Integrating Continuous learning into Organizational Culture

Peter Michael Senge an American systems scientist in his book The Fifth Discipline explains how he developed the notion of a learning organization. This conceptualizes organizations as dynamic systems (as defined in Systemics), in states of continuous adaptation and improvement. He states, "The organizations that will truly excel in the future will be those that discover how to tap people's commitment and capacity to learn at all levels in an organization."

In today's rapidly changing business scenario, the concept of a learning organization has become pivotal for companies aiming to maintain a competitive edge. A learning organization is defined as one that facilitates the learning of its members and continuously transforms itself to better collect, manage, and use knowledge for corporate success.

My work experience as an in-house soft skills, Learning and development facilitator, is to lay out a detailed training plan and timelines. Every training topic focusing on behaviour and attitude should be linked to the organisational goals, connected to the departmental needs, customised to a team’s performance gaps. And my job is to create training content, based on the inputs from, employees/participants from their Supervisors /Team Leads. This included real lifetime on the job inputs, from internal customer interactions and email communications etc.

Hard skills are measurable and usually obtained through formal education and training programs. Along with advanced technical training, AI upskilling, and the latest in information technology, on the other hand, soft skills training that focuses on developing the human side is crucial for maintaining communication and ensuring a smooth workflow.

For instance, integrating trainings on Emotional Intelligence helps save time and enhances collaboration, making a significant impact on both people and productivity and how empathetic listening will help to boost team functioning etc.

This training must be integral as a part of organisational culture. Organizational culture is the set of values, beliefs, attitudes, systems, and rules that outline and influence employee behaviour within an organization. Culture is created through reliable and genuine behaviours, not by policy documents or mission statements.

Continuous learning will create a culture that defines how employees interact, work, create, think and grow.