Companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to train employees quickly and efficiently. Traditional training methods—often consisting of lengthy seminars, extensive manuals, and time-consuming classroom sessions—are becoming outdated. As a result, microlearning has emerged as an effective alternative for delivering focused, engaging, and impactful training. Off-the-shelf microlearning courses, in particular, have gained popularity for their accessibility and versatility.
This article will explore the top benefits of using off-the-shelf microlearning courses in corporate training, focusing on how they can enhance learning outcomes, streamline the training process, and help businesses stay competitive.
What Is Microlearning?
Before diving into the benefits, it's essential to understand what microlearning entails. Microlearning is an approach that delivers educational content in small, digestible chunks. Instead of overwhelming learners with hours of information, microlearning breaks it down into concise, focused sessions that typically last between 5 and 10 minutes. These lessons can be delivered through videos, quizzes, podcasts, or other interactive formats.
Off-the-shelf microlearning courses are pre-built educational modules that companies can purchase and integrate directly into their training programs. These courses are designed by subject matter experts and can cover a wide range of topics such as leadership development, compliance training, customer service, and technical skills.
The Rise of Off-the-Shelf Microlearning
The popularity of off-the-shelf microlearning courses is growing as businesses increasingly recognize their potential to transform corporate training. One of the key reasons for this shift is the evolving nature of work. The modern workplace is more dynamic and fast-paced than ever before, with employees expected to adapt quickly to new technologies, skills, and processes.
Here are some statistics that demonstrate the rise of microlearning:
According to a study by Software Advice, nearly 60% of employees prefer shorter training sessions.
Research from Bersin by Deloitte indicates that employees can devote just 1% of their typical workweek to training and development.
Microlearning is shown to improve engagement rates by 50% and increase retention of material by 20%, according to a study by TalentCards.
Now, let’s look at the key benefits of using off-the-shelf microlearning courses for corporate training.
1. Cost-Effectiveness and Affordability
One of the most attractive features of off-the-shelf microlearning courses is their cost-effectiveness. Developing a custom training program from scratch can be a time-consuming and expensive process. It often requires hiring instructional designers, subject matter experts, and multimedia specialists to create a course that aligns with your company’s needs. In contrast, off-the-shelf microlearning courses are ready-made solutions that can be purchased and implemented almost immediately at a fraction of the cost.
These courses allow companies to save not only on development costs but also on the logistical expenses of traditional training methods, such as classroom rentals, travel expenses for trainers, and printed materials. This is particularly beneficial for smaller companies or organizations with limited training budgets.
Key Points:
No need for custom course development.
Pre-built courses can be integrated immediately.
Reduces costs associated with traditional training (travel, materials, etc.).
2. Quick Deployment and Scalability
Time is of the essence in corporate training. When a company needs to train a large group of employees on a specific topic, developing custom training content can take weeks or even months. Off-the-shelf microlearning courses eliminate this lag. Since these courses are pre-designed, they can be deployed almost instantly, ensuring that employees get the necessary training when it’s needed most.
Moreover, these courses are scalable, making them ideal for businesses that need to train large numbers of employees across multiple locations or even remotely. Off-the-shelf microlearning content can be accessed by any employee with an internet connection, enabling seamless, uniform training across different departments and regions.
Key Points:
Courses are ready for immediate use.
Training can be deployed across multiple locations.
Efficient for remote and large-scale training.
3. Improved Knowledge Retention
One of the key advantages of microlearning is that it enhances knowledge retention. Research has shown that people tend to forget information over time—a phenomenon known as the forgetting curve. Traditional training, which often involves cramming large amounts of information into long sessions, contributes to this problem. Learners are bombarded with content, much of which they forget shortly after the training ends.
Off-the-shelf microlearning courses combat this issue by delivering content in short bursts. Because learners only need to focus on one topic or skill at a time, they are more likely to retain the information. Additionally, microlearning courses often incorporate interactive elements such as quizzes or scenario-based learning, which further reinforces retention.
Key Points:
Microlearning improves focus and retention.
Interactive elements increase learner engagement.
Short lessons combat the forgetting curve.
