Using Serious Games in Organizations: from Recruitment to Selection

Description

Many organizations face recruitment challenges, particularly in attracting motivated candidates whose skills and expectations match the requirements of the position and the realities of the job. Occasionally, the shortage of such candidates leaves certain positions vacant, while those that are filled experience difficulties in retaining personnel in the long run. It is thus essential for those organizations to improve the efficacy of their recruitment and selection processes.
Gamification could be a venue to tackle this problem. The scientific literature suggests that serious games (SGs) can attract a large pool of candidates while improving the employer brand (EB) and attractiveness. Furthermore, incorporating SGs into recruitment processes allows organizations to project a more innovative and appealing image, particularly to young job seekers, positioning SGs as a compelling tool for recruitment.
In this study, a SG specifically designed and developed for recruitment and selection purposes for the Belgian Defence was played by potential future applicants, as part of an online pre-post design study. In alignment with recruitment objectives, Belgian Defence’s EB and its various components as well as Belgian Defence’s attractiveness as an employer were measured before and after the game.
Preliminary results indicate that playing the SG significantly impacts certain dimensions of EB. However, it appears to reduce Belgian Defence’s attractiveness as an employer. Further analyses will be conducted to examine potential moderating variables, such as participants' gaming experience and familiarity with Belgian Defence, in addition to a Subject Matter Expert analysis to compare our data with Belgian Defence's actual EB. This will assess the SGs potential as a selection tool for providing candidates with a more Realistic Job Preview, which is a predictor of retention.
This work investigates the use of SGs for recruitment, while paving the way for research into the application of this innovative tool in selection processes.

Période	22 mai 2025
Titre de l'événement	European Association of Work and Organisational Psychology conference
Type d'événement	Une conférence
Numéro de conférence	22
Emplacement	Prague, République tchcqueAfficher sur la carte
Degré de reconnaissance	International