Building a Productive Learning Culture

7/21/2019 Building a Productive Learning Culture

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Playbook: Building a

Productive LearningCulture


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CEB Learning & Development Leadership Council 2014 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved. LDR0140414PRO

The current l earning landscape has changed in res ponse to the rapidly evolving development needs of employees. The skill needs of the lineare becom ing increasingly complex, and employees want to l earn in new and different ways. To influence the quality of learning across the

many platforms employees are using, L&D profess ionals have tried to extend their reach by building a culture of learning.

To date, most L&D functions have focused largely on building a culture of learning participation-more learning activity and program attendance.All that learn ing participation is not having the des ired impact and is, instead, creating a lot of was te. Emp loyees are was ting approximately11% of their work time on unproductive learning. This costs the average L&D function $5 m illion in wasted budget, and the average

organization over $130 mill ion in los t employee productivity each year.

The m ost progressive L&D functions are responding to a changing learning landscape, not by driving more learning participation, but byreducing learning was te. To do this, they are focusing on building a productive learning culture by curating relevant and appropriate learning

opportunities, teaching learners how to learn, and fostering the em ployees responsibility for the learning of those around them.

This step-by-step guide will prove useful as you look to build a productive learning culture within your organization. As always, our aim is toprovide insights and tools that drive your success.

With our continued appreciation,

CEB Learning and Development Leadership Council

INTRODUCTION: BUILDING A PRODUCTIVE LEARNING CULTURE

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FROM A CULTURE OF LEARNING PARTICIPATION

TO A PRODUCTIVE LEARNING CULTURE

L&D functions need to

shift their approach

from building a culture

of learning participation

to building a productive

learning culture.

Culture of Learning Participation Productive Learning Culture

Key Components:

1. Increasing Choice:High volume and

variety of learning opportunities.

2. Building Learning:Learning designed

to teach new business skills and

knowledge.

3. Promoting Employee Ownership of

Individual Learning: Focus on individual

ownership for learning participation.

Key Com ponents:

1. Directing Choice:Select number of relevant

and appropriate learning opportunities.

2. Building Learners: Learning designed to

teach how to learn new business skills and

knowledge.

3. Driving Shared Ownership of Learning

Environment:Focus on shared ownership

for building a learning environment.

Source: C EB analysis.

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CEBS MODEL OF A PRODUCTIVE LEARNING CULTURE

The Three Components of a Product ive Learning Culture

Source: C EB analysis.

1

Learning Opportunity

Employees have access to

a select number of relevant

learning choices, not a high

volume and variety.

Learning Capability

Employees know how to

learn, not just which new

business skills and

knowledge to learn.

2

ProductiveLearning

Culture

Learning

Opportunity

Learning

Environment

Learning

Capability

3Learning Environment

Employees share ownership of the learning environment, not just their individual learning.

In a productive learning culture, what and how employees learn is driven by the right learning opportunity , capability, and environment.

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UNDERSTANDING LEARNING OPPORTUNITYL&D should ensure thatemployees engage in

both the right amount of

learning, and the right

types of learning

opportunities.

Source: CEB analysis; CEB 2014 Learning Cul ture Survey.

The Right Amount of Learning The Right Type of Learning

Traditional

Approach:

Promote learning

and drive greater

participation

in learning

opportunities

Provide More Opportunities

L&D focuses on increas ing the number

of l earning opportunities.

Respond to Learning Needs

L&D focuses on understanding and

responding to the lines learning needs.

7% Impact on

Employee

Performance

11% Impact

on Employee

Performance

The Right

Approach:

Refocus L&D and

line investments to

right-size

relevant learning

activity.

Control Learning Choice

L&D actively limits and curates the

learning opportunities provided by the

organization.

Assess Learning Maturity

L&D al igns opportunities to consider

both learning needs and learning

maturity.

Employees with the right

amount of learning

opportunities have 7% higher

performance than those with

too many opportunities.

Considering the bus iness's

learning maturity in addition to

its learning needs can im pact

employee performance by upto 11%.

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0% 5% 10%

4%

4%

1%

EXPLORING LEARNING CAPABILITY

Two Types of Learning BehaviorsMaximum Impact of Employee Behaviors on Performance

L&D needs to prioritize

building productive, not

just participative,

behaviors.

