Why Do We Enjoy Games?

Research by Talent LMS shows that almost 80% of university learners feel that they will be more productive if their institution work was more like video games. More than 60% of them liked leaderboards, and 89% liked point systems. Another neuroscience research by David Rock shows that in order for learners to remain engaged, the learning content should make an emotional connect and provide ample time for processing and reinforcement. Organizations have taken heed and are using games to build their employee capacities. They are increasingly embedding gamification and game-based learning techniques in their learning strategy.

Why are games so popular?

#1: They increase happiness.
Games help release the hormone known as dopamine. This is the hormone that makes people feel good. In a gaming environment, when your employees win a prize or level up with high points, dopamine is increased which can help create a more enjoyable training experience. In fact, the highest spike in dopamine happens when the learners are anticipating receiving a prize, motivating them to pursue their goals.

#2: It offers a safe place.
Games do not have any real-world damage. If users make a mistake, they get penalized in the virtual world only. They can restart the game and continue as if nothing happened. Since users are given a chance to learn from their mistakes, they are not afraid of taking larger risks, which sparks innovation.

#3: It provides a sense of accomplishment.
Games offer users a sense of accomplishment. It makes them feel good when they complete a level or achieve a target. Games allow individuals to feel important and boosts confidence by knowing they correctly conquered the intended objective.

#4: It enhances learning ability.
Researchers from the UK found out that games go a long way to enhance brain flexibility, bashing the popular belief that they are harmful to the brain. This is particularly true for fast-paced games. They enhance the users’ cognitive flexibility because they have to constantly make quick judgments.

#5: It enhances decision-making skills.
Games require users to solve problems and make decisions. One wrong move and they can be severely penalized. This helps them hone their problem-solving and decision-making skills which reflect in the real world.

Why should you use games for corporate learning?

There are several reasons why organizations are embracing gamification in learning for various kinds of training. Here are just a few.

Game-based learning is fun and keeps the learners engaged. It makes the content stick. Engaged learners pay attention to the content and retain better information. They can even recall it faster when required.
Games help build the confidence of the learners. They have a place to practice, make mistakes, and learn from it. The more they practice the better they get at the skill.
Games offer them instant feedback. So, they are aware of what they did right and where they went wrong. If they are doing something wrong, the feedback ensures that it does not get committed to their long-term memory.
Games can be used to teach a wide array of learning skills – sales, customer support, compliance, and so on.

At Designing Digitally, Inc., our talented instructional designers are gamers by heart and educators by profession. With the help of our gamification specialists, they create learning solutions that are a perfect balance of learning and fun. We cater to multiple industries. We can output them as SCORM packages or xAPI as per your needs.

If your company is interested in a custom game-based solution that your employees will enjoy, get in touch with our experts for a free quote today.