Newsletter APR 2012
“They actually think work should be fun”
“They actually think work should be fun”
Don’t let your spell checker fool you: gamification is a real term and a real trend in workplaces around the world.
In fact, it’s a very rapidly growing trend that is changing the way corporations approach training and motivating their employees.
And as trends go, this one is practically a senior citizen. Author and CEO of Gamification.co Gabe Zichermann describes gamification as “the process of using game thinking and game mechanics to engage audiences and solve problems.”
In those dark days before the internet made honey sweeter and the sun brighter, using game mechanics often meant a leader board for sales staff or a competition for best customer service feedback.
Now many of the same concepts and motivations (think “leveling up” or winning badges) found in the world of video games are being harnessed to train and motivate employees around the globe.
Zichermann points out how important this evolution is at a time when the so-called “Millennial Generation,” or those who have grown up in the digital age, is beginning to enter the workforce.
"Millennials are different from previous generations largely because of their exposure to video games. These have really changed their expectations of how work should be. They actually think work should be fun."
As terrible as fun at work sounds, there are other reasons for gamifying your workplace.
According to Donald Farmer of Qlikview, "[There is the] concept of flow. Flow is effectively this mental state that people get into when they're playing a game.
"Have you ever found yourself searching for something on Google and then 30 minutes later you're looking at something completely different and you don't know where the time has gone? If that's happened, then you've been in a state of flow."
Being in flow is quite similar to what athletes describe as “being in the zone.” It is a state in which the body and mind move and connect seamlessly, providing outstanding results. For training it means the learner is in a zone where he doesn’t consciously realize that he is learning.
Ready access to high speed internet and web-based tools are opening the doors for even smaller companies to benefit from the educational and motivational powers of being in the zone.
You may have already guessed that Tekmil is hard at work with gamification experts to deliver our partners an even more effective and fun learning experience. Be on the lookout for more news and clues on how we will gamify the Finnish training industry in the near future!
English Lessons for Americans
English Lessons for Americans
There is an old saying that England and America are two countries separated by a common language. I always thought it was a kind of funny, but basically meaningless phrase.
Then an English colleague of mine told me to “have a butcher’s” at something.
Now, as an American English speaker often using British English textbooks, it is not uncommon for me to stumble across an oddly placed preposition (at the weekend), a missing article (he was in hospital) or a different word than we would use (flat).
But have a butcher’s? I was in the unique position of understanding all the words and still having no clue what was being said.
It turns out that to “have a butcher’s” means to “have a look.”
Makes perfect sense, right?
Actually, for those well versed in something called Cockney Rhyming Slang, it’s crystal clear. And while it was completely unknown to me, I was able to call upon my years of research experience from university to quickly shed some light on the matter. Yep, I googled it.
In searching what George W. Bush once called the “interwebs,” I came across this excellent blog entry from the folks at BBC.
Have a butcher’s!
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Lemon squeezy rhyming slang Cockney Rhyming Slang is a special kind of informal language first used by people in the East End of London. This slang has spread, and now there are certain phrases that everyone in the UK understands and uses. My mince pies are sore from looking at the computer screen, so I’m finishing now.
Jo Kent at BBC Learning English http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/communicate/blog/teacher/0000009964.shtml |
The hottest campaign of the year
The hottest campaign of the year – invest in yourself
The sun is shining. You can hear a pin drop in the office. Your mind is wondering. Everything has come to a halt. Just counting the days until your holiday…
Sound familiar? Could there be a way for you to make better use of your days? Perhaps by enhancing your skills?
Now you have the perfect opportunity to improve your language skills! TekMiL is offering language training tailored to your specific needs at summer prices.
Example: 10x90 min course EUR 1,250 + VAT (incl. materials).
Let's make this summer better together!
The campaign applies to group and private training courses taking place between 1 June and 31 August 2012.
Contact:
Sari Kanti-Paul, 050 538 6243, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Newsletter - Quarterly Edition
"It’s not an English lesson. It’s a communication session”
- Altti Korpela, Nokian Tyres HR Manager
Language training typically occurs where the action does not; that is to say, in the classroom. This is not meant as a slander, as the classroom is often the ideal, neutral place needed for effective training. Much like swimming, however, those at a certain proficiency level inevitably want to head to the deeper end of the pool to put their skills to the test.
For us at TekMiL, that means identifying and developing training solutions that increasingly move our learners from the safety of the classroom to the “dangers” of the open sea. Analogies aside, the challenge for us is to progress with our students to a stage where the training world blends with the real world. Where there is less of a lesson and more real life. Real life with backup.
A significant step in this direction was made this year at the premises of one of our long-term partners, Nokian Tyres. Nokian Tyres and TekMiL have enjoyed a successful partnership in the classroom spanning five years and including a multitude of different languages and training focuses. This year Nokian Tyres asked us to support a monthly video-conference language lesson linking Human Resources personnel from the Home Office in Nokia with their colleagues at the Vsevolozhsk factory just outside of St. Petersburg, Russia.
