In our first two posts on short form training, here and here, we covered nine key benefits of burst learning (also known as microlearning), an approach to ethics and compliance training that utilizes engaging five-to seven-minute products to accomplish any number of an organization’s training objectives. In this post, we cover the last two benefits of burst learning, as well as how to assess the need for and implement a burst learning strategy.
Benefit #10: Training on the Go
For mobile employees—such as those in retail, manufacturing and transportation—it’s problematic if the only training available to them is at a desktop computer. Shorter burst learning experiences that can be provided in the field on smartphones and tablets are much more likely to be consumed, read and internalized.
Benefit #11: Train the Hard to Reach
Time and budget constraints mean that C-suite, senior leadership and boards do not always receive the specialized training that would benefit them the most. And yet these executives are in positions that make them especially vulnerable to certain risks. Burst learning formats are ideal for specialized, affordable training on high-risk areas. Peer-to-peer burst learning can have particularly high impact with senior executives as well.
To gain the full benefits of a short form training approach, organizations should:
Assess Risk Areas
- Review your organization’s risk areas using internal data from risk assessment results, subject matter experts or other resources available.
- Complete a gap analysis: where are the risk areas where training is not currently available?
- Of the risks that are not currently covered, which would be most appropriate for burst-style training?
Create a Plan
- If you don’t already have a curriculum map for your organization, create one that covers 3 to 5 years.
- In the map, note the full-length training courses you will deploy, the purpose of the training, the audience, the method and the deployment date or training period.
- Incorporate the timeline and frequency of training in the map as well, including the frequency of training, the number of sessions and topics that will need to be covered.
- To effectively incorporate burst training into an overall training program, consider choosing a key issue to refresh the memory of your employee base on it each 6 months.