EXTRA LIFE (+1) or GAME OVER for underachievers?
Presentation by Peggy Wong, Training Manager, Learning & Development Centre, Sun Life (HK) Limited
If you thought virtual games like Candy Crush Saga were just a way to idly pass the time on the commute to work, you might be mistaken. According to Peggy Wong, such games can actually incorporate many of the philosophies of real life and present us with ways of tackling difficult situations, breaking through tough challenges and solving problems that we encounter on a day-to-day basis.
Wong believes this to such an extent that the concept of this particular game has come to form the basis of Sun Life’s latest skills training Adapt to Breakthrough the Challenge ABC Programme. The purpose of the programme was to change the attitudes and behaviour of 100 employees who had been identified as unable to meet the financial benchmarks of the company in 2011 and, in game speak, help them to complete their difficult level and progress to the next stage. Rather than simply giving these employees a ‘GAME OVER’ conclusion, the company, led by Wong, decided to give them an ‘extra life’ in order to support them and help them break through their challenges and reach their full potential—thus ultimately increasing staff productivity and reducing staff turnover.
Getting buy-in from all senior executives, however, was a challenge for Wong as some felt that investing in this particular programme was perhaps not the best use of time and resources, not to mention that some felt focusing on the bottom net of employees was not the way to go. However, like Candy Crush itself, this presented Wong with a challenge that she was able to overcome as she gradually gained support from her peers.
Moving on to the next level of the game, a 3D approach was taken to the training programme, which brought onboard direct managers and training experts. The programme was launched and conducted over a 15-month period, consisting of seven training focuses delivered through a series of three-day workshops, team-building exercises, training assignments, self assessments and follow-up action. The programme focused on increasing the confidence and motivation of employees, therefore creating a more positive attitude and enhancing their interaction with customers and colleagues.
So what was the outcome? Achieving a 100% completion rate, the programme saw a total of 85% of ABC members reactivated back into business to resume working—an astonishing result given that the KPI for the programme was only set at 20%. Raising staff morale, performance and productivity, the ABC programme achieved an ROI of 548%, creating, in the words of Wong, a win-win situation and proving that giving an ‘extra life’ was certainly the right move to make.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
