Hacking Business Training With Microlearning

When it comes to workplace training, the traditional models are ineffective. These traditional tools create a poor learning experience for employees, contributing to the 59% that receive no workplace training and become entirely self-taught. Employees become unsatisfied with a lack of learning opportunities.

If learners aren’t satisfied with their learning management systems, how can employers fix this issue? They can first look at the statistics of traditional learning models. Organizations waste resources creating these ineffective courses. A one-time, small, in-person training event can cost an organization $40,000. These standalone training events don’t create lasting learning. In fact, 50% to 80% of information taught in these sessions is forgotten by employees if the information isn’t reinforced.

How can organizations simplify and enhance the learning experience for their employees? The answer is simple: microlearning. 

Microlearning is made up of multiple facets that work together to enforce new techniques and instill new information into participants. In microlearning sessions, participants don’t deal with irrelevant information and focus on just one objective at a time. Targeted remedial and guided practice is available in these sessions as well to help employees retain information. 

On average, employees are given 24 minutes a week for learning. The maximum attention span an adult has is 20 minutes. Both of these are much shorter than a traditional training model, causing a negative retention of information. With microlearning, however, sessions are 5 minutes each and easily accessible on a mobile device. Message-based microlearning meets employees where they are and improves learners’ retention and focus by 80%. 

Microlearning cuts organization training costs in half and increases learning speed by 300%. With microlearning, organizations are able to reduce the time and resources needed to update training manuals, eliminate the need to find staff to cover for training days, cut the costs of instructor time, facility rental, and classroom equipment, and increase the efficiency of rolling out new learning courses. 

Used by 15% of Fortune 500 companies, microlearning lowers engagement barriers and promotes retention with continuous learning. The bite-sized content is readily accessible and more effective than traditional training. The right learning at the right time at the right place is microlearning.