One of the key factors that employees consider when choosing to work or stay in a company is the opportunity for growth. When employees see that their company values their development and invests in upgrading their skills, they are more likely to stay and attract talented individuals. Prioritizing learning demonstrates that your company is ready to stay competitive in a rapidly changing work environment and encourages employees to adapt by acquiring and sharing knowledge.
In a learning culture, everyone actively seeks opportunities to develop themselves and contribute to the company. It involves having a mindset of continuous learning and improvement in how employees approach their work, manage their time, and interact with their colleagues. While learning is primarily the responsibility of the individual and their team, it is essential for everyone to support and facilitate a learning culture together.
Training Culture vs. Learning Culture
The difference between training culture and learning culture lies in how learning is approached and facilitated within an organization. In a training culture, learning is typically done "to" employees through traditional methods like programs, courses, and materials provided by the training department. The access to resources is distributed hierarchically, with management having the primary access. While sharing knowledge exists in a training culture, it is often driven by trainers and directed towards higher-ups. This can lead to competition among employees who desire information and control over other units.
On the other hand, a learning culture takes a bottom-up approach, where everyone is responsible for actively collaborating and freely sharing knowledge and skills. Rather than solely focusing on the return on investment or output, a learning culture places emphasis on the application of knowledge and skills in the workplace, their impact on the company's strategic goals, and the overall performance of employees, teams, and the organization. The objective of a learning culture is to develop expert learners who possess the initiative and skills to learn, leverage their learning effectively, and constantly seek ways to improve their skills.
However, building a learning culture requires providing employees with sufficient time and space to learn and challenging the assumption that everyone already knows how to learn, as well as refraining from immediate measurement of their learning capacity. It demands patience and tolerance for mistakes to foster an environment where a learning culture can thrive.
Barriers to Overcome
"I'm satisfied with what I know already."
Some individuals in your organization may lack the motivation to further their learning and skill development. Even with access to excellent resources and learning platforms, they may be content with their current knowledge level and show little interest in expanding it.
"You want us to learn, but you're the one who hinders us."
Organizational processes and practices can hinder the establishment of a learning culture. For example, if employees are penalized for taking time away from work to focus on self-improvement or if lessons learned from mistakes are not encouraged or shared, it becomes challenging to foster an environment that values continuous learning.
"But we're already used to what we have!"
People and organizations can become set in their ways of doing things, making it difficult to drive meaningful change. If learning is perceived only as initial training or mandatory compliance, rather than a continuous journey of development and improvement, establishing a learning culture can seem like an overwhelming task.
"We are already busy, stop adding more responsibilities!"
The demanding nature of work often leaves little time for employees to engage in learning and reflection. The perceived lack of time can be a significant barrier to embracing a learning culture.
"It's been a long time since I studied, I forgot how to do it."
Even when individuals are motivated and have the necessary time for learning, they may struggle to know where to start or how to effectively plan their personal development if they are not accustomed to continuous learning practices. The absence of clear guidance and support can hinder their ability to engage in meaningful learning experiences.
Building a Learning Culture within your Company
Start with the Basics.
Establishing a learning culture begins with adopting a learning philosophy that reflects the organization's beliefs about learning, its value, and the responsibilities of everyone regarding learning and improvement. By communicating and clarifying this philosophy with everyone in the company, individuals can understand the benefits of a learning culture for personal and organizational growth.
Walk the Talk.
It's essential to ensure that the behaviors, practices, and systems within the organization align with the tenets of the learning philosophy. Everyone in the company should embody the principles outlined in the learning philosophy, serving as role models for the learning culture.
Examine the Bigger Picture.
Once the learning philosophy is in place and the behaviors and practices are aligned, it's time to examine the overall status of learning within the company. Assess whether team learning is actively promoted, as it serves as a fundamental aspect of a learning culture. Identify the learning needs of your employees and develop appropriate solutions to address them.
Take Necessary Initiatives.
Based on the evaluation of learning needs, provide employees with the time and resources they require to reinforce continuous learning. Encourage and reward experimentation, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among employees. Additionally, implement training programs and promote opportunities for skill development to further enhance the learning culture.
Embrace Flexibility.
Employees play a crucial role in embracing flexibility within the learning culture. They should be open to different learning styles and behaviors, as different knowledge and skills may require varying approaches. Being flexible and adaptable allows individuals to upskill and reskill effectively. But if employees may face this type of difficulty, they should feel encouraged to seek support and assistance from their teammates, as teamwork is encouraged within a learning culture.
Creating a learning culture is a concept that may seem easy to understand but can be challenging to implement. It requires continuously evaluating progress, being open to adjusting and refining current approaches, and conquering obstacles that emerge when incorporating learning into the organization's functions. Nevertheless, establishing such a culture provide everyone with the freedom and support they need to embark on their personal learning journey, and is vital to enable them to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing workforce.
References:
Dickinson, T. (2020). 6 Obstacles to a Learning Culture—and How to Avoid Them. Watershed LRS. Retrieved from:
Feffer, M., & Page, D. (2017). 8 Tips for Creating a Learning Culture. SHRM. Retrieved from:
McKenna, J. (2023). Build a Strong Learning Culture on Your Team. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from:
Milley, M. (2015). Training culture vs. Learning culture. Linkedin. Retrieved from:
Trovas, S. (n.d.). Create a Learning Culture Within Your Organization: 4 Steps | CCL. Center for Creative Leadership. Retrieved from:
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