Organizations across all industries are battling The Great Resignation. In November 2021, the Labor Department reported that over 4 million Americans — about 3% of the workforce — put in their resignations for the second month in a row. The alarming rate at which employees are resigning begs the question: what are the best ways to keep employees in the workforce?Â
Employers that offer employees a modern approach to learning and development (L&D) and opportunities to upskill and reskill will be the ones to come out winning.Â
The benefits of continued learning in the workplace are endless. For example, effective L&D programs help healthcare workers understand the latest research and protocols. Those in the food and beverage industry learn the most updated safety procedures, and sales representatives effectively push new products and close deals.Â
The difficulty is that many HR teams often don’t have the tools they need to build high-quality learning programs that align with how people absorb and retain information — tools that understand how the human brain works. Too many companies are still relying on outdated training methods — virtual or in-person instructor-led training, eLearning, long SCORM courses, etc. These methods don’t effectively engage employees, enable employees to retain critical knowledge or ultimately deliver the outcomes modern organizations need.Â
Today’s HR leaders should be implementing learning programs tailored to how the brain naturally retains information and can be delivered within employees’ established workflow. Microlearning can address many challenges associated with traditional learning and enhance existing tools and systems. This way, organizations can engage their workforce in the long term and fight The Great Resignation head-on. Workplace learning programs should:
Accommodate How the Human Brain WorksÂ
Microlearning dramatically improves retention, proficiency, and engagement compared to traditional L&D platforms by delivering bite-sized knowledge designed to engage learners and reinforce job-critical knowledge. Rather than force people to take in large volumes of new information all at once, microlearning emphasizes timeliness and applicability.Â
True microlearning capitalizes on two scientific principles rooted in an understanding of how the human brain learns and retains information: the spacing effect and the testing effect. Spaced repetition presents information repeatedly over a longer period; the testing effect provides learners with scenario-based questions. Spaced repetition and the testing effect have been rigorously tested by science and years of practical application to provide markedly superior results compared to traditional learning methodologies.Â
Make Learning Convenient
Another common challenge to L&D is finding a solution that optimizes learning experiences and integrates seamlessly into existing employee workflows and technology ecosystems. If a learning platform is too inconvenient for employees to navigate, training will only be an added stressor.Â
Learning solutions should be delivered within the established flow of work so that they are minimally disruptive to employees. When not integrated, toggling between these systems and managing a list of login information becomes frustrating and cumbersome for employees. Organizations should seek microlearning tools that infuse microlearning in the apps employees already use every day, such as Slack or Microsoft teams. This approach to educating employees increases productivity and helps employees connect learning concepts and their day-to-day responsibilities. Â
Provide HR and Team Leaders With a Real-time View Into Learning Retention
Microlearning platforms should collect and visualize proficiency analytics based on learners’ responses to scenario-based test questions. This valuable data and analytics provide HR, learning professionals and team managers with a real-time understanding of how well their employees are mastering key concepts or if they’re struggling.Â
Proficiency analytics can show managers specific areas where individual learners aren’t grasping concepts or draw attention to knowledge gaps across the entire organization. Armed with this intelligence, managers can provide additional training and coaching to people who need it. By allowing organizations to measure, adjust and monitor overall learning effectiveness, leaders can truly enable employees to learn the critical information they need to do their jobs.Â
Microlearning must be a crucial part of organizations’ L&D strategies to keep employees happy, engaged and at the organization. Only when knowledge delivery is based on how the brain retains information, made simple and gives business leaders a view into how well knowledge is being retained and applied can L&D programs thrive to satisfy employees and employers and move businesses forward.Â
How are you creating your learning programs to keep your employees engaged and help them retain knowledge? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .