Why microlearning is essential — but far from enough

As organisations face the challenge of closing skills gaps quickly and engaging employees in busy work environments, microlearning (still) reigns as a popular solution.

In a recent survey of learning managers across various enterprise organisations, asking about priority areas of focus, it took the second spot after 'engaging learning'.

However, as a recent roundtable with learning managers highlighted, there are both very real opportunities and limitations to consider.

Combining the findings from the roundtable with recent contributions on LinkedIn (thank you, community!), here’s a round-up of how it’s being used, why it’s so attractive to L&D teams, and its likely pitfalls.

All quotes are from roundtable participants.

Defining microlearning: its varied applications

What does microlearning really mean in practice? At the roundtable, terms like ‘short’, ‘digestible’, and ‘targeted’ were the most common descriptions. But when we dug into how teams are using it, the range of applications was vast:

• Just-in-time resources: Quick, in-the-moment resources to enable a task, including product knowledge to support sales efforts on a given day.

‘Customer service agents accessed short, targeted guides during live calls, helping them resolve issues quickly without delay.’

• Spaced learning or reinforcement: Others use microlearning to deliver skills or onboarding gradually, layering content and weaving in on-the-job practice.

‘We built an entire onboarding programme around microlearning. It made a complex job digestible, and the bite-sized assets were easy to review. It was a big success.’

• Interventions or hooks: Some cited using microlearning to raise awareness, grab attention, or create an ‘ah-ha’ moment, often leading to further learning (though not always).

‘We put short story videos out on Slack to engage the audience with the topic.’

• Personalised learning journeys: One user shared that creating small ‘blocks’ enabled configurable journeys to be put together for different learners with ease.

‘I can build as many programmes as I want by pulling out the topics I need—for example, marketing roles needing less detail but still grasping features and benefits.’

It’s a term that has certainly taken hold across L&D in different organisations, shown in part by its far-reaching forms. But why? What is it about microlearning that makes it so appealing?

Why is microlearning a big focus for learning teams?

For many organisations, the biggest challenge isn’t just that employees are ‘busy’—it’s that time for learning doesn’t even make it onto the schedule.

Roundtable participants highlighted how training time often falls outside of billable hours or shifts, isn’t part of contracted or union agreements, or is given little to no budget.

‘We need microlearning because sometimes training time isn’t part of billable hours. It’s either squeezed into breaks or tacked onto shifts.’

For many learning managers, microlearning is a no-brainer because it can fit into tiny windows of time that are squashed and squeezed in and around daily work lives.

In lots of cases, it’s a practical solution to an impractical challenge.

Whilst it may be a challenge to pinpoint a unilateral definition for what ‘microlearning’ means in each organisation, it can be said that the term has at least become synonymous with ‘not a course’. This may highlight why it’s a bandwagon so many have jumped on—to shift thinking away from traditional long-course approaches.

But genuine learning time limitations were the standout reason for it being embraced.

Why access matters

‘If it takes longer to log in than to complete the learning, it’s pointless.’

Microlearning only works if it’s easy to access. One participant highlighted that switching to a mobile-friendly platform allowed field staff to complete training during downtime, boosting engagement and onboarding speed.

However, security concerns can complicate access. In one organisation, strict tracking requirements made microlearning impractical, leading them to abandon the approach altogether.

Microlearning’s big challenges — and some ways they can be addressed

The flood risk

Microlearning works in small doses, but too much can overwhelm learners.

‘The last thing we want is to flood employees with countless bite-sized lessons—it’s just a different kind of overload.’

Too many microlearning pieces can cause fatigue, undermining the goal of helping people learn altogether. Scattergun approaches, where unrelated topics pile up, amplify this issue.

‘We had to rethink our microlearning strategy after feedback that learners felt inundated with random bits of information. Shifting to a monthly theme brought focus and clarity, and we’ve seen far better engagement.’

To counter this, one retail organisation tackled this by shifting to monthly themes. TikTok-style videos introduced new ideas gradually, building up to further microlearning content around the same topic—much like a campaign.

The Engagement challenge

The roundtable acknowledged that microlearning doesn’t automatically fix the engagement challenge. Motivation to learn remains the key success factor, regardless of format.

‘Microlearning isn’t a magic wand for engagement. If learners don’t care about the topic, they won’t care if it’s short or long.’

