Author: Ryan Lallier - CEO, RepTivity @RLallier
Over the past month I have seen an increase of negative press regarding badges within the gamification space. Is it really that bad? When did awarding someone with a symbol of achievement become a bad thing? For me personally, you couldn’t give me enough virtual trophies for winning my fantasy football league. As a professional sales person, it is an honor to be awarded President’s Club to later have the seal (badge) embossed onto your business card. I can understand the argument for badges being overkill in the consumer space however, in a corporate environment your personal brand is everything. Supporting your employee’s corporate identity through recognizable achievements is a powerful motivator and goes a long way towards increasing revenues.
Just like being awarded President’s Club though, badges in the workplace should carry more than just bragging rights and increased identity. Badges should equate to monetary value for the recipient. Which badge is cooler? Badge A. goes to the employee who retained the most customers this week. Badge A. is a huge gold star that goes next to your employee profile so everyone in the company can see it. Badge B. goes to the employee who generated the most qualified leads this week. Badge B. is a huge gold check mark and the recipient also receives a $100 Amazon gift card. Which badge would you rather have?
The problem is not the badge itself. The problem is how easy earning a badge has become. You shouldn’t receive a badge for completing simple everyday work tasks because the value of the badge will diminish over time. This is exactly what is happening today and why so many gamification “experts” have turned sour towards them.
In summary, Badge = Monetary Value. Give it weight, give it meaning and make it an honor to receive it.
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