Learning at work week is a campaign set up by Campaign for Learning that runs annually in May.
The week aims to encourage organisations to increase employee learning opportunities while encouraging employees to develop their skills and learn something new!
This year's theme, explores how lifelong learning at work can help us personally and collectively reimagine what lies ahead. So in honour of this week, we’re going to consider ways to increase learning opportunities in the workplace and how you can celebrate Learning at Work Week this year.
The three Ps of increasing learning opportunities at work
Promote a culture of learning
Culture has a big influence on the behaviours that are welcomed and accepted in an organisation. A culture that promotes learning will encourage more people to participate in learning activities. So how do you ensure that you are creating a culture of learning?
Changing attitudes towards learning at work involves placing value on education and the benefits it can bring. It means your stakeholders encourage teams to get involved with learning initiatives, managers ensure that teams use up any allotted learning allowance, and you regularly distribute learning materials that support this goal.
Provide a learning budget to employees
Many organisations offer learning schemes that allow employees to complete any courses or qualifications and attend events that will contribute to their ability to excel in their roles. By giving employees this opportunity, you increase autonomy over the learning tools they can access and encourage them to seek out any avenues that pique their interest.
Present learning materials
Hosting events like lunch and learn sessions, educational meetings, and workshops can help you get the ball rolling by putting learning on the agenda. You’re opening the door to opportunities for employees to learn something new, gain new understandings and explore various skills. Whether a one-off session or a weekly schedule, you can tailor your learning programmes to suit your organisation.
What are the benefits of learning at work?
Learning at work can have big benefits for everyone involved. It helps teams remain engaged, boosts motivation and brings together people from across the business. By committing to increase learning at work, you inspire, create community and boost business performance too. In the section below, you can find ideas for celebrating Learning at Work Week this year.
Celebrating Learning at Work Week
This year, we’re encouraging all organisations to get involved and reap the benefits of learning at work. Here are some ways you can join in below.
Delivering a workshop
Workshops can be a great way to educate managers and teams on important topics. At Health Assured, we find that our health and wellbeing workshops help employees improve their own lives—and the lives of others at work.
It could be a topic that provides employees with tools to do their job, allows managers to support their teams more effectively or something current about your industry.
Ask employees for their opinions
If you’re unsure what topics to approach, ask the people who will be involved. Before embarking on any journey to improve learning opportunities, it’s worth carrying out a survey to understand what would be of most benefit to the people who will be on the receiving end of these changes.
Host an event
Hosting a learning event can be a great way to bring your teams together and boost knowledge about a topic that’s important to your organisation. Getting everyone together for an event can be a great way to learn from other teams and employees too. You can ask people to volunteer to run a session about their department to increase awareness and understanding across the organisation.
For more information about promoting learning at work, get in touch with Health Assured today.