Top Seven Microlearning Activities for Onboarding Online Training

You need your new hiresto learn company policy and improve their task proficiency as quickly aspossible. There are some training topics that call for full-length onlinetraining courses, such as complex skills and compliance protocols. However,others require a more distilled microlearning approach. This gives new hiresthe chance to get the information they need and get back to business as usual.

Here are seven microlearningactivities that are just right for your onboarding online training. 

1. Orientation simulations

The first day on the jobcan be a nerve-wracking experience. New hires are still dealing with a learningcurve, and the workplace is unfamiliar territory. Fortunately, you can givethem valuable experience before they start their new position.Orientation simulations mimic every aspect of the job, from everyday tasks tothe working environment itself. Employees have the opportunity to explore theirsurroundings and try out new equipment and software. To achieve the bestresults, include realistic images, sounds, and branching scenarios so thatemployees know what to expect. In addition, focus on one specific task or topicto make it micro: for instance, a five-minute online training simulation thatcenters on the return process or takes employees on a tour of the salesfloor. 

2. Skill-based branching scenarios

Certain skills aredifficult to master on the job. Experience may be the best teacher, but a badexperience may cost the company loyal customers and revenue. For example,communications skills are essential for customer service employees. However,building this soft skill calls for face-to-face interaction and emotionalawareness. Even body language and facial expressions are part of the equation.Branching scenarios feature realistic characters and situations that helpemployees build vital skills. Every choice they make takes them down adifferent path. As such, they’re able to see how their actions and behaviorsaffect the outcome. A negative attitude leads to dissatisfied customers, whichresults in lost revenue.

3. Proficiency self-assessments

Self-assessments areideally suited for onboarding online training because they give employees thechance to track their own progress so they can evaluate their proficiency andidentify areas for improvement. If an issue requires their attention, they’reable to seek out additional online resources to bridge the gap. The key tocreating effective micro-assessments for online training is targeting oneobjective or topic at a time. For example, traditional onboarding onlinetraining courses may include a half-hour exam that covers every task, skill,and company policy, whereas microlearning online training assessmentsconcentrate on a single skill set or work process. Thus, employees have thepower to retake the quiz at different time intervals to monitor their own growth.

4. Compliance serious games

Companies like Adobe feelthat compliance online training is typically boring, tedious, and frustrating.It’s mandatory, which means that new hires inherently dread the online trainingexperience. But you can transform your compliance online training courses intofun and engaging microlearning games. You can even gamify not just the contentbut the whole experience. Serious games feature memorable characters,storylines, and challenges. Employees must overcome each obstacle to advance tothe next level or defeat the fictional foe. In most cases, they don’t evenrealize they are learning safety procedures or company policy until after thefact.

5. Company policy podcasts

Let’s be honest: Nobodywants to sit through an hour-long lecture about company standards andprotocols. After a short while, their minds start to wander, and the next 55minutes are simply a waste of time and resources. Company policy podcasts havethe power to change all of that by making the information more manageable. Eachpodcast covers a different topic, ranging from the history of your organizationto your health and safety standards. Employees are able to listen to theepisodes when it’s most convenient so that they fully absorb the ideas. To makeonline training even more effective, create a podcast-viewing guide thatfeatures episode categories—for example, one section covers complianceprocedures and another deals with the company dress code.

6. On-the-job online tutorials

Certain occasions callfor on-the-spot online training. For example, a new hire is ready to ring uptheir first purchase but can’t remember how to use the system; or an ITemployee needs to troubleshoot a customer issue and isn’t able to use thediagnostic tool. New staff members don’t have the time to access the LMS andtake a 20-minute online training course. Instead, they need specificinformation right now to ensure superior customer service. Microlearning onlinetutorials serve as a valuable online support resource, providing the keytakeaways. They may be in the form of slide shows, virtual presentations, oreven bulleted lists. Whatever the case, they impart need-to-know informationquickly and are easily accessible. New hires and experienced employees alikerely on these online resources time after time to brush up on theirprofessional knowledge.

7. Product training-video demos

Your current employeeshave the chance to gradually add new products to their mental catalog. Newhires don’t have that luxury. They must learn about product features, specs,and benefits for every item in your inventory. Microlearning online trainingdemos allow them to absorb the information in an easily digestible format. Theycan explore one product before moving on to the next, and even rewatch theonline training-video demo to refresh their memory. Try to include in-depthwalkthroughs for products that are more involved. In addition, incorporatecharts, diagrams, and images to showcase all of the minute details. Your newhires need all the information they can get while they’re still learning theropes.

In a fast-paced corporate environment, there’s no time to lose,and getting your new recruits up to speed is of the utmost importance. Toachieve this, you need an intuitive, mobile-friendly LMS that delivers allkinds of learning such as online, offline, activity-based, and self-pacedtraining on desktops and mobile devices as well. Adobe Captivate Prime is a striking example of one such LMS. To begin with, you canassign roles, courses, and learning programs to new hires in a jiffy with an intelligentsearch engine called “Smart Enroller.” Once the onboarding process is complete,quickly roll out personalized learning plans so you can initiate them into thesystem and therefore achieve your business goals faster than usual. Give themoffline access to your eLearning training content, like short videos or slidedecks, so they can refer to it anywhere, anytime. Learners acquire knowledge andskills much faster when they are enjoying themselves. So, take advantage ofpopular gamification features like leaderboards and badges to encourage them toembrace learning rather than dodge it.