Is your team disengaged?
That's not surprising. Technology and society are driving changes faster than your people can adapt. They are overwhelmed and it shows.
A recent report by Harvard Business Publishing found that 54% of the workforce will need upskilling or reskilling by 2025. In the same report, 85% of employees said they know where they have skills gaps, but only 41% believed their managers understood their gaps. According to a Gartner survey, only 20% of workers are confident they have the necessary skills for the future.
So how can you create a thriving learning culture at your organization? One way is to spend some money. Invest in your workforce.
The Association for Talent Development’s most recent study found the average organization spends almost $1,300 per employee on professional learning. So if money is being spent, why are folks still disengaged?
If it's not lack of budget, what else is there? One possible answer: employers have to help employees become expert learners. That's right. You have to learn how to learn. And it cannot just fall on the L & D team to ensure this. It has to be company wide.
Imagine this: Your CEO tells a story to a group of up and coming young professionals about how learning something new has impacted him professionally. Model what you want your team to do. Attend a training session and make sure your staff sees you and knows you're there.
Also, every learner learns differently. What works for one person may not and likely will not work for the next person. Personalization matters. Adapting to diverse learning styles matters. Training options should reflect that whether it's videos, reading materials, and in-person or virtual workshop.
What about risk taking? Now we're talking. Learning cultures pride themselves on the ability of learners to take risks and make mistakes. And not be ashamed of it. Or be chastised for it.
Learners also need time and space to learn. Imagine taking an Advanced Excel class and you are interrupted by your phone with your boss calling to ask where you put the weekly report, you are likely not going to retain much. You will also be anxious the rest of the session as you nervously glance at your phone. Not a good learning environment.
One last tip, make learning a habit. Just like when you embark on a successful fitness journey, you go to the gym until it becomes weird to not go. You feel like your day is not quite complete. Something is off. Make learning a habit by providing a steady stream of gentle reminders, maybe a weekly email about what is available including workshops and reference materials. Recommend and set goals and deadlines. Make it part of weekly or monthly check ins with your team.
Employees want to learn. They are literally begging to be upskilled and reskilled. Leadership teams must recognize this and direct employees to learning that will be a good match and aligned with interests and goals for both the organization and the learner.
