There’s an emerging trend that is taking the gaming world by storm. What is it? – It’s alternate reality games; and they aren’t just for gamers who want to enjoy some entertainment. Many business owners are actually taking notice of the benefits that alternate reality games (often simply called ARG) can offer for their organizations.
If you are an entrepreneur who is looking to enhance the experience of your employees and wants to boost the success of your organization, read on to find out more about alternate reality games and how they can benefit your organization.
What are Alternate Reality Games?
Before we discuss why alternate reality games can be an asset for your business, let’s first explain what these games are.
Alternate reality games (ARG) are distributed narrative that involves utilizing the real world as its platform. Via digital technology, this type of game uses various formats and platforms to share an experience or a story, and that story can be changed by the actions or thoughts of those who play the game. In other words, alternate reality games rely on the involvement of those who play them to tell and the story.
Those who play these games make direct interactions with the characters, resolve problems, and work together as a whole to assess the story that is being told and find solutions. Typically, players utilize several types of technologies to interact with alternate reality games; for example, email or phones, and the Internet serves as the element that connects everything together.
How Alternate Reality Games Can Benefit Your Business
Business owners are taking note of the benefits that alternate reality games can offer for their organizations and are implementing them in a number of ways. From corporate training to immersing employees into programs, there are several advantages that this type of gaming can provide for your company.
Corporate Training
ARGs can be used as a powerful tool for corporate training. For example, instead of using handbooks and seminars to teach your employees about your business’ policies, you could use an alternate reality as a hands-on tool to guide your staff. A game that involves different scenarios that encourage them to make decisions based on best business practices would help them develop a better understanding of how to handle certain situations. For instance, your staff could work together to solve a mystery, providing them with an in-depth opportunity for learning and growth that will foster a better understanding of business operations.
Encourage Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is crucial for the success of your business. When your staff is engaged, they will feel as if they are a valued member of a team, which will encourage them to put their best foot forward, meaning that engagement is not only important for your staff, but it’s important for the success of your company, too.
It can be difficult to promote employee engagement, but alternate reality games can serve as a powerful tool to boost engagement, which can thus improve the employee retention and your business’ success. Alternate reality games can be a highly effective way to successfully – and better – improve the engagement of your employees. For instance, an ARG that encourages your staff to work together as a team or to promote and sell products, and their involvement in the game would allow them to gain a sense of purpose, fostering an improved sense of purpose, thereby promoting greater happiness in the workplace.
Skills Teaching
Lastly, an ARG can be a highly effective way to teach your staff new skills. For example, in order to solve the problem in a game, your employees would have to utilize new skills that they have been presented with. By using these skills in an ARG, your staff would have the opportunity to gain a more in-depth understanding of the skills that they have been taught, thereby developing a deeper understanding of said skills.
Summing It Up
Alternate reality games can provide numerous opportunities for your staff and your business, and improve the overall success of your establishment. These games are becoming more common in the workplace, and it’s easy to see why! If you’re looking to enhance your organization, you should seriously consider implementing ARGs.