Why companies are switching to gamified onboarding

The problem with traditional onboarding

HR teams carry a lot of responsibility for new employees, from the first paperwork to the training modules. The goal is to set every new hire up to succeed.

Traditional onboarding often works against that goal. It is tedious and slow, and new hires come away without a real understanding of the company's culture. Hours of training modules and forms drain their enthusiasm, and that lack of engagement can lead to lower retention and lower productivity.

The idea: train new hires through games

To address this, companies such as Zydus Wellness, Aditya Birla Capital, Corob and ESAB have gamified their onboarding and training. Instead of watching videos, employees learn by taking part in competitive games.

We discussed this in a LinkedIn event with Saurabh Sharma, Head, Corporate HR, L&OD at Zydus Wellness, who shared his experience of introducing gamified onboarding at the company.

The new hire's journey at Zydus Wellness

The images below show the stages a new employee moves through in Zydus Wellness's gamified onboarding.

What gamified onboarding changes

Better brand storytelling

New hires engage with the company's story and values through interactive experiences, virtual tours and games. They understand the mission better and feel a stronger connection to the culture.

A stronger employer brand

A modern approach to onboarding appeals to candidates looking for innovative, inclusive workplaces, especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Early contact with senior leaders

New hires can meet and talk to senior leaders virtually from day one. That shows a commitment to open communication and accessibility, builds a sense of belonging and gives new joiners confidence.

Team building across locations

Colleagues can meet in a shared game space to solve problems, work on projects and build relationships. This helps teams spread across different sites work together.

Data to improve the programme

The platform tracks interactions, engagement and performance through the onboarding journey. That data shows where the process needs work and helps improve it for each new intake.

How to apply it

1. Map the first weeks of a new hire's journey and pick the parts that are most passive today, such as policy videos or product introductions.
2. Turn those into short games or challenges, with points and a leaderboard.
3. Add a virtual welcome from senior leaders and a team activity that brings joiners from different sites together.
4. Decide what you will measure, such as completion, scores and time spent, and review it after each intake.

For manufacturers with several plants, this is a practical way to give every new joiner the same first week, wherever they start.

Next step

If you want to build a gamified onboarding programme, talk to our team about our employee onboarding and gamified learning solutions.

First published on the Metaverse911 blog.