Actionable gamification strategies for health and wellness brands

There are several types of health. Physical, mental, financial, and even data health should be considered if you want to be well-rounded. One thing is constant between these different areas though, health and wellness benefits from the gratification that comes from gamification.

Here are some of the actionable gamification strategies that companies and programs are using to lead the charge toward better wellbeing metrics.

Gamification and motivation

Staying motivated is half the battle when trying to reach a goal and gamification is a powerful motivator. Most people are innately competitive, even if they are just competing with their own records, so leveraging it to meet health goals is just smart business.

"As per market research conducted by the popular online portal Global Market Insights, the total market value of the Healthcare Gamification market was USD 25.3 Billion in the year 2020. They predicted this value to grow at a CAGR of over 14.6% from the period of 2021 to 2027."

Gamification health apps

Tracking apps

Fitbit and other similar brands have become well-known for helping people achieve fitness and overall wellness goals. They track all kinds of things including heart rate, sleep, and active minutes and they produce scores with them so that users can improve.

Exercise apps

Storytelling can be powerful too in the gamification space. App games like ZOMBIES, RUN! have motivated 10 million users to download and run to a healthier future with the aid of the undead!

Financial wellness gamification

Dashboard reports

Many premier financial investment companies that provide products for retirement like 401Ks have dashboard elements that help you plan. They walk you through your current state of affairs, help you stay on track for retirement, and give you scores.

One example of this is Fidelity. You can see some of their system externally here.

Challenges

Dave Ramsey is perhaps the most well-known financial influencer. Of the materials he produced, one of them, the 100 envelope challenge, is focused on simplifying and arguably gamifying savings.

It works for people because it's easy and it tricks you into doing what's best for your future. Smart!

Employee wellness gamification

Employer-sponsored healthcare programs

Certain healthcare programs offered by employers incentivize people to get and stay healthy with rewards.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthy Actions is a good example. They make it literally pay to be at your best.

Human Resources (HR) initiatives

Internal competitions led by HR can be incredibly successful. They usually utilize leaderboards and pit employees against themselves and each other in a friendly competition.

Some examples include step challenges, healthy eating initiatives, and more.

Digital health gamification

Security

At Imarc, we are currently using Kolide to help bolster our security practices. It connects with Slack and notifies our team members when something is wrong, which keeps our instances and computers healthy.

Notifications are simple, but actionable because they utilize lists to check off issues. Clearing them is the best part of the "game."

Screen Time

We are all on our phones and other devices too frequently, which is why Apple Screen Time notifications make you want to lower your use. It's effective because the reports tap into your emotions and encourage change.

Onboarding and completion

When companies want to encourage their employees to complete certain milestones, they can use onboarding completion metrics in dashboards housed on intranets or other locations. This gamification method can also be made to re-up certifications and other upskilling opportunities.

Gamification in mental health

Healthy connection

Even mental health professionals are cashing in on gamification. Have you heard about Hero Journey Club? It's a program where you play games such as Stardew Valley (which already has a reputation for being relaxing) with a Journey Guide (trained therapist) and a few other participants. They explain it as "subclinical support groups" with a lower-pressure space (inside the game).

Hobbies with goals

Lots of people have a goal of learning a new language and fostering connections through learning helps many with mental health. That's why we consider learning apps to also be healthy mind apps. One such app is Duolingo.

With their set up they track your learning in steaks and you earn points. Together with reminder alerts, these gamification methods help keep you on track for success.

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Health and wellness can be overwhelming, but gamification can make it easier to digest and even enjoy.

Have you considered introducing gamification into your workflow and projects? If you're interested in doing so, we'd love to team up and tackle it. Let's talk.