Mobile learning strategies – boosting workforce growth and productivity
- March 14, 2024
- Reading time : 8 Mins
Executive Summary: In navigating the evolving landscape of workplace training, it’s clear that traditional methods no longer suffice. Recognizing the challenges of retention, engagement, and cost-effectiveness, mobile learning strategies emerge as transformative solutions. With bite-sized modules and enhanced engagement, mobile learning strategies empower leaders to foster continuous growth and adaptability within their teams.
The buzz and chatter around mobile learning strategies isn’t just another trend—it’s a game-changer. As leaders and managers, you’re responsible for steering your teams toward growth, upskilling, and development in ways that resonate with today’s workforce. With mobile learning strategies, that’s not just “easier said than done.”
Let’s break it down: mobile learning strategies aren’t just about training; they’re about empowering your team members to grow, adapt, and thrive, all from the convenience of their smartphones.
People forget nearly 90% of what they have learnt within just 7 days, unless the concepts are reinforced. That’s why employees swamped with documents, presentations, and classroom sessions are not likely to learn much.
However, time constraints make it difficult to reinforce vast concepts.
What can you do instead? Arm your employees with one concept at a time. Studies show the human attention span is only 8.25 seconds, so keep your training concise.
RapL is your software for that.
How so?
Imagine your employees turning their coffee breaks into mini masterclasses, or transforming their commute into a journey of skill acquisition. With mobile learning strategies, downtime becomes an opportunity for growth, and productivity becomes a natural outcome of continuous development.
But here’s the kicker: investing in mobile learning strategies isn’t just about keeping up with the Joneses—it’s about giving your company a competitive edge. Enhanced skills translate to increased efficiency, innovation, and ultimately, a stronger bottom line.
So, the question isn’t whether you should embrace mobile learning strategies—it’s how soon you can integrate them into your growth roadmap.
Let’s get started.
With mobile learning strategies, downtime becomes an opportunity for growth, and productivity becomes a natural outcome of continuous development.
Enhancing productivity through bite-sized learning
As workplaces evolve, so do the expectations for training methods that engage, adapt, and resonate with diverse employees. That’s why traditional programs are increasingly stepping out of the needs of modern workplaces.
Let’s better understand why:
How traditional training lowers productivity
Firstly, the age-old problem of forgetting. Traditional training programs often fail to stick in employees’ minds because they lack reinforcement, which is a critical component for memory retention. According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, people tend to forget 80% of newly acquired information within just 3 days, especially if it’s not revisited or reinforced.
Without periodic reminders or practice, the knowledge gained during training sessions fades away. This renders the efforts and resources invested in training ineffective over time. Learning becomes a fleeting illusion, leaving little room for actual retention and application.
People tend to forget 80% of newly acquired information within just 3 days, especially if it’s not revisited or reinforced. Over time, all investments in training become ineffective.
Long (and boring) classroom sessions
Ah, the dreaded classroom sessions (shudder). Let’s face it—sitting through hours of droning lectures is hardly anyone’s idea of a productive time. As employees struggle to keep their eyelids from drooping, their skill levels remain exactly where it was before.
Engagement is a critical component of successful learning experiences (Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). A lack of engagement and interactivity in traditional training settings creates barriers to effective learning. When employees are passive recipients of information, their brains tend to disengage, making it harder to absorb and retain knowledge. This lack of absorption directly impacts their ability to apply new skills or information in their work.
Consequently, the business suffers because employees fail to integrate new knowledge into their daily tasks. It leads to stagnant skill levels and missed opportunities for innovation and improvement.
When employees are passive recipients of information, their brains tend to disengage, making it harder to absorb and retain knowledge. This impacts their ability to apply the information in their work.
Information overload
The sheer volume of information presented in traditional training programs overwhelms employees, making it challenging to discern key points from extraneous details. Unable to digest the sheer volume of text, employees retreat, defeated—leaving critical points buried beneath a landslide of text.
- Information overload is positively related to strain, burnout (Girard and Allison, 2008; Day et al., 2012; Antoni and Ellwart, 2017), and negatively related to job satisfaction (Hunter and Goebel, 2008).
- It is also associated with serious performance losses, especially in connection with disruptions and interruptions (Arnold, M., Goldschmitt, M., & Rigotti, T., 2023).
- Studies show that the quality of individuals’ decisions is affected by information overload (Phillips-Wren and Adya, 2020).
Information overload not only leads to cognitive fatigue, but also increases the likelihood of crucial points being missed. These missed points can translate into mistakes in the workplace. Errors/delays cost the business valuable time and resources, as it is a drain to rectify errors and address such issues.
Information overload not only leads to cognitive fatigue but also increases the likelihood of crucial points being missed. These missed points can translate into mistakes in the workplace.
High cost, low ROI
Let’s not forget to address the elephant in the room—cost. Traditional programs require a hefty investment in trainers, venues, materials, and more. However, when employees fail to learn or retain new information effectively, there is no improvement in their skill levels or productivity. As a result, the training becomes a near zero-ROI event for the company.
Without tangible improvements in the quality of work and productivity, the resources invested in training fail to generate meaningful returns, leaving companies with little to show for their investment. It’s like pouring money down a drain, hoping for a miracle.
Without tangible improvements in the quality of work and productivity, the resources invested in training fail to generate meaningful returns. As a result, the training becomes a near zero-ROI event for the company.
