Expert insight into the “science” of micro-learning for business

If the secret recipe for an excellent workplace culture is opportunity, then the secret ingredient is micro-learning and coaching.

With micro-coaching and micro-training, organizations can build a knowledgeable and engaged workplace culture centered on employee empowerment.

You’ve likely heard the buzzword “microlearning for business,” but what exactly does it mean?

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at micro-learning and coaching and answer questions such as:

• How do you define micro-learning?
• What is micro-training?
• What are the benefits of combining micro-learning and coaching?
• How is micro-training beneficial to employees and business owners?
• What are the best microlearning platforms?
  
  

Join us as we explore how integrating micro-learning into workplace coaching can upskill your employees and promote Skill Agility®.

What is micro-learning and coaching?

Before we share the science of microlearning, let’s start with the basics: what is micro-learning?

In order to define micro-learning, we must look at why micro-training is so essential. Today's world is moving at hyper-speed. From our phones to our watches, information is pushed to us constantly everywhere we turn. It's no wonder that the average attention span has decreased to just a few seconds!

Shortened attention spans can make traditional training and education challenging, especially when we're trying to cram in hours-long training sessions or days-long workshops. Enter one of the most powerful development tools at your disposal—micro-learning!

As the name suggests, microlearning delivers information to employees in small (micro), easily digestible pieces (learnings). We’re talking minutes per topic instead of hours!

Companies can structure their micro-training in various formats, but the most common tactic is through short videos, infographics, or blogs.

But in addition to general workplace training, organizations can take micro-training one step further and integrate it into their coaching model, providing them with micro-coaching opportunities.

Micro-coaching is a valuable tool for workplace development. With micro-coaching, leaders have more productive feedback sessions through shorter, less formal conversations with their teams.

The combination of micro-learning and coaching provides employees with the tools they need to succeed in a more concise and practical way.

The top benefits of micro-learning for businesses and employees

Micro-training is an excellent strategy for companies of all sizes and industries. When businesses implement a microlearning and coaching approach to development, employees, leaders, and the overall company benefit.

Here are a few of the most compelling benefits of micro-learning and coaching programs.

1. Employees can learn at their own pace.

Individuals are more likely to absorb information and remain engaged when learning at their own pace than through lengthy required modules or multi-session group trainings.

Micro-learning allows employees to learn at a comfortable speed on-demand, ensuring they absorb the information properly and have access to it whenever (and wherever) needed.

2. Businesses save time and money.

Traditional training platforms are clunky and expensive, and the even costlier part is when your employees don’t retain any of the information.

Micro-training is more efficient and less time-intensive with greater returns. (As the saying goes, time is money!) This is especially important for small businesses, as it's often difficult to allocate time and resources to employee training.

3. Employees are more engaged with the information they receive.

How many of your employees mindlessly click through training or leave lessons playing in the background while working on other things?

When information is presented in an easily digestible way, employees are instantly more engaged. No more zoning out! They’re also more likely to understand how to practically put this new, small amount of information into practice.

4. Employees feel more valued by their employers.

Individuals who feel they have opportunities to grow and develop within their company are more likely to be engaged and productive.

By offering microlearning and coaching opportunities, companies show their teams they value their development and want them to reach their full potential.

5. Managers can quickly upskill employees—promoting Skill Agility®

What’s one of the best benefits of integrating micro-learning and coaching?

With micro-training content, managers and employers can quickly deploy spur-of-the-moment training content and updates to employees. Instead of having to wait to hold a larger scale meeting, micro-learning content allows you to immediately upskill your workforce as soon as new, relevant information is available—that’s Skill Agility® at it’s finest!

But knowing the benefits of micro-training and actually putting it into practice are two different things. If you want to practically integrate micro-learning into your workplace culture, you need a way to actually deploy the content to your employees.

Enter a remotely accessible, fully customizable micro-learning LMS.

The top features of the best micro-learning platforms

Microlearning lms (learning management system) platforms can help bring the benefits of micro-learning and coaching (this new type of learning) to life in the workplace.

So, how do you know which platform is right for your business?

Top-of-the-line micro-learning platforms can act as a general training platform and coaching tool, and have the following features.

Diverse delivery formats

The best micro-learning platforms offer various delivery formats so businesses can incorporate the options that best suit each department, position, and topic.

You’ll want to find a platform that supports video, graphic, and text-based formats, as well as different play-back lengths to fit any schedule.

Customizable branding and configuration

Great microlearning and micro-coaching platforms offer customization features that allow you to configure content in the most personalized way possible. If the platform offers even more customizations for branding, consider it a big win.

A branded microlearning lms ensures that all employees are on the same page with your company views and values.

Secure and reliable data management

Company data protection is critical for organizations. The best platforms ensure all employee data is always encrypted and protected.

Robust reporting and analytics features

How will you measure the success of your micro-learning and coaching strategy?

Microlearning and coaching platforms allow employers to track important employee engagement metrics. Companies that prioritize proper training and development will see better retention rates, especially for new hires.

In addition, micro-coaching with data-driven feedback is more effective at helping you make decisions—pushing initiatives, individuals, and teams forward.

Are you ready to invest in a powerful micro-learning and coaching tool?

Incorporate micro-learning and coaching into your company culture with Unboxed

Companies that include micro-learning and coaching as part of their employee development strategy are more likely to see success than those using only traditional methods. The benefits of micro-learning for businesses speak for themselves.

Employees will be:

• More engaged with your organization
• Better prepared to achieve personal and company goals
• Happier in their roles and feel more valued
  
  

Businesses will:

• Save time and money
• Build stronger loyalty within its workforce
• Have better measures of employee capabilities, engagement, and success
  
  

But reaping these micro-training benefits requires investing in a micro-learning LMS that offers:

• Diverse deliver formats
• Customizable branding and configuration
• Secure and reliable data management
• Robust reporting and analytics
  
  

At Unboxed, we can make micro-coaching and training a reality for your organization.

Our Spoke® micro-learning platform makes employee growth and training fun, while promoting upskilling and Skill Agility® throughout your organization. With Spoke®, teams can learn and develop at their own pace, with content delivered in a way that works best for them. Investing in an LMS like Spoke can allow you to instantly drive employee growth through small, incremental training and coaching content.

Request a demo to see the difference micro-learning can make for your business.