Educating employees in new codes of conduct and values through gamification: redesigning the “Culturize” project at one of the largest telecommunications operators in the Middle East

Purpose This paper aims to present a comprehensive approach to institutionalizing new organizational values, addressing a gap in the literature. The approach uses an online gamified pathway with diverse media to raise awareness and shift attitudes, integrating gamification, micro-learning, learning styles and the semantic turn paradigm to transform organizational culture effectively. Design/methodology/approach This study used action research using Stringer and Aragon (2020) model. Data were collected via surveys, pretests, post-tests and interviews and analyzed through paired t-tests and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021). The Mobile Communications Company of Iran was selected for its relevance to the research problem. Findings Positive experiences were linked to factors like feedback, freedom of choice, time flexibility, product diversity and functionality. Areas needing improvement included uniform time limits, game duration, rule transparency and teamwork. Originality/value This study provides a detailed framework for institutionalizing new values within organizations. It offers practical insights into methods like gamification and highlights key factors that enhance employee experiences, enabling the effective institutionalization of new values.