Gamification addresses a fundamental human need, which makes it extremely engaging. Humans have a natural tendency to seek progress and watch their development. Gamification allows progress towards goals to be tracked while offering regular feedback, allowing users to quickly adjust their actions and strategies. In addition, the pursuit of mastery is a powerful motivation that drives them to continually develop their skills and overcome new challenges. All these elements create an engaging experience that encourages further participation and contribution to the gamification process.

Gamification, through its mechanisms, effectively induces a state of flow, which in positive psychology is understood as a deep immersion in the activity being performed, combined with a sense of energising focus and pleasure. This state, commonly referred to as ‘being in the zone’, is characterised by total commitment and focus on the task at hand, which leads to a sense that time flows differently – it often seems to pass more quickly. By setting clear goals, providing immediate feedback and raising the level of challenge appropriate to the user’s skills, gamification creates the ideal conditions for experiencing flow. As a result, users experience greater satisfaction with their activities and are more motivated to continue them.

In games, the question “How am I doing?” finds its answer almost immediately through clear rating and feedback systems, which is one of the key aspects of keeping players engaged and motivated. Players have constant access to information about their progress, achievements and skill level, which allows them to consciously shape their strategy and decide what to do next. At work, on the other hand, employees often encounter a lack of direct feedback on their performance, progress or achievements. The lack of clear and regular feedback can lead to reduced motivation, uncertainty about one’s self-worth and a decline in engagement. This is why answering the question “How am I doing?” is so important – it helps build a sense of progress, motivates development and facilitates better performance both in games and at work.

The implementation of gamification helps in defining the expectations of the organization and defining the goals to be achieved by people and teams. This knowledge, translated into tasks, missions and challenges on the gamification platform, organizes and improves communication. When people know exactly what is expected of them, the guesswork and projections about “how am I doing?” An optimal environment for effective work is created.

Combining elements of the psychology of change and motivation, gamification addresses the motivational diversity of individuals, which is crucial for effective learning, behaviour change or habit building. By addressing motivation on a case-by-case basis, it allows strategies that influence behaviour to be tailored to users’ personal preferences and needs. The use of a system of rewards and punishments allows for the subtle modification of specific behaviours, while encouraging active participation and engagement in designated tasks. In this way, gamification not only supports the change process, but also contributes to the lasting ingraining of desired habits and behaviours, while taking into account the unique motivations and goals of each user.