Attracting, retaining and keeping frontline workers engaged has been an especially acute business challenge for warehouse operators recently. In fact, 56% of UK businesses are reporting moderate to very severe problems recruiting warehouse staff. While traditional approaches may have their merits, a recent study conducted by Lucas Systems of 250 UK warehouse workers suggests that harnessing the power of gamification in the warehouse can provide a significant boost to productivity and morale.
An overwhelming 88% of warehouse employees in the survey would be more likely to stay with a company that developed a program featuring competition in the workplace. Things like leaderboards, feedback mechanisms, competitions and incentive programmes can drive even deeper levels of engagement for workers, and become a competitive advantage in the battle to attract and retain workers.
What else did our survey uncover?
The time is right for gamifying the warehouse – Warehouse tasks can often be repetitive and mundane, leading to a decline in motivation and performance over time. However, gamification can inject an element of excitement and competition into these tasks, making them more engaging and enjoyable. Also, our survey found that many people across all generations, (89%) are used to playing games or incorporating aspects of gamification in their daily lives, so why not at work? Their gamified experience includes things like playing games on a mobile phone, tablet, or gaming console; online fitness communities; online betting or gambling. The ubiquitous nature of gamification spans generations as well. A solid majority of people (63% overall) are playing games on their mobile phone, tablet or gaming console. Our survey results showed that Gen X (ages 43-58) is the most apt to be playing games on a mobile phone, tablet or gaming console (65%), followed by the Boomer/Silent generation (Age 59+) at 64%, Millennials (Ages 27-42 ) at 62% and Gen Z (Ages 18-26) 61%. Also, while gamification is considered by many to be a fairly new concept in the workplace, the majority of warehouse workers have experienced some type of gamification mechanics in their workplace. An astounding fact uncovered in our survey is that only 5% of workers had not been exposed to some type of gamification at their current or former job.
Gamification promotes collaboration and teamwork: Warehouses often rely on effective collaboration and teamwork to ensure smooth operations. Gamification offers an ideal opportunity to strengthen these vital aspects. By introducing team-based challenges and cooperative games, frontline workers are encouraged to work together, share knowledge, and support each other to achieve common goals. Collaboration fosters a sense of camaraderie, enhances communication skills, and cultivates a positive work environment. The shared experience of overcoming challenges through teamwork can also increase job satisfaction and boost employee morale. In our survey, most workers support an “All Ships Rise” mentality with strengthening the team (60%), the opportunity to engage with more co-workers (49%), and learning ways to improve performance from teammates (46%), being their main motives for wanting to compete as a team.
Recognition can be a powerful motivator – While money is still a powerful motivator for many, our survey found that just by providing feedback and recognising achievements, companies can create an environment that values innovation and encourages employees to strive for excellence. More than 91% of survey respondents would definitely or probably participate in workplace competitions for just company recognition. While incentives are certainly a driver to grow participation, a large number of workers just want to be recognised in some capacity for the positive contributions they are making to the organisation. As one distribution V.P. noted, “In many of our employee surveys it’s not necessarily about money, it’s about quality of work and supportive management recognition at work.”
Tracking and displaying performance – Visibility to individual or team workplace productivity and leaderboards are a subject of much debate when it comes to their ability to motivate (or discourage) worker productivity. In a somewhat surprising result, 86% of respondents in our survey said they are very or generally comfortable with day-to-day performance measures being shown to other employees. Regular feedback loops enable workers to gauge their performance, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and strive for continuous growth. In another interesting finding, 60% of survey participants said they would be motivated to work harder if results showed their performance at or near the bottom.
Gamification has emerged as a possible game-changer in the realm of warehouse operations, offering a myriad of benefits for frontline workers. By infusing work tasks with game elements, companies can tap into the innate human desire for challenge, achievement, and recognition. From increasing engagement and motivation to promoting collaboration and continuous improvement, gamification holds the potential to transform the warehouse environment into a thriving hub of productivity and job satisfaction. Embracing this innovative idea has the potential to not only elevate performance levels but also create a workplace where frontline workers can be more deeply engaged, allowing them to thrive and grow.
James Hart leads the Lucas Systems business development team in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, helping to streamline and optimise customers’ processes through smart and user-friendly software solutions. James excels at identifying, delivering and implementing smart solutions that provide rapid ROI, transform operations and help companies continuously adapt to the ever-evolving demands of the warehouse and distribution centre industry.
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