The following is a short interview with some of the participants of this course:
Editor: Firstly, I would like to thank Cristina, Natalia, and Altti for agreeing to sit down with me today. Could you please tell us a little about yourselves?
Cristina Guillermo: I’m Cristina and have been working here as an HR Management Assistant for five years now. Lately I have been involved in various HR Development projects and have, of course, been coordinating these video-conference sessions with our colleagues at the Nokian Tyres Vsevolozhsk factory.
Ed: And how often do you have to use English here at work?
CG: About once a week, mostly dealing with colleagues outside Finland. Most contact is by email, but there are occasional phone calls in English as well.
Natalia Stepanova: My name is Natalia and I have been working for Nokian Tyres for two years as an Employee Relations Manager. My work here has been very interesting and diverse. I am responsible for personnel budgeting, company policies, keeping the company in line with the labor market…actually too many different things to list here!
Ed: Altti, same questions for you.
Altti Korpela: I am an HR Manager here at Nokian Tyres; my main focuses are recruiting and rewarding, as well as participating in labor negotiations, and issues involving labor law. I have been working here for about 17 years now. I have been participating in English lessons for the last six years, because I find myself working more and more intensively with our colleagues from Russia and other locations. There was about a 20 year gap between learning English in High School and having to use business English here at work.
Ed: And why did you decide to take English lessons here at work?
NS: For me it was mostly the need to communicate with my Finnish colleagues. Of course, it also helps with traveling!
CG: Well, it’s important to have these skills and Nokian Tyres makes it possible to improve them. English is now the most common language in communications with our foreign colleagues.
AK: When I started we weren’t a global company other than exporting our products. Over the years we have become a global company and I decided that I want to be a part of this change. English has become Nokian Tyres’ official business language and I want to have my turn to speak. I want to be able to speak, write, and interact with my colleagues without having to stop and think about the language.
Ed: Up until now your English lessons have primarily been classroom based. What were your hopes for this video-conference course?
CG: There were a few reasons. I wanted to have more contact with my HR colleagues in Russia. I want to learn about their culture and their way of doing business. It’s also good to establish a kind of common vocabulary with them, to use HR terms the same way.
NS: For similar reasons, actually. My goals for these meetings were to become closer with my colleagues in Finland and to develop a better understanding for each other. It is also good to have a chance to discuss actual problems.
AK: My idea was that I have trained for so many years and now I want to actually use my English. I wanted to have to a real situation. It’s not an English lesson. It’s a communication session. Our colleagues use different words, their pronunciation and accents are different. This trains us for real life without having a negative effect on business.
Ed: Altti, you mentioned different accents, which I know can sometimes make things difficult. What other challenges have there been?
AK: At first it is awkward watching each other on the big screen. It also makes you a bit nervous to see yourself.
CG: I agree with Altti. It can also be tough if there are technical problems.
NS: It’s hard to say. Maybe that we can’t see each other “live.” We don’t have real eye contact with each other.
AK: And if you don’t know the right word, the microphones and camera are sitting there waiting. Also, we haven’t had technical training on the equipment so there can
be two issues at once. For me the cultural differences haven’t been so big. We aren’t as formal as other western European countries, so it makes things a bit easier. This training has even helped everyday communicating in Finnish; at a party or graduation, you are better trained to talk about nothing. [Ed. note: every English native speaker forces his/her group to practice small talk, or as Altti puts it, “talking about nothing.”]
Ed: Thank you for the “compliment,” Altti. What are some of the other benefits?
CG: For me, contact with our HR colleagues is the best practice. We get to know each other better and gain more informal, “normal” connection with them. It makes it easier to have email and telephone contact. You know them better.
AK: Yes, it is easier to call when you know them better and the different terms and accents they use. It’s the same as here…I don’t think about what I am going to say, we just talk. The conversations are more spontaneous and natural.
NS: And for me the main benefit has been having the ability to discuss actual questions concerning work, for example with Altti.
Ed: Before we wrap up, is there anything that I have missed or you would like to add?
AK: In all, the training is nice and interesting, but it is demanding. The first sessions weren’t as smooth because we didn’t follow a strict agenda and there were some technical issues. Getting to know each other was a bit tough, and there were different language levels. We also had to learn about how occupations and positions are seen differently outside Finland and to avoid questions that could be misunderstood.
NS: Yes, the lessons have gone well. I like the trainer-group mix.
CG: In total, I like being here and am looking forward to having more sessions. It really has helped create a more informal relationship with our colleagues. It is also useful to use the same vocabulary as we can understand each other better.
Ed: Thank you all for your time!