Today, game-based learning and gamification have become an integral part of the eLearning industry. Though game-based learning and gamification might seem interchangeable, they differ completely.
Why game-based learning?
Game-based learning involves training employees by teaching them new skills through game elements. Gamification on the other hand involves applying game-based elements in the non-game context. Gamification elements are used to influence the behavior and attitudes of employees by rewarding them or incentivizing them through badges, trophies, virtual coins, etc.
Sometimes employees feel frustrated with learning through standard online training resources that involve text-based materials and videos. This makes them disinterested in learning and hence, ultimately affects their course completion.
However, with the help of an LMS, online training professionals can create games that offer personalized learning pathways to complete training on time. Game-based learning and gamification capture the attention of employees and induce a sense of competition among them. It develops strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills and sharpens the memories of employees. It promotes “learning by doing” by making employees witness everything in advance.
The following are the tips to create games that engage your employees and help them improve their analytical skills.
Role-playing games are one the most powerful ways of teaching complex concepts to employees.
In role-playing games, the employees take up the role of a specific character, represented as an avatar, and try to understand the perspective of others. For instance, in such games, an employee can take on the role of a customer and see how and what challenges they are facing with their products.
You can also use such games for training new hires in your sales team and see how a salesman would interact with their customers. You can imitate the real-world scenarios in these games to make them more impactful.
Role-playing games are like branching scenarios where the employees encounter real-life circumstances but in a safe environment. This means they can test their skills and reactions before applying the same in the real world. Such games build confidence in employees and help them perform there day to day job roles better.
It helps employees in getting first-hand experience of real problems. Thus, role-playing games offer immense opportunities for employees to learn.
Every organization works under the pressure of meeting deadlines. The value of time can be taught to employees through time games where they have to complete a task within a stipulated time.
Such games can be used for compliance training. Timers and countdown clocks create a sense of urgency and push employees to finish their tasks on time. For instance, you can create 10 minutes of online assessment games for employees.
It is very important for employees to interact with each other so that they develop social skills like kindness, empathy, and sharing.
Collaborative games allow employees to not just interact with each other but complete a challenge together. Such games offer the following advantages:
- Reduce the cognitive load of employees as many employees work together to solve a problem.
- Promotes teamwork in the organization which leads to creativity and innovation. When different employees are made to work together, they bring in new ideas and perspectives and thereby leading to collective intelligence.
- Motivates employees to continue their eLearning journey without any breaks. If an employee feels demotivated, he can be given motivation doses by his fellow team members.
- Encourages healthy competition.
For example, you can create a game for the product designing team to create prototypes. Also, you can use such games for eLearning projects for the employees.
You can create games for employees that help develop negotiation and decision-making skills. Employees need to learn to take decisions on their own and decide on a specific course of action. Decision games develop leadership and soft skills in employees.
Decision games can be designed in the following ways:
- Ask questions and provide optimal choices to them. See how they understand and approach a question.
- Let your employees evaluate every option to determine the best possible route.
- Reward employees in case they make the right decision.
Such games can be used in building the soft skills of the sales team. The best part about these games is that they make employees think and rethink. In case they choose the wrong option, provide them with strong reasoning and supplement the same in eLearning content. Allow them to revisit their performance card generated at the end of the game.
Mystery and gripping stories attract people. And this holds true even for the employees in your organization. You can create detective games or games like puzzles, mysteries, or challenges that develop problem-solving skills in your employees. Such games are the best to use for compliance training.
For instance, you can create a mystery game where they’ve to find out the violation of which law, rule or regulation led to some bad consequences. Such games can be both individual and team-based. Create avatars that make them feel like a hero. This will make them feel more responsible. Also, it is a good way to teach compliance to employees.
Usually, employees don’t like compliance training as it requires memorizing a lot of information and facts. But by designing such games you can ensure that employees enjoy learning rather than taking it more as a burden.
Another way of using these games is for safety training of employees in industries like hospitality, healthcare, etc. Employees can be made to investigate an accident and find out the cause behind the event. Using their eLearning content they can decide the best course of action to deal with the problem.
Today, competition is increasing rapidly, not just in the eLearning industry but also in the organization itself. Technological advancements, innovations, and the development of new products are the reasons behind the escalating competition.
If the industry is experiencing such tectonic shifts and tension, then you should develop a competitive spirit in your employees as well because they are the face of your organization.
You can create competitive games for employees that involve branching scenarios, multiple-choice-based question games, and so on. The employees who play well can be rewarded with trophies, flashcards, virtual coins, badges, etc. Display their names on the leader boards so that they feel a sense of accomplishment.
Such games can boost other employees to complete their online training on time and access the online training resources regularly.
Games are the best way to foster the engagement and interest of employees. This is more helpful for training the millennial workforce who loves playing games. It does not just help you to bring their focus to online training but also makes them utilize their skills and knowledge in the best possible way. Hence, game-based learning and gamification aid in achieving training goals and make employees more energized and engaged.