Encourage Healthy Competition In The Workplace | #hrmanagement #hrexecutive

Competition is a great way to inspire teamwork and improve performance. A competitive workplace allows your employees to be more productive and engaged. However, some factors might get in the way when there’s unhealthy competition. 

For instance, employees may not feel they’re getting enough credit for their output. Some might think that they deserve proper recognition. A recent study from Gallup shows that highly engaged teams can boost your company’s profitability by 23%. Hence, competition in the workplace can make your business more successful. 

In large companies, competitive employees could feel threatened by their peers. Some fear intense competition may jeopardize their long-awaited promotion. This scenario can create a hostile work environment. So, to avoid this, companies must encourage healthy employee competition. 

Instead of pushing your staff to focus on winning, you can encourage them to work together. Collaboration can foster camaraderie and teamwork. It can inspire employees to help each other and perform better. 

Here are some ways to help you promote healthy competition within your organization:

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1. Gamify The Competition 

One way to promote healthy competition is by adopting gamification in the workplace. This technique applies game design principles to reward players for their participation. It can encourage employees to complete tasks, improving the organization’s productivity. 

Gamification is one of the best strategies to inspire healthy competition by boosting your team to move up the ranks while having fun. You can also offer special incentives, product discounts, or additional paid time off to make it more exciting.

By implementing gamification that incorporates a reward system, you can maximize employee engagement and loyalty within your organization. In addition, it’ll help them stay motivated throughout the day as they strive towards new goals and achievements. 

2. Be Transparent With Performance Metrics 

A competitive workplace should have reliable metrics to measure employee performance. When employees know how to measure their performance, it’s easier for them to focus on improving their work. Furthermore, performance metrics remove subjective inclinations like favoritism or even nepotism. Ideally, they serve as a guideline to evaluate one’s performance objectively.  

Meanwhile, one effective way to enhance healthy competition is to create a departmental scoreboard. You can develop metrics to track employee performance against specific targets. These include their work quality, output, score, and efficiency. The scoreboard can create a clear image of areas that need improvement. 

On the other hand, you can add fun and creativity while monitoring the performance. Departments can earn rewards for meeting key performance indicators (KPIs) monthly, quarterly, or annually. You can reward them with team-building excursions or a spa weekend to help the team bond and unwind. 

3. Recognize Top Employees 

Employee recognition is significant for competent individuals who have outperformed the competition. Giving credit to top performers is an excellent way to motivate others and spread positivity throughout the company. 

Research showed that 69% of employees confirmed that they’d work harder if they felt more appreciated by their employers. Recognizing the efforts of the top performers will help them feel valued while inspiring their colleagues to do better so they can stay on top of their game. 

Meanwhile, you can hold an annual award ceremony or special event to honor your top performers. You can also show appreciation by featuring them on your website or social media pages. Showcasing their personality, talent, and achievements can motivate others to improve their performance. 

4. Organize Team-Building Activities 

Another way to encourage healthy competition is by organizing team-building activities. Team-building activities promote interaction between your employees. For instance, you may choose exercises like a scavenger hunt, improv class, or human knot. You can also assign each member a role in the activity or encourage them to take on different responsibilities.

A study showed that 63% of team leaders saw improvement in communication after their employees engaged in these exercises. Consequently, these activities can enhance teamwork while allowing your staff to know their peers better. Team-building activities are an excellent opportunity to develop friendships, creating a sense of belongingness. 

Once the activities are over, collect feedback from the participants. It’s also best to note how participants performed and enjoyed their roles during the game. This information will help you tailor future activities, helping you create more opportunities for teamwork and camaraderie. 

The Bottom Line 

Promoting healthy competition is one of the most effective ways to support a diverse, productive, and engaging work environment. However, you must ensure to keep things on track. It also helps to maintain transparency and objectivity at all times. 

Meanwhile, you can make the competition fun through team-building activities and gamification. You can also recognize the top performers by posting their milestones on social media or the company website. Nevertheless, focusing on this initiative can help the employees boost their productivity and morale.