Why Microlearning Should Be A Part Of Your Employee Training And Development Program
Recently, the term microlearning is becoming more and more prevalent in the field of employee training and development. Gone are the days when employees were made to sit through long and boring training programs. These days, employees prefer on-the-go learning that helps them gain essential skills without sacrificing the time spent on their other tasks. This is where microlearning shines. It involves short, targeted bits of information that are easier to learn and comprehend for a modern workforce.
The bite-sized learning materials, such as videos, podcasts, PowerPoints, and infographics, help employees complete a course faster. One of the main reasons for microlearning's popularity is its ability to make learning more interesting and engaging without taking much time. Here are 6 reasons why you should make microlearning a part of your employee training and development program:
1. Improves Knowledge Retention
When a learning program is lengthy, your employees may quickly forget the information they gathered. They may find the course boring and struggle to get everything they need from it. However, this is not the case with microlearning. It focuses on a single skill and presents the learning content in a format that's easy to digest. When the content isn't as dense, your employees retain it better and can recall it faster when the situation demands. This allows your employees to incorporate the gained knowledge into their day-to-day tasks easier.
2. Makes Learning Engaging
Engagement is key to the success of a Learning and Development program. When learners are not engaged, their efficiency and productivity decrease, and they may not be motivated to take up any learning programs in the future. Microlearning, however, boosts engagement. According to a Software Advice research study, more than 50% of learners find microlearning interesting. Because the content is so targeted and timely, there is less of a chance for your employees to get distracted or bored. Having relevant, but bite-sized content will motivate them to complete more courses.
3. Addresses Skill Gaps
When employees find that they lack the skills necessary to do a job, their motivation, productivity, and satisfaction decrease. With microlearning, it is easy to close the skill gaps in your organization. The very nature of microlearning enables better concentration so your employees can become proficient in a particular skill. For instance, if your employees are not able to complete their projects by their deadlines, creating a short video that reiterates the benefits of time management and provides actionable tips to improve time management can truly help.
4. Enhances Employee Satisfaction
Employee training and satisfaction are closely related. Training and development are some of the ways to let employees know that their work is valued in your organization. Microlearning techniques make learning as easy and enjoyable as possible. To be effective, the content has to short, informative, interactive, clear, action-oriented, and useful. As they gain new skills to perform their job responsibilities better, your employees will feel happier in their role with your organization.
5. Reduces Content Development Time
One of the greatest advantages of microlearning is that it makes the learning process easy for both the learners and course developers. Creating comprehensive learning content for employees often takes a good amount of time. Microlearning splits development up into smaller projects, targeting very specific topics. This makes content creation much simpler. Course development costs are also low when compared to traditional learning as you don't have to pay for the lecture space and trainers.
6. Makes Learning More Flexible
Microlearning is so popular in the corporate world because it allows the learners to take control of their courses. They can choose the most relevant course for them, unlike with the one-size-fits-all model. This is what motivates millennial and Gen Z employees to participate actively in the microlearning courses. Microlearning can also become a huge success when it's combined with mobile learning. This combination provides learners with a flexible learning experience and allows them to learn at their own pace. Course developers should ensure that their microlearning content is easily accessible and mobile-friendly.
Final Thoughts
Microlearning is a very powerful learning technique that empowers your employees and helps them develop their skills without committing to long, potentially tedious, courses. This makes employee learning programs more engaging and interesting. When combined with mobile learning, it can bring a multitude of benefits for your organization!
