A successful tech startup in the USA is now using the online shooter Fortnite as a workplace activity. The CEO believes this is a good way to engage its young millennial employees.
What kind of company is that? The company is called Podium and is based in Utah, USA. They have grown from 50 employees to 480 in just a few years, as reported by Quartz .
The company is a typical rapidly growing tech startup. They help other companies analyze customer feedback better with their software and have attracted investors.
What is the company’s problem? The company has young employees, known as millennials, who were born between 1981 and 1996. According to the CEO, they make up about 80% of the workforce.
The leadership team, consisting of 8 people, is, however, older.
The problem with such a structure is that the leadership is far removed from the employees. This is undesirable as it hinders communication and collaboration.
This is how the CEO came up with the idea: As the company’s CEO, Eric Rea, recounts, he heard about Fortnite at the end of 2018 when one of the Podium executives played Fortnite with his two teenage sons over the weekend.
Rea then installed Fortnite on his smartphone and was immediately drawn to the game. He then opened a Fortnite channel in the company’s Slack and noticed that about 25% of the employees also played Fortnite.
Since then, Fortnite has regularly been played in the company. People play during their lunch breaks, when a meeting ends early, or for relaxation.
The good thing about Fortnite is that it is not tied to a console – people can play it anywhere and anytime on their mobile devices.
Here are the benefits of Fortnite for the company:
Rea explains that the main advantage is that it makes him and the leadership much more approachable. In the game, everyone is equal.
Fortnite is a natural way to build a team. It alleviates stress and helps the team communicate and collaborate better.
MeinMMO says: Many companies struggle with the millennial generation. If Fortnite helps to overcome barriers and increase productivity and collaboration, that is a good thing.
This surely won’t turn into a gaming orgy that paralyzes the office for hours, but collective gaming can be a valuable team-building measure and fits more into everyday life than “forced togetherness” in some amusement park.
Amid all the negative news, about how Fortnite affects everyday life and the lives of players, it is nice to read a news story that the game has a positive influence on interaction.
In other institutions, Fortnite is significantly less welcome:
