mohammadjavad zahraeifar

In their quest for survival, organizations must comprehend and adapt to the evolving conditions of the modern environment. This necessity fosters organizational dynamism and enhances productivity. In the meantime, human resources, as the vital force of the organization, play a crucial role in fulfilling its mission and vision. Therefore, the recruitment and development of human resources emerge as fundamental components of effective human resource management. This study aims to investigate serious games in organizational talent management, with a focus on serious games.

This research employed a mixed-method approach, and thematic analysis was utilized to explore the typology of serious games and examine their impact on two dimensions: talent attraction and development and their influence on enhancing the quality of organizational human work life. Also, an expert panel of seven human resources professionals, experienced in assessment centers and serious games, facilitated the thematic search process.

In terms of categorizing serious games in talent management and their role in enhancing the QWL for organizational humans, 188 codes were extracted, of which sixteen core themes were related to talent attraction and development. Of the sixteen themes identified, three themes were focused on talent attraction: role-playing, oral presentation, and gamified psychological testing. Six themes were dedicated to talent development: educational energizers, educational icebreakers, educational nudges, escape rooms, storytelling, and virtual simulations. Additionally, seven themes were effective for both talent attraction and development: boot camps, group discussions, board games, case studies, handicraft creation, information search, and gamification.