Games between work colleagues can be a great way of keeping your teams motivated. However, it can be difficult to organize these activities in a way that achieves the desired objective.

After all, there are plenty of games to choose from. At the same time, employees may end up not playing enough games, or showing little interest in them.

How can you avoid failure when you want to use games as a means of federating your teams? What are the best practices and tips for encouraging your staff to play games with colleagues, and making the most of them to improve team cohesion?

In this article we look at the different types of co-worker games you could organize, and how to integrate them effectively to boost your teams’ motivation.

Why is motivation crucial in a team?

Motivation is a complex process that determines a person’s commitment to a specific activity. It is described as a form of potential energy that influences people’s ability to achieve a set goal.

For this reason, more and more organizations are paying particular attention to motivation in their quest for solutions to improve team performance.

Numerous studies have looked at the link between motivation and the ability of employees to achieve the objectives set by the company.

The challenges of motivation

Advances in the psychological sciences over the years have shown that workers’ motivation directly influences the time and energy they devote to achieving set objectives.

The higher the level of employee motivation, the more committed they will be to achieving the company’s objectives. This can translate into increased productivity and a strong commitment to the company’s development.

Motivation therefore plays a central role as a factor in business productivity. Consequently, a manager who succeeds in motivating your team at work helps improve employee performance.

High-performing employees often mean excellent business results for the organization. A lack of motivation, on the other hand, can îa decrease in efficiency.

This state of affairs is likely to affect overall company performance and compromise the achievement of organizational objectives. Similarly, lack of motivation can adversely affect the working atmosphere and create a negative mood.

In the long term, this can lead to higher turnover, as dissatisfied employees are more likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Employers therefore need to find a way of measuring their employees’ motivation levels.

This can be done by means of a work motivation questionnaire. Ensuite, il faut constamment œuvrer à l’amélioration du degré de motivation en entreprise. Toutefois, la motivation au travail dépend généralement de la manière dont l’environnement de travail est perçu par l’employé.

Clearly, to be motivated, the employee must be provided with good working working conditions and perceive the company as an environment that enables them to achieve a positive goal. It can therefore be useful to offer workers activities that are accompanied by stimulating rewards.

This is particularly true of games between work colleagues or team building activities. team building which can help unite employees around company objectives.

Factors influencing motivation at work

Finding the right way to keep employees engaged at work also means taking into account the key factors that influence their motivation.

In general, motivation can be influenced by instinctual factors or external forces. There are therefore two main opposing concepts to explain the sources of motivation in workers:

  • Intrinsic motivational factors ;
  • Extrinsic motivational factors.

Intrinsic motivation is based on factors specific to the employee. It derives from elements linked to previous experiences, values and beliefs, or future projects.

This form of motivation translates into the search for satisfaction or personal fulfillment in work. In this case, the employee finds pleasure and satisfaction in performing his or her tasks, regardless of external rewards.

When motivation is intrinsic, the employee is driven by a desire to master new skills, take on challenges and make an outstanding contribution to his or her professional environment.

Thus, intrinsically motivated employees are often more autonomous and proactive. They constantly seek to improve their performance and innovate within the company. This can lead to outstanding results and greater job satisfaction.

On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is durable and resilient, as it is rooted in the employee’s deep personal values and individual aspirations. However, it needs to be supported by external incentives to maximize effectiveness and performance: this is known as extrinsic motivation.

This form of motivation is rooted in environmental affects and interactions with colleagues.

The principle of extrinsic motivation is to reinforce employee commitment through tangible or emotional incentives. In general, these can be :

  • Performance bonuses ;
  • Salary increases ;
  • Career opportunities ;
  • Positive, stimulating work environment.

These various incentives can encourage employees to achieve specific goals and maintain a high level of productivity. For example, employees are more inclined to invest themselves fully in their work when they feel supported by their organization.

It’s therefore essential to provide them with the right resources and create the conditions for developing positive relationships between colleagues. This is precisely the case when playing games with colleagues.