More than half of employeesare effective at participative

behaviors, however, these

behaviors have a lim ited

impact on employee

performance.

Productive behaviors have a

more s ignificant impact on

employee performance, but

only one in five employees is

effective at these behaviors.

n = 23,764.Source: C EB 2014 Learning C ulture Survey.

Multi-ChannelUtilization

ReciprocalContribution

LearningReceptivity Extraction

ContinuousLearning

SkepticalPrioritization

Partic ipative Behaviors Productive Behaviors

60% of Employees Effective 20% of Employees Effective

Categories of Productive Behaviors

Reciprocal Contribution: Shares and uses

appropriate knowledge and expertise with and

from employees at all levels across the

organization.

Extraction: Extracts useful les sons from learning

to modify pre-existing perceptions, behaviors, and

problem-solving approaches.

Skeptical Prioritization: Pursues learning based

on curren t developm ent needs, relevance to future

roles, and potential to increase job -relevant

knowledge base.

Categories of Participative Behaviors

Multi-Channel Utilization: Pursues learning

opportunities from multiple sources both inside and

outside the organization.

Learning Receptivity: Engages in learning beyond

current job res pons ibilities and anticipates outcomes

for application.

Continuous Learning:Attempts to learn as much

and as regularly as pos sible while performing job

tasks and in formal clas sroom settings.

0% 5% 10%

10%

7%

7%

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DEFINING A PRODUCTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Maximum Impact of Attribute on Performance

L&D must focus on

building a learning

environment with the

attributes that support

productive learning.

Few em ployees report

that their organizationhas an environment with

the five attributes

necessary for a

productive learning

environment.

n = 23,764.Source: CEB 2014 Learning C ulture Survey.

Attribute Definition

Fair Employees perceive that learning opportunities are fairly distributed and learning

contributions are as sessed fairly.

Open Employees feel open to giving and receiving learning contributions from others.

Relevant Employees perceive that relevant learning contributions are exchanged between

employees.

Safe Employees feel safe taking risks and failing when learning.

Clear Employees perceive learning processes, practices , and opportuni ties to be clear

and simple.

0%

7%

14%14%

11%10%

9%8%

Fair Open Relevant Safe Clear

Employees Reporting

Presence of Attribute35% 60% 22% 50% 20%

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ACTION PLAN TO BUILD A PRODUCTIVE LEARNING CULTURE

Create a Learning

Culture Strategy

1. Assess theorganizations

current learningculture.

2. Set goals forproposed learning

culture and targetareas of change.

3. Identify requiredpartners for changeinitiatives.

4. Define and audit thecurrent learningportfolio.

5. Identify and eliminateunproductivelearning.

6. Align needs analysisprocesses withstrategic value.

7. Identify the learningbehaviors that driveperformance atyour organization.

8. Embed key learningbehaviors into L&D

programs.

9. Embed key learningbehaviors into dailyworkflows.

10. Raise awareness ofhow to support aproductive learningenvironment.

11. Enable managers tobetter supportproductive learning.

12. Hold managers andemployeesaccountable for aproductive learningenvironment.

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Assess L&D

Portfolio

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Build Learner

Capability

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Foster a Productive

Learning

Environment

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Monitor Learning

Culture Health

13. Identify a core setof metrics to tracklearning cultureproductivity.

14. Assess the learning

culture initiativesprogress towardskey goals.

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1. ASSESS CURRENT LEARNING CULTUREAssess your current learningculture to identify areas that

need improvement, as well as

existing strengths within the

learning culture.

Self-assess your

organizations learning

opportunities, the learning

ability of employees, and the

current learning environment.

Focus on improving aspects

of your learning culture that

are not productive, and

identifying why other areas of

learning culture have been

more productive.

Culture Aspect Definition Rating

Learning

Opportunity

Employees have access to the right amount oflearning opportunities.

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Strongly Agree

Employees have access to the right types oflearning opportunities.

1 2 3 4 5


Learning

Capability

Employees extract usef ul lessons from learning tomodify pre-existing perceptions and behaviors.

1 2 3 4 5


Employees pursue learning based on currentdevelopment needs and relevance to future roles.

1 2 3 4 5


Employees share and use appropriate knowledgew ith and from employees at all levels across theorganization.

