New Axonify Study Reveals Microlearning Key to Enabling an Agile Frontline Workforce

WATERLOO, Ontario, July 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Highlighting the influence microlearning has in enabling an agile workforce, Axonify, the most trusted corporate microlearning platform, today launched the first-of-its-kind 2018 Microlearning Global Benchmark Report. The comprehensive analysis of microlearning covers general trends, adoption, demographics and industry applications based on usage data from 360,000 employees at 78 organizations using Axonify.

The report reveals how continuous microlearning takes learning measurement beyond traditional metrics like test scores and completion rates by providing stakeholders across the business with a real-time view of what employees know or don't know so that they can proactively respond to address gaps.  According to the report, microlearning offers universal appeal among frontline-driven organizations and drives high levels of employee engagement directly impacting business results. Data shows that on average, employees utilizing microlearning know 85 percent of the information they are required to know to perform on-the-job compared to 73% when they started.

Also, the report highlighted that three quarters of employees participate in microlearning training sessions at a rate of two to three times weekly and it is heavily used in fast-paced, agile industries with a large number of frontline employees including Retail (27 percent), Manufacturing and Logistics (25 percent) and Finance and Insurance (22 percent).

"Microlearning resonates with frontline workers because it's a habit-forming style of learning that fits seamlessly into their agile work environment?the first thing they do at the start of a shift or when they have downtime," said Carol Leaman, CEO of Axonify. "Traditionally, getting employees to participate in training has been tough, but that isn't the case with microlearning. It automatically adapts learning so each session is based on what an employee knows or doesn't know including game mechanics for increased engagement."

Anatomy of a Microlearning Session

Employees participating in microlearning training every month, do so two to three times per week which translates into more than 100 training sessions per year. Averaging six minutes per day, microlearning sessions typically start with critical messages from senior management, followed by personalized training, casual game play and rewards. Employees exposed to microlearning incorporating game play and game mechanics participate at a rate of 52 percent more, experiencing average knowledge lift of 27 percent.

Based on Axonify's research, organizations most often use microlearning to train their employees on:

1. Product Knowledge
2. Safety
3. Sales
4. HR/Corporate Culture
5. Customer Service

"Microlearning is now becoming mainstream," said Josh Bersin, Global Industry Analyst. "This important research proves the value of this new paradigm and gives us all a clear roadmap for success."

Retailers Take Advantage of Microlearning to Train Employees About Promotions

Retail, the largest cluster of organizations in Axonify's study includes frontline store associates across a variety of sectors including brand retailers, big box, grocery, and specialty retail. Across the industries covered in Axonify's report, retail employees have the highest Current Knowledge and Confidence at 84 percent and their participation rate is high at 85 percent.

Aside from utilizing microlearning to advance product knowledge and safety measures, retailers are providing microlearning to train employees on promotions at a rate more than two times the industry average. Retailers are also embracing daily microlearning reinforcement as a critical preventative measure to keep shrink rates at bay using asset protection and loss prevention training.

Manufacturing and Logistics Mitigate Safety Risks with Microlearning

Manufacturers are increasingly turning to microlearning as a better way to mitigate high safety risks. In fact, safety training in Manufacturing and Logistics occurs at a rate of three times more than Finance and Insurance and almost two times more than retail. Safety training is the second most popular type of training offered, next to product knowledge, by manufacturing organizations as they work to achieve a company culture of safety.

Additionally, according to the study, microlearning helped lift manufacturing and logistics employees' product knowledge up to 91.4 percent. Also, based on their microlearning sessions, these professionals average a Current Knowledge and Confidence level of 83 percent with a 72 percent participation rate.

Methodology

The insights presented in the 2018 Microlearning Global Benchmark Report were generated by anonymously analyzing a sample of 360,000 employees across 78 organizations, and nearly four million microlearning sessions that occurred between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. This included a variety of industries and organizations ranging from mid-sized to large Fortune 100 companies?that are capturing millions of learning data points as employees engage in their daily training using the Axonify Microlearning Platform. 

For more information, visit https://axonify.com/benchmark-report/.

About Axonify

Axonify is the only microlearning platform trusted by global business leaders to drive performance. With a proven approach that's based in brain science, and uses adaptive microlearning and gamification to make employee learning effective and engaging, our platform ingrains knowledge deep enough to change employee behavior at work. With more than 130 customers in 95 countries around the world, including Walmart, Bloomingdale's, and John Hancock, Axonify makes learning personal to the individual, and impactful for the business. Founded in 2011, Axonify is headquartered in Waterloo, ON Canada. For more information, please visit www.axonify.com.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Mirabile
Young & Associates
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