Amazon: Gamifying the Workplace

It’s all fun and games and work at Amazon Games—thanks to their Chief of Staff, Liz Egol. The video game company maintains employee satisfaction by weaving gaming throughout its culture, like Slack channels where employees discuss games and share their favorite gaming products. Egol makes a point to gamify the workplace, such as in the onboarding process, where newcomers play trivia and participate in scavenger hunts. And it makes an impact, as her onboarding efforts boast a 78% satisfaction rate.

Egol began her career with Amazon in their advertising branch in 2007. She then switched to the Whole Foods department and worked at the senior level until 2020 when she became involved with Amazon Games. Egol wields empathy, authenticity, and flexibility to produce a collaborative and satisfied work environment.

Some Questions Asked:

• Do you need to be a serious gamer to work in the games industry? 6:52
• How does Amazon use video games to connect the team internally? 14:24
• What are you and the talent acquisition team doing to stand out from some of the more seasoned competitors to attract and retain talent? 18:37

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How Amazon developed an effective, gamified onboarding program.
• About the five ways companies can show appreciation for—and retain—employees.
• About the work culture at a gaming studio within a larger corporation.

Links:

• Liz Egol - LinkedIn
• Amazon Games - LinkedIn
• Michelle Labbe - LinkedIn
• Toptal - LinkedIn
• The Talent Economy podcast