18 Creative Gamification Ideas for Corporate Training
Are you looking for some creative gamification ideas for training? When it comes to training your employees, gamification is an effective way to increase engagement and boost results.
In this article, let’s see 18 creative gamification ideas that will help you get the most out of your corporate training program.
What is Gamification in the Workplace?
Gamification in the workplace involves integrating game-like elements into everyday activities. It helps you foster an environment of learning, growth, and engagement. Therefore, your employees can excel at their work.
When to Use Gamification?
Don’t assume that the only purpose of gamification is adding a fun element. You should use gamification in a strategic manner to get the desirable results.
So, you might ask:
“When should I use gamification in training?”
The answer is simple – when you want to increase employee motivation and engagement. Of course, it is a very generic answer!
That said, only you can answer your question well because it depends on 3 main things.
- Your Topic: That is, what is your training topic?
- Your Participants: That is, what type of employees are attending it? What are their jobs? Are they new to your company?
- Your Goal: That is, what learning outcome do you expect?
So, consider the above three things before you start.
18 Creative Gamification Ideas for Corporate Training
Here are 18 creative gamification ideas for corporate training. So, get ready to shake up your workplace and ignite your employees’ passion for their work!
#1. Implement Hands-On Learning through Virtual Reality
Virtual reality or VR enables employees to experience hands-on learning in a safe environment. This type of practical experience can help learners retain information better. So, they will feel more confident in applying new skills in the real world. Also, VR simulations can help teams develop soft skills such as communication, leadership, etc. through realistic scenarios.
Examples:
Try to create a VR simulation where learners have to perform a task or solve a problem related to the training content.
#2. Integrate Mini-Games into Larger Modules
Mini-games are short activities that break up longer sections of training material. They provide learners with a fun and interactive way to reinforce their knowledge. While designing mini-games, make sure that they align with the learning objectives of the larger module, not just added for the sake of entertainment.
Examples:
You can include a mini-game that requires learners to identify and correct errors in a simulated work scenario. Also, you can try a game that challenges them to recall key information from the training program.
#3. Offer Team-Based Challenges to Foster Collaboration
If you want to enhance employee engagement, consider offering team-based challenges that foster collaboration. This can be helpful for building camaraderie among employees who typically don’t collaborate. Plus, they can have a deeper understanding of their colleagues’ roles and responsibilities.
Examples:
Try some team building activities that require the active participation of all the members. Make sure that you set a time limit for the activity to make it more challenging.
#4. Place Limitations to Generate Excitement
You can consider placing limitations on certain activities to generate excitement among the participants. For instance, they can’t do Task – Y unless they complete Task – X. This can create a sense of urgency among the learners as they strive to overcome the limitations. Doing so will help them develop their time-management and prioritization skills. Moreover, it can prevent procrastination and keep learners on track.
Examples:
You can restrict access to certain training modules until a certain level of progress has been achieved.
Likewise, you can set a time limit for the employees to complete a challenge or task. This works well for training programs that involve tasks with strict deadlines such as project management or sales training.
#5. Allow Learners to Customize Their Own Avatars
Avatars are digital representations of the learners that can be used throughout the training session. You should ask your employees to personalize their avatars. This will make them feel more invested in the training experience. However, make sure that the customization options don’t distract anyone from the learning objectives of the program.
Examples:
Give your employees a variety of customization options to come up with their avatars. Then, allow them to display their personalized avatars on a digital platform or in the workplace.
#6. Introduce Levels to Aim for Something
Levels are a way to track progress and provide learners with a sense of accomplishment. By setting achievable goals and providing rewards for reaching them, learners are more likely to stay engaged throughout the training process. As they complete each level, they can earn some rewards as an appreciation. This will encourage them to continue working towards higher levels.
Examples:
Create different levels for each module of the training program with each level becoming progressively more challenging.
#7. Make Use of Adaptive Technologies to Tailor the Learning Experience
Adaptive technologies use data and analytics to tailor the learning experience to each learner, providing personalized content matching their skill level and learning style. These tools can help employees stay engaged by providing them with relevant content. Additionally, adaptive technologies can track the learners’ progress and adjust the difficulty level of the material accordingly, ensuring that learners are always appropriately challenged.
Note: While adaptive technologies can enhance the learning experience, they should not replace human interaction entirely. Learners still need support from trainers and peers to fully develop their skills or knowledge.
Examples:
Try something like personalized learning paths, interactive simulations, intelligent tutoring systems, etc.
#8. Try Interactive Maps to Explore Virtual Worlds
Interactive maps are a visual representation of a physical location that adapts as the user interacts with it. So, it is vital to ensure that the virtual environments are accurate and realistic. Also, they must align with the learning objectives of the training program. If you want to increase competition and excitement, you can incorporate game elements like timers or point systems.
