Employee education, training and development continue to be a top priority for today’s HR and corporate leaders. From lending a competitive advantage to creating a more equitable work environment, there are a variety of benefits to organizations that prioritize continuous workplace learning for their employees.
"Continues Learning" for employees has been a game changer for many organizations as it comes with many benefits to the organization and its employees.
Continuous learning at work is an acknowledgement that learning is an ongoing process, not a one-and-done proposition. In a company with a continuous learning philosophy, learning and education are built into the work environment with programs that enable employees to expand their skills and enjoy professional development that both improves their job performance and bolsters their own professional goals.
In addition to giving employees support, guidance and access to training resources, investment in technology is often another important factor. The right technology helps to improve employee involvement, track progress and make training accessible to everybody.?
Let us understand, "Why continues learning is important for employees?"
Continuous learning is more than just a buzzword. It’s a necessity for companies of all shapes and sizes. As technological advances continue to change the nature of work at an astonishing pace, companies across all industries must now rely on their ability to learn and adapt quickly.
Here are a few reasons why continuous learning is a win-win for employees and employers:
- Reduces Employee Attrition –?Struggling to retain your most valuable employees? Help them build the skills and knowledge they need to advance their careers. According to Gartner, lack of career development opportunities is a leading cause of employee attrition, with 40% of departing employees citing it as a key factor in their decision to leave. Put simply, nobody wants to work for a company that doesn’t invest in their employees.?
- Enhances Employee Performance and Productivity –?Acquiring new skills and knowledge doesn’t just benefit the worker — it also benefits the company by improving workforce productivity. When an employee doesn’t know how to do a certain task or use a specific tool, it can result in frustration and poor work performance. In contrast, employees who know how to do their job effectively often report increased satisfaction at work, which boosts employee happiness and productivity.
- Encourages Innovation –?Many big-name companies have become obsolete due to a failure to innovate (Blockbuster immediately comes to mind). If you don’t want your company to succumb to this fate, place an emphasis on continuous learning. Acquiring new skills and knowledge can help broaden perspectives and spark new ideas in the workplace. Even just the culture of continuous learning alone can help encourage creativity, which can then lead to new products, bigger markets, and increased profits.
How to Create a Culture of Continuous Learning?
We’ve established the importance of continuous learning in the workplace. But how do you foster a culture of continuous learning? Here are a few ways to get started:
- Celebrate success:?Keep your employees motivated by acknowledging their accomplishments.?
- View learning as a business strategy:?Align employee development with the larger goals of your company to ensure your efforts drive growth and deliver a ROI.
- Start with the C-suite:?Company culture starts at the top of an organization — this means upper management should prioritize their own learning and development alongside everyone else.
- Prioritize skill-building:?Boost employee confidence by committing to skill-building programs that can help them get to the next level in their career. Be transparent and provide team members with tangible outcomes to encourage participation.
- Encourage communication:?Empower employees at all levels to share their learning experiences and support one another in their mutual growth
- Hold regular “lunch and learns.”?Lunch and learns are training opportunities that take place during — you guessed it — lunch. This is a less formal way to learn something new as a team and promote a culture that encourages collaboration and learning together.
- Share knowledge. Did you know that teaching can increase the?teacher’s?motivation to learn? In science, this is known as the “Protege effect” One way to capitalize on this effect is by offering internships, mentorships, and cooperative education experiences, which give managers the opportunity to pass down their knowledge to young talent.
- Start a company book club.?Reading professional development books can help employees learn new things while strengthening their relationships with coworkers. To get your book club running, offer some kind of incentive — like a free Audible subscription — and create a space for discussion on Slack.?
- Provide meaningful feedback. Constructive feedback is essential to employees’ ongoing development. Every employee should know how to give simple, informative, and constructive feedback, especially employees in leadership positions.?
- Attend workshops and events.?Take your employees to industry-specific workshops and events. If traveling isn’t feasible, look for local workshops and virtual events.
The key to impactful workplace learning
The?key benefits of workplace earning speak for themselves, but it needs to be correctly implemented and effectively utilized in order to be successful. A strategic approach to workplace learning, combined with the right technology, allows you to cultivate a thriving work culture that values employee growth and sets your entire organization up for long-term success.
In the end I would like to mention, "A person without learning knowledge is like a lamp without oil". Our life is a continues learning journey in both professional and personal life.
"Continuously enhancing your interpersonal skills and knowledge is the ultimate key to success".?
Therefore I encourage you all to keep your continues learning moving forward.
I am more than happy to help and guide you in your learning journey.
