Serious Games and Gamification in the Corporate Training Environment: a Literature Review

Gamification is the concept of leveraging the psychological predisposition to engage in gaming, using mechanisms that game designers have applied in making video games, as a potential means to make real world activities more engaging. A serious game is a game designed for a primary purpose beyond that of pure entertainment. The influence of games on the cognitive, emotional and social domains of players increases motivation and engagement of learners. Within a gamified environment, individuals demonstrate a willingness to engage in repetitive tasks, experience failure, and make repeated attempts despite the risk. In the workplace, gamification provides many benefits for companies, including enhanced workforce recruitment and retention, increased program adoption, and improved work performance. However, many companies are reluctant to adopt gamification due to the challenges of accomplishing change within organizational hierarchies, as well as other concerns like demographics, ethics, and a history of failed attempts at gamification. This paper presents a literature review to synthesize research and findings on serious games and gamification in the workplace.