While microlearning has been embraced by many organizations for its convenience and accessibility, its effectiveness in creating lasting change and impactful employee development remains questionable. This is because microlearning often suffers from limitations that hinder its ability to deliver true learning outcomes.
7 Core Reasons Why Comprehensive Learning and Development Interventions Lead To Better Skill Development
1. Superficial Knowledge and Limited Depth – VS – Deeper Learning and Skill Development:
Microlearning’s focus on bite-sized content often leads to superficial knowledge and a lack of deep understanding. This is because complex topics and concepts are delivered in fragmented pieces, failing to provide learners with the necessary context and connections to develop a comprehensive understanding.
Example: An employee completes a microlearning module on negotiation techniques. The module provides quick tips and strategies, but lacks in-depth explanations of underlying psychological principles and effective communication skills. As a result, the employee may struggle to apply the techniques effectively in real-world negotiation situations.
- In-depth modules: Go beyond superficial knowledge by offering modules that delve deeper into complex topics, providing comprehensive understanding and fostering critical thinking.
- Real-world application: Integrate practical exercises, simulations, and projects that allow employees to apply learned skills in authentic scenarios, enhancing skill development and confidence.
- Expert guidance: Provide access to mentors and coaches who offer personalized feedback, answer questions, and guide employees through their learning journey.
2. Lowered Engagement and Disinterest – VS – Enhanced Engagement and Motivation
Short, fragmented learning experiences can be monotonous and fail to sustain employee engagement over time. This can lead to disinterest, program fatigue, and ultimately, decreased learning outcomes.
Example: A series of microlearning modules on customer service best practices may initially garner some interest, but as the format remains repetitive and lacks interactive elements, employees may lose interest and fail to complete the entire program. This limits their knowledge acquisition and skill development.
- Interactive learning formats: Utilize diverse learning formats like workshops, group activities, and collaborative projects to foster active participation, engagement, and knowledge sharing.
- Gamification: Introduce elements like points, badges, and leaderboards to stimulate competition, create a sense of achievement, and enhance learning motivation.
- Choice and autonomy: Offer employees some control over their learning journey by allowing them to choose modules, formats, and pace that best suit their needs and preferences.
3. Lack of Social Connection and Support – VS – Improved Mental Health and Well-being
Microlearning often removes the social aspect of learning, hindering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and peer support. This can be detrimental, as learning is often enhanced through interaction and group discussions.
Example: Employees completing microlearning modules on project management may lack the opportunity to discuss challenges and share best practices with team members. This can hinder their ability to fully grasp the concepts and apply them effectively in real-world project scenarios.
- Stress management: Include modules and workshops that teach employees effective stress management techniques, mindfulness practices, and coping mechanisms for dealing with workplace challenges.
- Social connection: Create opportunities for social interaction and peer support through group learning activities, online communities, and team-building exercises.
- Focus on positive psychology: Integrate training on positive psychology principles like resilience, gratitude, and optimism to promote mental well-being and overall satisfaction
4. Insufficient Feedback and Guidance: – VS – Increased Performance and Productivity
Effective skill development relies on personalized feedback and guidance. However, microlearning often lacks the resources and structure to provide individual attention and support. This can leave employees feeling lost and unsure of their progress, hindering their motivation and learning outcomes.
Example: An employee completes a microlearning module on conflict resolution but receives no feedback on their understanding or application of the techniques. This can lead to a lack of confidence and limited skill development, hindering their ability to effectively resolve conflicts in the workplace.
- Alignment with business goals: Ensure training programs are directly linked to specific business objectives and address identified performance gaps.
- Data-driven insights: Track and analyze learning outcomes to measure progress, assess effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement within the training program.
- Continuous learning culture: Encourage and support ongoing skill development by providing employees with access to various learning resources and opportunities throughout their careers.
5. Addressing Symptoms – VS – Addressing Root Causes
Micro-learning often focuses on addressing immediate performance issues without delving into the underlying causes. This can lead to temporary improvement but fails to provide lasting change and address the root of the problem.
Example: An employee completes a micro-learning module on stress management after experiencing burnout. However, the module fails to address the underlying organizational factors contributing to stress, such as excessive workload or lack of autonomy. This can result in temporary stress relief but ultimately fails to prevent future burnout.
- Investment in employee growth: Demonstrating commitment to employee development fosters a sense of appreciation and increases employee satisfaction and engagement.
- Personal and professional fulfillment: Providing opportunities for learning and growth contributes to a sense of accomplishment and personal fulfillment, leading to happier and more motivated employees.
- Reduced turnover costs: Investing in employee development fosters loyalty and reduces turnover rates, saving the company significant financial resources.
6. Theoretical Approach To Soft Skills – VS – Practical Appraoch to Soft Skills
Microlearning often prioritizes technical skills over essential soft skills like communication, leadership, and teamwork. This can lead to a workforce equipped with technical expertise but lacking the interpersonal skills needed for success in a complex and collaborative work environment.
Example: An organization implements microlearning modules for its sales team focusing on product knowledge and technical features. However, the program neglects training in essential soft skills like active listening, building relationships, and handling customer objections. This can hinder the team’s ability to convert leads and achieve sales goals.
- Deeper Skill Integration: Participants move beyond theoretical understanding, fostering a deeper integration of these skills into their daily practices. By engaging in real-world scenarios and exercises, employees gain firsthand experience, enhancing their ability to apply soft skills effectively.
- Enhanced Practical Understanding: Participants gain a more practical understanding of soft skills, through hands-on exercises, role-playing, and interactive discussions. Employees not only comprehend the theoretical aspects but also internalize and apply these skills in a realistic corporate context.
- Improved Application in Work Settings: Participants are better equipped to navigate professional challenges, communicate effectively, and collaborate seamlessly, resulting in a workforce that not only understands the importance of soft skills but can adeptly apply them to achieve tangible results.
7. Attention Span Challenges – VS – Enhanced Attention Span
While microlearning offers convenient learning bursts, its effectiveness is limited by short attention spans and its neglect of crucial soft skills. Like a “firehose” of information, it can overwhelm learners, leading to limited retention and forgetting. Additionally, focusing solely on technical expertise leaves essential interpersonal skills like communication and teamwork underdeveloped, hindering collaboration and success in complex work environments.
Example: Imagine a sales team trained through microlearning modules solely on product knowledge. While they possess technical expertise, their lack of training in active listening, relationship building, and handling customer objections hinders their ability to convert leads and achieve sales goals. This demonstrates how microlearning alone can fall short without addressing both technical and soft skill development.
- 1. Interactive Learning: Traditional classroom training prioritizes active participation, keeping learners engaged through discussions, group activities, and hands-on exercises. This interactive approach fosters deeper processing of information, leading to better retention and recall.
- 2. Group Activities and Practical Application: Incorporating group lessons, games, and case studies into the curriculum creates a dynamic learning environment. Learners collaborate, apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, and reinforce subject matter through practical application. This active engagement combats attention fatigue and enhances learning outcomes.
- 3. Reduced Distractions: Traditional classroom settings offer a controlled environment free from external distractions. This structured learning experience enables focused attention and deeper understanding of complex concepts.
Conclusion: Micro learning treats the symptoms, while a comprehensive training implementation can fix the root cause.
Youtube videos, articles and guides available online are all quick ways to fix problems which arise in a day to day office environment, especially when it comes to sales pitches and quick problem solving, however to enrich the mind and skillset of a team, and align them to a central goal, they need to go though a proper learning intervention facilitated by a trainer who can up-skill them and help them in real world implementations of what they have learnt. It is the fastest way to get the best out of a team and maximize their productivity and effectiveness on the ground.
