Corporate training programs should be designed to put employees on the fast track to acquire important skills. After all – when organizations expedite the process of training a productive and proficient workforce, they see business results sooner. The need for effective and engaging training tools has never been more important, and when it comes to absorbing important knowledge, pace is everything.
Think of microlearning modules as the building blocks of your comprehensive training program. Characterized by its bite-sized learning tools, microlearning delivers short bursts of essential information without overwhelming learners. Let’s explore how microlearning has become the cornerstone of modern corporate training practices.
Why Microlearning?
The intentions of microlearning all start with what works best for learners. The attention span of learners is an important consideration to make when creating training content. Sensible organizations should avoid overexerting their resources with lengthy training programs. If you noticed the far-away look in someone’s eyes during a conversation, would you continue to waste your breath talking? We hope not!
Impactful training programs are all about effectively communicating important details of specific skills and knowledge to learners. That’s why organizations have learned to prioritize their preferences. Let’s take a look at the benefits of microlearning.
5 Benefits of Microlearning
Microlearning optimizes the impact of your training by engaging learners with varied content that can be completed independently. When we give people the opportunity to learn on their own accord, autonomy becomes central to unlocking their potential.
1. Boosts Retention
Microlearning is not just a learning tool – it’s also an effective knowledge retention strategy. Based on the way the brain processes information, bite-sized training segments have better learning outcomes. Microlearning also allows employees to gain knowledge that is relevant to their roles, adding value to knowledge acquisition.
2. Strong Engagement
Mental fatigue is very real. Boiling down the information reduces the time and effort required to absorb it and empowers employees to learn and master complex skills. By delivering concise training, microlearning drives strong engagement. Brandon Hall Group’s Learning Strategy Study points to a whopping 71% of companies that say increasing microlearning is critical to helping them achieve their business goals.
3. Enhanced Flexibility
Microlearning offers a flexible approach to training that caters to different learning styles. By allowing learners to choose what works best for their learning experience, this versatile training approach allows learners to focus on important concepts at their own pace.
4. Ease of Scalability
Microlearning is built to scale. You no longer need to worry about how many people fit into a classroom or how many people will be out of the office. Once you determine the best modality for the information you are trying to convey, you have many options to get it out to your audience.
5. On-demand learning
Unlike other types of training, employees can take advantage of microlearning when they need it. Providing information at the point of need or just-in-time makes it more relevant to the learners and boosts the application. The rapid content creation of microlearning also allows it to be deployed into an existing training program quickly.
Real-World Examples of Microlearning
There’s no question that microlearning is a game-changer for any training program. Curious to know how microlearning can be implemented? We’ve got you covered!
Job Aid
Job aid summarizes the most vital information that learners need. The key to job aids is to assist employees in their learning process, often in the form of learning reinforcement. Best of all – employees can refer to their job aid on their own time when they need it.
Organizations can provide performance support without exhausting additional resources.
Short Videos
In a world where YouTube is king, it makes perfect sense for organizations to incorporate training that mimics our daily habits. By delivering straightforward content that can be easily accessed at any time, short educational videos help people retain information. Video learning can transform your training process
eLearning courses
You can use eLearning tools and delivery platforms to provide short (3-5 minute ) interactive courses that focus on a single topic or skill. By delivering microlearning through asynchronous eLearning courses, learners can delve into concentrated modules that closely focus on learner objectives.
Implementing Microlearning
Ready to help your employees succeed? Start by learning the best practices for implementing microlearning activities.
Brandon Hall Group recommends implementing microlearning to reinforce broader learning events with infographics or short videos to ensure learning retention. This strategy for successful training actively combats the forgetting curve.
Seize Your Opportunity
In summary, learners are able to pivot from microlearning courses to their day-to-day tasks with improved proficiency. By convening practical applications for their new knowledge, employees can accelerate their productivity. From small businesses to massive corporations, microlearning motivates employees to contribute their skills in a meaningful way. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Want to learn more about how your organization can hand-pick the top skills to address through microlearning courses? Our team of experts will guide you through selecting the right training solution and ensure that your content is created on a strong instructional design foundation.
