What is Learning at Work Week?

Learning at Work Week is an annual event in May organised by the Campaign for Learning since 1999. It aims to put a spotlight on the importance and benefits of learning and development at work. See website. Learning at Work Week offers encouragement to companies big and small to provide learning within the workplace. Each year, thousands of organisations, campaign to promote a learning culture within the workplace and to actively engage employees in learning. Learning at Work Week is not prescriptive in terms of what your company should do, but it's about encouraging a learning culture linked to your business goals and the needs of your employees, so both employer and employee benefit from the long term impact.

Why encourage learning at work?

For your own organisation, the reasons will depend on your particular context and goals. Companies and individuals that encourage continual training and learning report a wide range of opportunities and benefits:

Changing attitudes to learning and work
More positive and improved perceptions of learning and development both in business and at an individual level
Increased motivation and productivity
Individuals gain increased knowledge and understanding of their role and what they can further contribute to the business
Greater employee engagement with learning
Increases business development strategies, ideas and future planning
Opportunities to discover and recognise internal talent
Drawing on employees' own knowledge, passions and interests to create engaging activities and wider sharing and collaboration in the workplace
Highlighting business priorities, agendas and addressing change
Providing a platform to focus on and share important information about the business and its direction and using it as an opportunity to engage employees with different agendas and policies in an interactive and stimulating way
Addressing workplace silos and bridging information gaps
Bringing employees from different parts of the business together or partner organisations in to learn from each other

These are just a few examples, find out more about how encouraging and introducing workplace learning and training improves productivity and business success. See 10 must know facts focusing on the benefits of induction training systems, and how this one system alone improves turnover and saves money. Imagine now what a combined continual learning and training programme can bring to your company. You can use workplace learning and training in any way that adds value to your workplace and organisation. Here are a few ways in which some companies we have worked with have integrated training and learning systems into their everyday operations.