Is Learning Gamification Becoming a Thing of the Past Already?

There has been some speculation that learning gamification is on its way out. That its time has passed and that it is no longer a relevant, valid path to educating employees. Gamification hasn’t lived up to the hype that surrounded it several years ago. Is the problem actually learning gamification or are there other factors at work?

When the gamification craze hit, many companies eager for the benefits were satisfied with poorly designed programs. The rush to create superseded quality. Emphasis was placed on earning badges and climbing up the ranks of leaderboards, but the underlying elements that made gamification so effective in the first place, like cooperation and competition, were put on the backburner.

The employee focus

Well-designed corporate gamification programs impact customers and the corporation via the preparation of the employees.

Some of the ways that gamification benefits employees include:

Engagement. There are many different options for workers to compete against each other, be it in teams or individually. New goals and challenges can always be created to keep learning from being boring.
Gain knowledge. Gamification can give employees the desire to learn more. They are encouraged to read more, gain more skill, and then to pass that new knowledge on to others.
Focused goals. When everyone is working toward a common goal, they can encourage each other along the way, help each other when they’re stuck, and be a sounding board for each other. Goals are much more likely to be reached when everyone is on the same page.
Retention and motivation. The recognition employees receive from a learning gamification program motivates them to keep trying and continue improving. Employees who feel valued and invested are also less likely to move on to a different job. Retaining workers is an asset to a company, especially when they are well-trained and prepared!

Cost-effectiveness. The rewards of gamification are less costly for a company than other kinds of incentives, not to mention the increase in productivity and the customer satisfaction that can lead to repeat business.

What’s the benefit to customers?

Customers are more likely to give their business to a company when they have had a pleasant experience with salespeople, customer service representatives, and anyone else they have interactions with. This is more of an indirect benefit of gamification. A direct benefit would be loyalty programs or shopping rewards. The customer has the ability to earn points or other types of rewards for dollars spent. This will usually translate into a percentage or a dollar amount off of their next purchase.

The bottom line on learning gamification
Gamification has received a bit of a bad rap, really through no fault of its own. The principles that it’s based on are sound and the benefits are real when it’s implemented well. If your company has had less than a stellar prior experience with elearning, you should out seek an elearning design companies who is putting out quality products that fulfill their great potential. Designing Digitally Inc. is a company that will provide you with a high quality customized elearning program to meet the specific needs of your organization.