However, there were examples of where microlearning has been used more like an intervention—grabbing attention when it’s most relevant, in spaces employees already frequent:

• Using fake phishing emails to learn about data compliance
• Driving curiosity with attention-grabbing videos or stories on Slack (and then offering more learning content about that topic)
• Creating a ‘red carpet event’ at office security gates to underscore the importance of security badge safety

‘We’ve found that learners are much more likely to engage when we meet them where they already are—like posting short, fun videos in Slack channels.’

The combination of taking attention-grabbing content into spaces where employees already are and the novelty factor of these approaches is likely the key to success. Spin out too many attention grabbing videos or run too many similar tactics, and the novelty gives way to overwhelm or disengagement.

But there is an interesting use of ‘micro-lessons’ in these cases. The red carpet event and fake phishing emails are the learning moment. They aren't the preamble.

The dilution problem

Microlearning works for quick wins—but what about deeper skills? Participants emphasised its limits when tackling complex abilities like critical thinking or leadership.

‘Microlearning is great for quick wins, but for deep skill-building, we’ve had to embed reflective exercises, peer feedback, and practical tasks in between the short modules. Otherwise, it just doesn’t stick.’

Learning new skills or habits takes dedicated time, focus, and hands-on practice to develop. Participants agreed that microlearning may not provide the depth necessary for more advanced skills training.

One organisation using microlearning for skills development tackled this challenge by embracing spaced learning and practice. Their approach layered reflective activities and coaching conversations between microlearning modules, helping learners build comprehension and real-world abilities.

Organisations with limited learning time may struggle to implement more holistic methods like this, relying solely on ‘content bursts’, which naturally limits the learning potential. Without group or conversational activities, microlearning may be ‘too solo’, ‘too shallow’, and may not connect deeply enough on an emotional or mental level.

It’s also the case that sometimes, microlearning slips into a form of ‘edutainment’, literally watering down important points and nuances.

Mistaking content for experience

For the most part, microlearning means content. Yes, the content can vary—from videos, to short quizzes, to quick tips. But what’s the experience like for learners?

When this question was posed, there was acknowledgement that microlearning can be quite transactional.

‘The biggest issue I see is reducing everything to consumption.’

Blending microlearning with storytelling, activities, and group discussions creates richer learning experiences. For example, one team added storytelling videos and team discussions to the mix, sparking reflection and deeper thinking.

But even with a cohesive blend, the approaches are not a simulation or a deep immersive story or complex role play. This aspect of experiential learning is something that isn’t easily available in a ‘micro’ format. Attempting to condense such experiences into bite-sized chunks would likely strip away their immersiveness and context.

Organisations with limited learning time may find that microlearning restricts development, limiting it to small steps or micro-skills.

Summary

With employee learning time squeezed into impossibly small pockets amid busy work schedules, microlearning emerges as a practical, almost inevitable solution for learning teams striving to deliver impact without disrupting the flow of work.

Its power lies in:

• reinforcing and embedding learning with spaced practice, group discussion, and real-world application;
• driving attention and ‘ah-ha’ moments with campaign-style interventions placed outside traditional LMS environments;
• breaking down access barriers by delivering content where and when it’s needed;
• focusing efforts around clear themes rather than scattergun approaches; and
• enabling personalisation through modular, bite-sized blocks that adapt to individual learning paths.

It’s no surprise the term quickly gained traction with so many in-house learning teams. It serves as a convenient shorthand for approaches that have long existed in practice but lacked the clear label to encourage systematic adoption. It has also likely helped move away from the default wheel-in of the one to two hour course format.

Where small doesn’t deliver big, however, is when it’s just content, an overwhelming scattering of content, or applied universally to all skill gaps.

‘Microlearning is powerful when it’s part of a bigger picture. On its own, it can only scratch the surface.’

Its limitations remind us that some forms of learning simply cannot be rushed or made pocket-sized. Convenience is not the same as experiential learning, just as content does not equal learning.

As with any L&D approach, designing with intention is key. As we enter a world of skills-based learning, we need to be mindful that we don’t fall into a ‘see gap, add content’ mentality, especially when amplified by AI tools.

Microskills could very easily be filled by microlearning, which may not deliver on nuanced, complex skills or a rich employee experience.

Want to discuss this further?

Share your thoughts below.

I also regularly host roundtable discussions to explore what’s front of mind and why, with global learning managers in large organisations.

DM me if you’d like to get involved in future discussions about this or another topic.