How to embed a culture of learning in your organisation
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Embedding a culture of learning within your organisation is no longer a choice. It’s a necessity. Skills that are relevant today may become obsolete in just a few years. This makes ongoing learning and upskilling essential for both the employee experience and overall business success.
The Future of Jobs Report 2023 indicates that by 2027, 43% of work tasks will be automated. Organisations that embrace skills agility will have a competitive edge by staying ahead of industry trends.
Chief Skills Officer at Skills Future Dr Gog Soon Joo says that skills are now the ‘common currency’ that will drive ongoing upskilling and reskilling efforts.
The World Economic Forum lists the top 5 skills of 2023:
Analytical thinking
Creative thinking
Resilience, flexibility and agility
Motivation and self-awareness
Curiosity and lifelong learning
The importance of skills agility
There are many ways in which an agile skill set can benefit your organisation. Here are just a couple.
It shows that you prioritise people
Business is about people. Offering ongoing learning opportunities shows that you care about your people’s development, now and into the future. It shows that you want them to thrive and are willing to provide the tools they need to grow.
It helps with talent attraction
If you’re known as an employer that puts its people first, this will help engage, retain and attract the best talent. It will help to boost your employer brand, giving your organisation a competitive advantage.
Employees will be more engaged with your organisation if they are invested through learning. Employees will want to stay with your organisation if they know that they can grow and develop. You’re always recruiting, even when you’re not hiring. Potential talent will want to work for you if they know you prioritise your people and offer opportunities to grow.
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How to adopt a culture of learning
Adopting a culture of learning is a long-term strategy. By creating the foundations and putting processes in place, you can make sure you provide adequate opportunities to benefit the entire organisation.
Provide accessible learning opportunities
To embed a culture of learning, you need to provide accessible learning opportunities that cater to diverse learning styles and preferences. Talk to your people to find out what they need to make their roles more fulfilling and achieve better outcomes. This could include online courses, lunchtime workshops, mentorship programs or even reimbursing employees for pursuing relevant educational programs. A Gallup study found that 68% of workers say employer-provided upskilling opportunities are essential when considering a new job, and 48% say they would change to a new job if the employer offered better skills training.
Encourage a growth mindset
Promoting a growth mindset within your organisation is crucial for fostering a culture of learning. This mindset emphasises the belief that skills and abilities can be developed through dedication and effort. Encourage your people to embrace challenges. Provide constructive feedback, and recognise effort rather than just focusing on outcomes.
Many studies show that people with a growth mindset are more likely to look for learning opportunities and achieve higher levels of success. This is discussed in depth in Carol Dweck’s 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
Dweck writes that with a growth mindset, ‘students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.’
Create a learning community
Creating a supportive and collaborative learning community can significantly enhance skills agility. Encourage your people to share their knowledge, expertise and experiences with one another.
Implement platforms for knowledge sharing, like internal wikis or online discussion forums. By building a learning community, you can tap into the wider intelligence of your team and promote continuous learning and development.
Align learning with organisational goals
To make sure your upskilling efforts are aligned with business objectives, it’s important to identify the skills and capabilities needed to thrive in a changing work environment.
Conduct regular skills gap assessments to determine the areas where your people require additional training. By aligning learning initiatives with organisational goals, you can enhance job satisfaction by providing your team with relevant and meaningful development opportunities.
Final thoughts
Relevant skills are essential for both employees and employers to remain competitive in the market, adapting to changes in the work landscape. By strengthening your team's skills, you will bolster your organisation’s capabilities. You can also provide job satisfaction for your people and empower them to develop themselves, resulting in a better employee experience.
For more insights, visit the Heart Talent blog.