Daniel Pink, in his book called Drive, said that societies have operating systems just like computers and named these operating systems as motivation 1.0, motivation 2.0 and motivation 3.0. Pink emphasized that as societies develop, the types of motivation also change. Introducing Motivation 1.0 as the most primitive operating system, Pink stated that this motivation is fed entirely by survival instincts like eating, meeting basic needs, etc. Motivation 2.0, on the other hand, is based on a reward and punishment system. In this motivation that emerged with the industrial revolution, employees continue their work routinely to get rewards or avoid punishment. Motivation 2.0, which erodes the creative aspects of people, can work for short-term jobs. However, while creativity is at the forefront in today’s business world, it cannot be expected that people who have been trained not to be ordinary throughout their education life will be motivated by motivation 2.0. At this point, we can observe that motivation 3.0 comes to the fore. Motivation 2.0 is based on extrinsic motivation while 3.0 is based on intrinsic motivation. Here, it is useful to mention intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is self-motivation that comes from the desire to do a task, while extrinsic motivation is motivated from outside such as reward, praise and status. Motivation 3.0 has three basic dimensions. The first of these is autonomy. According to the dimension of autonomy, people decide for themselves when and how to do their work. The second dimension is mastery. When people feel that they have mastered a subject, their motivation increases. The last dimension is purpose. People like to be part of a universe, a mechanism larger than itself. For example, being a supporter of a sports club or being a member of a community… Thus, people cling to a purpose.

With Motivation 3.0, which is valid today, gamification becomes a very productive tool to motivate employees. Games create an environment where people can observe their progress with the badges they earn, the leaderboards, the points they have collected and the awards they have earned, and feel themselves masters. Gamification designs using these game elements also satisfy the mastery dimensions of employees in the age of motivation 3.0. The most important criterion within the dimension of autonomy of people is that people plan the work as they wish, that is, they go with the flow. At this point, games and gamification take people into a flow and allow them to focus completely. Finally, the purpose… People are motivated when they are aware that their daily work leads them to the ultimate goal in their work life. Games are a useful tool to measure how well the daily work serves the ultimate purpose. People become motivated when they see their progress and how they are progressing in reaching the great goal.

To summarize briefly, gamification practices involve employees in a story, helping them to let themselves flow and reach their goals. Also, helping them realize that they have actually mastered their business life as they progress through the game. Thus, they meet all the dimensions of motivation 3.0 by

Imona Game Team