Losing high-performing workers is always difficult. For one, you lose out on top talent. It’s also more costly to hire and train a new employee compared to keeping one. If you want to hire and retain more great employees, you need to invest in their development.
According to LinkedIn’s 2018 Workplace Learning Report, over 94 percent of workers say that they’ll stay in their company for longer if their employers invest in their career development. The researchers also found that workers find soft skills, like leadership, collaboration, and communication, to be the most important ones to learn and develop. Identifying and addressing skill gaps and integrating technology into their work are also seen as important focuses on talent development along with tools such as the performance review software to track efficiency and performance.
When it comes to training methods, the report also found that digital methods are on the rise. In-person, classroom-style training methods are a thing of the past. More than 68 percent of workers want to learn at work and at their own pace. As such, it’s important to provide convenient and interesting methods for learning. These include online lessons through your own e-learning platform or through portals like Udemy.
Using Video Games for Training
Another interesting and fun way to train your employees is through video games. You read that right, video games are actually effective at teaching workers essential skills and knowledge for their job. A 2010 University of Colorado Business School paper reviewed over 65 studies and analyzed over 6,476 trainees. They found that trainees that underwent programs that utilized video games had a 14 percent better skill-based knowledge level, 11 percent higher factual knowledge level, and nine percent higher retention rate than those who didn’t use video games for their training.
A well-known and more specific case of the effectiveness of video games for training is Walmart. According to an article in TechRepublic, the shopping giant successfully adopted gamification in their training routine. They did this by providing employees with a proprietary application on their phone. This allowed them to participate in a variety of simulations, including responding to emergencies, handling a high volume of customers (which is especially important during Black Friday sales), and more.
These are trial-and-error situations that help personnel handle real-life ones with increased confidence since they’ve already seen and solved it. What’s great about these games is that employees get to experience these true-to-life simulations without having the pressure of a performance review looming over them.
The training simulation was so fun and useful that employees played the game during their break times and did friendly competitions with their coworkers. But why exactly are video games so effective for training?
Inspires Creativity When Solving Problems
Video games that provide a way for employees to test their skills through trial and error don’t have to worry about real-life consequences if they fail in-game. With this mindset, they can craft creative strategies to solve their work problems. Make sure the game you use for training provides realistic situations, so they can use their newly-formed work style when they finally have to face their real tasks. For example, a flight school often uses flight simulators with true-to-life tools and meters to prepare their students for their real flights.
Instills Confidence and Motivation
A well-made game for training provides clear instructions and objectives for students to follow. When they master the skills needed for their job and ace their training, the game will provide them with instant feedback that they did great.
Proper training on video games should also provide feedback for when trainees don’t do well, showing where they went wrong. This way, they can fix their mistakes in the future. With these feedback mechanisms in place, they can confidently perform the tasks they’ve mastered in-game.
Encourages Social Interaction
Multiplayer games that require trainees to play together will always foster teamwork. Even if a training video game isn’t created with multiplayer in mind, it can still encourage social interaction. Trainees and instructors can share strategies on how to solve certain tasks. They can also engage in friendly competitions if your game comes with points and rewards.
Video games aren’t just for fun and relaxation, they’re also great for training your workers. With a well-developed video game, you’ll not only help trainees improve their memory and hand-eye coordination, but you’ll also help them be more creative and confident at their job.
Work with a professional developer to create a game that balances simulating real-life tasks and fun, and your trainees are sure to enjoy their career development in your company.
