How To Create A Microlearning Online Training Library For Soft Skills
Every employee on your team has unique talents that make them an asset to your organization. However, bridging soft skill gaps in online training can be challenging, since they involve a high degree of peer-based interaction and firsthand experience. For example, there is a broad range of interpersonal skills one must master to provide superior customer service. Developing these abilities takes time, patience, and a whole lot of real-world practice. Below are 8 insider tips to create a microlearning online training library that helps employees hone their soft skills.
1. Kick Things Off With A Skill-Based Evaluation
There is a myriad of abilities that fall under the soft skill umbrella, which makes it difficult to pinpoint which skills you need to cover in your microlearning online training library. However, you can identify current soft skill gaps and focus your efforts by conducting an employee evaluation beforehand. Surveys, simulations, observations, and formal online assessments can help you disclose areas for improvement. You can also use your LMS metrics to see where employees struggle based on their past performance and completion times.
2. Repurpose Assets To Cut Costs
You probably already have a vast assortment of online training resources tucked away in your database. Take inventory and determine what you can repurpose for your soft skills microlearning online training library. For example, a webinar you recorded last year can be converted into a series of podcasts or bite-sized videos. This does not only help you reduce eLearning development time but also saves money and stretches your current budget. If your microlearning online training library falls a bit short, you can always opt for curated content, such as YouTube videos or articles. Just make sure to credit the source.
3. Develop Conflict Resolution Branching Scenarios
Branching scenarios can help employees hone a variety of skills. However, one of their most powerful uses is conflict resolution. Employees must interact with virtual personas to address the problem and reach a conclusion that’s beneficial for all parties. For example, two employees are arguing about a sale. The trainee must listen to all sides of the story, then try to diffuse the situation through active listening and communication. Only then will they reach the best possible outcome and develop their soft skills in the process.
4. Use Serious Games To Build Leadership Skills
Leadership and management skills are challenging to cultivate since they require a high degree of tact. Employees must be able to demonstrate that they know how to follow as well as lead. A serious game can help foster all these related abilities in a fun and engaging way. For instance, the first level features an introduction to the team and the challenge or task they face. The trainee must figure out how to delegate effectively and communicate with the virtual collaborators to achieve the outcomes. Every level can feature a new obstacle that employees must handle in order to reach the finish line.
5. Incorporate Customer Service Simulations To Refresh Communication Skills
Staff members need to demonstrate their active listening, communication, and other customer service skills by interacting with a fictional customer. The secret is to use actual customer personality traits and real-world challenges to enhance the immersion. As an example, the customer walks into the facility with a complaint. The employee must use all the interpersonal skills at their disposal to appease the customer and resolve the issue.
6. Produce Problem-Solving Podcasts
Your remote workforce handles any number of problems on a daily basis, based on their job duties and roles. You can give them the knowledge and experience they need through a microlearning podcast series that tackles a unique problem every week. For instance, the first installment might discuss the COI breech and how to politely decline the client’s gift or bribe, as well as tips to report the occurrence to their manager and how to proceed with the client’s project without creating ill will. You can also reuse recorded lectures or audio from webinars to launch your series.
7. Foster Lateral Thinking Skills With Real-World Mini-Mysteries
Mini-mysteries can showcase any challenge or obstacle that employees encounter throughout their workday. Present them with the problem and then invite them to devise their own solution. You can even transform it into a serious game that puts them in the role of virtual sleuth. This fosters lateral thinking and creative reasoning skills. Employees begin to see how there are different approaches to every challenge and gain the ability to think outside the proverbial box. These real-world mini-mysteries also prepare them for stressful situations, as they instill confidence and make employees more self-assured. They are ready for any hurdle that lies ahead because they’ve faced it before.
8. Frame It With A Personalized Online Training Path To Reinforce A Strong Work Ethic
Personalized online training paths give employees the power to create their own course using microlearning online training resources. It allows them to take the initiative to achieve their learning goals and manage their time effectively. Thereby, improving their work ethic and achieving their true potential. For instance, a member of your customer service team can customize their online training plan by compiling a microlearning resource list. This allows them to bridge personal gaps and study soft skills that pertain to their job duties.
Soft skills underlie virtually every aspect of employee performance, from interacting with customers to preventing work-related conflicts. Creating a microlearning online training library to develop these essential abilities doesn’t have to cost a tidy sum. You can even repurpose existing assets or use rapid eLearning authoring tools to create memorable, but micro, support resources.
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