Onboarding is crucial for welcoming new hires and getting them up to speed, but it often needs to be more active and engaging. The process doesn’t have to be boring, though – you can gamify onboarding to make it an exciting experience full of learning and team-building.
Gamification uses elements of game design like challenges, virtual rewards, and competition to motivate and engage new employees. When applied to onboarding, it can spark employees’ natural curiosity and drive them to explore your company more eagerly.
In this article, we’ll explore 12 fun and creative ways you can gamify your onboarding process. From pre-boarding games to incentive programs, these strategies will help new hires learn faster while having a good time.
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Use Preboarding Activities
One way to build excitement pre-Day 1 is by incorporating gamified elements into preboarding. Some ideas:
- Welcome package scavenger hunt: Include clues in a welcome package that guide new hires to learn online profiles or company info. The first to finish wins a small prize.
- Video call challenges: During a video call, assign tasks like “take a selfie with your coworker spouse/pet” and provide a small reward to the most creative submissions.
- Buddy challenges: Pair new hires with a buddy and give them missions to complete before starting, like learning three fun facts about each other. Publicly recognize the first buddies to complete.
Protip: Make preboarding optional but incentivize participation with small rewards to spark enthusiasm and set the stage for an engaging onboarding process. According to a Gallup study, preboarding increases new hire satisfaction by 70%.
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Gamify the Orientation
Bring game mechanics like points, levels, and leaderboards into the formal orientation period:
- Assign points for tasks completed and attendance. Tally up a final “score” to determine top performers.
- Structure orientation content into levels, i.e. Level 1 covers culture and Level 2 HR policies. Celebrate levelling up.
- Publicly track tasks completed on a virtual leaderboard accessible to all new hires for friendly competition.
- Offer small virtual rewards like digital badges as new hires hit milestones—Gamify mandatory compliance training for higher engagement.
- Incorporate optional challenges into each session, like answering trivia for an extra “life” on Kahoot! or Jeopardy-style games.
Gamifying orientation keeps new hires engaged through fun achievement and social motivation. Plus, it reinforces key messages through an entertaining learning experience.
Related: The Digital Onboarding Revolution: Transforming the Employee Experience
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Scavenger Hunts Around the Office
Office scavenger hunts encourage new hires to explore different teams and departments. Create clues and quests that guide new hires to learn about colleagues and their workspaces. For example:
Clue 1: “Find the Marketing Department. What’s their motto on the whiteboard?”
Clue 2: “Take a selfie with someone from Engineering and solve their riddle for the next location.”
Offer small prizes for the fastest completions. Scavenger hunts make orientation an adventure while introducing new hires to peers in a low-pressure way. They also spark learning through exploration and social interaction.
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Trivia Games
Turn company knowledge into play with trivia games during orientation sessions or team lunches. Kahoot! and Quizizz are great for real-time multiplayer trivia on computers/phones.
Create trivia on your history, values, products/services and test new hires’ understanding. The top individual or team scores each session win a small treat like candy or coffee cards. For a fun finale, organize trivia tournaments between departments.
Trivia challenges new hires to learn while competing for rewards in a low-stakes way. It also builds knowledge retention through an engaging format.
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Photo Challenges
Photo activities encourage exploration and relationship-building. Through assigned image tasks, new hires learn while bonding with coworkers:
- “Take a pic of your favourite workspace feature and explain why.”
- “Selfie with someone you just met from a different team.”
- “Snap the coolest tech you see and share what it does.”
- “Capture your team mascot/logo and start a scavenger hunt for others.”
Collect submissions on a shared channel and upvote favourites each week for recognition. Photo missions make learning social and highlight team connectivity.
Related: The Role of Technology in Modern Onboarding
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Department Deep Dives
Let each department introduce themselves through interactive presentations or activities:
- Design works on an on-brand welcome packet scavenger hunt.
- Sales leads a mock prospect call followed by role-playing feedback.
- HR organizes a “get-to-know-you” bingo hunt around the office.
Hands-on learning engages new hires through each team’s unique expertise and culture. Plus, it sparks meaningful connections across groups they’ll be collaborating with.
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Progress Trackers
Facilitate accountability with a digital checklist that tracks new hires’ completion of onboarding tasks:
- Modules studied, paperwork submitted, system training finished
- Optional challenges completed for extra rewards
- Recognition for reaching milestones and 100% completion
Display progress publicly on a virtual leaderboard. Introduce friendly competition and visibility keeps momentum high. Stackable micro-achievements also motivate continuous learning.
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Buddy Challenges
New hire buddies assigned to support orientation offer opportunities for gamification:
- Scavenger hunt quest around the office for mutual introductions
- Team-building challenges like an escape room collaboration
- Fun trivia on each other for a small prize at the end
- Photo activities together to build rapport
Gamifying the buddy experience enhances learning and creates camaraderie through an entertaining shared experience.
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Onboarding Quests
Multi-step quests encourage exploration beyond initial orientation sessions:
- Visit 3 departments, take a photo with someone from each for clues to the next location
- Solve riddles around the office to collect items to “defeat the boss”
- Complete skill-building modules, mini-projects, or trainings at each stop
Quests reinforce important messages outside of formal training. They also spark meaningful connections and ongoing engagement.
Related: Creating a Seamless Virtual Onboarding Experience
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Incentive Programs
Motivate completion of the entire onboarding process through impactful rewards:
- Extra PTO day for 100% completion within 30 days
- Tech accessories like wireless headphones for top scorers
- Lunch with leadership for going above and beyond
- Digital badges and trophies showcase achievements on resumes
Incentives celebrate wins and encourage new hires to go the extra mile. They create alignment by recognizing engagement with the onboarding experience.
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Feedback Loops
Gauge effectiveness and areas for improvement:
- Short surveys after each activity/session
- Live polls to elicit feedback on-the-spot
- Interview top and bottom performers 1-on-1
- Weekly wrap-ups in buddy check-ins
Reward insightful feedback consistently. Incorporate suggestions to iteratively enhance the experience based on what’s working best.
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Team video challenges
Assign teams of 2-4 new hires a challenge to complete together, like creating a short video about their department or sharing tips for new employees. Have them upload submissions by the deadline for votes. The top video wins a small prize. This encourages collaboration, communication skills, and entertaining learning about different areas of the business entertainingly. It also helps new hires get to know each other better in their first weeks.
Related: The Importance of Effective Employee Onboarding
Conclusion
Gamifying onboarding sparks new hires’ intrinsic motivation to learn and perform at their best. It sets the stage for an engaging culture where continuous improvement and achievement are celebrated. While the upfront effort may seem daunting, gamification pays off in higher retention, productivity, and employee well-being in the long run. Don’t be afraid to have fun with onboarding – your new hires will thank you for it!
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