Tailored gamification strategies for supporting energy efficient work behavior

Improving office energy efficiency is essential for EU carbon neutrality, given their significant energy consumption and CO 2 emissions. One way of engaging people in a certain behavior is gamification, which uses game elements in a non-game context. This study explores how tailored gamification strategies can foster energy-saving behavior at office workplaces. Specifically, it investigates the gamification user type of office workers and its preferences for game elements related to energy-saving. As a result, an online survey among 358 professional office agents sheds light into the gamification user types Hexad (Philanthropist, Socializer, Free Spirit, Achiever, Player, Disruptor) and preferences for 21 game elements related to energy-saving work practices. It revealed that gamification user types significantly shape design preferences for workplace energy-saving applications. Players and Socializers were attracted to a wide range of game elements, while Free Spirits showed minimal preferences. Philanthropists were inclined toward Personal design and collaboration-oriented elements, Disruptors favored competition-oriented elements, and Achievers were particularly drawn to Personal and Performance design elements. Based on these findings, ten design guidelines are proposed for creating gamified applications that encourage energy-saving behaviors in office environments. This research extends the Hexad user typology to workplace energy efficiency and offers practical insights for researchers and practitioners in developing effective gamified strategies for promoting energy saving in office environments.