1 2 3 4 5


Learning

Environment

Employees perceive that learning opportunities arefairly distributed and learning contributions areassessed fairly.

1 2 3 4 5


Employees feel open to giving and receivinglearning contributions from others.

1 2 3 4 5


Employees perceive that relevant learningcontributions are exchanged between employees.

1 2 3 4 5


Employees feel safe taking risks and f ailing w henlearning.

1 2 3 4 5


Employees perceive learning processes, practices,and opportunities to be clear and simple.

1 2 3 4 5


Learning Culture Self-Assessment

Directions:Asses s the extent to which the statements below apply to your bus iness uni t or organization. Focus attention on improving

the attributes of your culture that receive a rating of 3 or lower.

Overall Point 20 and below: The learning culture is not productive.Total 21-36: The learning culture is somewhat productive.

37 and above: The learning culture is productive.

Uncover Employee Perspectives

L&D professionals can collect detailed

information on employee perspectives

of the learning culture through both

qualitative mechanis ms, such as

focus groups and feedback forms,

and quantitative mechanisms s uch as

survey tools.

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2. SET GOALS FOR PROPOSED LEARNING CULTURE CHANGEEstablish goals to addressareas of improvement in your

current learning culture, and

link these goals with the

organization's business

strategy.

Create tangible goals that

aim to im prove specific

aspects of your

organizations learning

culture.

Align goals for creating a

learning culture with your

organizations overall

business s trategy to create

urgency for a productive

learning culture.

Link Goals for a Productive Learning Culture With Strategy

Sample Template

As you link your culture goals to businessstrategy, be sure to:

Identify Current Demands on the

BusinessLink culture strategy to the internal

and external dem ands on the bus iness to set

the tone that L&D understands the pressures

on the business and is i nterested in addressing

those challenges.

Support Existing Business GoalsIllustratethe value of a learning culture by grounding it in

the organizationsbroader strategy and

discussing how it can support other initiatives

within the business.

Keep the Strategy SimpleEnsure the

learning culture strategy is actionable by

keeping goals simple and clearly articulating

the next s teps your function intends to take.

Avoid focusing too narrowly on L&D-centric

goals.

When creating L&D goals for the learning culture strategy, be sure to:

Prioritize Business ImpactThere are likely a num ber of learning culture

areas for im provement, so devote attention to thos e that will directly

support larger s trategic initiatives within the business.

Set Realistic ExpectationsIdentify tangible goals that allow

stakeholders to envision and achieve s uccess.

CultureAspect Area(s) ofImprovement L&D Goal(s) Link to BusinessStrategy

LearningOpportunity

Employees feeloverwhelmed with theamount of learningopportunities

Create abettermanagedlearningportfolio

Employees usingtheir work timemore efficiently

Learning

Capability

Employees dont know

how to extract usefullessons from theirlearning on the job

Teach

employees howto l earn ontheir own andwith others

Employees more

prepared toadapt to changingbusinessconditions

LearningEnvironment

Employees struggle toget the developmentinput they need fromcoworkers

Facilitatemore networklearning amongemployees

Employees moreequipped toovercome dailywork challenges

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3. IDENTIFY PARTNERS FOR CHANGE INITIATIVEIdentify stakeholders thatwill play a role in

achieving your learning

culture goals, and work to

secure their buy-in.

Identify the primary

stakeholders outside of L&D

that will have an im pact on

learning culture and involve

these partners early to

secure their buy-in.

Comm unicate with

stakeholders throughout the

process to gain valuable

feedback and adjuststrategy as necessary.

Key Tips for Engaging Stakeholders

Identify Executive ChampionsIdentify potential executive supporters to ask for feedback on early drafts of the learningculture strategy; this increases the likelihood of them supporting and championing it.

Pressure Test Ideas with Individuals Outside L&DThroughout the change process, pres sure test initiatives w ith individuals

outside L&D and incorporate external pers pectives.

Outline the Ask at the EndEnsure stakeholders understand what is required to deliver the desired learning culture strategyby clearly outlining next steps and needs .

Keep Momentum and Communication Lines OpenRegularly update stakeholders on progress made against the learning

strategy to sustain support.

