In a business world that often feels driven by deadlines and dominated by KPIs, Xendit has quietly redefined what it means to build a culture that motivates, inspires, and—yes—entertains. At the Gamification Summit 2025, held in Singapore earlier this month, the Southeast Asian fintech unicorn captured the attention of global leaders not for its robust payment solutions but for the way it approaches work.
I had the chance to sit in on Xendit’s much-talked-about keynote and interview several of its team members afterward. The takeaway? The company’s gamified approach to the workplace isn’t a gimmick—it’s a blueprint for the future.
How Xendit Turned the Workplace Into a Level-Up Experience
Gamification isn’t new. Companies have long used points, badges, or leaderboards to drive engagement. But what Xendit showcased at the summit went much deeper: an integrated system where every team member earns real-time “XP” for meaningful work, collaboration, learning, and leadership.
When employees join Xendit Work gamificationsummit, they’re welcomed into a workplace experience modeled more like a role-playing game than a traditional corporate hierarchy. Their HR and Operations team has developed a dynamic internal system that tracks performance, encourages cross-functional collaboration, and—most importantly—makes work more enjoyable.
At the summit, Mariana Tan, Xendit’s Head of People and Culture, described it best:
“We don’t just gamify tasks—we gamify growth. Every individual’s journey is visible, supported, and celebrated.”
Employees can take on “quests” aligned with business goals, gain XP for going above and beyond, and level up into new roles and responsibilities. It’s not a metaphor. It’s how their organizational engine works.
The Summit That Put Culture in the Spotlight
The Gamification Summit 2025 brought together professionals from tech, education, enterprise software, and people management to explore how game principles can be used to improve engagement and results.
Xendit’s keynote—titled “Gamified, Not Gameless: Rebuilding Work from the Ground Up”—stood out because it demonstrated more than theory. They shared results:
-
25% improvement in employee retention since implementing gamified performance tracking
-
40% faster onboarding time for new hires
-
Over 90% of employee satisfaction scores are tied to feedback and recognition systems
-
A notable rise in cross-departmental collaboration, attributed directly to gamified team quests
As Mariana explained during her session, “It’s not about turning people into gamers. It’s about giving them clarity, control, and consistent feedback—all of which happen to work well in game design.”
Behind the Scenes: What It’s Like to Work at Xendit
After the summit, I connected with a few Xendit employees who offered insights into what day-to-day life feels like inside this unique culture. One senior developer, Timo Lau, told me he used to dread performance reviews at his last job. “You’d wait 12 months just to hear vague feedback like, ‘You’re doing fine.’ At Xendit, I can track my progress every week.”
Others mentioned how gamification has helped reduce burnout by recognizing not just output but effort and contribution. There are XP rewards for mentoring colleagues, attending wellness programs, and even sharing new ideas, even if they don’t work out. “Failure here isn’t punished; it’s part of leveling up,” one product manager told me.
The system also features opt-in team “boss battles,” where groups present solutions to real business challenges and are scored based on creativity, collaboration, and execution. It’s serious work—just seriously fun.
Why It Matters in Southeast Asia and Beyond
Xendit’s story is especially significant in a region where traditional corporate structures are still deeply ingrained. Southeast Asia’s tech industry is booming, but workplace innovation often lags behind product innovation.
By showing how gamification can be used to foster accountability and engagement, not just drive clicks or loyalty, Xendit is positioning itself as a culture-first company. And it’s not just a feel-good narrative. It’s impacting their bottom line.
During the summit, multiple startups and enterprise leaders from across the region expressed interest in adapting parts of Xendit’s framework. Some plan to begin with gamified onboarding. Others want to test the XP-based performance model.
There’s even talk of Xendit releasing a whitepaper later this year titled “The XP Economy: Building High-Performance Teams Through Gamification.”
The Human Side of Play
It’s important to note that Xendit hasn’t lost sight of what matters. “Technology can enhance human potential, but it can’t replace human connection,” Mariana reminded the crowd during her closing remarks.
At Xendit work gamificationsummit is not just about scores or rewards. It’s about helping employees feel seen, valued, and empowered. They’ve built a system that honors transparency, promotes growth, and balances ambition with empathy.
In a post-COVID world, where hybrid work and remote collaboration are here to stay, that kind of culture isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential.
Final Thoughts
As someone who has covered the tech and startup ecosystem for years, I’ve seen countless “culture decks” and mission statements. But Xendit work gamificationsummit execution is what makes it exceptional. They’ve taken something often treated as a buzzword—gamification—and built a real, working, people-first system out of it.
If what I saw at the Gamification Summit 2025 is any indication, the future of work will look a lot more like Xendit: structured like a game, but powered by heart. See More
