A couple of years ago, the BBC published an article about the benefits of video games and how they can help a workforce be more productive. The author of the piece, Alina Dizik, interviewed a 24-year-old in charge of running the day to day operations of his family’s accessories business. He acknowledged the subtle wrath of employees who saw his five minutes on Angry Birds as evidence of him slacking off. But it couldn’t be further from the truth.
The game, like any other that appeals to its player, helps him to switch off and relax, to get away from the challenges and stresses of the job. It’s the chance for “passive thinking”, writes Dizik, that is needed to solve the challenges that arise when your head turns back to business. That, it could be argued, is crucial to a motivated, focused and alert workforce.
There’s evidence to support this. Jane McGonigal, in her book Super Better, argued video games can improve both work-based skills and our overall mental wellbeing. Farmville and World of Warcraft were both highlighted by the American Psychologist as examples of video games that could benefit people with “real world” skills. And Blaz Kos, a personal development specialist, added strategy-based board games, poker and chess to the mix.
“Best HD Farmville 2 new facebook cover” (CC BY 2.0) by Tatiana_0000
It is increasingly likely the workforce will play some form of game, at least during breaks, given the accessibility afforded to us by the smartphone. Forbes even published an article in 2018 asking whether mobile phone gaming was taking over console games. So perhaps businesses should embrace this phenomenon instead of fighting against it?
As research by Technavio has shown, for example, the global mobile gambling market will grow at a CAGR of around 19% between 2017 and 2021. It’s why staff are as likely to be searching for the latest offers to play online casino games like roulette, slots, blackjack and poker at Bonus Finder Canada as they are logging into their Farmville account or playing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Jurassic Park Builder.
Indeed, poker has been widely lauded for its capacity to improve a variety of skills. Research has highlighted the advantages it can bring to logical thinking, controlling emotions, planning and goal-making. Poker pro Igor Kurganov discusses these factors in his book Poker Genius: The Mind Secret of Champions. They’re all aspects that could bring benefits to the workplace.
Businesses only need to look at the evidence to understand that perhaps the away days at a teambuilding event are gone, and collaborative gaming from the comfort of your office, is in as a way to build motivation, collaboration and productivity. In fact, this year, BYU information systems academics released data from a study that revealed a newly-formed team enjoyed 20% better productivity after playing video games for 45 minutes.
For many, the thought of playing games on a smartphone or console is an unsocial and isolating pursuit that is, at its core, an escapist form of entertainment. However, we’re seeing why gaming, from the board game to the popular digital mediums we’re likely to play in 2019, can help us analyze, problem-solve, process information, and reduce stress. Should businesses now be seriously considering how the incorporation of games in the workplace can boost productivity? The answer appears to be “yes”.
