This year it is predicted that over $101 billion will be spent on workplace training. That number increased by 10% from last year and has almost doubled since 2013. But according to German psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, if new information isn’t applied, we’ll forget around 75% of it after just six days. If this is true, then $75 billion of the total $101 billion spent on training this year could be wasted because the information is forgotten. 

In the modern workplace, almost every employee walks around with powerful computers in their pockets each day - their smartphone. Over 95% of adults aged 18 to 49 own a smartphone in the United States. And as we manage more of our lives on mobile daily, personally and professionally, the way companies train and engage with employees needs to adapt too. 

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Traditional Training Drawbacks

Traditional training typically involves long-form courses with instructor-led classroom sessions with printed workbooks and long PowerPoint presentations. And this method is effective for some, but most adults are generally able to concentrate on a task for around 15 to 20 minutes. Finding time to complete courses can be difficult for workers and much of the information that needs to be absorbed can fall through the cracks. This creates knowledge gaps that could go unnoticed.

There’s a famous quote by David H. Sandler where he says ‘You can’t teach a kid to ride a bike at a seminar.’ Some things just cannot be taught by sitting in a room and listening to an instructor. And this is true for training the modern workforce. Staff turnover can also get in the way of training. The Great Resignation and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased turnover in many industries, causing companies to train employees more frequently. 

Hiring instructors, printing materials, booking a venue, finding transportation, and finding catering are all important parts of the traditional training method - and it can get expensive. For instances where companies are unable to pay for the resources listed above, the training responsibility often gets placed on the more experienced employee. This takes time away from senior staff members performing their regular responsibilities and can add more stress to their workday. So, options like microlearning are gaining popularity because they are convenient, geared toward applying information, and encourage workers to learn as they go.

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Microlearning with Tap Into Safety

A recent study found that American organizations can reduce costs by up to 70% by replacing traditional classroom training with digital microlearning options. Microlearning means that employees are learning important information in a way that is designed to be the most effective for them. This teaching style has been proven to improve focus and support long-term retention of information by up to 80%. Mobile-friendly resources can be carried with employees at all times, so they can easily reference materials as needed. 

We partnered with Tap into Safety because their platform focuses on targeting modern learning styles through microlearning, gamification, and other processes that go beyond traditional PowerPoint and seminars. Dr. Susanne Bahn is the CEO and co-founder of Tap Into Safety, and her expertise in hazard prevention and adult learning has shaped the company’s approach to delivering a better training resource. Tap Into Safety’s main goal is to be a training platform that improves workplace safety performance. 

Microlearning is a new way of responding to the necessity of workplace learning, life-long learning, and more. It’s often more successful due to its perfect combination of small chunks of learning content along with the flexibility of technology. 

Key benefits of microlearning

• Learner-centric cadence
• Affordable and effective
• Stronger retention
• Interactive learning features
• User-friendly digital design

Watch the webinar to learn more about microlearning, mobile-friendly resources, and how a ready app with ReadyKey can support employee training. 

A ready app is a mobile application that can be built by anyone, even if they don’t have coding experience. And if support is needed, the ReadyKey team is here to help. Contact us to get started, and book a demo today.