Why Your Company Needs Lifelong Learners It's becoming more important than ever for companies to stay up-to-date on information, training programs and the latest technology, in order to promote forward thinking, growth and evolution within a company's infrastructure. A study by the Evollution Research Report found that 96% of employers believed encouraging lifelong education made a positive impact on job performance. Beyond job performance, lifelong learning in the workplace offers a myriad of benefits. Read on to discover additional benefits for lifelong learning in the workplace. Retain Employees Most employees want the opportunity to be involved and advance in their career. There is always the possibility an employee may move on to other work opportunities. But by providing upskill training, you significantly increase your chances of keeping them. Larger corporations like, Wal-Mart have found success in implementing lifelong learning programs in the workforce. In 2010, Wal-Mart partnered with American Public University (APU) to offer college credit in exchange for hours worked at WalMart. The program has resulted in higher growth of retention and upward movement for employees who have successfully completed the program. It’s a win/win for all involved. By giving your employees educational opportunities, you also provide them with the chance to strategize goals and invest in the company's long-term plan. Employees who feel as though they share a vested stake in a company tend to remain more loyal. Additionally, when you are able to retain your current employees, you no longer have to spend exorbitant prices on recruitment companies. Sustained Engagement Individuals need to feel a sense of empowerment in their daily duties. The more knowledge employees acquire, the more they are able to gain additional skillsets that can be applied to the work place. With the additional skillsets come increased responsibilities and an opportunity to advance to other roles within the company. Lifelong learners are highly adaptable. Having the opportunity to wear a different hat, or many hats, means your employees won’t get bored. But more importantly, they’ll stay engaged and focused on the things that matter. Increased Productivity Showing you care about your employees’ future, by investing in their education, let's them know just how much you respect them as people and as valuable assets to the
company. When people feel respected, they work much harder for you, generating even better productivity in the workplace. The information they will acquire, as a result of development courses will allow them to build upon the core skill sets they already have. Gaining more knowledge and experience allows them to become even better at what they do, creating even more value in the workplace. Engagement and productivity truly go hand in hand. As your engaged employee acquires more abilities, they automatically become more productive. Productivity affects every area of work from quality to quantity. Productive employees are resourceful, focused and proactive. Better Problem Solvers The American Society of Aging states that lifelong learning is highly instrumental in staving off cognitive decline. Employees who are involved in ongoing education will naturally develop better critical thinking skills. When they become active learners in the workplace, they have the chance to see challenges more clearly, whilst being able to develop solutions to those challenges. Moreover lifelong learners are preemptive in their work approach. They become more strategic and creative in their problem solving, which results in them working smarter. Promotes Community It takes a team of people to help run a successful business. Professional development programs offer employees an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned to their fellow coworkers. When they share their skillset and knowledge with others, it helps promote a collaborative learning environment. When other employees notice the benefits of educational learning, they may become motivated and inspired to take personal responsibility in growing their education. How to Implement There are a myriad of ways you can provide lifelong learning tools to your employees. Create programs that best fit your company’s overall needs and goals. • Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): MOOC's are online courses offered at a very low cost, which help employees gain valuable skills in the workplace. Many of these courses are highly specialized and varied. Employees have the opportunity to obtain nano-degrees in everything from web development, to software engineering, data analyzing and more. • Lunch and Learn: Setting up workshops and classes during the lunch hour is a great way to get employees to learn new concepts and ideas. Providing free
lunch in exchange for their learning time is very convenient. Not all employees have ample time to spare after work hours to devote to their education. So by setting up learning programs in this manner, it makes the process as seamless as possible for all involved.
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Mentorship: Mentorship is vital to professional development and lifelong learning. Your company can implement either one on one mentorships or group mentorships, where those with more knowledge and skill can share their experience and wisdom with others on the team.
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Acknowledgement: It’s important to recognize the hard work your employees do, when it comes to their education. Consider implementing incentive programs for employees who take an active approach to their education. For example, perhaps employees who read specific book material or attend a certain number of volunteer workshops can be rewarded with additional vacation time. Get creative.
Regardless of what course you choose, education always fosters an opportunity for growth and development. Lifelong learning challenges us to move outside of our comfort zones, and apply new skills to the workplace. Treat your employees to an impact on their education, and see better retention, productivity and happier employees as a whole. Remember this - Benjamin Franklin once said, "an investment in knowledge pays the best interest."