Using Custom Simulation Training To Keep Your Employees Engaged
Training simulations are taking center stage in the corporate business environment. This immersive learning strategy allows employees to experience and solve real-world issues in a virtual setting while removing risk factors. A simulated life-like experience helps to educate people in a fun and memorable way. The result is a fast acquisition of various skills. Many industries employ simulated learning to help their staff gain new skills and knowledge. Companies in the medical field, educational institutions, and corporations all use custom simulations. Their aim is to keep employees engaged in the training process. A combination of VR, AR, MR, and desktop simulations is used to train, nurture, and expand employee abilities within their field. In this article, I provide 5 custom simulation training examples that will prove the value of such a training system. Our focus is on desktop simulations since they are the fastest to implement. After all, most employees conduct their work on a desktop computer or laptop.
Benefits Of Simulated Training
The sheer range and scope of each industry make it difficult to extract clear-cut benefits from simulation-based learning. Still, the best systems out there need to at least build upon these four main skills:
1. Running A Business
Custom simulation training can help you become a better leader. You can test your business awareness skills and define knowledge gaps, before setting off on a business venture. The simulator allows learners to fail over and over without having to risk capital investments.
2. Organization And Time-Management
Training simulations are usually time-bound. Thus, quick and correct decision-making is imperative throughout the program.
3. Teamwork
Many simulated training programs are geared toward team coordination. A good simulation puts focus on effective communication, task delegation, and diplomacy in solving any issue.
4. Problem-Solving
A valuable employee should be able to resolve problems quickly and with the best results possible. Simulations provide complex situations for trainees to overcome.
Examples Of Training Simulations
Product Learning Simulation
Designing Digitally partnered with PING to create a custom simulation training on how to fit golfers for PING golf clubs. This training tool helped retail employees quickly get familiar with the clubs fitting process. Canvas-based course modules allowed the simulation program to expand over time. This intuitive and customized simulation allows learners to:
- Accurately appraise a member's ball flight
- Select the appropriate club for the desired result
- See the immediate effect of their choice
3D Repair Simulator
The 3D Repair Simulator was developed to teach employees how to fix hardware issues for Hewlett Packard's 3Par StoreServ system. The company had little success with ILT (Instructor-Led Training) as this required the physical presence of a facilitator for the course. Thus, HP opted for the Leap Motion Device (LMD). In this way, trainees had direct access to the platform from their office or home computer.
With the help of LMD, trainees are able to:
- Grab virtual tools using their actual hands.
- Learn from the comfort of their office or home.
- Eliminate travel costs.
- Afford mistakes, since the training didn't involve possible machine damage.
- Retake the training as many times as needed.
- Learn by doing.
The learner can choose to work with a virtual trainer or in a DIY fashion. The platform presents different real-world scenarios that revolve around repairing certain pieces of hardware. The result is a fully-trained employee, capable of handling any hardware problem the 3Par StoreServ might have.
3D Student Activity Center Simulation
This 3D VR simulation focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder. Wright State University students designed a prototype. Next, Designing Digitally developed the 3D modeling for the training simulation using Autodesk Maya. In it, the user puts on a head-mounted display and navigates a virtual world where they encounter anxiety-causing stimuli. Since these scenarios are virtual, the subject feels safer while experiencing them. This has a therapeutic effect, reducing the amount of stress experienced and acclimating the user to a stressful environment.
Fast Food Custom Simulation Training
Simulations are very effective in training fast food restaurant staff. In their immersive learning experience, new hires are able to learn about daily restaurant activities. The trainees encounter a wide array of situations, from working with customers and handling customer complaints, to inputting orders into the system. Simulations allow new employees to experience all these scenarios without any disruption to the day-to-day restaurant affairs. After training, new hires are prepared to face real-world challenges without compromising food quality, operations, or customer relations.
Nurse Training Simulation
Web-based training simulations can be used by Trauma Units. Nurses can be trained in real-life situations without the risk of affecting the patient in any real way. The 3D training simulation teaches trainee nurses skills like:
- Handling high-risk, fast-paced environments
- Coping with the pressure of such environments
- Proper drug administration to trauma patients
- Resetting broken bones
- Starting an IV
The application employs cognitive learning to ease new nurses into the high-stress levels of working in the trauma unit.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these custom simulation training examples have inspired you to think about options for your organization. Making training simulations an integral part of your company culture is not an easy task. But, doing the initial hard work will yield dividends in the long run. Remember, the growth of your business is directly linked to the growth of your employees. Helping them develop their skills and knowledge will set you off from the competition.
By now you will have realized there are several custom simulation training options that will keep employees engaged. There is still more to discover, read about it in the eBook Investing In Simulation Training To Train In A Safe Environment - A Guide For L&D Professionals.