Training new employees can be tedious and ineffective. For many companies, there is an abundance of information that is boring and uninteresting, yet extremely important. To make it worse, an ineffective training process can waste money and time because outgoing employees won’t be able to effectively do their job. A great way to enhance the training process is to add gamified elements.
Gamification, or the use of game dynamics in a non-game context, will yield powerful results for employee training. One of the most beneficial aspects of gamified training is that it adds fun and excitement to a previously boring procedure. While arduous training programs can discourage incoming employees, game dynamics can increase engagement and morale.
Increased engagement means that employees will better remember the content of the training. While a basic training program might deliver the necessary information, a gamified platform will allow for deeper interaction between the user and material. Many organizations waste resources when employees complete their training process but retain minimal knowledge. A fully engaging platform will lead to educated employees that can get to work right away.
In addition to conveying the specifics of the job, gamification can also instill company values and policies. By increasing interest and engagement during training, trainees are able to better understand the nature of the company.
How can game dynamics be added? Companies with online training videos or modules can use a service like Badgeville to add points and badges as prizes for completed courses. Adding incentives is a simple way to encourage participation. In addition to rewarding completion, there is an advantage to taking it further and rewarding mastery and knowledge. If the training program requires, assigning performance based status or rewards will encourage trainees to perform at a higher level.
Moreover, using leaderboards adds a social dynamic to training. Foremost, it brings in the power of competition. By publicly rewarding completion or mastery, trainees will feel driven to compete. This is specifically powerful in the training process because incoming employees may feel especially driven to show their capabilities. Furthermore, it can foster positive social interactions among new employees. Instead of losing productivity because new workers are alone or intimidated, a gamified training process can get them accustomed to the company culture and feeling comfortable right out of the gate. Additionally, it can put them directly in-touch with existing employees and tasks.
Although it seems great in writing, does it really work? In short, yes.For example, the enterprise software company, SAP, added gamification to their college recruitment process. SAP implemented a MindTickle platform that included badges, points and leaderboards. When the newly-gamified hires were compared to their predecessors, SAP noticed a 75% increase in awareness about the company and related products. The MindTickle platform helped remove four classroom training sessions and created 70% savings in senior management coaching time and a 60% reduction in administration costs.
Through enhanced employee training, gamification can save your organization money and time. If you’re interested in the possibilities of a gamification platform, try our Smart Advisor Tool. All you have to do is answer the targeting questions and the Smart Advisor will recommend solutions.
Sources
1. http://www.gamification.co/2013/02/15/gamified-training-in-corporate-environment/
2. http://www.mindtickle.com/customers/new-hire-sap
