Ludificação

: o futuro do trabalho será um jogo? Reflexão sobre o trabalho no século XXI a partir de casos de plataformas de recrutamento e seleção de jovens

Abstract

A new generation is now entering the labor market through a gamified recruitment and selection strategy, in other words, with game mechanics inspired by the intrinsic motivation originated in videogames. This dissertation presents an analysis of this recent phenomenon, arguing that game can be what it lacks in workplace to increase workers valuable motivation and productivity. Although this work presents three examples of online platforms with gamified methods and processes to recruit and select people, one international and two nationals, only one is analyzed as a case study (Rede Contacto, Sonae). External observation and comparison of these three platforms allowed us to show, on one hand, the similarities between them, and, on another hand, that this is a recent and global phenomenon. Methodology also includes interviews to managers of this websites and one online questionnaire disclosed trough Rede Contacto’s newsletter and trough the recruitment office of the main national universities on the Rede Contacto’s targeted areas (Economics, Management, Engeneering, Comunication, etc.). This investigation’s main conclusion is that some common ideas about work and play are misconceptions, for example that play and work represent the opposite of one another, so they just can’t mix or blend together. Indeed, our questionnaire’s responses points that workers and organizations consider that exists many things in common between work and play. On the other hand, based on the growing number of recruitment and selection online platforms with gamified processes, we conclude that those are a recent organizations’ investment, in response to the sensorial and intellectual need for incentive that younger people show. We also conclude from the interviews we made that a gamified recruitment and selection strategy is to organizations, actually, an investment on positive image and communication.

Date of Award	Sept 2012
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Carla Ganito (Supervisor)