4. Flexibility and Accessibility
In today's hybrid and remote work environments, flexibility is critical. Off-the-shelf microlearning courses offer unparalleled flexibility because they can be accessed from anywhere, at any time. Employees no longer need to take time off work to attend long training sessions. Instead, they can engage with training materials at their own pace, during breaks or in between meetings, without disrupting their workflow.
Mobile compatibility is another key benefit. Many off-the-shelf microlearning platforms are optimized for smartphones and tablets, allowing learners to access the content on the go. This is especially beneficial for field employees or remote teams who may not have consistent access to a desktop computer.
Key Points:
Courses can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
Ideal for mobile learning and remote teams.
Learners can fit training into their schedules without disrupting work.
5. Engaging and Interactive Learning Experience
Off-the-shelf microlearning courses are often designed with user engagement in mind. These courses frequently incorporate multimedia elements such as videos, infographics, and gamification to keep learners interested and motivated. Additionally, the bite-sized nature of microlearning prevents cognitive overload, allowing employees to focus on one concept at a time.
Interactive learning experiences are proven to enhance engagement and understanding. For example, gamified quizzes, badges, and certificates encourage learners to actively participate and track their progress. In contrast to static PowerPoint presentations or passive lectures, these features make learning a more enjoyable and immersive experience.
Key Points:
Multimedia elements make learning more engaging.
Interactive features like quizzes and gamification boost motivation.
Prevents cognitive overload by focusing on one topic at a time.
6. Alignment with Modern Learning Preferences
Today’s workforce, particularly younger employees, expects their learning experiences to be engaging, personalized, and available on-demand. Off-the-shelf microlearning courses align with these expectations by offering flexible, mobile-first, and personalized learning experiences.
According to a report by LinkedIn Learning, 74% of employees want to learn during their spare time at work, and 58% prefer learning at their own pace. Microlearning fits perfectly into this trend, as it allows learners to access content when it’s convenient for them. Furthermore, many off-the-shelf platforms allow for customization of learning paths, enabling employees to focus on areas where they need the most improvement.
Key Points:
On-demand, mobile-first learning aligns with modern expectations.
Customizable learning paths for personalized experiences.
Appeals to younger employees who value flexible, engaging training.
7. Continuous Learning and Development
Off-the-shelf microlearning courses are well-suited for promoting continuous learning and development, which is essential for companies looking to foster a culture of innovation and agility. Employees need to be equipped with up-to-date knowledge and skills to keep pace with industry changes.
Microlearning allows companies to offer regular, ongoing training rather than relying on a one-time learning event. For example, employees can engage with small, frequent learning modules that build on each other, helping them to develop skills incrementally. This approach not only keeps employees up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in their field but also fosters a mindset of continuous improvement.
Key Points:
Supports continuous learning with small, frequent lessons.
Keeps employees up-to-date with the latest skills and knowledge.
Fosters a culture of innovation and agility.
8. Compliance and Standardization
For industries that are heavily regulated, such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, compliance training is crucial. Off-the-shelf microlearning courses are often designed to meet industry-specific regulatory requirements, ensuring that employees receive accurate and up-to-date information.
Additionally, these courses help ensure that training is standardized across the entire organization. No matter where employees are located, they will all receive the same high-quality training, reducing the risk of inconsistencies and compliance violations.
Key Points:
Pre-built courses meet industry regulatory requirements.
Ensures consistent training across different locations.
Reduces risk of compliance violations.
Summary
Off-the-shelf microlearning courses offer a host of benefits that make them an attractive option for corporate training. Their cost-effectiveness, flexibility, scalability, and ability to improve engagement and retention are just a few of the advantages that companies can leverage to enhance their employee training programs. Whether you’re looking to improve compliance, foster continuous learning, or align with modern training preferences, off-the-shelf microlearning courses provide a practical and effective solution.
As businesses continue to evolve and face new challenges, microlearning will remain a powerful tool for delivering impactful, relevant, and timely training. By integrating off-the-shelf courses into your corporate training strategy, you can help your employees stay ahead of the curve while optimizing your organization’s training budget and resources.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of microlearning-based ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make LMS Portals the ideal SaaS-based eLearning platform for our clients and partners.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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