Everyone, it seems, enjoys playing games—and HR professionals can leverage that sense of enjoyment for better assessment results. (Image: Shutterstock)

Work is work—and there's no room for “play” at work, right? While the workplace is meant for serious effort, some of the most productive results can come from activities that are perceived as “fun.” That approach most definitely has a place in the hiring process.

As any HR professional knows, candidates are typically stressed by the hiring experience. Given their desire to be chosen for a position, it's difficult during the selection process for an interviewer to understand who candidates are as individuals, when all those candidates want to share is what they think the interviewer wants to hear.

One of the best ways to get someone to let their guard down and reveal their true selves is by playing a game. Anyone with children (or with firsthand experience in the subject—which, for those under the age of 35, is just about everyone) is intimately aware of how video games have permeated our culture. The global games market grew to $160.5 billion in 2018, according to game and esports analytics company Newzoo, and continues to expand at a 9.3 percent CAGR. Everyone, it seems, enjoys playing games—and HR professionals can leverage that sense of enjoyment for better assessment results.