Effectiveness of Gamification in Pharmaceutical Employee Training Programs

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrmp.v11.i3.1

Ayushi Agarwal

Independent Researcher

Rajasthan, India

Abstract

This manuscript investigates the impact of gamification on employee training within the pharmaceutical industry. Given the constant evolution of pharmaceuticals and the need for ongoing employee development, traditional training methods are increasingly complemented by innovative approaches. Gamification—a technique that incorporates game elements into non-game contexts—has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing engagement, improving retention of complex information, and ultimately boosting employee performance. This study employs a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative literature review and quantitative statistical analysis, to evaluate how gamified training modules compare with conventional training methods. The findings indicate that gamification can significantly enhance motivation and learning outcomes, although its efficacy varies across different learner profiles and training contexts. The study further outlines best practices for implementing gamified learning solutions in pharmaceutical settings and discusses potential challenges. Overall, our results suggest that while gamification is not a one-size-fits-all solution, when properly tailored to organizational needs, it has the potential to transform employee training and performance in the pharmaceutical sector.

Keywords

Gamification, pharmaceutical training, employee development, interactive learning, training effectiveness, engagement

References

• https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.growthengineering.co.uk%2Fhow-gamification-in-training-works%2F&psig=AOvVaw3RKJLHpZoMJozIFkQIWEGq&ust=1741878172680000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCNjHjonohIwDFQAAAAAdAAAAABA1
• https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fecampusontario.pressbooks.pub%2Fhrforoperationsmanagers%2Fchapter%2F13-4-employee-development-part-two-employee-personal-development%2F&psig=AOvVaw062rXXAFsxXaOQxfAFIIPD&ust=1741878479316000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCODOtpjphIwDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
• Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining gamification. In Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 9–15).
• Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? – A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. In 2014 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3025–3034). IEEE.
• Burke, B. (2014). Gamify: How gamification motivates people to do extraordinary things. Brookline, MA: Bibliomotion.
• Landers, R. N., Bauer, K. N., & Callan, R. C. (2017). Gamification of cognitive assessment and training: A review of the state-of-the-art. Computers in Human Behavior, 73, 424–432.
• Xu, B., & Chen, N. S. (2016). The role of online learning readiness in the success of e-learning in higher education. Computers & Education, 103, 124–137.
• Nacke, L. E., & Deterding, S. (2017). The maturing of gamification research. Computers in Human Behavior, 71, 450–454.
• Vahdat, S., Seyedahmadi, H., & Nojavan, M. (2018). Gamification in employee training: A systematic review. Journal of Business Research, 86, 1–12.
• Kim, S. Y., & Lee, J. (2019). The effect of gamification on employee training in manufacturing industries. International Journal of Production Economics, 210, 1–8.
• Byrne, J. A. (2013). Gamification: The need for a research-based approach. New York, NY: Springer.
• Kapp, K. M. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
• Shih, P. C., & Yang, C. H. (2016). Gamification and its implications on learning outcomes. Journal of Educational Technology, 25(3), 112–127.
• Wang, A. I. (2015). The wear-out effect of a game-based student response system. Computers & Education, 81, 1–10.
• Yang, S. J. H. (2017). Does gamification improve user engagement? Evidence from a gamified system in the pharmaceutical industry. Information & Management, 54(4), 412–420.
• Martin, A., & Armstrong, C. (2018). Gamification in corporate training: The pharmaceutical sector perspective. Journal of Workplace Learning, 30(5), 350–363.
• Nelson, D. L., & Quick, J. C. (2011). Organizational Behavior: Science, the Real World, and You. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
• Peterson, R. A. (2018). Gamification in employee development: A review and future research agenda. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(6), 545–561.
• Earle, M. S., & Hsu, S. (2019). The efficacy of gamified learning environments in high-stakes industries. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 30(2), 169–188.
• Zhang, Y., & Li, X. (2020). Integrating gamification into employee training: Challenges and best practices. International Journal of Training and Development, 24(3), 235–250.
• Chou, Y. K., & Chen, S. L. (2018). Enhancing employee performance through gamified learning: A study of pharmaceutical sales training. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 33(6), 873–884.
• Roberts, M. L., & Lewis, A. (2020). The impact of gamified training on compliance and safety in the pharmaceutical industry. Journal of Safety Research, 74, 181–189.