With the focus on the obesity rate within the population, video games have received a lot of bad press as players are seen as people who just sit in front of the television for hours and hours, eating junk food, and as a result are putting on weight through inactivity.
Video games do have positives and these can be used to increase your productivity and profits. Overseas studies have found that introducing video games into your workplace can have a beneficial impact. Results include:
• Increase in productivity and morale;
• Significant increase in team relationships;
• Better concentration and an increase ability to juggle multiple tasks;
• Improved productivity; and
• Reduction in job related stress.
Some overseas companies are replacing the usual break rooms with facilities for employees to play video games. According to Entrepreneur.com “Companies that have created such rooms have seen a boost in employee morale and productivity.”
PopCap.com recently surveyed employees that take a short break to play video games during the work day. The results included:
• 84% said they felt “more relaxed and less stressed out.”
• 52% said they felt “more confident, more energetic, more productive and/or more mentally focused.
Some businesses within Australia are already seeing the benefits. The Sydney Hilton recently introduced a games room as an option to meeting delegates. The room comprises an Xbox 360 console, LCD television, bean bags and exciting games such as Guitar Hero 3.
Improved Employee Health
The introduction of video games can not only have a beneficial impact on your employee’s mental health, but also on their physical health as well. The introduction of the Nintendo Wii Console has seen the video game become a physical work out. During a tennis game on the Wii, players have to actually stand up and swing the controller like they would a tennis racket. We are all aware of the health concerns related to smoking, but if you could reduce the amount of cigarettes smoked by your employees in one day, and replace those smoke breaks with a short game break, then you would be having an immediate improvement in their health. No longer would your employees need to go outside in the cold and have a cigarette, instead they could take a game break, have a bit of fun and improve their health. How many sick days happen because of employees going from backwards and forwards from a warm environment to a cold environment.
Bottom Line
Businesses and business owners are continually looking at different ways to improve their business. You may have a preconceived negative view about video games. You may feel that people would be wasting a lot of company time instead of working. I am not talking about hours of video game play during the day, it is more beneficial for a short 10 or 15 minute stress break. Choosing the right game is also important, games such as: Guitar Hero 3 and Mario Kart are the type of games you could just pick up, play for 10 minutes and resume work. The benefits of introducing video games into your workplace include:
• Increased productivity
• Decrease in days lost due to illness
• Decrease in stress levels within staff
• Better morale
• Better team environment
Think outside the box..... Play the Game.
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