How Microlearning Captivates Your Employees

Microlearning caught on incredibly quickly in learning and development (L&D) circles because it is a learner-centric digital learning strategy that offers a number of benefits to learners traditional eLearning cannot.

Unlike traditional eLearning which offers limited engagement to learners, which frankly, is not enough for modern learners, microlearning can be delivered to employees in a number of ways which make it not only suitable and convenient, but captivating and even addictive to modern employees. After all, it’s not for nothing that it is being used by industry giants like Walmart, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Bloomingdale’s and Berkshire Hathaway Media Group, in addition to countless other big, medium and small-sized organizations.

But what gives microlearning the power to captivate employees in a way like no other? In this article, this is what we’ll discuss.

1. Its Core Benefits

Earlier digital learning strategies and techniques did not work perfectly because L&D professionals were thinking how the organization could benefit the most, without thinking what the learners/employees want. Microlearning is near flawless and captivating to employees because learners are primary recipients of its core benefits. Most employees consider hour long traditional training sessions, whether classroom training, webinar-based or online training to be a waste of time, particularly because they are already time-crunched with the number of daily tasks at hand. However, microlearning modules are a maximum of 5-minutes long, and can be accessed anywhere and anytime on their smartphones (mobile learning is a requisite for microlearning). Because microlearning provides learners with skills and knowledge whenever they please in such a short duration, it is appealing as well as captivating.

2. Its Ability To Hold Their Attention

Another reason microlearning is captivating because it is designed to be that way. Developing skills and knowledge in the modern learner requires a digital learning strategy which offers condensed or concentrated information in a short time in an engaging manner. That is the very definition of microlearning. Microlearning is designed using engagement strategies like interactivities, story-telling, scenarios, gamification and videos which make sure that the learner’s attention doesn’t waver from the screen. The duration of the microlearning module has a role to play in captivating employees too. Because 5 minutes is not so long a duration so as to bore the learner, neither is it long enough to fully satisfy the learner, it always leaves the learner wanting for more. The result? Learners start to “binge” on microlearning modules like they would on online movies or series.

3. Its Aptness In Regards To The Modern Work Environment

Technology has made our work environments more effective and faster than ever before. These fast-moving environments require that the employees consume knowledge and develop skills faster too. This simply means that employees cannot afford to invest too much time in learning and development, while ingesting and retaining knowledge at a faster rate. Sounds paradoxical? Well, welcome to the reality of a modern workplace. Fortunately, microlearning is the solution to this paradox, because it make it possible for employees to learn while being on-the-move and just-in-time. In time, microlearning becomes a dependency or a sort of necessity, and any thing that is necessary is captivating and addictive.

4. It Is Addictive

Well, it is no secret that microlearning is a digital drug of sorts, but so are a lot of things in this internet age. Take social media for instance. Do you know why you constantly check your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter every 5 minutes? Because you’re addicted to dopamine. Dopamine is a drug that your brain synthesizes to make the body feel pleasure when rewarded. When you open any of these social media apps and chance upon a notification, you get a hit of dopamine. Soon, you get addicted to it, and check again and again, just to get that “hit”. Microlearning works the same way, and gets the learner addicted to checking their learning portal again and again for any new microlearning modules they can take. All the organization has to make sure is to constantly supply the learners with fresh modules constantly. Well, becoming addicted to learning doesn’t sound too bad!

Microlearning is beneficial for employees both in their personal and professional lives, and because it is captivating and habit-forming, any organization which is using it is essentially turning their employees into life-long learners who enjoy learning. What a great way to ensure the growth and progress of your organization!