Learning motivation in business games

The motivation of employees to learn plays a central role. Because those who learn with motivation and enthusiasm increase their learning success.

Author: Daniele Kilian

Published on: October 8, 2024 Last updated: November 21, 2024

Categorie: HR Impulse

6 Min. Reading time:

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Game-based learning: how to sustainably boost your employees’ motivation to learn

In a dynamic working world, continuous employee training is crucial for a company to remain competitive and keep pace with new developments. More and more companies are turning to online training, as this usually offers greater flexibility.

However, there is one key factor that determines success, particularly in the online environment: motivation to learn. This is because motivated employees learn more effectively, internalize content better and confidently apply what they have learned in practice. Without enthusiasm, on the other hand, the effect quickly fizzles out – especially in e-learning, which often requires a high level of personal initiative.

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How do you increase your employees’ motivation to learn?

Motivation to learn can arise in two ways: intrinsically and extrinsically.

Extrinsic motivation arises from external incentives such as rewards or targets that make learning attractive.
Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is often more decisive for sustainable learning. It comes from within: employees are curious, enjoy learning, want to be challenged and actively develop themselves.

In order to achieve long-term learning success, it is crucial to promote both types of motivation. This is exactly where game-based learning comes in.

What makes game-based learning so effective?

Through the targeted use of gamification elements, you can transform dry learning content into exciting, interactive experiences. Instead of abstract theory, learners experience:

Engaging stories that involve them emotionally,
Games and competitions that awaken ambition, and
Interactive challenges that promote creativity and team spirit

The result: the transfer of playful elements into the learning process ensures that learners learn more effectively and are more motivated by the fun factor. Abstract and rather dry topics are made much more interesting. Learning becomes entertaining and the content is remembered for a long time.

A practical example: management trainings can make use of business games such as MARGA. These web-based simulations use gamification to enable interactive learning in a competitive environment. Participants experience first-hand how strategic decisions influence company development – in a safe, fun environment.

Why gamification is so successful

Playful elements create a positive learning environment that is fun and at the same time promotes concentration. Especially in the online environment, game-based learning ensures that abstract topics become more tangible and interesting. Learners are more motivated, more focused and more open to new content.

How business games increase motivation to learn

The principle of learning by doing forms the basis of the business game method. Participants manage their own virtual company as a team. They develop strategies and make business decisions. Every decision has an immediate impact – whether success or failure, the participants experience it first-hand.

Active learning is motivating because it combines theory with practice: in order to be able to make well-founded decisions, participants acquire specific management know-how. The method awakens a hunger for knowledge, is fun and ensures that content is remembered for a long time.

A key success factor in business games is the direct competition between the teams. This competitive situation has a strong motivational effect and ensures that the participants actively stay on the ball – even when faced with complex challenges.

Competition makes learning tangible:

Awakening ambition: Direct comparison with other teams inspires and motivates
Strengthen identification: Responsibility for your own virtual company increases identification and team spirit.

The competition not only promotes intrinsic motivation – such as the fun of learning and interest in strategic decisions – but also extrinsic motivation. Each team has the goal of successfully managing its company and emerging as the winner.

The MARGA business game makes the competition even more exciting: winning the MARGA Award offers an additional incentive that spurs on the ambition of the participants.

Self-directed learning is a key advantage of business simulations. This method allows participants to shape their own learning process and work through content at their own pace.

Flexibility through web-based learning:

Learning independent of time and place: participants can take part from anywhere – whether in the office, at home or on the road.
Independent development and application: By taking responsibility for their own work, players actively engage with the learning content.

Another plus point: over several game periods, participants have the opportunity to work on content independently:

Test: try out strategies and experience their effects.
Reflect: Analyze decisions and learn from them.
Repeat: Consolidate knowledge and create links.

This iterative learning process not only promotes deeper understanding, but also the transfer of knowledge into practice. Complex content is internalized in the long term and can be applied directly in everyday working life.

With self-determined learning in business games, further training becomes an interactive experience that is tailored to the individual needs of the participants – flexible, effective and sustainable.

Business games not only promote technical knowledge, but also teamwork and social skills. Participants are placed in operational decision-making situations in which they have to work together as a team, find their roles and achieve their goal together.

Teamwork serves as a learning engine:

Sharing and taking responsibility: strategies are developed in the team, decisions are discussed and jointly supported. This process not only increases the motivation to learn, but also the sense of responsibility.
Celebrating successes: Shared successes and the fun of the game strengthen team spirit and create positive learning experiences.

Challenges such as disagreements, conflicts or failures are also part of the simulation game – and this is one of its great strengths:

Strengthening social skills: Dealing with conflict promotes skills such as critical thinking, conflict resolution and empathy.
Intense confrontation: Emotions that arise in conflict or success situations have a positive effect on memory performance and anchor learning content in the long term.

The emotional experiences within the team – be it through success, failure or cooperation – ensure that the content taught is remembered in the long term. Business games thus combine technical learning with the development of team spirit and social skills – an ideal combination for sustainable learning success.

Business games offer a unique learning environment in which participants can make business decisions – without any real risk:

No risk, but real learning effect: in the simulated environment, participants can try out different scenarios without having to fear real consequences.
Courage to make decisions: The protected setting takes away the fear of making mistakes and encourages participants to develop creative and courageous solutions.
Taking responsibility: By making decisions and experiencing their effects directly, participants learn to take responsibility for their actions.

Business games offer the opportunity to understand complex relationships and make confident decisions. At the same time, they promote the self-confidence that is necessary for implementation in real everyday working life.

Business games turn learning into a practical and safe experience – perfect for strengthening skills and anchoring knowledge in the long term.

Motivation is the basis for learning success, and this is exactly where the MARGA business simulation sets in: improving individual management skills, growing together as a team, leaving the competition behind – and all this closely linked with a lot of fun in learning.