Playficient

Not too long ago, the notion of a “fun” workplace meant foosball, drinks on tap, and lively activities to boost camaraderie and build corporate culture. However, the pandemic and the rise of remote work would soon reveal that the model spearheaded by tech companies in Silicon Valley falls somewhat flat in terms of employee engagement. Playficient, a Vancouver-based consultancy in British Columbia, is helping clients better address employee engagement through an authentic, humancentered approach that draws strongly from the principles of design thinking in user experience.

While many companies will use processes such as design thinking, onboarding, and journey mapping for customers, they may not necessarily apply them internally for their employees. However, areas such as employee onboarding and employee retention could benefit from turning these processes inward. That’s where Playficient comes in.

“We take elements from user experience design and adapt them to better assist companies with their internal processes,” says Paul Lopushinsky, founder of Playficient.

At its core, the employee experience impacts everything about an organization, with onboarding being one of the essential elements and a signature service of Playficient. When executed well, onboarding can help address the challenges of fast-growing companies in hiring new employees and mitigating high turnover rates at established companies. As for the approach, it starts with evaluating an organization’s current onboarding experience and breaking down its strengths and shortcomings to determine actions for immediate and long-term improvements. The effort contributes to higher retention, with employees feeling like part of a team, more welcomed and valued rather than overlooked and an inconvenience, which is likely to motivate them to stay longer.

Creative ideas for onboarding abound, from implementing a buddy system to a scavenger hunt that introduces new employees to different parts of an organization, to a new employee welcome kit, among others.

Employee journey mapping, a concept from user experience design, is another offering from Playficient that helps clients address their pain points, creating better stories of the employee experience and focusing on the moments that matter. It is about figuring out what makes employees tick, both the positive and negative aspects. By having candid oneon-one conversations with employees, Playficient delves into every aspect of their experience in their role, from highs and lows to onboarding and the challenges they face. Conducting several of these interviews within an organization makes it possible to identify patterns and determine where the company excels and where it falls short in terms of the employee journey.

That is where Playficient comes in. We take elements from user design experience and twist them to fit more with helping companies with their internal processes.”- Paul Lopushinsky

Companies often approach Playficient asking how they can make their work environment more “fun.” Since the pandemic and up until now, Playficient advocates for a world where the focus is on creating a playful culture that appeals to everyone, without relying on a large investment in an office with fancy perks and mandated fun that feels like an obligation. For instance, one way to promote a more playful work culture is by introducing and identifying the eight play personalities of staff and teams, creating a more playful culture that aligns with the values of the organization.

By incorporating design thinking, onboarding, employee journey mapping, and cultivating playful environments, Playficient is elevating the employee experience. This approach is proving successful as clients continue to experience higher engagement, lower turnover, improved team communication, enhanced morale, and other benefits that surpass the ping-pong games and perks of the past.