Employee training is expensive, and the return on investment (ROI) often doesn’t exist. The Association for Talent Development (ATD) estimates that companies spend more than $1,200 per year, per employee on training. However, without “practical follow-up or meaningful assessments,” learners lose 90% of the skills they learn in those training programs. That’s a lot of money to throw out the window.
Gamified training engages learners, increases attention, improves confidence, and ultimately drives success.
Here are 10 ways in which incorporating employee training games into your learning and development can save you money and increase your ROI.
1. Games improve engagement and retention.
According to the National Training Laboratories, passive training (lectures, reading, and videos) results in 5-20% retention rates while active training (learning through games and simulations) can deliver retention rates as high as 90%. Why are games so much more effective? Because they are much more fun and engaging than a PowerPoint presentation.
2. Games provide feedback and rewards.
Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of Habit,” explains that to change a habit, we must first set a goal, then reward ourselves for accomplishing it. Training games provide a playground for employees to practice predefined goals and earn rewards. They also give trainers an opportunity to provide feedback and encourage repeat plays, improving performance and increasing knowledge retention along the way.
3. Games can be played anywhere.
According to a Mercer global talent trends survey, most employees want their company to offer more flexible work options. With the increase in flexible work, employees also need more flexible learning. Training games can be deployed on phones, tablets, computers, and kiosks, enabling employees to play and learn when and where they want.
4. Games are perfect for microlearning.
As humans, we tend to have short attention spans. Creating games is the best way to provide quick yet effective training. Three to five-minute games can drive home key points, and when designed right, they can keep learners coming back. Sometimes the best training games are fun and fast, helping learners digest your message and improve prescribed skills. Everyone is under ever-increasing time pressures. Breaking training content into bite-sized game-based experiences that can be accessed between tasks can help keep their attention and result in better learning.
5. Games provide data.
Simply checking a box or using a five-question assessment at the end of a course isn’t effective in measuring learning. Games can unveil individual and group engagement patterns and improve training ROI by revealing knowledge gaps, individual behaviors, and group comparisons. It’s simply impossible to obtain this same kind of analysis using an instructor-led or classroom method. Game analytics can show behavioral trends (what paths players take, how they engage with different characters, how they approach different situations, etc.). The more you can learn about employees, the more you can identify where they need additional help and how your organization can leverage their skills more effectively.
6. Games provide a practice playground.
Games are a remarkable tool for teaching and testing employees about products and processes, critical thinking, collaboration and interpersonal skills, and problem-solving. They provide a safe place to experiment and fail. We call this a “practice playground” where learners can make mistakes in a judgment-free zone.
7. Games are social and collaborative.
75% of employees say that being collaborative is very important. Games are a fantastic medium for healthy competition and collaboration. So much so that 54% of the gamers report that playing with others has helped them connect with friends and family.
8. Games bring learners back again & again.
Games tap into our competitive nature as humans. Employees will repeatedly return to training games to increase their scores and raise their names on the leaderboard. The more they play the game, the more they learn.
9. Games are entertaining with characters and stories that learners care about.
People connect with and recall content when it is presented as a story. The presentation of the story helps learners visualize themselves in the same situation. Research has found that training games, which require learners to practice by doing, can significantly impact training outcomes.
10. Games are perfect for training live events.
Effective, instructor-led training is not about being the “sage on the stage.” It’s about being the “guide on the side,” leading participants to water instead of blasting them with the fire hose. Games are a fantastic way to engage learners in company meetings and training conferences.
How can we help you become a training hero? Contact us to discuss your next project.