Key Stakeholders to Involve in Learning Culture Strategy

Stakeholder Role in Learning Culture Strategy

CommunicationsFunction

Signals the importance and significance of learning to achieving business results Comm unicates the role employees m ust play to achieve a productive learning culture Comm unicates how learning culture is a vital part o f the organ izations overall work culture

RecruitingFunction

Integrates aspects of the organizations learning culture into the employment value propos ition Solicits feedback from candidate pool on which aspect of an organizations learning culture attracts talent

HRBPs Facilitate cross -functional m anagement of m ajor strategic initiatives and hum an capital needs Align learning culture initiative with other human capital strategies Address line concerns as culture strategy progres ses

Collect feedback on learning changes from the line

Senior Leaders/Executives

Divert resources towards learning culture strategy Set the tone for learning culture throughout organization Holds managers and li ne leaders responsible for supporting a productive learning culture

Line Managers Drive learning culture within individual business units Address line concerns as culture change occurs Collect feedback on learning changes from the line

Line Employees Prioritize development for success in current and future roles Support peers in gaining new skills and subject matter knowledge

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Assess L&D

Portfolio

Create a Learning

Culture Strategy

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Build Learner

Capability

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Foster a Productive

Learning

Environment

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Monitor Learning

Culture Health

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4. AUDIT THE LEARNING PORTFOLIOAssess your currentlearning portfolio to

understand the learning

options available to

employees across the

organization.

Compile resources to

determine the current mix of

learning content available

at your organization.

Asses s whether employees

have access to the right

suite of learning res ources.

Learning Portfolio Audit

Process

Conduct an inventory of all officiallearning res ources and categorize eachresource by type (E-learning, classroomtraining, peer learning, etc.)

Record the busines s initiative (e.g.,leadership development, technical skillstraining, compliance, etc.) that eachlearning resource supports

Ask Yourself:

Are all learning offerings in our portfoliocurrent and up to date?

Is the amount of learning availableoverwhelming?

Step 1: Classify Learning Step 3: Understand LocalPriorities

Step 2: Analyze Learning Mix

Analyze the as sortm ent of learningofferings (E-learning, classroom,mentors hip, etc.) that fall under eachcontent type

Analyze the as sortm ent of learningresources that are devoted to each areaof the busines s

Ask Yourself:

Are we satisfied with the mix of learningcontent in our learning portfolio?

Are we focusing on som e learningopportunities more than necessary?

Review with line managers whether thecurrent learning m ix reflects localbusiness goals

Use line feedback to identify existingformal and informal l earning offeringsthat may not be ali gned with businessstrategy

Ask Yourself:

Are our formal and informal developm entopportunities addressing the m ostimportant business needs?

Are there areas in our portfolio where weshould focus m ore, or less, attention?

Sample Results from Learning Portfolio Audit

Illustrative

1. Relative proportion of learning offerings available by content type.

Learning Resources by Content Type1

24%E-learning

19%

ClassroomTraining

10%

Simulations

11%Mentorship/PeerLearning Programs

19%

External Coaching

17%

Manager-LedDevelopment Resources

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5. ELIMINATE UNPRODUCTIVE LEARNINGWork with linestakeholders and key

L&D team members to

eliminate, or rework,

learning resources that

may be unproductive.

Address learning that is

redundant, stale, or

mis aligned with business

strategy to craft a more

consumable learning

portfolio.

Provide employees with

learning resources that are

actionable and relevant to

their job duties.

Filter 1:

Relevance toEmployees

1. Assess Content Effectiveness Using Data

Inputs Include:

LMS Data: Employee participation rate, learningcompletion rate, learning abandonment rate

Employee Learning Assessment Data:Potential oflearning content to improve learners performance andachieve development goals, effectiveness of learningat teaching and applying a new skil l, and whether theywould recomm end the learning to peers working in asimilar role

Process for Evaluating Potentially Unproductive Learning

2. Assess Content Relevance With Lines Input

Consider:

Key goals of your business strategy

Talent implications of the business strategy

Current and projected business goals

Demands of changing work environment

Whether the specific learning intervention is necessary toaddress a business need

Whether the business need can be better addres sed throughother interventions

Divest

If the learning content suffers from poor

efficiency and there is no pressing

business need for the skill, elim inate the

content from your portfolio.

