You want to build a culture of learning in your organization. How can you make it happen?

You want to build a culture of learning in your organization. How can you make it happen? Learning is not only a way to improve your employees' skills and performance, but also a way to foster their engagement, creativity, and innovation. A culture of learning is one where learning is valued, supported, and rewarded by everyone, from the top to the bottom. Here are some steps you can take as a supervisor to create and sustain a culture of learning in your organization.

1 Assess your current situation

The first step is to understand where you are and where you want to go. You need to evaluate your organization's learning needs, goals, and resources. You can do this by conducting a learning audit, surveying your employees, and reviewing your existing learning programs and policies. You also need to identify the gaps, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. This will help you set realistic and relevant objectives and priorities for your learning initiatives.

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Keith Myers, PhD, LPC, ACS

Clinical Leadership & Operations • Counselor Educator • Strategic Planning • Team Leadership • Clinical Supervisor • Former Dean • Veteran's Advocate • Author
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Learn yourself and share your knowledge and experience with your team. Then provide resources and support for them to be empowered to learn, too.

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2 Align learning with strategy

The second step is to align your learning initiatives with your organization's vision, mission, and strategy. You need to communicate how learning contributes to the achievement of your strategic goals and how it supports your core values and culture. You also need to align your learning objectives with your employees' roles, responsibilities, and career aspirations. You can do this by involving your employees in the planning, design, and evaluation of your learning programs and by creating clear and measurable learning outcomes and indicators.

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Gerri C. Popkin, LLC

Retired Dir.of Purchasing, Monmouth County, NJ
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If public, it can be very helpful to periodically host meetings/ communicate updates to your guiding laws/ rules/ mandates, to your using departments and stakeholders. In some cases, you may have new employees, or those in new roles, such as: preparing specs, requisitions, reviewing vendors’ bills for payment, attending bid/ rfp openings, sitting on evaluation committees, making recommendations, managing contracts, preparing reports, and the like. Getting all on the same page to create positive workflow and results, benefits all.

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3 Provide diverse and flexible learning options

The third step is to provide your employees with diverse and flexible learning options that suit their preferences, needs, and schedules. You need to offer a variety of learning formats, methods, and sources, such as formal courses, workshops, webinars, coaching, mentoring, peer learning, self-directed learning, online learning, and on-the-job learning. You also need to give your employees the autonomy and support to choose, access, and manage their own learning paths and pace. You can do this by creating a learning catalog, a learning platform, a learning budget, and a learning agreement for each employee.

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4 Encourage and reward learning

The fourth step is to encourage and reward your employees for their learning efforts and achievements. You need to create a positive and supportive learning environment where your employees feel safe, motivated, and inspired to learn. You also need to recognize and celebrate your employees' learning progress and outcomes, both individually and collectively. You can do this by providing feedback, recognition, incentives, awards, and opportunities for advancement and growth for your employees.

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5 Monitor and evaluate learning

The fifth step is to monitor and evaluate your learning initiatives and their impact on your organization's performance and culture. You need to collect and analyze data and evidence on your employees' learning activities, outcomes, and satisfaction. You also need to measure and report on your learning return on investment, return on expectation, and return on culture. You can do this by using various tools and methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, tests, assessments, portfolios, dashboards, and reports.

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6 Learn from learning

The sixth and final step is to learn from your learning experiences and outcomes. You need to reflect on what worked well and what didn't, and why. You also need to identify and implement the lessons learned and the best practices for your future learning initiatives. You can do this by conducting regular reviews, debriefs, and feedback sessions with your employees, stakeholders, and partners. You also need to update and improve your learning strategy, policies, and programs based on your learning results and feedback.

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Mokbel Guimei , AIGEM

Technical Affairs Manager @ NATGAS | Project Planning, Supervisory Skills, Construction Inspection , Operation
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To create a culture of learning in your organization, prioritize continuous education by offering regular training sessions, workshops, and access to online courses. Encourage knowledge sharing through mentorship programs, peer-to-peer learning, and collaborative projects. Recognize and reward employees who demonstrate a commitment to learning and professional development. Lastly, lead by example by investing in your own learning and openly discussing its benefits.

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Sandy Suryakusuma

A Risk Management practitioner. The job title is only a status; easily updated.
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Enhanced with benchmarking and consultation. In my opinion, one of the practical approach of learning is by benchmarking. Ask the company or organization practitioners how they do it flawlessly? Meanwhile, having several person as our mentor would be beneficial for a consultation and also an evaluation from a different perspective. The objective is to creating more innovation and generating new ideas, as part of comprehensive knowledge management. Thank you for your attention.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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You want to build a culture of learning in your organization. How can you make it happen?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your current situation

2 Align learning with strategy

3 Provide diverse and flexible learning options

4 Encourage and reward learning

5 Monitor and evaluate learning

6 Learn from learning

7 Here’s what else to consider

Supervisory Skills

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You want to build a culture of learning in your organization. How can you make it happen?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your current situation

2 Align learning with strategy

3 Provide diverse and flexible learning options

4 Encourage and reward learning

5 Monitor and evaluate learning

6 Learn from learning

7 Here’s what else to consider

Supervisory Skills

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