Understanding the effects of gamification on work engagement: The role of basic need satisfaction and enjoyment among millennials

Gunawan Wibisono, Yuli Setiawan, Budi Aprianda and Wiputra Cendana

Cogent Business & Management, 2023, vol. 10, issue 3, 2287586

Abstract: Millennial perspectives on work engagement can aid companies in fostering a more dynamic and successful workforce by recognizing that engaged employees tend to be more productive and satisfied. However, recent polls and studies have raised concerns about the lower levels of work engagement reported among millennials compared to previous generations. To address this, we conducted a study to investigate the potential of gamification to enhance workplace engagement among millennials and delve into the intricate dynamics of this relationship by examining the mediating roles of basic need satisfaction and enjoyment. Utilizing a cross-sectional approach with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), we found both direct and indirect positive effects of gamification on work engagement. Specifically, gamification positively influenced work engagement, mediated by basic need satisfaction and enjoyment. Remarkably, generational differences were minimal, as revealed in a multigroup analysis. While our findings demonstrate gamification’s potential to boost millennial work engagement, we acknowledge limitations such as data heterogeneity and small sample size; thus, further research in diverse contexts is needed. In summary, our study highlights gamification as a promising strategy to boost work engagement among millennials. It underscores the importance of addressing psychological needs in gamification design and calls for continued investigation to refine our understanding of these dynamics.

Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/23311975.2023.2287586 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:oabmxx:v:10:y:2023:i:3:p:2287586

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://cogentoa.tandfonline.com/journal/OABM20

DOI: 10.1080/23311975.2023.2287586

Access Statistics for this article

Cogent Business & Management is currently edited by Len Tiu Wright and Tahir Nisar

More articles in Cogent Business & Management from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().