Motivated & Engaged: Leveraging Gamification to Reduce Employee Burnout

Purpose – Gamification has emerged as a strategic tool to enhance engagement and foster collaboration within non-game contexts. This study aims to develop and validate a structural framework examining how gamification mediates the relationship between employee engagement, motivation, and burnout within the Lebanese workplace context. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach was employed using a structured questionnaire targeting employees aged 18 to 64 across multiple sectors in Lebanon. Data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Measurement and structural models were assessed to evaluate reliability, validity, and path significance. Mediation analysis was performed to test the interaction effect of gamification. Findings – The results confirmed that employee engagement and motivation are both negatively associated with burnout (β = -0.7866, p < 0.01). Importantly, gamification was found to significantly moderate the engagement-burnout relationship (interaction term β = -0.2529, p < 0.05), indicating that individuals with high engagement levels experience significantly lower burnout in the presence of gamified elements. The overall model explained 71% of the variance in burnout (R² = 0.710), reflecting a strong predictive power. Research limitations/implications – The sample was collected using snowball sampling and self-reported measures, which may introduce response bias. Additionally, the current level of gamification adoption in Lebanese organizations remains low, potentially affecting generalizability. Practical implications – The findings offer actionable insights for HR professionals and organizational leaders seeking to mitigate employee burnout. Gamification can serve as a non-monetary motivational lever to boost engagement, enhance productivity, and reduce turnover-related costs. Originality/value – This research adds to the limited empirical evidence on gamification in emerging markets by validating its moderating role in reducing burnout. The study advocates for gamification as a viable tool in employee experience strategies, particularly in resource-constrained environments.