Gaming Your Training: Creating a Positive Training Environment
Tamara Schroer, VP Development & Performance, Working Solutions
After hiring the best agents, how do you ensure that the training methods you have in place are going to in effectively imparting knowledge? The trick is to ensure that the agents receive the best information in the most effective way. So if you are looking for a way to spice up your virtual training, consider gaming your training!
So how do you utilize games and ensure a positive end result?
1) Highlight important metrics - One of the most important things to consider when recruiting and training agents is how the agents will be evaluated. This means focusing on your metrics and deciding what is most important to your customers. Now, remember it’s not all about metrics, but setting guidelines upfront so that agents fully understand expectations ensure better understanding as you walk through each training module.
2) Use "gamification"- Defined as the use of game design elements in non-game contexts, gamification has become a hot topic, particularly in the training world. Not only does the use of games naturally employ our competitive nature, it also ensures we really absorb the learning. It provides an opportunity to re-enact real world examples in a safe environment giving agents an advance look at certain experiences.
3) Make training exercises "fun and games" - Training can be fun and exciting to agents if they feel connected. Make the webinars or training/coaching sessions more fun by offering door prizes, having contests for the best company slogan, a poetry contest, and more. This type of activity is fun and connects agents to each other as a community. In addition, if they are having fun, they will get more out of the training sessions and the result will be more positive.
4) Use peer coaching in training. By using more seasoned agents to coach and mentor the new agents, you develop a bond between more seasoned agents and newer ones, while increasing a sense of community. Develop a system where the agents with more experience can train new agents, and reward them when they meet certain metrics in the training. Likewise, reward the new agents for attending the sessions with the agents.
Bottom line – training should be fun and engaging! We learn more if we are laughing, enjoying ourselves and feel connected as a group. Utilizing these four tips will provide good results and still keep the primary training goals in tact – to ensure solid knowledge transfer to the agents.