Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Three things the Wii Fit can teach you about employee performance

Nintendo has long been a supporter of teamwork - multiple game controllers, split screens and the ever famous Mario and Luigi. But, what do they know about employee motivation and performance?

With the release of the new Wii Fit, Paul Hebert at Fistfull of Talent discovered what Nintendo games can teach us about workplace issues, specifically employee engagement and performance.

If you’re unfamiliar, the Wii Fit uses an interactive game and balance board to enhance players’ fitness. The Wii Fit disc and Wii Balance Board are used together for different types of yoga, strength training, aerobics and balance games.

Take a look at Hebert’s post for the full chart of comparisons, but here are three of the most interesting:

1. Wii Fit keeps track of your body mass index (BMI) and weight, providing tips on technique and weight loss.

Establish benchmarks for employee performance and measure against those points. Benchmarks allow you to see where you were and how much you’ve improved.

2. Each minute of activity adds a point to your Fit Bank. You must gather enough points to unlock new activities.

Incentives are the classic reward for activity. Small activities now will lead to greater rewards later.

3. When the program thinks you lost or gained a lot of weight in one day, it will offer tips for healthier fitness and ask you why you think it may have happened (late night dinners, snacking, exercise, etc.). Based on your answer it provides tips and encouragement.

Managers have the responsibility to look for changes in performance and work with the employee to develop a plan, complete with employee input.


Even if you don’t agree with the ideas from Fistfull of Talent, they can be used as great reasons to convince the boss to get a Wii in the office. It’s all for the sake of improving employee performance, right?

No comments:


Brought to you by www.gneil.com