Many of us are probably aware of the accelerating nature of forgetting. Hermann Ebbinghaus’ “Forgetting Curve” reveals that we forget almost 80% of what we learn after 30 days! Now the question is how to transform this “forgetting curve” into the “retention curve”? How to create sticky learning experiences?
One of the most common expert answers is through “Microlearning”. Microlearning entails breaking down educational content into bite-size chunks of information so that learners can complete training sessions in little chunks throughout the day. These brief, concentrated microlearning modules are intended to provide precise, practical information that can be quickly consumed and used.
In this article you will learn 10 benefits of microlearning for modern teams.
10 Benefits of Microlearning for modern teams
Table of Contents
Creates A Culture Of Learning
With all the technological advancements, how we work is continuously changing. Our working methods have evolved dramatically in recent years. Work has gotten more flexible but more demanding. Employees are being tugged in multiple directions at the same time. Attention spans have reduced, and even if they wanted to, many people find it impossible to commit two or three hours of their workday to their own growth. Microlearning enables a nonstop learning approach. Rather than counting on traditional training methods that require learners to attend time-consuming classes or courses, microlearning allows learners to start learning anytime and anywhere. The brief nature of microlearning courses and modules means that workers can devote time to learning more often.
Fill Skill Gaps
Skill sets for jobs have changed a lot and this number is anticipated to further increase and reach 50% by 2027. It’s no surprise that almost three fourths of employers can’t find the right employers for specific roles. Microlearning enables modern team members to expand their skill sets without a significant commitment in terms of time. This may increase provocation for upskilling and reskilling in the workers. Microlearning content is generally under 15 minutes in length, allowing your team members to sneak in a learning session in between coffee breaks or meetings.
Personalised Learning Experience
According to LinkedIn data, four in five learners expressed the need for course recommendations grounded on their individual career goals and required skills. Doing so can yield enormous benefits, as companies that recommend courses have witnessed employee retention and increased performance. Microlearning is largely customizable and can be personalised to meet individual requirements. Pocket-size assignments allow your team members to learn what’s most applicable to their career role or future goals including any new skills they need to be successful.
Enables Versatile Learning
The top focus areas for L&D include leadership and operational training. Traditional learning methods generally focus on and enable growth in a single area, limiting the breadth of knowledge workers can gain in a given period of time. Microlearning enables your team members to learn about a variety of topics in a short time span so they can expand their knowledge in several areas. For example, a highly skilled and motivated employee might take a management course one week and unconscious bias training the following day and he shall be able to complete both in less time than what is required to complete both in an offline and traditional method like a conference or a meeting.
Allow Flexible Learning
With new models of work (hybrid or remote), professional lives and personal lives constantly cross and blur into each other. Between personal requirements, meetings, and work tasks, your team members may find only small pockets of time for their training. Learners need to be comfortable to learn as per their own schedule and at their own pace. Microlearning offers a flexible approach to learning and development that allows employees to retrieve on-demand learning material wherever they are. By breaking down learning material into smaller, more manageable pieces, workers can frequently fit learning into their busy schedules, making it a more effective way to learn.
Keep Pace With Emerging Trends
In today’s work culture, it’s essential to stay up- to- date with emerging trends. The nature of microlearning makes training material easy to produce — and faster to learn compared to traditional formal training methods. In order to understand this better, let us go back to the pandemic days. Upskilling and training programs helped people stay productive from home when the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to remote work. We’re again seeing the need for quick learning materials as artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney become a way of new work culture.
Solve Problems Easily
Remote workers can’t just tap a coworker on the shoulder to ask a question. Remote or hybrid workers may find it slow to seek answers via digital communication channels. Microlearning enables your team members to quickly and easily solve problems in their day- to- day work. For example, platoon members can watch a short videotape to learn how to do complex tasks in Excel or create ideas for a social media post, all within minutes. When learners can find the information they need at the moment they need it, they can be more productive and feel empowered to reach their goals.
Increase Employee Retention
Retention is one of the most important goals of many organisations, as hiring remains competitive. The wide opportunities of remote work makes it easier than ever for your workers to find new job openings, as numerous of them may no longer want to be limited by their geographic location. Three of the top five factors that drive people to pursue new jobs reflect their desire for professional growth doing challenging and poignant work,flexible hours, and opportunities to upskill. Compensation and benefits is another top reason for pursuing new openings. All of these are directly tied to professional growth. Microlearning can help you retain your talent pool. Employees want to grow and advance in their current part and achieve their career goals. When you offer that, workers are less likely to pursue opportunities and job openings elsewhere.
Boost Learner Engagement
Remote workers generally have smaller informal learning opportunities as compared to their regular office going colleagues. They miss out on a lot of social learning opportunities which can be better provided in an office environment. However, remote workers may take part in formal learning options like occasional courses or conferences.
Microlearning can ameliorate the quality and quantity of employee development opportunities, effectively boosting learner engagement. The quick format is suitable for modern learners and fits perfectly into their busy schedule. This will enable modern team members to engage in learning more frequently. Plus, easy to understand microlearning content enables increased retention which leads to better learning outcomes.
Reduce Training Costs
Compared to traditional training methods, microlearning is generally cost-effective and is more beneficial for the organisations. Subscription-based pricing models allow lesser cost than a conference ticket or classroom training. Also, the microlearning format saves on costs associated with travel and time. Organisations that create their own learning plan and produce their own learning content may also find that shorter, digitally delivered assignments are easy and quick to produce as compared to other formats.
Conclusion
While microlearning is not a new concept, it is becoming increasingly popular as the next key method to worker training. Although the practice of chunking knowledge into tiny bytes has been around for a long time, there is a growing emphasis on microlearning. This learning method signifies why “less is more”.
I hope this post helped you recognize the value of microlearning-based training. This method will provide your employees with instructions in forms that are simple to learn and apply. This will almost surely result in improved performance and higher production.
Also Read: Why Is Employee Recognition Important?
