3 Fast Ways to Create a Learning Culture | 2-Minute Video

Culture is a word that swirls around organizations all the time: Flexible culture. Creative culture. Results-driven culture. Customer-focused culture.

But do you ever talk about a learning culture?

Organizations that prioritize and encourage continuous learning and development for individuals and their teams have learning cultures.

Nearly 85% of organizations say building a learning culture can enhance resilience and foster a better workplace culture, according to a SHRM and Talent LMS’s 2022 Workplace Learning & Development Trends report.

But many organizations don’t actually have learning cultures. They don’t empower employees to learn and grow.

What’s Up in This Episode: Creating a Learning Culture

In this episode of HRMorning’s 3-Point, our expert, Jess Von Bank, Global Leader of HR Digital Transformation and Technology Advisory at Mercer, explains why many organizations struggle to create a learning culture. Then she gives us advice on how to do it — create an environment where people want to and can learn and develop more.

Click, watch and listen for more details on creating a learning culture.

Transcript (edited for clarity):

In HR and leadership, we talk a lot about upskilling, reskilling and training.

So this might be difficult to hear, but just talking about it overwhelms employees. Gallup’s latest research found more than 40% of employees don’t have the time to learn. And nearly as many managers agree: They don’t want employees to step away from their work for development.

And there’s the problem.

Jess Von Bank: Unless it’s literally part of your ways of operating, your business model, the way you behave, the way you make decisions, the way you recognize and reward people, hire people or promote people. If that’s not embedded in your DNA, it doesn’t matter what you put in place. It doesn’t matter the learning, the development tools, the skills tools, the framework. It has to be part of your culture. You have to say, ‘We’re a learning culture.’

So how do we get there? Von Bank gives the ultimate, transferable example. Microsoft’s CEO did this:

Von Bank: He actually changed the culture from a know-it-all culture to a learn-it-all culture. He started hackathons and running competitions and incentive programs where people could ideate and brainstorm and fail fast and experiment safely. And that’s where a lot of their freshest ideas came from. But that’s also where they gave permission that we are a learning culture.

That’s the key: Permission to step away from “normal” work to learn, develop, grow.

Von Bank: You actually have to say, ‘No. 1, This is what it looks like. This is our culture. We want you to spend time learning on the job. We want you to reinvent yourself. We want you to acquire certain skills. Then tell people what they are and give them time and space and tools to do that. And then recognize and reward when you see that happening. 

To create a learning culture:

• Drive change. Don’t give employees tools to learn without first creating an environment where it’s OK to step away from work to learn.
• Give permission. Don’t just tell employees you want them to learn: Show them what to learn and reward them for it.
• Create opportunities. Remember Microsoft’s tips: Offer competitions and safe spaces to experiment and fail safely.

Bottom line: People need to hear first that their learning and development are just as important as the work they do.