Online games have come to dominate the list of activities that bring the most enjoyment to young people and adults of all ages. According to research by Newzoo, roughly more than 2.5 billion people worldwide play games.
In Brazil, an estimated 66.3% of the population plays on various types of devices and is between 25 and 34 years old. That is because playing is relaxing for many people, which is why Fapuga alone has Game-Based Learning methodologies, such as Game Based Learning.
In the corporate world, it is very common for employees to play during breaks or even follow live online gaming competitions while they work, through apps such as Twitch, Discord, and YouTube.
Many managers could easily see this habit as a distraction that hurts team productivity. But quite the opposite: giving employees this freedom can contribute to work of excellent quality.
What is game based learning?
In education, at schools and colleges abroad, Game-Based Learning is widely used both to deliver content and to practice what has already been learned, establishing real-world connections through analogies and simulations in the virtual world.
Increasingly used around the world, the Game Based Learning methodology stimulates the development of the soft skills needed to make plans and win in an environment of healthy competition and collaboration.
Using tools that young people already know makes all the difference in learning, and online games are a very engaging, instructive way to develop knowledge and practice among young people and adults.
3 reasons to encourage online games
Even in the workplace, allowing employees to watch online games can create conditions for tasks and demands to be completed quickly. In fact, we have already seen that it is common for employees to follow competitions of their favorite games while working, and this increases a person’s emotional quality of life and well-being.
Take the case of designer Gabriel Silvestre, who works on a company’s marketing team. To do his work he needs to use two screens, but that also lets him follow something he enjoys while he works.
“I feel it sparks my creativity and the desire to stay there doing the day’s tasks. I really like watching Counter Strike streams and soccer games, because they are things I enjoy and they give me a good feeling while I work,” he says.
Situations in which employees can play matches against each other can also be another appealing way to bring teams together and increase teamwork productivity.
With that in mind, we have put together three reasons to encourage online games, whether in the workplace, at school, or at home. Of course, in the right amount of time, without going beyond the limits of common sense.
1- Stress relief in difficult times
Yes, online games can become an escape valve after a stressful day and crises that shake anyone’s mental state. Young people and adults are increasingly worried about the economy, careers, families, and also illness.
Studies show that online games can help manage and reduce the stress built up in daily life, because the stories in online games and the need to think up strategies to win can take up the space that everyday worries occupy in the mind.
In other words, instead of becoming anxious about all the uncertainty around us, we can escape through a game. In fact, the best companies not only support their employees’ career goals but also support their overall well-being.
In addition, you need to play regularly, because it is not a single game that will be able to manage stress; it has to be something regular. Online games in which you tend a garden or a farm can be an excellent everyday relaxation tool.
2- Online games can improve productivity
Work brings cognitive fatigue, which affects productivity. It is similar to a writer’s block, for example, but in the workplace. This kind of mental stress can keep you from generating your best ideas and work.
At a U.S. company, after moving to remote work, the director noticed that his employees were dealing not only with regular work but also needed to communicate more and deal with distractions at home.
So he instituted a policy of ending meetings five or 10 minutes early and asking everyone to play solitaire or another game of their choice.
“It may sound like a strange policy, but our goal is to create a process in which our team is forced to disengage cognitively. Lately, we have been running employee engagement surveys weekly, and our employees said this policy was one of the best we have implemented since the start of the phase,” the director says.
3- They connect people and get teams socializing
In the office or at school, you can chat spontaneously, joke around, and have lunch together. But companies that have moved to a remote setup face a new reality.
There are no more simple conversations, a “Hey, how was your weekend?”, quick chats in the elevator, or even walking into the office. This is a reality also seen in schools and colleges, since distance learning exists.
Fortunately, online games have a track record of being used as team-building tools. And in those moments, we realize how beneficial the Game Based Learning methodology can be in many ways, because besides being one of the best ways to absorb and understand content, online games also bring people together and build bonds.
From socializing to well-being and productivity, online games can have a place in your company and, of course, in schools. However, they also have the potential to be a distraction. Set clear expectations about when and why employees may play, and you will take your business to the next level.