Low Content Effectiveness High Content Effectiveness

Low ContentRelevance

High ContentRelevance

Reposition

If there is s till a market for the content but

the current material is proving ineffective,

the learning offering is a prime candidate

to be reworked to meet current employee

needs.

Reposition

If the content is currently popular or

effective at creating new skills, but has

little relevance to current business goals,

consider retooling the learning to be more

aligned with business s trategy.

Maintain

If the content is both efficient and relevant

to current business needs, the learning

has value and should remain in your

portfolio.

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6. ALIGN NEW INVESTMENTS WITH STRATEGIC VALUETo avoid creatingirrelevant or misaligned

learning content, apply

stringent needs analysis

processes to proposed

L&D projects.

Limit the creation of newcontent to high-value

projects s o that your

learning portfolio remains

impactful and relevant.

Only invest in new learning

if there is a valid bus iness

need that cannot be met

with existing content.

CEB Framework for Prioritizing New Investments

Alignment with L&D Strategy

Proposed project is not related to L&Ds functional strategy. (1 point)

Proposed project is tangentially related to L&Ds functional strategy. (2 points)

Proposed project is directly aligned to L&Ds functional strategy. (3 points)

Alignment with Business Strategy

Proposed project is not related to busines s strategy. (1 point)

Proposed project is tangentially related to business strategy. (2 points)

Proposed project is directly related to business strategy. (3 points)

Urgency

Proposed project maintains current business unit skill set. (1 point)

Proposed project addresses a l ow- or m edium-priority development gap. (2 points)

Proposed project addresses a critical development gap. (3 points)

Reach

Proposed project is not scalable for use in other areas of the organization. (1 point)

Proposed project may be scalable for use in s ome areas of the organization. (2 points)

Proposed project is scalable for use in many areas of the organization. (3 points)

Project Score: ______________

Directions: At the beginning of new projects, complete the following checklist to determine the value of any L&D

investment. Projects scoring 14 are low value, 58 are m edium value, and 912 are high value.

Improve Needs-Analysis Processes

Access CEB L&Ds guidebook on

Rethinking Needs Analysis to better

manage the dem and and supply of

both informal and formal l earning

opportunities.

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https://ldr.executiveboard.com/Members/ResearchAndTools/Abstract.aspx?cid=100246530&fs=1&q=rethinking+needs&program=&ds=1https://ldr.executiveboard.com/Members/ResearchAndTools/Abstract.aspx?cid=100246530&fs=1&q=rethinking+needs&program=&ds=1


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Assess L&D

Portfolio

Create a Learning

Culture Strategy

Build Learner

Capability

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Foster a Productive

Learning

Environment

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Monitor Learning

Culture Health

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7. IDENTIFY LEARNING BEHAVIORS THAT DRIVE PERFORMANCEWork with key HR and L&Dteam members to prioritize

the most important

employee behaviors to

build through learning.

Work with the line todetermine employees

current skill gaps and

learning behaviors.

Prioritize a li st of key

learning behaviors that

employees lack and are also

critical for executing

business strategy.

Step 1: Review comm on productive learning behaviors and

assess their relevance to your organization

Step 3: Prioritize a set of learning behaviors to build

through formal and informal learning.

CEB L&Ds Product ive Learning Behaviors

Prioritizes high im pact learning opportunities

Extracts useful information from learning

experiences

Sources as sistance from internal/ external networks

Solicits diverse input

Shares subject matter knowledge with others

Reflects on potential uses, and lim its, of learning

Tips to Create a List of Learning Behaviors

Use l ine input to prioritize those behaviors that have

the mos t impact on business outcomes. Focus on learning behaviors that will allow

employees to thrive in both current and future roles.

Consider how em ployee learning behaviors maydiffer by level and role.

Avoid vague termino logy and specifically define eachcritical learning behavior.

Consider specific examples of employees exhibiting,

or not exhibiting, the competency when articulatingeach critical behavior.

Ensure the list is tangible and allows m anagers and

peers to evaluate perform ance on each behavior.

Step 2: Solicit line input on the learning behaviors they

believe are most im portant

Interview Questions for Line Leaders*

In which areas are employees performing well, and whereare they underperforming?

What are the most im portant skills for employees, and

why are they so important? How do employees buildthese skills?

How have employee skill needs changed over the lastseveral years? In what ways do you expect them tofurther change in the future?

