Designing Digitally
12/11/2017
Do you remember when Pokémon Go hit the mobile gaming scene? Within just one month, it was mentioned on virtually all major news networks. It became the most popular mobile game in United States history, reaching more active users than the also-popular Candy Crush. We learned a lot from Pokémon Go (and Candy Crush, respectively); we learned that gaming is not only here to stay, it also has the incredible potential to change behavior and educate users based on the content within the games.
So, how does this impact corporate training? More importantly, for a reader like yourself, how does it impact gamification corporate training trends? What can we learn from games like Pokémon Go and Candy Crush that can be applied to your gamification strategy?
Using gamification within a corporate training strategy will increase the engagement of your employees. Gamification is also proven to create a better learning experience, prompt significant behavior change and create a better learning environment.
As you are reviewing your corporate training strategy, consider these five ways to use gamification for corporate training.
It’s a fact that humans thrive on competition, and this certainly applies to the workplace. Although many employees prefer collaboration over competition, we do enjoy the excitement of a competitive nature from time to time.
That’s why we recommend that you integrate a Leaderboard within your dashboard. For corporate training, this could come in the form of viewing how your employees are comparing against specific users, whether it’s in completing various modules or scoring points for each step along the process.
Much like competition, humans also thrive when there is a carrot - a reward - dangling in front of them.
When developing a gamification corporate training strategy, use a reward system that is relevant to your employees. This could come in the form of physical rewards, like gift cards, or it could come in the form of at-work incentives, like one extra day of vacation, if you top the leaderboard for the month. Have fun with your incentives!
SAP, one of the world’s largest Enterprise Resource Planning providers, uses a gamification in corporate training called Road Warrior. Road Warrior is a game-show like simulation that takes their sales team through the process of talking to a customer - it invites them to answer customer questions, concerns and feedback.
This is an example of real-life simulations, which helps increase engagement for employees. With your corporate training strategy, you will generate the results you need and want from a real-life simulation.
Fact: 70% of employees are disengaged from their work. This is significant because, if you flip it the other way around, only 30% of employees are engaged in what they do. Now, that’s unfortunate and has a negative impact on the efficiency and productivity of the workers.
When implementing your corporate training strategy, use challenges to boost employee motivation. By this, we mean that the challenges are difficult enough to be engaging, yet not too difficult so it is overwhelming. Create challenges that can be unlocked (and sent to your leaderboard to share with friends!).
Just like a traditional corporate training setting, it is important that your employees can send and share feedback. Not only is this integral to the success of your strategy and program, it is also important for employees to feel they can share their thoughts and feelings along the way. With gamification providing a 43% enhancement in employee productivity, you are sure to receive performance feedback that can be used to enhance your employee experience.
As your training department considers the benefits of using gamification for your business, the first place we often recommend starting is within your corporate training strategy. Gamification in corporate training is certain to provide a plethora of benefits, such as increased motivation, performance and employee feedback.
As you are ready to take the next step and consider the benefits of gamification for your corporate strategy, consider partnering with a team that has worked within your industry time and time before. Take the next step with Designing Digitally here.
We bring a personal and effective approach to every project we work on.
