10 Companies That Are Successfully Using Gamification for Recruitment

Want to know what the top 10 companies that are successfully using gamification for recruitment are? We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of our favourites to inspire your innovation for hiring.

But first…

What is gamification?

Simply put, gamification introduces game elements into non-game situations. It adds healthy competition and the opportunity for progression. Gamification can take many different forms, but some common examples include adding points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage competition and progress tracking.

The gamification market size in 2020 had a global value of $9.1 billion and is predicted to register an impressive growth rate of 27.4%, reaching $30.7 billion by 2025 (MarketsandMarkets, 2020).

Top 10 companies that are using gamification successfully:

1. Google: Code Jam

Google offers multiple coding competitions but their three main challenges are Code Jam, Hashcode, and Kick Start. Competitors enter by completing a series of coding skills tests - working their way through multiple rounds of algorithmic coding puzzles for the title of Code Jam Champion and a healthy $15,000 USD.

It's one of 3 competitions that Google holds for participants of all skill levels and they often offer jobs to the prize winners.

You can check out competition winners and data for Code Jam - we think these are some extremely useful recruitment metrics.

Want to create something similar? Try Coding Game Platform.

2. Airforce: Airman challenge

Think you've got what it takes to join the airforce? The Airman Challenge recruited candidates by allowing them to complete the type of missions airmen carry out every day.

Want to create something similar? Try Starlooop Studio.

3. GCHQ: Can You Crack It?

As one of the UK's intelligence and security agencies, GCHQ works to protect national security interests. Running from 2 November to 12 December 2011, GCHQ's innovative challenge was designed to engage with people who are interested in code breaking and ethical hacking, and who may not have heard of GCHQ job opportunities via their traditional recruitment advertising and campaigns.

Successfully solving the challenge took candidates to a careers page revealing both the source of the code and the career opportunities GCHQ was advertising in cyber-security.

4. French Postal Service: Jeu Facteur Academy

Formapost is a French postal service that was struggling with retaining employees - around 25% of new hires left the company (a sign that they were potentially hiring the wrong candidates). The company used gamification to increase retention by launching Jeu Facteur Academy, which allowed their potential candidates to experience a virtual week in a life of a new hire postal carrier.

Scenarios included waking up early in the morning, learning, and even understanding ethics on the job as a way of managing realistic expectations.

5. Deloitte: Badgeville

Badgeville is a Behavior Platform created by Deloitte Digital that "gamifies" executive training. The training program targets more than 10,000 senior executives at over 150 companies around the world.

Badgeville's gamification and reputation solution aims to reward participation, lesson progression, and to certify program completion with an optional diploma. How's that for upskilling and retention?!

Want to create something similar? Check out Deloitte Digital - the creator of the platform.

6. Whirlpool: Cryptic Puzzles

Whirlpool used gamification and social media to engage with prospective candidates and to keep their brand connection active. They uploaded cryptic puzzle games on their social media sites to connect with prospects.

The success and active use of games by Whirlpool proves that gamification in HR is a successful endeavour with tremendous results.

Want to create something similar? Try Julie James (the creator of the game).

7. Dominos: Pizza Mogul

What better way to raise brand awareness for your company to potential candidates by building a pizza creation game? Create a pizza, promote it across social networks or by any other creative means, and earn a piece of the profit for every pizza sold.

In just 11 months, the Pizza Mogul initiative resulted in 63,000 users, 130,000 pizza creations, and more than 10,000 pieces of user-generated content.

8. Umbel: Umbelmania

Umbel is a data management platform that empowers sports and entertainment companies to drive revenue with their most valuable asset: data. They introduced gamification in "Umbelmania," in which coders at all levels could fight a series of opponents in a first-person fighter-style game, where participants are coding the movements - and winning points within the game.

The points factor decided how far applicants could advance in the interview process - focusing on skill, not experience.

9. The US Army: Proving Grounds

With the popularity of games like Call Of Duty, it's no wonder the US Army has gone all-in on gamification to recruit members for the army. Their intro video looks like a cutscene straight from video game footage.

The official game of the U.S. Army, Proving Grounds is a first-person RPG that allows you to experience the role of army personnel: shooting enemies, throwing grenades, and saving the day.

10. Marriott Hotel: My Marriott Hotel

My Marriott Hotel was a new way to attract people from all over the world to hotel careers. In its first two weeks, people in 83 countries played the game. It's part of Marriott's corporate culture "to train and retain."

So, do you have what it takes to run a hotel restaurant? Beware- It's addictive. One person reported playing the game for 36 hours straight.