More industries have realized the benefits of microlearning — training content delivered in “bite-sized” pieces. Microlearning can increase memory retention, and promote just-in-time learning, giving employees access to training at the time of need. Microlearning can turn long courses into short, bursts of content improving the accessibility of training. Other benefits include higher engagement and accelerated time to proficiency. And thanks to the great benefits, it seems like this new trend in learning and development (L&D) is here to stay.
For example, in 2023, small businesses spent the largest amount of time on training per employee, totalling around 59 hours. Although training and development can add value to the business and employee, it can incidentally decrease productivity. Microlearning is different — since it provides information in short bursts, staff don’t need to take significant time out of the workday to learn.
Numerous industries can benefit from leveraging microlearning in the workplace. This article will review examples of microlearning in different industries, and best practices to maximizing the value of microlearning in an organization.
Industries Benefiting From Microlearning
1. Health care.
Hospitals can leverage microlearning to refresh medical professionals on high-priority topics like patient privacy and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Its compatibility with just-in-time learning can make it ideal for workplaces with little downtime for training or high burnout rates, because it can reduce learner fatigue.
2. Retail.
Retailers often experience high turnover. In addition to seasonal help being a common staple, the industry is attractive to high school and collegiate workers who move on after a short period. These factors can complicate on-the-job training — or strain companies’ productivity levels and return on investment (ROI). For these reasons, speed is one of the main benefits of microlearning in retail. New hires can quickly absorb lessons on customer service, safe machine handling, department-specific duties, restocking or quick-change scams to prepare them for everyday responsibilities. Since the content is so easily digestible, revisiting courses as needed isn’t a significant commitment.
3. Manufacturing.
Many manufacturers experience consistent productivity losses, and can undergo up to 25 hours of downtime monthly. While training is essential to upskilling and safety education, decision-makers often hesitate to lower their efficiency further. Microlearning is a beneficial alternative because it can help them accelerate learning.
6 Tips to Maximizing the Benefits of Microlearning
To increase microlearning’s effectiveness in any industry, learning professionals should consider:
1. Incorporating more visuals.
Visuals like images, diagrams, videos and infographics are more memorable and visually appealing than text-based courses, helping employees absorb information faster and retain it longer. Employers can easily craft a three-minute presentation with pictures and an audio voiceover.
2. Building on previous lessons.
According to the forgetting curve, learners will forget an average of 90% of learning material after seven days. Employers can increase retention by building on information over time and reinforcing other lessons at the beginning of each new course. This approach is particularly helpful if sessions are spread out.
3. Including interactive content.
Interactivity helps bolster employee engagement, potentially increasing retention and satisfaction. Training professionals should incorporate interactive content like digital flashcards or quizzes at the end of each lesson. An added benefit is that it enables them to track how well individuals understand the content.
4. Minimizing distractions.
Since microlearning sessions are so short, even minor distractions can drastically affect engagement and retention. This fact is especially true for distance learners since they lack oversight — even something as minor as a notification can sidetrack them. In fact, 53.7% of remote workers said smartphones were their top distraction.
5. Deploying a feedback mechanism.
A feedback mechanism enables learners to provide precise, actionable insights to help training professionals identify gaps. This way, they can improve course delivery and better engage their audience. Surveys, anonymous comment boxes, focus groups, course completion interviews and one-on-one meetings are effective response aggregation mediums.
6. Address any training needs.
Training professionals can leverage proven techniques to deliver microlearning to their workforce. For example, a mobile-friendly platform is among the most straightforward to integrate. According to a study, smart techology can improve participation by 97.3% and reduce the error rate by 92.8%.Microlearning delivered via smart technology also can enable on-the-go learning, making it ideal for distance learners or staff in fast-paced industries. Another need to address is maintaining employee engagement. Training managers can ensure employee engagement with interactive methodologies, like gamification, leveraging tools like scoring systems or text adventures to increase engagement.
Closing
As more industries incorporate microlearning into their training, they can notice the benefits through higher engagement, increased productivity and better participation in learning. Training professionals should consider experimenting with microlearning as a training modality to find out if the learning solution is right for them.
