Pokémon Go is inspiring the unlikeliest of players to take to the streets and walk for miles in pursuit of rare, virtual reality characters. And it’s not simply a game for the young – 40% of adults who have downloaded it are aged 25 or older.
But this new obsession could seriously harm the focus, productivity, sleeping pattern and mood of some employees – with serious ramifications for businesses.
Here, Eugene Farrell, Head of Trauma Support Services for AXA PPP healthcare discusses how the game could be affecting employees – and their work.
Decline in productivity
- When advising on work-life balance, HR professionals commonly discourage employees from working long hours and instead encourage them to try to switch off when they’ve left for the day. And while game-play during short, allocated breaks is a great way to take a breather from concentrated work, overdoing it can lead to work-life imbalance, with all sort of tasks and activities being neglected in favour of gaming. This is addiction territory and may seriously affect employees’ performance and productivity.
- As soon as an employee signs an employment contract, you both commit to giving and receiving in return. Therefore, you are within your rights to initiate disciplinary action when employees are wilfully ignoring their work.
FOMO (fear of missing out)
- The ‘chase’ element of Pokémon Go has seen people walking long distances, with the exercise undoubtedly benefiting their health. In addition, the exercise gained is not the positive ‘clear your head and relax’ type but rather an obsessive, driven and pressured type. Withdrawal from playing and or fear of missing out can even trigger anxiety, and can also adversely affect people’s quality of sleep. It is this poor sleep quality that adversely affects concentration (46%), ability to complete work (38%) and stay awake during the day (27%).
- Given that rare Pokémon creatures come out at night, employees roaming about into the late hours could be compromising their shuteye and lead to their turning up for work far from able to give their best.
Concentration cracks
- If employees’ minds are preoccupied with thoughts of the last game or anticipation of the next ‘fix’, the quality of their work is likely to suffer. Their productivity slump may in turn lead their workload to mount, adding stress to the anxiety they are already feeling. They may even come to resent their job because it stops them from gaming and feel guilty or inadequate because they know they’re under-performing.
- Whatever the case, frustration, irritability and disengagement are scarcely conducive to good employee-employer relations. Staff morale and a strong team ethos are integral to business success.
So what can bosses do?
If you’ve noticed a new preoccupation with Pokémon Go, it may be time to address the situation. How you choose to tackle gaming addiction in your office depends on your relationship with your employees. It doesn’t have to be a ‘Pokémoan’ (no one wants to be seen as a killjoy) and you can’t take employees’ smartphones away, but if you’re worried about performance look for ways to retune their focus. If they’re struggling with their workload, let them know that you are there to support them.
Pokémon Go may just be a passing fad, but it may be having a significant impact on some of your employees’ wellbeing and, in extreme cases, putting their livelihoods in jeopardy. So be smart and watch for the signs of addiction – and be ready to act. It’ll hold you in good stead both for this and for the next gaming craze that comes along.
