Is Gamification the Future of Corporate Training?

Corporate training has evolved over the decades, and today’s more involved events are light years apart from the sessions you’ll have encountered in the 1980s. Back in those days, it was all about sticking a video on and watching some amateur actors play out awkward scenes.

Nowadays, more companies are favouring a gamified approach to their corporate training. Opting for this method can be a great way to get people involved and give them an incentive to engage with the activities.

Learning From Online Industries

There are various online industries that can give clues about the best ways of incorporating gamification in corporate events. For example, the online bingo industry has various techniques designed to interest players and engage a wider demographic.

The free bingo at Paddy Power serves as an entry point for players to get involved with the game and see if they like it. Here, they can play the games at no cost but still be in with a chance of winning a prize. This idea of handing out rewards is something that business training could integrate. Training sessions could mirror this model in that they are free to enter, but there are potential prizes at the end. Laying the prizes on offer out at the beginning for all to see could be a great incentive to inspire people to get involved.

The ecommerce industry is another sector that’s put gamification elements to good use. There are some good instances of this listed by Popupsmart, such as the design feature used by M&Ms and the quiz offered by Casper to gauge what type of mattress customers would be interested in.

Learning From Online Industries

There are various online industries that can give clues about the best ways of incorporating gamification in corporate events. For example, the online bingo industry has various techniques designed to interest players and engage a wider demographic.

The free bingo at Paddy Power serves as an entry point for players to get involved with the game and see if they like it. Here, they can play the games at no cost but still be in with a chance of winning a prize. This idea of handing out rewards is something that business training could integrate. Training sessions could mirror this model in that they are free to enter, but there are potential prizes at the end. Laying the prizes on offer out at the beginning for all to see could be a great incentive to inspire people to get involved. 

The ecommerce industry is another sector that’s put gamification elements to good use. There are some good instances of this listed by Popupsmart, such as the design feature used by M&Ms and the quiz offered by Casper to gauge what type of mattress customers would be interested in.

The Power of Gamification

The idea of gamifying your corporate training isn’t only about making it more fun. It’s also to do with leveraging the power of game mechanics to ensure that everyone participates and that the general message of the event gets across. If you don’t try to engage your staff, they’re probably not going to learn much. That makes the whole idea of having corporate training pretty pointless.

According to a piece in Epilogue Systems, gamification works because we’re naturally competitive creatures. We need targets and challenges to get motivated to do things, and this can also serve to boost focus. Imagine giving two groups a task to do, but only offering a reward to one group. It seems obvious that it would be the incentivised group that tries harder, doesn’t it?

You could also use technology wherever possible. This could come in the form of an online quiz that they have to take part in after a lecture segment. They could scan a QR code to answer questions in a live situation, competing against each other to complete the answers in a set timeframe.

More and more companies are turning to gamification to boost their engagement levels. It’s clearly the best way to host corporate events and ensure that everyone stays focused.