Twentieth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations

Abstract

The best organizations in employee engagement encourage their teams to solve problems at the local level rather than using top-down commands (Gallup, 2020). In this case study, we implemented a gamification program within two software project teams in a multinational firm (Accenture). A unique feature of this study was the creation of two phases with contrasting management approaches. Initially, the program was led by a top-down management approach in the form of competition and rewards to achieve organisational targets. After six months, a radical plan was introduced which focused on a “user-led” redesign. In this second phase, individuals within the project teams were told “anything goes” to change the program. Based on open meetings, the project teams elected to completely overhaul the design and control of the program through new incentives, fun tasks, unique penalties, and team support initiatives. This phase fostered new collaboration initiatives within the project teams. Both phases assessed three quantitative measures: performance, time, and customer satisfaction. In addition, intrinsic motivation levels in each team member were measured. During the initial phase, the findings revealed substantial improvements which peaked before six months. However, the second phase revealed further improvements amongst team members across all three measures. Importantly, the individual intrinsic motivation levels were substantially higher during the “user-led” phase then the initial phase and baseline group. This case study discusses how this phased approach can provide an effective method to re-engage individuals through collaborative initiatives within project teams.