Advantages of Microtraining

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1. Microtraining is brief and flexible

Director: “The transfer of knowledge that is needed for the work takes no more than 15 minutes, which means it can fit easily in any working week, including when it involves employees who work independently and are on the road a lot. I can decide the frequency, timing and content of the short sessions myself.”

Example: The director has been given new work instructions by the mother company. It is impossible to get the employees to attend an afternoon training. He divides the instructions into small subjects and translates them into the relevant jobs or shifts. Together with the various shift managers, he organizes a series of Microtraining sessions. In each session, one subject is discussed. During the introductory session, many of the employees provide input regarding the content of the remaining sessions.

2. Microtraining allows you to gain time

Operator: “It takes less time to discuss something once with four people than to explain the same thing four times to one person.”

Example: When an employee has a question that is also interesting for others, the foreman organises a Microtraining session as quickly as possible. The colleagues often come up with intelligent and practical answers. It becomes clear to everyone who can help them.

3. Microtraining saves costs

Consultant: “Since we use Microtraining sessions to focus on errors that have been reported via warranty claims and let our people come up with possible solutions, the number of claimes has fallen considerably.”

Example: With a number of projects, the warranty and repair costs turn out to be remarkably high. The project leader suggests that employees use their own mobile phone to take pictures of situations that can lead to warranty claims. Based on these pictures, the situations are discussed during the Microtraining sessions. People talk about the expected costs in case the errors are not remedied.

4. Microtraining improves communication

Project leader: “In the fifteen minutes that I see the employees each week, I have to motivate them and, if necessary, correct them. Microtraining provides structure to these important contacts. As a result, it is no longer one-way traffic!”

Example: Rather than addressing the employees once a month, the project leader organises a motivational session every week. He uses a good joke, a mistake, a dilemma or something that happened in the past week that could be improved. A discussion then ensues. The session is closed with a motivation for the coming week. During his weekly round of all the projects, the project leader thinks of new motivations for the next week.

5. Microtraining connects knowledge levels

HR manager: “We all know the junior employee that does not have the preparation required to take on a job. He or she can be supervised perfectly by a more experienced colleague in short, planned Microtraining sessions.”

Example: The manager agrees on who will supervise the new employees and who will assist. The new employees get together with their supervisor once a week with questions. The supervisor selects learning points from the training programme and organises a number of ‘learning quarters’. These short sessions have a fixed structure: Active start, demonstration or exercise, discussion and agreements on what needs to be done.

6. Microtraining uses everyone’s expertise

Work planner: “Work meetings are much more efficient since people present their solutions to the problems in turn according to the Microtraining method. The atmosphere is completely different: from a group of people who complain about problems to a group of experts who provide solutions.”

Example: The planner prepares the Microtraining sessions with the Microtrainer. The structure is fixed:

A hilarious incident
A demonstration of the proposed solution
Questions from colleagues and feedback
Agreements on who will implement the solution and who will examine a new probleem for the next session.

7. Microtraining creates clarity about missing expertise

Foreman: “Before my people start working, I want to hear from them if they know what they have to do. During a Microtraining session, it becomes clear to me which expertise we are missing.”

Example: The foreman and the employees get together to discuss the work according to a fixed Microtraining structure: The assignment and the desired result are identified. Employees tell each other where they expect bottlenecks to occur, based on their experience from earlier projects. People can ask questions and agreements are made about who supports whom in carrying out the work.

8. Microtraining creates involvement

Manager: “Microtraining is a modern management tool that creates commitment. Employees are encouraged to offer their contribution and given responsibility.”

Example: A manager makes the employees less dependent on her orders by using the Microtraining method to teach them self-management. During a series of sessions, which are led by the employees themselves, dangerous work-related situations are discussed. The employees think about how the chance of those situations occurring can be reduced and what to do if and when they do occur.