“Oh, you still play video games? Isn’t that for children?” Yeah, that old chestnut.
Adult gamers are often the subject of memes or told to “get a life.” For kids, games are an immersive experience to explore fantasy worlds, forget their troubles, and develop genuine skills. So, why are these same benefits less widely recognized for adults? Especially if there are skills worth utilizing. Well, it seems as though there’s a new dawn on the horizon.
Gamification is everywhere these days, from playable consumer marketing to gamified employee engagement. But that’s old(ish) news now. Gamified employment is where things have taken a more purposeful step in an exciting direction, where in-game skills are appreciated, respected, and valued assets for employees to possess.
In this article, we’ll dive down the gamified employment rabbit hole. Why is everyone suddenly talking about it? Why should employers pay attention?
What is gamified employment?
Gamified employment, what on earth is it? It’s a new and exciting concept in which in-game skills are recognized as transferable talents for the workplace. This is achieved using platforms such as Game Academy. This connects to player’s gaming accounts and analyses their achievements and stats to align them with suitable career opportunities.
In 2019, professional e-sports Starcraft player “SeleCT” tweeted in the hopes of finding a software engineering internship — a very appropriate transition for a gamer. Tobias Lütke, CEO of Shopify, certainly thought so. His response:
“Hey Select. Happy to hire you in the Shopify intern program. Your Starcraft accomplishments are enough of a CV. Place is yours if you want it.”
Additionally, he doubled down with a reply to a Reddit post about the tweet, making a case for gamified employment:
“It’s insanely hard to become a pro in Starcraft, significantly harder than it is to get a degree. So, I feel like this should be highly valuable on a CV. My offer to bring in ex-pro players is more general than my offer to select for an internship.”
While this isn’t the norm in recruitment circles (yet), it shows that some of the brightest minds consider in-game skills valuable for the business world. Watch this space!
Skills from video games… really?
Video games evolved drastically over the last few decades, from tactical first-person shooters to large strategic games like Starcraft. They all suit unique interests and require advanced skills to reach the upper echelons — even more so for competitive and professional players.
Many hours are spent “grinding” to develop skills and knowledge to compete at the highest level. Sounds a lot like the employment journey and the desired traits of a good employee, doesn’t it? Every day, gamers utilize soft skills such as communication, inventory organization, planning, composure, and the execution of complex tasks.
Will employees slay dragons and use magic to defeat enemies in the office? No. But it shows they can absorb a wide range of information and transform it into actionable skills. These traits have never been appreciated like this, with people often mocking or ignoring gaming.
Yes, many games are designed for children. But technically, a Rubik’s Cube is a toy, and there’s a significant amount of people who will never solve it. You see, it’s not about the platform or activity. It’s what people do with it and how they learn from it. Video games are so diverse and creative that they offer the perfect environment for tailored learning experiences.
Why should employers be paying attention?
Why not? If gamers are developing genuine skills that can transfer to the workplace or at least be a foundation for new skills, it’s worth exploring. Companies that disregard new forms of talent acquisition hinder innovation and miss out on top-tier talent, but what skills are there to gain from gamified employment?
The gaming space is full of soft skills
A 2020 study revealed that as much as 40% of the world plays video games, that’s a deep pool of talent. Also, a 2002 study by the University of Surrey demonstrated parallels between in-game “soft skills,” which could provide gamers with the training needed to identify suitable career paths.
There’s a deep, broad talent pool out there — with many people who possess soft skills employers want and desperately need. After all, we’re right in the middle of a talent shortage. Employees who lack soft skills are hired daily but must learn soft and hard skills before they can even do the job.
Gamified employment could save employers a ton of time and money by employing gamers with preinstalled soft skills, allowing them to focus on the hard skills people learn at work. Do you want mediocre employees with an elite résumé? Or gamers with less experience but a broader range of transferable skills?
The times they are a-changin’
Technological advances are the biggest driving force for change in business and employment. As old tech evolves and new tech is invented, it creates a demand for employees to upskill and reskill. Today’s adult workforce is aged between 18-68, with a massive variety of skills, knowledge, and experience.
However, professionals at the tail end of the scale have a wealth of abilities and experience, but the skillful use and acceptance of new technologies often need to be improved. This is among several reasons for skill shortages. Because we rely on technology, it’s not just a fancy tool to show off. We need it, and employees must know how to use it effectively.
For this reason, business leaders need to look ahead to the near and far future and understand their recruitment needs. Gaming may be a novelty or a kid’s activity in the eyes of many people, but the reality is it provides invaluable soft skills combined with the ability to understand and utilize complex technology.
Just think how powerful a workforce could be if experienced professionals teach new talent vital knowledge and skills while tech-savvy employees use their current skills to fill the voids within the talent shortage. Age diversity for the win!
Gaming is global, and so is employment
Gaming is a worldwide phenomenon, with around 3 billion people playing video games. As we said earlier, that’s a pretty big talent pool. Now consider how much remote work has grown since the pandemic, not to mention the incredible growth of global employment thanks to new technology.
Gaming has been a borderless activity offline and online for many years, and thanks to platforms such as Multiplier, employment can also be borderless — helping companies find the best talent regardless of their location.
This means a three billion-strong talent pool could be a vital and fruitful business resource. A resource to tap into and explore, which is much needed when companies are struggling due to talent shortages. If they can’t find domestic talent, the only answer is to go global.
Is your business looking to hire more global talent, but you have no idea where to start? You’re not alone! Fortunately, Multiplier helps businesses hire globally while removing the potential headaches. Talk to our experts today to find out more!
