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Microlearning: Revolutionizing The Future Of Workplace Training

Especially after the drastic changes that the world has seen in recent years, workplace training is challenging. Many employees across the nation get little to no training, with only 24 minutes on average being dedicated to learning per week. Even more harrowing, nearly 60% of employees receive no workplace training and are entirely self-taught in their position. Even when there is training offered, there are often barriers to joining, leaving workers unsatisfied and underqualified.

Studies show that 74% of workers feel that they aren’t achieving their full potential due to lack of learning opportunities. Also, 70% would actually consider leaving for a different job that invests more time and energy into proper employee learning. This all points to the simple fact that traditional training models are ineffective. The current tools create a poor experience for learners and make it very difficult to access the needed information to learn. Organizations across the country today are creating ineffective courses, wasting valuable resources that could be more effectively allocated elsewhere.

To create a basic one hour training course, it takes 87 minutes to develop, 197 minutes for an interactive course, and nearly 8 hours for an advanced course. A small, one-time, in-person training event can cost a company up to $40,000 to run and execute. However, despite these monetary efforts, standalone training events don’t create lasting learning. An average adult has a maximum attention span of 20 minutes, which is much shorter than most workplace training sessions.

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This is where microlearning comes in. Microlearning works through a series of bite-sized learning modules that are distributed throughout the day. These come in the form of nuggets, brief activities, videos, questions, and notifications or nudges. These smaller and more targeted efforts can improve learners’ focus and retention by up to 80%. For employers and employees alike, microlearning can help in several ways. First, these activities fit training into the workday without location and time constraints. Also, the quick reminders boost collaboration, social learning, and employee engagement throughout the day. Targeted remedial practice, guided practice, and answering questions are all possible using chatbot technology with microlearning. Finally, these methods personalize learning and use contextual triggers to motivate, like reaching an important milestone.

The generated results are clearly seen through several levels of positive outcomes for the employers. First, the learners are finding the training engaging and relevant, as microlearning creates 50% more engagement with the offered content. These methods allow for information retention and for a high level of true learning, as microlearning reinforces and nudges users to reinforce these skills. The actual behavior of employees can also be observed, as microlearning is an ongoing effort that will encourage users to apply their new skills to their position. Finally, microlearning technology is guided by data and is able to track progress over time, ensuring that the desired outcome is achieved.

The benefits of microlearning are very clear in many facets of employee training and learning. This new wave is becoming more and more relevant today, as studies show that 67% of Generation Z want to work for companies that will support them in building skills needed to further advance their career. Microlearning is nearly 20% more effective than traditional training and is the future of workplace success and engagement. These methods are accessible, user friendly, relevant, targeted, and cost effective for those who are running them. Message-based microlearning meets workers where they are, and benefits both sides of a company in more ways than one. These techniques are already being used by several big companies and nonprofits across the country, as they prioritize their employees to ensure ultimate success in all areas.

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