The recruitment phase is as critical for any organisation as it is demanding for the human resources team responsible for conducting it.

This phase is of the utmost importance since the organisation aims to select the most qualified candidate for the duties to be performed. Furthermore, the process is also time-consuming and resource-intensive, given that it traditionally involves lengthy periods of analysing CVs and conducting interviews.

However, the paradigm has evolved to the benefit of all parties involved – the organisation, human resources, and candidates – since the advent of algorithm-based tools and, more recently, the explosion of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In this context, while most organisations continue to adopt traditional recruitment methods (such as CV screening, psychotechnical tests, and interviews), there has been a notable rise in the adoption of gamification – i.e., the application of gaming techniques and design – as a growing trend in candidate selection.

This selection methodology makes the process more efficient, enabling candidates’ technical and behavioural skills to be assessed in a more natural environment, while simultaneously saving time for human resources teams and offering candidates a more stimulating experience.

The use of gamification in recruitment can take the form of quizzes, simulations, or competitions, among others. These are designed to reproduce real work environment scenarios and challenge candidates to solve problems or carry out tasks related to the job in question.

By using these methods, organisations can assess candidates on a range of skills, including strategy, teamwork, analytical and reasoning abilities, and alignment with the organisation’s culture and values. Unlike CVs or interviews, where candidates may present an image that does not fully reflect reality, a candidate’s performance in a game is unlikely to be tampered with.

When implementing gamification in recruitment processes, it is important to consider the limitations that may arise from the applicable legal framework. 

Firstly, it is essential to guarantee that the personal data of prospective employees collected for the purpose of the recruitment process is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary for the fulfilment of its purpose. Specifically, this means that only the data essential for assessing the candidate’s technical and behavioural skills should be collected, considering the duties to be performed. It is crucial to ensure that no superfluous data is collected, and that any information relating to the candidate’s private life or health is avoided – except when specific requirements inherent to the nature of the professional activity justify it and the respective grounds are provided in writing.

In terms of transparency, and still related in relation to personal data, organisations must inform candidates of the purpose of the data collected. Moreover, whenever gamification experiences are based on algorithms or other forms of AI, candidates must be informed of the parameters, criteria, rules, and instructions that form the basis for decision-making in such systems. Otherwise, the organisation may face significant administrative penalties.

It is also essential to ensure that the gamification experience respects the right to equal opportunities and equal treatment, and that it does not benefit, favour, or disadvantage certain candidates, directly or indirectly, on the grounds of any discriminatory factor. This is in accordance with the Portuguese Labour Code, which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, and trade union membership, inter alia. 

 Despite an organisation’s awareness of its obligations regarding equal opportunity and treatment and its diligence in avoiding conscious infringement of the relevant legal rules, it is possible (and often frequent) that the gamification experience may have been designed in a way that could inadvertently generate a discriminatory situation. For this reason and considering that discriminatory acts harming candidates give them the right to compensation for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage, it is crucial that organisations have a comprehensive understanding of the gamification experiences they implement, ensuring they comply with all relevant legal requirements.

 Is your company ready to play this game?