Leveraging Game Mechanics in Business Training Programs
Business training for new employees can be tricky. Typically, all new members are handed over a bunch of training materials, most of which are text-based. These are legacy old ways of training about the company values, mission, vision, and responsibilities expected from the roles hired for.
White, there's nothing wrong with it, most new employees feel bored and often exit learning platforms. As a result, they know a lot less about the organization and their duties. So, what do you think is the problem? It's the absence of gamification elements.
From employee engagement to retention, business training programs can gain maximum leverage by applying the right game mechanics. It helps L&D professionals create a fun and interactive working environment and allows mew employees to give their best.
In this blog, you will learn about the concept of gamification and ways to leverage game mechanics for business training programs. Keep scrolling!
What Is Gamification In Business Training?
Gamification in training refers to the use of different elements like leaderboards, points, and badges that make the learning process a lot more fun and engaging. No matter the size of an organization, gamification uses small, bite-sized lessons to foster healthy competition and reward progress. As a result, employees feel motivated, retain knowledge better, and stay engaged.
Take the bingo card generator game, for instance. If your company works with remote employees, bingo cards can be a great way to break the ice for virtual engagement. Besides, bingo cards can be customized to your liking adding a new flavor to the training program.
How To Leverage Game Mechanics In Business Training Programs
Now that you know about the benefits of applying game mechanics for business training programs, it's time to find out how you can put things into action. Here are six different ways to introduce gamification elements for business training programs. If your organization already has an online learning platform, things will be a lot easier.
1. Infuse gamification within your existing training programs
Instead of investing in a new game for training your employees, revisit your existing training materials. There’s a good chance that you will be able to find a gap and infuse certain gamification elements. These are places where new employees may find it challenging to understand the modus operandi of an organization or how to adapt to changing behaviors. Adding relevant gaming elements across those points can be helpful during onboarding.
2. Say yes to avatar login
Who doesn't love avatars? If your existing learning portal has a simple login, consider changing it to avatar logins.
For training teams, allow them to edit and change profiles according to their personalities seamlessly. Don't forget to include a team login feature as well.
For example, having a team feature login for the HR team will help them gain unrestricted access to group activity feeds like news, notifications, and updates. Including such features also fosters a positive team mentality and boosts health competition.
3. Redesign the complex parts of training
When introducing gamification in business training, breaking down complex sessions should be your priority. Instead of delivering full-fledged training sessions, break them into smaller, bite-sized lessons that work as sub-training modules. It's more like playing a video game, where you progress from one level to another.
Once trainees complete one sub-module and move to the next one, they will win points. This will motivate them to continue learning and strive to stay ahead of their peers. You can also introduce other popular gamification features like leaderboards and rewards at the end of the training.
4. Say yes to built-in awards
Gamification in business training also gives you the option to include awards. But you must be careful and find the right location to put them. Anyone with a certain number of entry-level points can qualify for an award. Choose to award top-point earners and highlight the same in your company newsletter. This will invariably keep employees motivated to do better.
5. Offering consistent feedback throughout the training
Not many people know this, but consistent feedback is a tested gamification element. It ensures effective learning for trainees and helps them master complex topics. So, incorporate short feedback at the end of each sub-module and a final feedback on the trainee's understanding and acquired knowledge at the end.
6. Keep your learning platform interactive
Training is important. But what's even more important is how your training platform looks. This is more of an afterthought, but if you pay attention, you will know why it matters.
Let's say you want to train your sales team ahead of a new product launch. Instead of scheduling the training on backburners, invest in redesigning your training platform. The idea is to keep it interactive so that the salespeople have a reason to revisit the platform. Including features like deadlines and scheduled appointments will keep them on their toes. As they periodically access the platform, things will become more productive.
Wrap Up
So, you see, incorporating the right game mechanics can make a significant difference to your business training programs. Not only does it keep employees motivated, but it also helps in mastering complex topics minus boredom. With emerging technologies like AI and ML, gamification in business training holds a rewarding future for all forward-thinking organizations. All you have to do is to identify the right spot to include the same.
