Learning Culture: How to Build Employee Enthusiasm for Learning

For many organizations, building a learning culture is a high priority. But getting buy-in and participation as you launch your new learning initiatives takes thoughtful planning and communication.

As a training provider, SkillPath regularly works with organizations to develop learning and development schedules that feature a variety of topics and formats to build employee interest and attract participation in those programs. Should training be elective or required? Should it be tied to advancement? How should training opportunities be communicated and promoted? How can flexibility be added for busy employees? These are just a few of the questions organizations should address to successfully launch any learning initiatives.

“Organizations are lean and that means people are busy,” says SkillPath CEO Michele Markey. Training courses, coaching, and mentoring all take time. To be successful, employees need to slowly change mindsets and build in time for learning.

“The benefits are worth it,” she adds. “Continuous learning makes organizations more adaptable and employees better able to make good decisions using the most current information and techniques.”

Learn more about SkillPath's employee learning platform, tailored group training, content licensing, and more.

Impact of a learning culture

Gallup research points to the massive impact on the long-term health of organizations. “Gallup finds that organizations that have made a strategic investment in employee development report 11% greater profitability, and they are twice as likely to retain their employees.”

Other research indicates that benefits of a learning culture extend beyond organization profits, to employees themselves and the working environment. This research from LinkedIn found that employees who spend time at work learning are 47% less likely to be stressed, 39% more likely to feel productive and successful, 23% more ready to take on additional responsibilities, and 21% more likely to feel confident and happy.

Building employee interest and making learning the norm doesn’t happen overnight.

Here are SkillPath’s recommended strategies for building a learning culture in your organization:

1. Get senior leadership involved in learning.

   Leadership commitment to a learning culture is a big first step. But employees will be watching these individuals’ actions as well as their words. Are they participating in the programs? Are they speaking positively about the accomplishments of employees? Are they sharing their own learning experiences?

2. Get managers on board.

   These are the people who have day-to-day contact with employees. Not only do you want them to participate in the training opportunities themselves, but also to make time for employee learning and offer employees challenging assignments to try out their new knowledge.

   • Include senior leadership in any meetings with managers so they can see the commitment at all levels.
   • Make the process as easy as possible for both managers and their teams, so learning isn’t just another thing they need to oversee.
   • Explain how learning will be managed, promoted, and measured. How will employees learn about opportunities and enroll, and what are the expectations for participation?
   • Encourage managers to participate in management/coaching training offerings. The ability to coach is a key component of a learning culture.
   • Encourage conversations between managers and their teams before and after training to help maximize what they learn and get opportunities to apply it.

3. Get employees engaged.

   The shelf life of many technical skills is growing shorter. We know that employees want to keep developing, keep growing, keep earning more money. But status-quo thinking can keep us tethered to old habits. That’s why it’s so important to clearly communicate not only the learning programs that are available, but the benefits of each. Here are some ideas:

   • Host a kick-off meeting. Announce your learning culture plan. Explain how the company benefits from a learning culture. Explain how employees will benefit.
   • Clearly explain what to do. Roll out the initial offerings and explain how employees sign up or get involved. Make it easy. If you're introducing a new learning platform, consider sharing a short video with easy-to-understand instructions. Also address what your organization’s expectations are for employee participation.
   • Communicate program offerings well. Send out regular communication about learning programs so people know what’s coming up and how it benefits them. Communicate more than you think you need to.
   • Segment your learners. Don’t waste employees’ time. Only send notifications that apply to them. For example, only send management offerings to managers, and communication skills for technical people to engineers, accounting, and IT.
   • Don’t leave out remote learners. E-learning platforms and online courses make training accessible to everyone. Also consider bringing the whole team to headquarters for an in-person training session. Choose programming that will allow you to include everyone.
   • Reward growth and development. Track learning achievements. Consider how to recognize or reward employees who complete their training programs. Can you include something in your organization’s newsletter or intranet page? Can you reward participants who reach a certain level? Are there certificates employees can earn or display? Also consider if there are new work assignments available to an individual once they’ve completed a particular learning path or program.
   • Ask for feedback and input. Survey employees following courses or participation in a learning initiative. Ask if the information was helpful and if they will use it in their job. Will employees recommend the training going forward? What additional training are they interested in and how will it help them in their job or career?

Ongoing shifts in the economy, technology and society often mean disruption and change for businesses. Create a workforce of learners who are comfortable with continuous learning and see its value. Continue to challenge them with opportunities to apply new knowledge and concepts in their daily work routine.