Microlearning is one way to integrate learning into daily work. It involves breaking learning down into small, easily digestible segments. Not everyone has time for a three-hour lecture, but most can find 15 minutes during their workday. Below are the best tips and common pitfalls from Learning Success Managers for successfully implementing microlearning in organizations.
1. Communication Campaigns and Weekly Tips
Various communication campaigns have proven to be effective in supporting independent learning. For example, weekly tips work well because they allow employees to choose their own time for learning while also providing reflection questions. In a busy work environment, frequent reminders and weekly messages may seem excessive or annoying. However, we’ve received feedback from users who appreciate when our clients communicate actively and frequently. To lower the threshold for engagement, you can also communicate in a way that allows employees to opt-out of notifications if they prefer.
2. Integrating Learning into Everyday Work
The best results come when microlearning is integrated into existing structures and meetings, such as:
- Coffee breaks: Watch a short learning video together and discuss the topic.
- Weekly meetings: Extend the meeting by 15–30 minutes and incorporate a learning session at the beginning.
- Training sessions: Microlearning can be used as part of broader training programs, for example, through pre-assignments or to support group discussions.
3. Using Microlearning to Support Strategy and Values
More and more of our clients are using microlearning to communicate and reinforce their strategy and values. At Academy of Brain, we help organizations find relevant learning content that aligns with key values and strategic goals. By linking content to these themes and making it visible, on the intranet or a learning platform, for example, strategy and values become more tangible and present in employees’ daily work.
Consistency is key. A one-time trial is not enough, learning is an ongoing process.
Common Challenges and Solutions
1. “It Didn’t Work the First Time”
Learning doesn’t happen overnight. Finding the best learning models involves trial and error, insights, and persistence. The same applies to microlearning, it requires repetition and practical application to become a natural part of daily routines. Learning is an iterative process that involves practicing and improving over time. Any new skill takes repetition to master.
2. Ineffective Knowledge Management or Lack of Responsibility Sharing
For successful knowledge management, HR can support information dissemination, but learning responsibility cannot fall on just one person in the organization, it must be a collective effort. Knowledge management should be a top-down and bottom-up initiative. Each employee’s competence is managed by themselves, their colleagues, supervisors, and leadership teams. Ideally, microlearning helps organizations achieve their strategic goals by fostering continuous development at every level.
