the modern workforce is often caught anxious, weighed down by an overwhelming array of tasks that seem even more formidable because of the associated time constraints. due to this, the idea of investing time and energy in learning something new seems rather intimidating. learning new skills sometimes doesn’t even make it to the to-do lists of working professionals. however, with the emergence of innovative approaches like microlearning, professionals now have a convenient and effective way to enhance their skills without the burden of lengthy training sessions.

research suggests that 40% of the global workforce requires reskilling and upskilling every six months or more. this, coupled with the fact that learning new skills fails to be a priority within organizations, points towards an issue.

there was a time when traditional learning models were in full swing in organizations, but slowly, the question of “whether or not to invest in them” arose. this was not to deny their efficacy, but rendering them the only option for employee development was a definite problem. we naturally tend to forget new information over a period of time, and traditional learning models lacked the necessary margin for this “forgetting curve”, a concept first introduced by the German psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus. other than that, even traditional e-learning models lacked the necessary “break” the indigestible volume of information they supplied the learner with in just one go.
how, then do we learn effectively? how do we expect our hands to be updated and enhanced if our role doesn’t spare us the bandwidth to opt for conventional training? this question is an elephant in the room, waiting to be addressed. the best way out of this dilemma is microlearning or bite-sized learning programs.
what is microlearning?
microlearning refers to the method of learning in brief segments. generally, these sessions last less than ten minutes and can sometimes be as brief as just a minute.
but what are the benefits of bite-sized learning, and why should L&D leaders and HR managers consider implementing them? let’s find out.
this goes back to when TikTok (the popular social media platform) took the masses by storm with its engaging, short-form, mobile-friendly content. prominent pre-established brands like Instagram and YouTube naturally incorporated the same format to stay in the game. this wasn’t a faint tale where success simply landed by chance, though. TikTok was able to identify and exploit people’s waning attention span. the rampant growth of users on these platforms set in stone that short-form content is the winner today. L&D could not have stayed immune either, in fact, the healthy option here was to ride with this wave. micro-content brought us to a new cusp of transformation.