Are you excited for Learning at Work Week 2023? It's almost here, and if you're part of an L&D team, it's time to get ready to celebrate the power of learning and development in the workplace!
If you haven’t heard yet, Learning at Work Week is an annual event promoting continuous learning and development in the workplace. It's like a big party for learning enthusiasts, and who doesn't love a good party? This year’s theme is ‘Create the Future’, and it's all about upskilling and reskilling in the ever-changing world of work.
But don’t worry. If you haven’t got the time or don’t quite know where to start, we’ve got you! Take a look at our simple top tips to supercharge your learning culture and celebrate learning in the workplace this Learning at Work Week…
What is your main objective when it comes to your current learning culture? Setting a goal upfront is a great way to structure your activities and motivate employees to learn and develop. It could be that you’re keen to simply raise awareness of learning opportunities in your workplace. Or perhaps you want to increase knowledge, build essential skills, or quite simply get your workplace excited and inspire curiosity!
During Learning at Work Week, it’s a good idea to encourage your team to set learning goals for themselves. This could be as simple as learning a new skill or taking a course in a particular area. Once these goals are set, make sure to check in regularly to see how your team is progressing and provide support where needed.
There are lots of ways to create diverse, fun learning opportunities in the workplace - and it doesn’t always have to relate to work! Learning at Work Week is the perfect time to do things differently.
Offer lunch and learn training sessions and events, run an innovation session to get people together to talk about common workplace issues and challenges, or simply invite people in your workplace to teach a skill or share their passion with others. It could be as simple as sharing how to oil a bike or wire a plug! By having fun and providing lifestyle learning activities, people are more likely to be open to learning in the workplace and view it more positively in the future.
Not everyone learns in the same way, so it's important to provide choice. Offer a range of learning opportunities, from e-learning modules to in-person workshops, from podcasts to videos. This will ensure that everyone has the chance to learn something new in a way that works best for them.
Celebrating learning and recognising the achievements of team members is a great way to get everyone charged up and enthusiastic about learning.
This could be as simple as sending an email thanking employees for their hard work or creating a wall of fame to celebrate learning milestones. Share stories and case studies of where learning has been hugely valuable, has changed something or helped someone and encourage people within your team to be cheerleaders for learning.
By celebrating learning in this way, you'll create a culture that values continuous development and motivates employees to keep learning.
Create a learning wall or board so people can share their learning experiences with others in a visual and creative way by writing or drawing what they’ve enjoyed learning. By sharing experiences and making learning visible, everyone can learn from and be inspired by others. It can also help your team to develop a deeper understanding of different areas of the business.
As a leader, you have a significant impact on the learning culture in your workplace, so make sure to lead by example. Take the time to learn a new skill yourself and share your experiences with your team. By demonstrating a commitment to learning, you'll encourage your team to do the same.
We’re big believers that learning doesn't have to be boring! Have fun with your planning and include activities that make learning fun. This could include games, quizzes, or even a team-building exercise that requires employees to learn new skills. By making learning fun, by using humour, interactivity and gamification, you'll engage your team and create a positive learning environment.
Learning at Work Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and encourage learning and development in the workplace. These simple tips will help you to get started in creating a fun and engaging week of activities that encourages everyone to get involved and learn something new. So, let's make Learning at Work Week 2023 one to remember - and don’t forget to let us know what you get up to in your workplace!
If you're looking for unique, engaging eLearning content that your learners will love, why not get in touch with us or try iAM Learning for yourself - get started today!
Thomas Gagen
Creative Director