Video games are replacing pamphlets, memos and humans as communicators of information and techniques that companies want employees to master, says Personal Journal magazine. One insurance company, UNUM, uses a game to test employees` knowledge of its benefits package. If the employee touches the right answer on the video screen, his score goes up, as does his chance of winning a weekly prize.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. reportedly raised the productivity of beginning salesmen 15 percent last year by having them practice responding to the objections of a computerized ”customer” on a video screen, then watching their performance on tape.
Companies gain from interactive video, the magazine says, because it provides consistent information on policies and benefits, provides automatic feedback on employees` interests and knowledge of the company and can be available on all shifts and at all locations.
