Over recent years, professionals have begun to favor social and collaborative interactions that take place online, not in person. Additionally, the use of mobile devices – predominately smartphones – has increased substantially, and some employees rely more on these devices than traditional options, like laptops and desktops, throughout their day.
While, on the surface, these cultural changes don’t seem to have much to do with training, that isn’t the case. By understanding your employees’ preferences, you can create learning and development (L&D) programs that exist in their most-used digital spaces and have features that align with their preferences.
When social and microlearning and brought together, training can become more digestible and engaging. If you are wondering how the social and microlearning sandwich can benefit your employees and organization, here’s what you need to know.
Microlearning for Increased Retention
Social media has fundamentally changed how people get their information. Many of these platforms support shorter form factors, and people are increasingly used to getting new details in snippets.
Microlearning is based on that concept. Training is delivered in bite-sized chunks, with each module being highly focused, usually on a single topic. By providing the information in small bursts, retaining and applying the knowledge is often easier. Critical concepts can be delivered faster and more efficiently as well, potentially lowering overall training time along the way.
Social Learning for Engagement
When it comes to collaboration and idea sharing, many professionals prefer to interact online. By using apps and integrating social media, you can encourage employees to discuss training topics on platforms that feel familiar and engaging.
Increased levels of conversation can also reinforce the covered concepts. Varying perspectives can be brought together as employees discuss the core topics, leading to a wider view and an increased understanding.
Bring It Together for Greater Impact
While both microlearning and social learning add value to your L&D program on their own, when brought together, they are more powerful. Microlearning encourages employees to focus on individual points, and social media can promote conversation around the core objective.
When used in conjunction, microlearning and social learning can significantly increase the level of understanding and retention. Plus, they enhance the experience and increase engagement. Cumulatively, this can dramatically improve your overall ROI and the effectiveness of your L&D program.
Are You Looking for L&D Professionals Who Can Help You Bring Social and Microlearning Together?
At Clarity Consultants, we have over a quarter-century of experience in the L&D field, making it simpler for you to locate the top talent you to ensure your company thrives. If you are looking for L&D professionals who can design and implement social and microlearning solutions, the team at Clarity Consultants can make finding your ideal candidates easier than ever before. Contact us to learn more about our unique services and see how our L&D expertise can benefit you.
