Gamification
Introduction and Purpose
Gamification applies elements of game design, such as points, rewards, competition, and progress tracking to non-game contexts, in order to enhance motivation and engagement. In the workplace, this approach can be used to promote biodiversity-supportive behaviours by making them more interactive, enjoyable and rewarding (Kirchner-Krath et al., 2024; Morschheuser et al., 2022). By drawing on people’s natural drives for achievement, recognition and friendly competition, gamification transforms everyday biodiversity actions into engaging challenges with clear goals and feedback loops.
Gamification can help foster biodiversity-friendly behaviour across all areas of an organisation by making participation engaging and visible. Examples include organising biodiversity challenges such as which team or individual can plant the most wildflower pots or identify the most bird species around workplace grounds, setting up friendly competitions to reduce paper use or food waste, and awarding badges or rewards for sustainable commuting (e.g. bike or walking), or volunteering for a biodiversity or nature project. A biodiversity leaderboard can also be introduced to highlight departmental progress and celebrate collective achievement. Together, these activities turn individual actions into shared successes and strengthen a workplace culture that values biodiversity and sustainability.
Key Features
Timeframe:
- Gamification can be introduced as a short, one-off activity during a single meeting or event, taking only a few hours to complete, or developed as an ongoing programme that evolves over time.
- For an ongoing programme the timeframe typically ranges from a few weeks for a simple challenge to several months for a continuous engagement process. Duration will depend on the organisation’s size, the number of employees involved, and the complexity and number of biodiversity-related actions or challenges being implemented.
Materials Required:
- Digital tools such as apps, intranet functions, spreadsheets, or gamification platforms can be used to track and display progress. Ethical and legal considerations should be carefully observed, ensuring that any data collected are relevant, proportionate and used responsibly. Employees should be informed about what is being tracked, why it is being collected, and how the information will be stored and shared.
- Resources to support biodiversity activities, for example seeds, bird feeders, planters, or recycling stations
- Incentives including prizes, certificates, or biodiversity awards to recognise participation and achievement
- Visual communication materials such as posters, dashboards, or digital displays to promote challenges and celebrate progress
Skills Required:
- Project management to plan, coordinate, and deliver biodiversity challenges effectively
- Communication to engage employees, share updates, and sustain enthusiasm throughout the process
- Data management to record, monitor, and evaluate participation and biodiversity outcomes
- Creativity to design challenges that are enjoyable, meaningful, and relevant to organisational goals
Potential Impact:
- Higher levels of employee participation in biodiversity and sustainability initiatives
- A positive and engaging workplace culture that normalises pro-biodiversity behaviour
- Visible improvements to biodiversity in and around the organisation’s sites
- Strengthened employee morale, teamwork, and overall organisational reputation.
Case Study
Instructions
Within a workplace context a Gamification strategy could be applied in the following way:
- Define clear and measurable biodiversity actions that can be tracked over time.
- Develop an appropriate reward system, such as badges, certificates, points, or tokens that recognise progress.
- Ensure activities are voluntary, inclusive and enjoyable for all staff.
- Use digital platforms such as apps, intranet systems, or leaderboards to monitor and display progress.
- Provide regular feedback and celebrate achievements to sustain motivation and reinforce a positive connection with biodiversity goals.
Rationale
Gamification makes pro-biodiversity actions more engaging, interactive and visible to employees. By incorporating elements of play such as challenges, points, or shared goals, it encourages participation and helps translate sustainability objectives into practical, enjoyable actions. This approach draws on motivation and reward mechanisms to sustain attention and commitment over time.
Benefits:
- Offers immediate feedback and recognition, reinforcing positive behaviours and a sense of progress.
- Builds a sense of community and friendly competition, strengthening collaboration across teams.
- Sustains long-term participation through rewards, recognition and shared achievement.
- Can be scaled and adapted easily across different departments or organisational levels, supporting broad engagement with biodiversity goals.
Links to Resources
Werbach, K., & Hunter, D. (2012). Have written a piece, For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business.
Gamify offer a gamification and sustainability case studies