This holistic approach of valuing autonomy and personal development with tangible rewards can lead to more motivated and productive employees.

Co-worker games: a powerful way to motivate your teams

Games between colleagues are one of the most effective levers of extrinsic motivation in the workplace. Many organizations are increasingly using gamification to enhance the employee experience and boost motivation.

What is gamification in the workplace?

Gamification can be defined as the application of game design elements and principles in non-game contexts to enhance user motivation.

The idea is to introduce play mechanisms into ordinary activities to make them more engaging and enjoyable. Incentives such as :

  • Points;
  • Badges ;
  • Rankings ;
  • Levels;
  • The rewards.

These various incentives are considered key components of gamification. For example, badges are symbols of achievement that are awarded for specific accomplishments.

In gamification, they testify to the mastery of skills or the achievement of objectives. In so doing, they can help stimulate a spirit of emulation and improve players’ performance.

This is precisely why gamification has been introduced into the workplace, where tasks can be repetitive and unstimulating. With gamification, employers can define clear, measurable objectives, then motivate employees to meet and exceed those objectives.

This opens the door to many areas of exploration for achieving various corporate objectives:

  • Facilitating the integration of new talent;
  • Offer stimulating activities for employee training ;
  • Improve internal communication;
  • Increase commitment and productivity.

To achieve this, managers can use specialized applications or software that incorporate gamification elements. These tools can track performance and offer virtual rewards.

They also offer more opportunities to encourage collaboration and create a work environment where employees feel connected to their colleagues. For example games to animate a meeting can contribute to more productive meetings.

In some cases, companies can set up internal rewards programs based on points or badges that employees have to earn by completing specific tasks.

These gamification systems can be useful for providing regular feedback and measuring employee contributions.

They can also be used to assess a candidate’s suitability for a position within the company. On parle de gamification of recruitment.

The benefits of corporate gaming

Games between work colleagues are an excellent extrinsic motivator for boosting commitment within the company. They help to create a stimulating work environment that boosts internal productivity.

Indeed, co-worker games encourage employees to get in touch and interact in a variety of ways. During these interactions, employees have the opportunity to exchange information about the company and its activities.

These games are therefore a prime opportunity for the circulation and retention of information within the company. Similarly, co-worker games provide opportunities for employees to get to know each other better and develop stronger relationships.

This can improve interpersonal communication and reduce conflict between employees. Furthermore, during co-worker games, employees are encouraged to collaborate and work together to achieve common goals.

This fosters a sense of belonging and solidarity, which in turn helps to strengthen bonds between employees. Ultimately, these team-building activities create a more harmonious work environment, where employees feel supported and valued. Playing games with colleagues can therefore improve the atmosphere at work

in the company. However, beyond the benefits for the organization, they are also an excellent tool for stimulating creativity and the spirit of innovation among employees.

Better still, they can offer a break in the work routine where employees can relax and reduce stress.

The different types of games to motivate your teams

There are many different types of games you can play with your colleagues to create team cohesion and a positive experience in your company. These games can help boost your teams’ commitment and motivation.

Collaborative games to strengthen team cohesion

Collaborative games are games played by co-workers that encourage collaboration and information sharing. They enable employees to communicate, get to know each other better and forge links.

Team building activities

Team building is a form of activity designed to improve the cohesion and motivation of teams within an organization. Team building activities are designed to improve interpersonal relations between employees.

These activities are essential for creating a positive and productive work environment. Some of the best-known examples of team building games include :

  • Treasure hunts ;
  • Team sports challenges ;
  • Creative activities.

Such activities call on interpersonal skills, communication and teamwork. What’s more, they help to create a positive working climate within the company that encourages employee loyalty.

Escape games: A powerful tool for collaboration

Over the past few years, escape games have become a popular form of play among work colleagues. This growing popularity is due to their ability to develop key skills such as problem-solving, communication and time management.

These skills are essential in business, as they enable problem-solving to achieve objectives in a short space of time. Similarly, in an escape game, teams must solve enigmas and challenges within a limited timeframe.

