Warehouse workers who play together, stay together, according to market study insights released from Lucas Systems, a distribution center technology company providing software to workers in more than 400 warehouses worldwide.
In the study – which polled 750 U.S. and UK on-floor warehouse workers – nearly 84% of workers said they were more likely to stay with a company that developed workplace competitions around their day-to-day tasks. Workers like gamifying their work; they embrace the benefits gamified teamwork could bring; and they are eager to participate if it means earning company recognition or prizes such as company merchandise.
The study explored how workers feel about game mechanics such as workplace competitions, rewards, teamwork and leaderboards. These game mechanics are tasks which govern the actions and responses of game play.
“The results point to new and innovative ways for managers to attract and keep warehouse workers,” says Lucas Systems Chief People Officer Bud Leeper. “Employee engagement comes from good relationships, recognition, satisfaction of achievement, and having some fun – all which can be enhanced through workforce gamification.”
Lucas Systems says the time is right to implement warehouse gamification as 98% of workers (regardless of age) have some experience with game mechanics at work and 94% already participate in games in their personal lives. Gamification can be a differentiator for employers looking to fill the more than 250,000 warehouse worker job openings in the U.S. right now.
Other market study insights:
- Workers embrace competing as a team, as it puts less pressure on individual performance. Top motivations include strengthening the team (57%), the opportunity to engage with more co-workers (55%), and learning from teammates (53%).
- 88% said they are comfortable with day-to-day performance measures being shown to other employees. Boomers are generally lowest in comfort level, but still, over 80% favorable.
- There is strong acceptance of game mechanics, regardless of generation. Among non-supervisor warehouse workers, Gen Z are the most enthusiastic about workplace competitions. An overwhelming 90% would definitely participate for a 10% cash bonus or lower incentive, dwarfing the already enthusiastic 77% of Gen X workers who say the same.
“Warehouse operators can turn repetitive day-to-day tasks into more fun but that should be done thoughtfully and with the worker at the center,” adds Leeper. “It’s a trust exercise between workers and management. Workers must trust they will benefit from participating.”
Conducted by Wakefield Research, the gamification study is Lucas Systems’ third in its ‘Voice of the Warehouse Worker’ series examining worker fears, expectations and perceptions about their daily jobs.
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