The gamification of socialization in modern work culture

11 reasons why employers should not force friendships of their employees

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” — C.S. Lewis

Ihave recently observed a burgeoning trend, particularly in global design teams with diverse generational backgrounds, that’s been a hot topic of discussion among my friends and my older colleagues. We have noticed a significant shift towards gamifying social interactions in the workplace. This phenomenon, seemingly forced on multigenerational teams has raised the eyebrows of mostly Millennials and Gen Xers as it straddles the line between innovative engagement and oddity. It is as if we cannot just get to know each other naturally and so forced activities are the way to go.

In a recent conversation with my stoic Gen X, Bulgarian friend, who is part of a design team at a large Canadian bank, we shared our mutual discomfort with the current corporate trend. Today’s meetings often start with a digital game, varying from simple icebreakers to complex interactive challenges designed to appeal to the emoji and GIF-loving younger workforce.