УДК 334.012.6:658.1

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36887/2415-8453-2025-2-36

Kotlyk Andrii Valeriyovych,
Candidate of Science in Economics, Ass. Prof., Ass. Prof. of the Management, Business and Administration Department,
Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3626-3884
Tereshchenko Daniil Andriyovych,
Higher Education Student
Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics

JEL classification: M12, J29

In the context of evolving business challenges, employee motivation – especially within sales departments – has become a critical concern for organizational success. Traditional motivational tools such as fixed salaries and bonuses are increasingly insufficient to sustain engagement and performance in dynamic, high-pressure environments. This paper explores the growing relevance of gamification as an innovative strategy to enhance motivation, performance, and employee satisfaction. Rooted in historical practices from both Soviet and American contexts, modern gamification applies game mechanics – such as points, levels, badges, and leaderboards – to work environments to fulfill psychological needs and stimulate intrinsic motivation. The paper reviews key contributions from leading scholars including J. Hamari, K. Seaborn, S. Deterding, G. Zichermann, K. Werbach, and B. Burke, whose research laid the theoretical and practical foundations for gamification in management. Despite positive findings, gaps remain regarding long-term effectiveness, ethical concerns, and standardized evaluation metrics. Focusing on sales departments, the study outlines practical gamification programs and their roles in boosting employee engagement, learning, and teamwork. These include reward systems, challenges, training modules, and performance tracking mechanisms, all of which align with both extrinsic and intrinsic motivational theories. A structured implementation model is presented, covering the stages from planning and CRM integration to pilot testing, full deployment, and long-term optimization. Advantages such as improved performance and data-driven decision-making are balanced against challenges like over-competition and potential declines in intrinsic motivation. Ultimately, the article concludes that gamification, when thoughtfully designed and tailored to the company’s culture and objectives, offers a compelling and adaptable method to modernize motivation systems. It serves as a practical guide for HR managers and team leaders aiming to align employee engagement with organizational success.

Keywords: motivation, personnel motivation, sales personnel motivation, gamification, gamification implementation process, business processes, business process improvement.

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The article was received 10.04.2025