While it may sound odd, embracing your inner kid and playing games may very well assist your career advancement.
“Gamifying the learning process through interactive activities, such as motivational flashcards and role-playing exercises, can transform routine job training into an engaging and enjoyable experience,” said Matthew Warzel, president of MJW Careers in Wilmington, NC.
“By introducing an element of fun and competition, individuals are more likely to be motivated and actively participate in the learning process, leading to increased retention and improved performance.”
Games are considered pleasant activities “so they open us up on a positive note and create possibilities for us to enjoy the unexpected and the learning journey,” said Julie Flanders, founder and CEO of Two Circles Crossing, a coaching and consulting agency based in Kent, Conn.
Ahead, learn about rewarding games — from online tools to role-playing exercises — to embrace in the work-sphere.
Kahoot!
“Kahoot! is an online learning platform that offers a variety of game-based learning activities, including quizzes, surveys and discussions,” explained Arthur Worsley, a UK-based career coach and founder of the Art of Living.
“Users can create their own Kahoot! games or choose from thousands of pre-made games in a wide range of topics. In each game, players compete to answer questions correctly and earn points, with a leaderboard displaying the top performers.”
Kahoot! can be used to teach a number of topics, from sales training to soft skills development, and for activities that range from product training to team building, with the competitive element ensuring learners remain engaged and motivated.
From $10 per month.
Quizlet
Quizlet isn’t just for school children to memorize SAT words.
“Quizlet is a free online learning tool that allows you to create flashcards, quizzes and other study materials to help you master various topics,” said Warzel, who added that you can search for existing study sets created by other users or create your own study materials using text, images and audio.
Moreover, “Quizlet also offers interactive games and study modes that make learning more engaging, such as a matching game or a race mode where you have to answer questions as quickly as possible.”
Users can use Quizlet for tasks like studying for a certification exam, improving their language skills and learning new concepts in their field, according to Warzel.
Free; QuizletPlus from $2.99 per month.
Duolingo
If you’re thinking of learning a new language or brushing up on your language skills in general, Duolingo is for you. It covers Spanish, French, Portuguese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Yiddish, Zulu, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Haitian Creole and more.
“The app offers a range of interactive activities, including listening exercises, speaking exercises and mini-games,” said Worsley, emphasizing the gamification aspect of the app, which has users earning points and competing against others as they advance in their studies.
“Learning a new language can be a valuable skill for professionals in a variety of industries, and Duolingo makes it fun and accessible,” he added.
Warzel also shared that language skills are becoming increasingly valuable in many career fields, and can “open up new opportunities for personal and professional growth.”
Free; Super Duolingo from $7 per month.
The Future is Yours
New for 2023, this game that you print from a PDF is geared to help people of all ages “think like a futurist.”
Players can choose to participate in business or career mode, and from there they can select or randomly be assigned a sample career (say, an attorney or marketing whiz) or business such as a bank, retailer or real estate firm.
From there, you’ll come up with a game plan for the future and draw a series of cards that will present you with challenges like layoffs, labor shortages, cyberattacks or supply chain issues.
The Future is Yours comes with blank template cards that you can edit and print to feature any business, career or challenge you can think of for your game.
The game was designed by Scott Steinberg, futurist and keynote speaker, as “a training and education system disguised as a game for people who normally don’t play games — and a chance to extend our teaching and insight far beyond day-of events or on-site programs.”
Free for schools and students; $19.99 for others.
Not My Problem Anymore
This group exercise involves interactive work with teammates to problem-solve creatively. To play, start with each person writing down something they consider a challenge. Then, the individual player presents it to the group to address.
“The group is then tasked to come up with a terrible idea for solving the problem, an obvious idea for solving the problem and a creative or out-of-the-box idea for solving the problem,” said Flanders.
So, you’ll be solving one problem, three ways.
“It’s a fun way to go about learning and helps give different scenarios for the group to experience as well as expose new perspectives,” said Flanders. “Every person involved participates in both giving away a problem and reacting to someone else’s issue.”