It is becoming difficult to keep up with the nuances of workforce trends, from “The Great Resignation” to “The Great Reshuffling.” The point, however, is that workers are demanding attention to an underserved aspect of their professional lives: employee experience.  

This is where the concept of “learning culture” can save the day. According to the Work Institute, the #1 reason employees left their job was due to a lack of professional development opportunities and support – costing businesses revenue and productive time. The solution to this enormous employment debacle is to put in the work to create and build a learning culture for your organization.  

What is a “learning culture”? 

You may hear the terms “reskill” and upskill” a lot these days, as the shifting constitution of the labor market is a hot topic. However, “learning culture” is more than simply the act of acquiring new skills – it’s more personal than that. A learning culture is an environment where employees are encouraged to seek, share, and apply new knowledge for the sake of personal and professional development.  

But isn’t every culture a “learning culture” in a way? Not necessarily. To establish and maintain a learning culture, employees must have the support of their organization to pursue their goals. Learning & Development professionals understand the work that is involved to implement a unified culture at scale – from C-suite support to employee buy-in. We’ll cover some culture creation tips next. 

How to create a learning culture 

Research shows that employees yearn for opportunities to develop their skills – 94% of employees said that they would stay at a company longer if that company invested in their learning. That is why it is important to get leadership onboard and make the transition easy for employees. 

Win C-suite support 

Culture is not always a top priority for C-suite and leadership – much to the chagrin of L&D professionals. However, statistics support the need for continued learning opportunities for employees as part of an organization’s baseline. Employee turnover is costly. Moreover, a study by MIT Sloan School of Management revealed a 250% ROI after implementing a training program focused on soft skills in eight months. Present leadership with these facts. Support is more feasible with a healthy ROI. 

Organizations that invest most heavily in culture/employee experience are found:  

• 11.5x as often in Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work
• 4.4x as often in LinkedIn’s list of North America’s Most In-Demand Employers 
• 2.1x as often on the Forbes list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies
• 2x as often in the American Customer Satisfaction Index  

*Source: Jacob Morgan 

Get employee buy-in 

While employees crave learning and development opportunities, they also want it to be uncomplicated. Moreover, in a world where much of the workforce is still virtual or at least hybrid, a technical solution is necessary to power learning. With an adaptive learning solution that can support virtual and hybrid instruction, employees can easily embrace development. 

5 Benefits of learning culture 

Industry leaders recognize the benefits of learning culture as the fundamental ingredients for success: 

• Attract and retain top talent – According to this survey, the top reason employees look elsewhere is due to the “inability to learn and grow” where they are. This same LinkedIn survey reveals learners at work are 48% more fulfilled in their role. 
• Gain competitive advantage – In MIT and Deloitte’s most recent study, the most successful, fast-growing, digitally enabled companies have invested in the way individuals and organizations learn. 
• Foster growth mindset – Continuous learning goes hand in hand with growth.  
• Increase customer satisfaction – Happy, well-informed employees result in better served, more satisfied customers. 
• Boost productivity – Satisfied workers are up to 20% more productive at work. 

Again, these benefits are not just for the sake of it – they are essential for organizations’ survival and prosperity in the modern age. 

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Amplifire’s goal is to support businesses looking to gain an edge in the modern age by offering an adaptive learning solution that supports employee learning, training, and growth. Learn more about how we can power learning culture at your organization.