Training Role Play Explained
During the training of both new and existing staff, role playing can be an effective and realistic tool. Unfortunately, many of us find the concept of role playing both nerve-wracking and unhelpful. We already know our colleagues, so how can we react realistically to their behaviours or questions? Furthermore, how can we suddenly step into the shoes of another character, and accurately act how they would?
Real actors make the training real
This is where professional actors for training role play comes in. They are able to act and react in the ways which will reinforce your learning objectives while remaining realistic to your industry or place of business. Whether they play a potential client or an irate customer, with trained actors you can simulate realistic business situations in a controlled and risk-free environment. On top of this, a professional actor will be able to consistently repeat their performance as many times as is required, providing a level playing field for each of your employees to work from.
Prepare your professional actors
While professional actors can be of invaluable assistance during the staff training process, the difficulty is in ensuring that you get the most out of your outside help. Whether you’re teaching new employees about your various business practices, or ensuing your existing staff are conducting themselves in line with company policy and procedure, you’ll need to take steps to ensure that your trained actors and staff will be working together towards a mutual learning objective. Only with the correct preparation will you experience the best results.
Use a company that will hire you actors that are skilled in working with facilitators and trainers
If it’s your first time using trained actors within a business environment, some outside assistance throughout the process can be beneficial. Companies such as Nelson Training can provide advice on how to best utilise live acting within the workplace, as well as making recommendations for specific actors or actresses. Even if you’re struggling to develop role play ideas which will effectively convey your learning objective within a business context, trained facilitators will be able to provide assistance and suggest ideas.
Consider the scenarios you want acted out
Once you’ve selected your group of actors, it’s important to ensure that they understand both the details of the fictional scenarios you’ll be acting out, and the learning objectives which should come from them. This is where experienced role playing actors can be particularly beneficial, as they will be able to improvise and shape the role play towards your end goal. Even if you’re unsure exactly which scenarios would most effectively reinforce your message or test your employees, a well-informed actor or actress may be able to offer refreshing and objective ideas.
Training has to be realistic to work
By choosing to use professional actors during your training role play, as opposed to just members of staff, you can ensure that your employees will act naturally and realistically throughout the process. This makes for a more effective training process, and a clearer insight into the behaviour and demeanour of your staff. Making sure to inform trained actors of the details of your company, the scenarios and your eventual learning outcomes, you can create relevant and useful training exercises for your staff. Why not contact a dedicated actor hire company today, and see how they can assist you?