More and more organizations use gamification to motivate employees around security awareness. Think of point systems, leaderboards, or rewards for “good” behavior. It sounds appealing: make learning more fun and participation will increase. But in practice, the opposite often happens. Gamification can introduce the wrong incentives, causing employees to become defensive, cautious, or even less honest in their behavior.
I regularly see this in organizations that enthusiastically start with competitions. The department with the fewest phishing clicks gets cake. The employee who completes all modules the fastest wins a prize. For a short time, it seems to work. During the first week, numbers go up, people become competitive, and managers proudly share the scores.
“When a points system becomes more important than honest reporting, you lose exactly what you were trying to protect.”
But then something shifts. Employees start comparing who “made mistakes.” Teams that score low disengage because they feel they no longer have a chance to win. And employees who hesitate about whether an email is suspicious sometimes stop reporting it, afraid their team will lose points. The competition that was meant to improve behavior creates a culture where mistakes are hidden, while timely reporting is exactly what keeps an organization safe.
Behavior does not change through competition, but through safety
The painful part is that nobody intends this outcome. The intention is positive: adding fun to a serious topic. But without the right conditions, gamification works against you. The reason is simple: behavior does not change through competition, but through meaning, psychological safety, and repetition. If employees do not understand why something matters, or if they fear being judged for mistakes, no game mechanic will fix that.
That said, gamification can work. I once encountered a strong example at an organization that used a theme not to punish mistakes, but to celebrate participation. Employees could earn a rotating trophy not by being perfect, but by actively engaging. Even people who made mistakes were encouraged because they reported them and helped others learn.
The competition was not about who made no mistakes, but about who was most involved. That difference is crucial.
The power of play lies in engagement, not in winning
The key is psychological safety. An awareness program only works when people feel safe admitting they do not know something or that they made a mistake. If gamification undermines that feeling, the program must be reconsidered. But when playfulness helps lower barriers, spark curiosity, and start conversations, it can be a powerful tool.
Organizations where gamification is successful do not use it to measure people against each other, but to create connection. They use it to make risks discussable, not to judge performance. The reward is not a prize for “good behavior,” but a symbol of involvement and collective progress.
So it is not about the game itself, but about the intention behind it. When gamification gives employees the feeling that they are allowed to learn, experiment, and discuss mistakes, it strengthens the culture. But when it makes them feel evaluated or punished, it hits the core of awareness: trust, openness, and safety.
Gamification can bring out both the best and the worst in awareness programs. The real question is not whether you should use it, but what you want to achieve. Do you want people to win, or do you want people to grow?