How to build a culture of learning

Do you want to attract top talent, and give your employees the tools to successfully grow their careers, and your business? If so, you need to create a learning centered work environment.

Here, we look at 4 major components that make up a successful learning centered business culture.

1. Two Way Information

A learning focused organisation knows it must give out material in a way that is strategic. This is achieved through a push/pull plan.

“Pushing” Information

When specific content or information is “pushed,” this means that it is given to recipient at the correct time and in a place where they will use it or interact with it.

For example: a sales process and sales information about a new product should be designed to be viewed on a mobile device so that salespeople can use the information on-the-go (at a client, in-store, or in a meeting). In contrast, information about a new computer application should be distributed to workers on their desktop computer, during work hours.

When “pushing” information, make sure it is distributed strategically, in a way that ensures the recipient interacts with the content in a relevant way.

“Pulling” Information Back

To empower a workforce to learning, make sure your learning resources are accessible at all times. A great way to do this is to invest in a learning platform. Make sure your employees know how to use this platform and have access to it at all times.

By giving your employees 24/7 access to information and learning materials, you give them the opportunity to empower themselves. With a collected information database, your employees from a variety of departments can expand their knowledge. This gives them the opportunity to grow and become more well-informed.

2. Sharing Information and Ideas

No one should be made to feel ignorant for asking a question, especially in the work environment. If your workers have a collective knowledge of your business, your success and growth as an organisation will rise. You want your employees to know as much as possible about your business and your business offerings, this ensures productivity. A powerful learning environment is created by making sure that your workers feel secure when asking questions and verbalising ideas. If your employees feel intimidated to ask questions, or share ideas, you may miss out on growth opportunities and mistakes will be made.

Company leaders should always make sure that employees know that their ideas and opinions are valued. Of course, every idea or opinion won’t be used, but they should be recognised. When a business leader is made aware of these ideas, and opposing ideas, disagreements can be handled respectfully, making for a less tense work environment.

There are a variety of ways for knowledge to travel within the business. For it to achieve maximum effectiveness, this knowledge and idea sharing needs to be well defined, strategic, and systematic. Internally focused information and education can be done by conducting reviews once a project has been completed. Externally focused information may include interviewing clients and industry experts to help you gain perspective as an organisation. Streamlining these processes ensures that the information gets to where it needs to go.

Ways to encourage knowledge sharing:

• Request feedback, opinions, and advice from employees and departments.
• Encourage employees to ask for help when needed.
• Keep employees up to date with what you are doing and why.

3. Learn from Failure

Making a mistake helps us learn, failing teaches us how to pick ourselves up again. Failing and making mistakes is part of life.

For example: Google uses failure as a stepping stone to greater things. Google Buzz was a failure for the company, but this failure was used to teach them how to make things better, and thus Google Plus was developed.

4. Formalise Informal and Continuous Learning

Learning is no longer an unconnected, singular experience that happens once in the employee’s career. Informal and continuous learning is now an encouraged part of employee growth. Companies such as Google have actually started to give their employees the opportunity to pursue their own personal interests and because of this, have reaped the rewards of a workforce that feels nurtured and valued.

A successful business doesn’t just provide formal training, it cultivates a system that encourages continuous opportunities for learning. Examples of formalised, informal learning include: support tools, eLearning, and coaching that can be accessed and requested at any time. This is why learning platforms are becoming a necessity for businesses and organisations.

In Conclusion:

To build a successful culture of learning on job, you need to turn your learning from forced to self-directed, and make learning easily accessible.

Giving your learners to opportunity to take initiative and grow their skills – and in turn, grow their careers and your business!