Friday, May 9, 2025

Gamers Make Great Leaders: The Hidden Career Advantages of Playing Games

Can gaming help develop skills that translate into the workplace?

It’s well known that activities outside of work can contribute to success within the workplace. Someone who enjoys cooking at home might demonstrate good time management skills at work. A coworker who spends time coaching sports may be a skilled team leader.

Gaming, in its various forms, is a common hobby. So, what skills are translating from these games into the workplace?

Some studies have shown that there are cognitive benefits associated with playing video games. Benefits can include better impulse control, quicker reaction times, and improved memory. These cognitive skills can be applied in the workplace. Impulse control allows individuals to remain committed to their tasks and avoid distractions. Memorization skills help with critical thinking and problem solving.

How does playing video games lead to these positive developments? A study of 2,000 children found that those who played video games were faster and more accurate on cognitive tasks than those who didn’t. MRI brain imaging found that those who played video games had higher brain activity in areas associated with attention and memory and frontal brain regions associated with cognitively demanding tasks. These children also showed less brain activity in regions related to vision, indicating that they were more efficient at visual processing.

Looking beyond the virtual world, board games also show various benefits to players. Multiplayer games encourage social interaction and engage the intellect.

While trying to strategize and win, players must work together and follow the rules. It’s not hard to imagine how collaboration skills and improved social abilities could lend themselves to organizational success.

Tabletop role-playing games (think Dungeons and Dragons) encourage social interaction, creativity, teamwork, empathy, and other capabilities. These games depend on clear communication between members and require the team to work together to solve problems.

But gaming does not come without its side effects. When enjoyed in excess, video games specifically have been shown to have negative repercussions.

Online gaming has been associated with sleep deprivation, depression, and aggression. It’s possible to be diagnosed with Internet gaming disorder, an addiction included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders since 2013. This addiction is characterized by severely reduced control over gaming habits, resulting in negative impacts on daily functioning including personal, social, educational, and occupational responsibilities.

Gaming is a pastime enjoyed by many, and it can develop unique skills that can be applied in the workplace. Online video games should be enjoyed in moderation to limit potentially negative side effects.

5 Gaming Fun Facts

Most gamers are not children or teenagers—the average gamer is 33 years old!
There were 3.32 billion gamers worldwide in 2024, an increase of 1 billion in the past 8 years.
53% of males are gamers.
The United Kingdom is expected to have the most gamers by percentage by 2027, with 70 percent of the population playing video games.
Asia has the most gamers: 1.48 billion.

Sources: explodingtopics.com, familyaddictionspecialist.com, hbr.org, nih.gov, pursuit.unimelb.edu.au

Gamers Make Great Leaders: The Hidden Career Advantages of Playing Games

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