Why Your Corporate Learners Want Gamification In Training

Why Your Corporate Learners Want Gamification In Training
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Summary: If you’re looking for ways to motivate employees to actively participate in training, gamification deserves a spot high on your list. A recent survey shows that your employees would welcome the addition. Is it time to turn up the competition in corporate training?

Gamification In Training: Why You Need It

Gamification at work has gained popularity over the last few years. According to the gamification survey by TalentLMS, employees feel more motivated, productive, and happy in a gamified workplace.

Gamification in training is well-received, too. 61% of the respondents receive gamified training—and they’re happy about it. Another 33% would like to see more gamification elements in their training software. It seems that corporate training, although on the right path, could tap into gamification a bit more.

But, why do employees want gamification in corporate training? Do gamification elements add something more than fun? Let’s explore the reasons gamification is so popular among corporate learners, and why you should take note.

1. It Increases Learning Motivation

According to the previously mentioned survey, 83% of employees who receive gamified training feel motivated. Not that it should come as a surprise. You see, gamification is essentially a reward-based method that unleashes both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic motivation is doing something because you want to get a reward. The most common gamification examples in training are some sort of reward. They usually come in the form of badges, points, and levels. Showcasing progress on a leaderboard is also a reward. Intrinsic motivation is doing something simply because it feels rewarding to you, even when there are no tangible rewards. In corporate training, it can be a sense of achievement or the joy of learning.

Either way, motivation levels stay high due to dopamine, the chemical associated with our brain’s pleasure-reward system. In layman’s terms, if something registers as a positive experience, your brain seeks more of it. And rewards are always a positive experience.

The glue that keeps it all together and fuels motivation in online training is competition. It doesn’t even have to be a competition against others. (Although, who wouldn’t enjoy landing in first place on the leaderboard?) Trying to complete a unit to get to the next level or score high on a quiz to gather extra points is a competition against oneself. The point is, employees keep trying to do better to advance in the course, just like they would advance in a game.

2. It Makes Training Fun And Engaging

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: there are days when employees couldn't care less about training. They’re tired, busy, or just bored. In fact, a disappointing 49% of the survey’s participants admitted they feel bored when attending non-gamified training, as opposed to 10% for gamified. Some types of training are far from interesting, so who can blame them? No need to point fingers. Everyone knows that compliance training ranks high on the boredom scale.

Gamification in employee training spices things up. Rewards serve as positive reinforcement and keep learners engaged. Curiosity (what could be hidden in the next level?) and competition turn passiveness into excitement and eagerness into follow through. Plus, gamification elements like points entice employees into participating in course discussions. Conversation and collaboration among peers skyrocket learner engagement.

In numbers, learner engagement translates into higher participation and completion rates. In essence, it translates into our next point: improved knowledge retention.

3. It Improves Knowledge Retention

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a relatively easy piece of training, like onboarding, or a demanding one, like health and safety. Retaining new information is always a challenge for a busy mind. The thing is, knowledge retention determines training effectiveness and sets the ground for moving from theoretical knowledge to practical application. To be truly fruitful, it needs to be solid and long term.

Gamification in training gives employees an extra nudge of determination. Employees interact meaningfully with the content and stay focused for longer, which dramatically increases the amount of information they retain. Gamification also induces just the right amount of stress that enhances learning. Last but not least, the desire to collect high points prompts employees to come back and reinforce the knowledge through repetition.

When employees retain a good portion of the information, the learning objectives have been met. That equals enhanced employee performance and productivity, and a positive training ROI.

4. eLearning Assessment Is Less Intimidating

Answering endless open-ended or multiple-choice questions puts employees on the spot. Not to mention, it brings back painful memories from school exams. Gamified eLearning assessments are less intimidating. The fun and diversity that gamification elements bring take a bit of the pressure off.

What’s more, gamified eLearning assessments are not merely a way to gauge employee knowledge. They are informal learning experiences that provide real-time feedback. That’s because employees have to get the right answer before they can move on. They must also gather enough points before they can unlock the next level (course unit). This way, they move on to the next part of the training with minimum knowledge gaps. All while following a game-like structure.

Don’t limit your creativity to standard quizzes. There are many gamified eLearning assessments you can create, like crosswords or water pipes. Or, you can be inspired by popular table games and copy their structure. To get the maximum benefit, add an assessment at the end of each unit as well as at the end of the course.

5. It Boosts Workplace Productivity

Much like gamification in the workplace, gamification in training also boosts productivity. If that’s not the absolute win-win situation, then what is? When the work is done fast and efficiently, everyone is happy. Employees feel accomplished and confident. And, your company can boast about its top-tier workforce that delivers competitive and high-quality results.

Gamification in Learning and Development increases workplace productivity by evoking a shift in mindset. The sense of achievement employees experience every time they get a reward develops goal orientation and determination. Soon they have a new, success-driven mindset that follows them in the workplace.

Conclusion

Employees want to see more gamification elements in training. Considering the benefits, both for them and your company, it’s time you granted their request. Opt for feature-rich gamification training software that will level up your training game and place your business high on the competition leaderboard.

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