I think it truly can, but when the incentive isn't there, people often see no point in it. I resent patronizing gameification where people bolt some nominal gamed system onto a horrible job and call it a day as if it was just a question of perspective. That completely undermines the huge efforts invested into making games engaging.

That said, if you can engender a feeling of competition and make people feel like they're achieving something, I think it can work.

Competition doesn't motivate me, and if I want to feel like I'm "achieving something" I can go lift weights.

I think skinner boxes like Genshin Impact demonstrate how people can be motivated to go to great lengths for nothing. Just because you don't doesn't mean that the phenomenon is invalid.

Yes, but it will be fun bullshit! And likely mandatory!

Wait…