There is value in creating a continuous learning culture in the workplace. A learning culture was defined as “a set of organizational values, conventions, processes, and practices that encourage individuals—and the organization as a whole—to increase knowledge, competence, and performance” by a contributor to Oracle. When a learning culture is continuous, workers are constantly increasing in knowledge, competence, and performance. The benefits of this are undeniable.
The Benefits of Continuous Learning in the Workplace
Continuous learning packs a powerful punch of organizational benefits. According to Training Industry, a continuous learning culture:
- Increases efficiency, productivity, and profit
- Improves employee morale
- Decreases turnover and boosts employee satisfaction
- Promotes a sense of ownership and accountability
- Helps workers adapt to change
- Eases transitions
Could your company use these advantages? If so, create a continuous learning culture at work. This can be done in just three steps.
Create a Continuous Learning Culture at Work in 3 Steps
Creating a continuous learning culture in the workplace is as easy as doing the following:
- Offer formal training that extends beyond onboarding — Informal learning is a good thing. Experts have long believed that at least 70 percent of what we learn is learning informally. While informal learning should be encouraged at work, formal, structured training should also be offered consistently. Formal training should not stop after several weeks of onboarding. It should be offered continuously, multiple times a year, if the best results are to be obtained.
- Create customized learning paths with the help of employees — When an employee has a hand in creating a learning path for themselves, their sense of accountability/ownership skyrockets. Also, employee-driven training plans “give employees some autonomy, which helps with engagement,” stated Halogen Software. When creating a continuous learning culture, managers should spend one-on-one time with workers, getting information from them that will help in crafting the a learning path that is individualized to their needs. The time invested in this will be well worth the results
- Hire individuals who love to learn — Some people are avid learners, and some aren’t. Someone who isn’t passionate about learning, or at least very open to it, probably doesn’t belong in a company that is actively building a continuous learning culture. The Society for Human Resource Management encouraged employers to “hire smart” by “(teaching) hiring managers and recruiters how to evaluate candidates’ penchant for learning. This can be accomplished using structured interviews, assessments and behavioral interviews.”
If company leaders want to see outstanding results, they have to up their game when it comes to training. Onboarding that lasts a few weeks and one-time training sessions offered occasionally aren’t enough to create top-talent workers. Company leaders can ensure benefits such as reduced turnover, increased employee satisfaction, and higher levels of efficiency and productivity by prioritizing continuous learning.
Share this Post
Comments
SO true! These are such great tips, and I stress the importance of each of these items all of the time. In my experience, it’s also helpful to give your employees the chance (and freedom) to learn on their own time and at their own pace as well. I think it makes them feel more comfortable with training and increases the buy-in they have when it comes to advancing their personal skills and career development. For example, every member of my team here where I work got to put together our own development plan at the beginning of 2020 that highlights skills we want to practice and the knowledge we want to learn over the year. Then, we worked with our managers to identify how we can best follow that development path. As you mentioned, because we all love to learn, it’s been really successful and really inspired our continuous work culture! Thanks for reminding all of us why this is so important!