Using a game-based training program is not only fun. It is also effective in helping a business become successful. The keywords that you need to understand here is employee engagement. This particular trait is not something that you can force employees to do. It has to be something that will come from within them. It should be developed naturally because that is how you get sincere engagement from them. If it is not sincere, then you cannot expect 100% engagement from employees.
The reason why you want employees to learn how to be engaged in the company is because they are the blood and sweat behind the success of the business. They can be ordered to accomplish tasks but it is better to get them engaged first because that is when they start acting on their own initiatives. If they have the initiative to improve the company, that is how the business will really take off.
Thankfully, there is a way to develop employee engagement through training. The main tool is gamification. It is now becoming a popular practice to train employees. Games are not just used to make the lesson interesting. It is also used to instill a sense of engagement in the participants.
Here are some important realizations while employees go through the games in your training program.
- Employees try to pursue a winning goal. Whether it is winning the game or merely completing the task, the employee learns to set a goal and see it to the finish line. With this, they develop an attitude of pursuing either mastery of the job or completion of a project – both of which encourages them to become achievers in the company.
- Employees learn that with excellence comes recognition and reward. Another trait that will be developed in a game-based training program is the expectation for recognition and reward. There is always the opportunity for reward but it does have to be in the context of having achieved something. It is not just because of a lengthy tenure in the company. If employees work hard and pursue excellence, more rewards will come their way.
- Employees are rewarded based on skill and performance – and not preference. In a game-based world, players are do not win because the game master likes them. They win because of their own skill and performance. This is an important characteristic of any company. If employees are given credit when credit is due, they become loyal to the company and that makes them more inclined to be more engaged.
- Employees are motivated to perform better as a team. Probably the best lesson that can be taught in a game-based training program is performing as a team. They are taught that although individual input matters, it is basically team effort that will push the company forward. It teaches them to cooperate and work in harmony with others.
Gamification does not only develop the right disposition to make employees more engaged, it will also help them commit to the cause of the company. Although they may be after personal rewards, they understand that without teamwork, no real improvement can be achieved. When employees are aware that their efforts are valued because of their contribution to the company, they become concerned about the welfare of the business. It instills a level of commitment that will keep them loyal to the company for a long time.
This is truly an investment that companies have to make. Employees are the biggest asset of any business so making sure they are well equipped through training programs will bring the company to the next level.
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