Some factors hindering acceptance of three gamification solutions in motivation systems, in small and medium enterprises

Gamification, understood as a use of chosen game mechanisms for motivating actors in non-game contexts, is increasingly popular and has become one of the “hot topics” of managerial practice and science. Despite its widespread use in HRM, several barriers preventing its progress in certain types of organizations have been identified. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), where employees are not accustomed to formal procedures are a specific example, as gamification is based on formal procedures. The goal of the text is to analyze employees’ opinions concerning the incorporation of chosen gaming mechanisms into their motivation systems, to check if not being accustomed to formal procedures is a barrier. Beside “typical” SMEs where the entrepreneur is present, direct relations within a team are also characteristic of company departments which achieve their goals almost without contact with the rest of the organization – as in the case of a discount stores chain. The study bases on two samples to check if being accustomed to formal procedures in the small team facilitates acceptance of gamification. Two questionnaires (one on a sample of 100 employees of a discount store chain, and the second on 73 “typical” SME employees) asked respondents to declare their preferences for different types of rewards in motivation systems, including readiness to be involved in two gamification-type solutions: based on (i) lotteries, or (ii) BLAP gaming with non-material and material prizes. The effects of chosen factors: psychological (risk aversion) and situational (dissatisfaction with current incentive system) on the perception of two different ways of incorporating gamification into motivational systems, were analyzed. The results show that dissatisfaction with the current incentive system and not being risk-averse favor accepting the incorporation of gamification solutions into motivational systems. The responses of discount store employees and SME employees were similar to each other.