Examples:
You can use Interactive Maps to simulate different scenarios depending on your topic. For instance, they are helpful when you want to improve your employees’ problem solving and decision making skills.
#9. Offer Rewards for Completing Tasks and Reaching Milestones
One of the best gamification ideas to boost corporate training results is to offer rewards for completing tasks and reaching milestones. The key is to make the rewards meaningful to the participants. This can create a sense of accomplishment and encourage healthy competition among them.
Examples:
Rewards can be anything like gift cards, extra vacation days, recognition programs, etc. You can also try digital rewards like a virtual currency that can be redeemed once a certain task is completed.
#10. Incorporate Puzzles and Quizzes into the Training Modules
Another effective way to enhance a corporate training program is by incorporating puzzles and quizzes into the training modules. This can help learners retain information better and make the learning process more interactive and engaging.
Examples:
At the end of each training module, you can create a quiz to test learners’ understanding of the topic covered. Also, you can include puzzles or brain teasers regarding the training material to challenge employees’ critical thinking skills.
#11. Excite Employees with Gamified Treasure Hunts
Organizing gamified treasure hunts can spice up your training sessions in a fun way. With this game, you can describe your company culture, values, and processes to new employees. This will motivate them to stay engaged in the training program and make the learning process more enjoyable.
Examples:
You can create a treasure hunt or scavenger hunt where employees should find clues hidden throughout the office that leads to a final prize.
#12. Set Up a Leaderboard to Track Progress
One of the popular gamification ideas is setting up leaderboards. Creating a leaderboard helps your employees track their progress throughout the training program. So, your employees can see how they are doing compared to others. This will make them motivated to achieve more.
Examples:
You can create a weekly leaderboard that highlights the top 5 performers. It should include the names of all the participants and their current scores. Moreover, you should update it at regular intervals, preferably every day.
#13. Enable Teams to Compete Against Each Other in Friendly Contests
Conducting some friendly contests among teams is always a good idea. This not only fosters teamwork but also helps employees apply the lessons in a fun and competitive way.
Examples:
How about a contest where teams should come up with creative solutions to one of their job-related problems?
Similarly, you can organize a quiz bowl tournament where teams compete against each other to test their knowledge on various topics covered in the training program.
#14. Utilize Storytelling to Keep Learners Engaged
Storytelling is another effective way to keep learners engaged and create an emotional connection to the material. By using stories to illustrate key concepts or ideas, learners can better understand the material and remember it more easily.
Examples:
You can come up with a case study to illustrate how a company successfully implemented a new process or strategy. Also, you can use personal anecdotes or real-life examples to help learners relate the training content to their own work.
#15. Provide Badges to Recognize Accomplishments
Providing badges can be a good idea to recognize your employees’ accomplishments. It can help you create a culture of continuous learning and development within your company. Once someone gets a badge, you can share that news on social media platforms or other communication channels. This can encourage other employees to strive for the same level of success.
Examples:
Try providing a badge to employees who complete a specific task at work. You can also award the employees who score high on quizzes or tests.
#16. Include Video Elements to Add Energy to the Lessons
Sometimes, you can use videos to present new topics or demonstrate certain processes during a training session. Videos can easily capture the participants’ attention, and add energy to your lessons. When you select videos, make sure that they are of high quality.
Examples:
When you have long lectures or text-heavy materials, try to break them up using videos. Of course, you can add your own ingredients to make them interesting.
#17. Use Social Media to Promote Collaboration and Discussion
Consider using social media to promote collaboration and discussion among participants. This can create a community around the training program and encourage participants to feel connected throughout the process. Plus, it gives participants a platform to continue the conversation even after the training program has ended.
Examples:
You can create a private Facebook group or LinkedIn page where participants can ask questions and share ideas.
#18. Design Unique Scenarios to Apply New Knowledge and Skills
You can come up with several unique scenarios during the training sessions. These scenarios can be something related to your workplace. Or, you can even try some game-style tasks. The idea is to help your employees apply the new lessons and skills to their actual work.
Examples:
How about creating a scenario-based challenge where learners must solve a problem using the skills they learned?
Likewise, you can design a game where learners must answer some questions related to the training content for advancing to the next level.
Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
If you want to apply gamification with some unique team building activities, you can get my new e-book:
Or Want Some Unique Leadership Development Activities?
If you want some unique activities to equip your employees with leadership skills, qualities, and mindset, you can get my new e-book:
Final Words
Gamification is an exciting and effective way to train your employees. With gamification, businesses can ensure that their employees achieve certain goals in a progressive way. So, why don’t you give it a try? By implementing the above gamification strategies, you can boost employee morale and productivity in your workplace while having fun.
