How Can a HR Manager Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning?
In our quest to uncover effective strategies for nurturing a culture of growth and education, we turned to a diverse group of professionals including EdTech experts and business leaders. Starting with integrating learning into daily workflow and culminating with investing in specialized opportunities, we present six transformative strategies that have proven successful in fostering continuous learning and professional development.
- Integrate Learning into Daily Workflow
- Introduce a ‘Learning Passport’ Program
- Implement a Mentorship Program
- Create ‘Mentorship Mondays’ Initiative
- Incentivize Professional Development
- Invest in Specialized Learning Opportunities
Integrate Learning into Daily Workflow
Embrace Microlearning and Leverage Digital Adoption Platforms
At Intellek, we believe that making learning an integral part of daily work life is key to fostering a culture of continuous growth. Our strategy? Weave high-quality e-learning content right into employees’ everyday workflow.
This can be done by embracing microlearning and using platforms that integrate directly into the tools employees use daily. Imagine a sales rep updating a client’s info in their CRM and finding a quick video on effective communication, or a project manager getting an agile methodology quiz while scheduling tasks. This way, learning isn’t a separate chore—it’s part of the job.
These bite-sized lessons let employees learn, apply knowledge instantly, and see immediate results. Learning becomes effortless, a daily habit. Staff aren’t just doing their jobs; they’re constantly upskilling without realizing it. It’s a win-win. Job performance improves, and employee satisfaction soars. After all, when learning feels accessible and relevant, growth becomes the norm, not the exception.
Ricci Masero
Edtech Evangelist & Marketing Manager, Intellek
Introduce a ‘Learning Passport’ Program
The ‘Learning Passport’ program was one of the mechanisms I used to establish a culture of learning and development: each employee received a bespoke Learning Passport to record activities, including training modules, workshops, and courses. We worked with online learning portals to create a library of online learning materials and scheduled dedicated time each week to undertake learning activities. Each time an employee entered a new module, they ticked it off on their Learning Passport, and after some time, there was a visible track of learning and development. This, in turn, led to a dramatic increase in the take-up of professional development activities and a higher skill base across the organization.
Sunaree Komolchomalee
Head of Human Resources, Cupid Digital PR Agency
Implement a Mentorship Program
One strategy I’ve employed is to implement a mentorship program within the company. Pairing experienced employees with junior staff members creates valuable opportunities for knowledge sharing, skill development, and career guidance.
Mentors provide guidance, feedback, and support, while mentees gain insights, expand their networks, and acquire new skills. Regular check-ins and structured learning objectives ensure accountability and track progress.
Perry Zheng
Founder, Cash Flow Portal
Create ‘Mentorship Mondays’ Initiative
To stimulate ongoing learning and career growth, I created ‘Mentorship Mondays’ in our company. Every Monday, each employee is paired with a senior team member to gain insights from their experience. This initiative allows them to learn new techniques, strategies, or concepts from their mentor. They also get the opportunity to ask questions, discuss any work-related dilemmas, or even get guidance for their career pathway. This has improved our team collaboration, encouraged constant learning, and significantly contributed to the professional development of our employees.
Abid Salahi
Co-Founder & CEO, FinlyWealth
Incentivize Professional Development
We’ve learned that if we want our employees to devote time and effort to professional development, we need to make it worth their while, and we need to provide them the time to do it. We’ve done this in a few ways. First, we allow our employees to claim professional development work as billable time, as long as they’re caught up on their primary tasks. This gives them the option of filling downtime with upskilling work that will benefit both us and them in the long term. Second, we explicitly reward professional development during reviews; we don’t directly tie raises and bonuses to professional development, but it is one of the criteria we use to evaluate employee performance.
Thank you for the chance to contribute to this piece! If you do choose to quote me, please refer to me as Nick Valentino, VP of Market Operations at Bellhop.
Nick Valentino
VP of Market Operations, Bellhop
Invest in Specialized Learning Opportunities
We provide our employees with access to specialized courses, workshops, and conferences relevant to floristry, logistics, and customer service.
I recall a time when one of our floral designers attended an international floristry conference. She returned brimming with new ideas and techniques, which she eagerly shared during a “Lunch and Learn” session. Her excitement was contagious, and soon after, we saw a noticeable uptick in the creativity and quality of our arrangements. This experience highlighted the value of investing in continuous learning.
The impact was substantial. Employees felt more valued and invested in their careers, knowing that the company was committed to their professional growth. This commitment to continuous learning not only enhanced individual skills but also drove overall business innovation and efficiency.
Our team’s improved expertise and morale translated into better customer service and operational excellence, reinforcing our market position and contributing to our long-term success.
Rishi Dhuck
Content Strategist, Priceline
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