Fun And Games In The Workplace

We all understand the importance of training, furthering career development, increasing employability and, crucially, your company upskilling its employees to stay competitive in an ever-changing marketplace. However, you probably also know that sometimes training and learning can be a little, well, dull. Like homework, or visits to the dentist, it can feel like a necessary evil.

But the routes to training and e-learning are changing.

Below are some reasons that game-based learning for a corporate training platform are changing the world of digital learning.

Engagement

Statistics show that gamifying e-learning creates greater student engagement with the task at hand. An element of competition and a reward-based structure gives learners the drive to continue with pursuing the learning or training. Many platforms offer employees the opportunity to work together or in friendly rivalry, to keep motivation and engagement up.

Retention

There are different types of learner, and it used to be that students were told which type they were. Now, a much more open-minded attitude is being adopted, where it is recognised that the learning styles overlap – one student can encompass many different types of learning.

• You probably remember studying at school and creating mnemonics, flashcards, recordings, or highlighting to revise for an exam.
• You probably used a variety of different methods, finding some which worked well for you and others which didn’t stick. 

The advantage of learning through online gaming is that the digital structure can encompass the different styles of learning and adapt to the student as they progress. This means that each part of the course will cover the same material, but be as unique as the individual studying it.

It’s acknowledged that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to learning, and these platforms cater for that.

Progress along learner journeys

The platforms used for e-learning and training through gaming are closely monitored by professionals.

Companies providing this learning often have tutors and content managers who assess where students are and can see when a learner has not logged in or isn’t meeting their targets. This can be seen in its early stages and therefore a tutor can intervene and offer assistance to the student to aid them in their learning journey.

Accessibility

The content and game-based scenarios within the training can be endlessly adaptable to suit the learner’s needs.

• If they have a learning difficulty or special educational need then the training can be amended to suit them specifically, which increases the accessibility of the training. This is a cost-effective method of accommodating all your employees and ensuring that everyone has the same opportunities and advantages in the workplace.

There are currently companies working with VR to create virtual simulations for training and development in the workplace. Students will enter a ‘reality’ in which they can interact with aspects of their training in the form of sophisticated simulators which create real-life scenarios.

This strengthens employee communication and conflict resolution – they can test out their skills and knowledge in a practical environment before interacting with members of the public or colleagues.

We are hurtling towards the future of workplace learning and training – are you ready? 

© New To HR