2025 will be millennials, a generation that was raised on computers and video games. Data from XLPro Training Solutions shows that 69% of employees are more likely to stay three or more years with an employer if they receive good onboarding. Gamification is expected to play a big role in the process. Collaboration tool company SAP Streamwork incorporated gamification to encourage more brainstorming. As a result, the company reported that the new idea generation increased by 58%.

Gamification Today

The most popular features of gamification in the corporate environment include the use of progress bars that simply show how much the user has accomplished or learned and a rewards or achievement page. Even something simple helps motivate trainees. Leaderboards are newer to the scene and foster competition. It can help improve efficiency as well, but caution needs to be exercised, so no one feels humiliated or embarrassed. Encouraging the use of pseudonyms can make it more comfortable. Applying one or more real games, either as quizzes or exercises, can help learners get more immersed. It often makes studying more productive. Brands that don’t have gamification experts on staff should retain a qualified consultant who can advise the company about the best software to invest in to achieve its primary goals and so mom doesn’t get hit with a two by four.
Ronn Torossian

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

View all articles by Ronn Torossian

Tags

  • pr strategy
  • tips
  • Public Relations
  • strategy
  • insights
  • trends
  • PR

Get in touch

Let's build your next chapter.

Tell us what you're working on. A senior strategist will respond within one business day.

Email
info@5wpr.com
Phone
212.999.5585
Offices
New York · HQ469 7th Avenue, Floor 8
New York, NY 10018
Miami100 SE 2nd Street, Floor 38
Miami, FL 33131
Tampa110 South 12th Street
Tampa, FL 33602