The traditional approach to training is more like a leaky bucket—lots of effort poured in, but little to show for it in the end. It’s time for a paradigm shift, a departure from the old and a leap toward the new. Because in today’s fast-paced world, standing still is the quickest way to get left behind.
Why use mobile learning strategies?
On-the-go upskilling
Mobile learning strategies enable self-paced upskilling, overcoming the limitations of fixed classroom settings and rigid schedules. With mobile learning strategies, employees can access materials on their mobiles, whenever they have a spare moment. They no longer need to carve out time from their workdays or sacrifice precious weekends for training! This self-driven approach to upskilling makes employees more productive while enhancing their job performance.
Mobile learning strategies enable self-paced upskilling, overcoming the limitations of fixed classroom settings and rigid schedules. This self-driven approach to upskilling makes employees more productive while helping them become better at their jobs.
Bite-sized, interactive modules
Mobile learning strategies use bite-sized interactive modules. This addresses information overload by breaking down complex topics into manageable chunks. Rich multimedia formats are also enjoyable to consume, making learning as easy as scrolling through social media! This ensures no crucial information is missed, which reduces the risk of costly errors or delays. RapL uses interactive microlearning content, which helps employees strengthen their quality of work. AI-based spaced repetition ensures employees can review and revise content regularly, which helps overcome the effects described by the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve.
Mobile microlearning increases ROI on L&D initiatives by delivering targeted, engaging content directly to employees’ devices, fostering higher retention rates, and reducing training costs associated with traditional methods.
Enhanced engagement and retention
Attractive visuals, games, videos, etc. are not a passing trend in learning. Fun experiences induce dopamine release in the hippocampus, a process which promotes memory persistence (Duszkiewicz, Adrian J et al., 2019). In the context of learning, the presence of dopamine is associated with improved attention, focus, and memory retention. This encourages the brain to associate learning with joy, making it more likely that your employees will remember and apply the information later on. Mobile learning strategies utilize interactive features, personalized content, and gamification to achieve this dopamine release. It addresses the low engagement and attention associated with traditional training methods.
Fun experiences induce dopamine release in the hippocampus, a process which promotes memory persistence (Duszkiewicz, Adrian J et al., 2019). In the context of learning, the presence of dopamine is associated with improved attention, focus, and memory retention.
Cost-effectiveness and higher ROI
Mobile learning strategies eliminate high costs, such as venues, materials, and trainers, while also leading to higher ROI for businesses. Investing in mobile learning strategies means investing in a smarter, more efficient way to train your team.
When employees retain information and can apply it to enhance their work and productivity, it helps businesses stay competitive and grow. With mobile learning strategies, companies can invest resources more efficiently, ensuring that training initiatives translate into tangible benefits for the organization.
Fun experiences induce dopamine release in the hippocampus, a process which promotes memory persistence (Duszkiewicz, Adrian J et al., 2019). In the context of learning, the presence of dopamine is associated with improved attention, focus, and memory retention.
Use cases of mobile learning strategies
Onboarding and employee orientation
Mobile learning strategies make the onboarding process smoother than a freshly buttered bagel. New hires can access training materials and company resources right from their smartphones, getting up to speed faster than you can say “welcome aboard.” From learning about company culture to understanding job responsibilities, mobile learning strategies ensure your newbies hit the ground running without missing a beat.
Sales training and product knowledge
Ever wish your employees had a pocket-sized sales guru to help them close more deals? With mobile learning strategies, sales teams can access bite-sized training modules on-the-go, brushing up on product knowledge and sales techniques whenever they need a refresher. Whether it’s mastering the latest features or polishing negotiation skills, mobile learning strategies ensure that sales reps are always armed and ready to seal the deal.
Compliance training
Compliance training doesn’t have to be a snooze-fest anymore. With mobile learning, employees can complete mandatory training modules from the comfort of their own devices—no stuffy conference rooms required. From safety protocols to data privacy regulations, mobile learning ensures everyone stays on the right side of the law while keeping boredom at bay.
Performance support
Forget frantic searches—mobile learning strategies are your go-to for on-the-spot solutions. Need a quick refresher on how to use that new software update? Just pull out your phone and voila! With mobile learning strategies, employees have instant access to the information they need, exactly when they need it.
Mobile learning strategies aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re a game-changer for companies looking to boost productivity, streamline training, and empower employees to perform at their best. With mobile learning strategies, the possibilities are endless, and the benefits are as clear as day.
By embracing mobile learning strategies, companies can pave the way for a brighter future, where learning knows no bounds and opportunities for advancement abound. RapL’s innovative approach to employee upskilling includes personalized learning experiences, AI-driven insights, and practical application through scenario-based training. With RapL, companies can boost productivity, reduce costly mistakes, and empower employees to perform at their best. To embark on this journey of transformation, contact us at hello@getrapl.com
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Dear reader, thanks for being with us all the way till the end. We suggest 2 things from here
1. Speak to us if you want a microlearning strategy deep-dive: Microlearning is extremely effective, if approached sensibly. Microlearning is the answer to today’s shortening attention spans and we know how to make learning successful via microlearning. Drop your context here and we shall partner with you for the rest.
2. Lap up more content: We have written some intense literature on how microlearning is the superglue between people and successful business operations. Access all of it here.
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