These games encourage participants to communicate effectively and make quick decisions. Escape games are therefore games for colleagues that help to strengthen team cohesion by encouraging collaborative decision-making.

These games can also be an opportunity to to develop the company’s by highlighting the company’s QWL.

Creativity workshops: Unleashing team potential

Creativity workshops encourage divergent thinking among participants. These peer-to-peer games emphasize innovation and the development of creative solutions to problems.

These can include games such as brainstorming games or innovation workshops. In general, the aim is to stimulate the expression of ideas and the creative potential of teams. However, every member of the team is expected to contribute to the goal.

In this way, co-worker games boost participants’ self-confidence and improve group dynamics. As a result, they can contribute to reduce turnover turnover.

Competitive games to boost individual and team performance

Competitive games are games played between two or more colleagues. The aim is to encourage the players to outdo themselves and perform to the best of their abilities.

Internal challenges

Internal challenges are offered to employees to encourage them to excel and achieve specific objectives. For example, the company may organize sales competitions to motivate sales teams to exceed their usual quotas.

In these co-worker games, employees are encouraged to give their best with tangible incentives. This can lead to an increase in overall team performance.

To successfully organize these games between work colleagues, it’s essential to set quantified, gamified objectives. In other words, the objectives to be achieved in the challenges must be specific, measurable and attainable.

Rewards and badges

Rewards in co-worker games are not just tangible. The use of certain virtual rewards can also encourage desired behaviors.

This is the case with reward systems based on badges and points. Alternatively, certificates or tangible prizes can serve as recognition for employees’ efforts and achievements.

This approach stimulates the employee’s desire to surpass his or her performance, with a view to immediate, visible gratification.

Games focused on employees’ physical and mental health

Some co-worker games focus primarily on the physical and mental health of employees. The idea behind these activities is that employees will be more productive and motivated if they are in good health.

Sports events

Sporting events are a popular and effective form of co-worker play. They provide an opportunity for employees to get together outside the traditional work setting and take part in physical and competitive activities.

The activities to be organized as part of sporting events focus on both strengthening bonds between employees and their physical well-being. They therefore mainly involve activities that require collaboration and healthy physical competition.

These can be soccer tournaments, relay races or other team sports competitions such as basketball or volleyball.

Outdoor activities

Just like sporting events, outdoor activities can be the place for games between work colleagues. However, they are much less intense than sporting competitions, and focus more on mental well-being.

During outdoor activities, employees can develop a sense of camaraderie and solidarity, helping to strengthen bonds between colleagues. What’s more, these activities can become genuine tools for stress management at work.

Some of the games played by co-workers based on outdoor activities include :

  • Hiking ;
  • Orienteering ;
  • Kayak excursions ;
  • Fishing days.

To succeed, these activities need to be gamified by introducing specific challenges.

How can games be effectively integrated into corporate culture?

It’s not enough to choose the right games to offer your colleagues. You also need to be able to integrate them effectively into the corporate culture.

Although it may seem a complex task, this process can make games between co-workers a natural part of the business, with strategic planning and execution.

Choosing the right games for colleagues

Before integrating games into a company’s culture, it’s a good idea to understand the organization’s objectives and values. Indeed, the games chosen must be aligned with the company’s mission and vision if they are to be effective.

For example, if the company values innovation, brainstorming games and creative workshops may be particularly relevant. If collaboration is a key value, team-building activities such as escape games or sports challenges may be more appropriate.

Communicating to promote activities

Communication is key to integrating games into the corporate culture. Employees need to be informed about upcoming activities and the objectives of the games.

Internal communication campaigns are therefore needed to promote activities and encourage all employees to take part.

To do this, you can use the company’s communication channels to disseminate information and encourage employees to take part in activities.

Measuring and evaluating impact

Measuring and evaluating the results is recommended to ensure that the games have a positive impact on the company’s culture. The company can define performance indicators to assess employee engagement following organized co-worker games.

Similarly, satisfaction surveys and feedback can be collected to understand the impact of games between work colleagues and identify areas for improvement.