How do employees typically address their own skill gaps ?

*Avoid asking for line input on specifi c learning behaviors . Use the lines open feedback toreinforc e, or challenge, your perceptions of critic al learning behaviors.

Identify Critical Learning Behaviors

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Middle Managers

8. EMBED KEY BEHAVIORS INTO EXISTING PROGRAMSEmbed the identified keylearning behaviors into

existing learning

programs, prioritizing a

few programs to pilot.

Examine the urgency and

ease of i ntegrating learning

behaviors into existing

programs.

Introducing learning

behaviors into existing

programs enables L&D to

target specific populations

quickly, and helps achieve

quick wins in the drive for

culture change.

Identify your target population

Senior Leaders Frontline Managers Individual Contributors

What are some of the programs offered for this population?

Does the program currently contain any learning activities that create a natural opportunity for building productive

learning behaviors? Or could you embed such learning activities into the program?

Directions: Identify a set of L&D program s that focus on a target population. Then answer the remaining questions to identify a program in

which learning behaviors can be piloted. After you have finished the pilot, you can use these ques tions to identify both quick wins in terms

of learning behavior integration as well as s ome programs that would require a m ore substantial redesign.

Identify Programs to Build Behaviors

Population Selected: Other (________)

Which em ployee populations have the greatest abili ty to influence the behaviors of others ? ___________________________

In which job roles are productive learning behaviors most critical for success? ___________________________

Which em ployee groups are in the greates t need of improved learning behaviors? ___________________________

Which em ployee populations are likely to provide valuable feedback on the success of the pilot? ___________________________

Workshops: Provides hands-on guidance to help employees extract information thats relevant to their jobs,and allowslearners to challenge the content delivered using questions, discussions, and exercises.

Peer Consulting Sessions: Encourages employees to share bes t practices and dis cuss work-related challenges with oneanother.

Intact Team Development: Provides an opportunity for teams to prioritize, and work to improve, their most critical teamdevelopment areas.

Action Learning:Allows emp loyees to practice new bus iness skills within work so they can immediately reflect on potentialopportunities for application.

Speed Feedback Sessions: Encourages employees to give and s eek feedback in an environment that allows for

improvement of targeted skills .

Sample Learning Activities

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9. EMBED LEARNING BEHAVIORS INTO DAILY WORKFLOWSWork with the line tocreate opportunities for

employees to build key

learning behaviors

through their daily tasks

and responsibilities.

Use li ne input to identify

existing work opportunities

that are ideal for building

learning behaviors.

Consider the investment

and relative impact that

would result from

embedding learning

behaviors into a specificwork opportunity before

undertaking the initiative.

Build Learning Behaviors Through Work OpportunitiesGuide to Identifying Appropriate Work Opportunities

Interview Questions for Line Leaders

When do employees typically share job-relevant

information, ideas, or challenge each others

thought processes?

Are there existing meetings that would benefit byincreasing the intentionality of s haring learning and

feedback during the meeting?

What are the bes t opportunities for employees to

learn som ething new or practice applying a s kill

differently?

Are there any changes that occur on the job or

during transitions where employees need to revisit

their learning?

What tasks or processes require employees to

apply complex skills s uch as critical thinking ormanaging am biguity? Would any of these tasks

benefit from increasing the intentionality of learning

during the process?

Step 1: Work with the line to identify opportunities to

embed learning behaviors in daily workflows

Step 2:Asses s the feasibility of embedd ing learning

behaviors into each opportunity

Do employees engage in the identified workopportunity regularly?

Will em ployees have time to reflect on what

theyre learning and how it can apply to their dai ly

tasks?

Can learning behaviors be integrated into the work

opportunity without a significant negative effect on

work deadlines or processes?

Will learning from the identified work opportunity

be exportable, i.e. will employees be able to apply

the learning m ore broadly in their daily work?

After the work opportunity, will employees be ableto share their learning with others, to extend theirknowledge throughout the organization?

Will em ployees be able to independently

conduct the identified work opportunity without

active facilitation from L&D (beyond an initial roll-

out ses sion)?

If you answered yes to most of the questions

above, you have identified a good opportunity to

embed learning behaviors.

Questions to Gauge Feasib ility

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Assess L&D

Portfolio

Create a Learning

Culture Strategy

Build Learner

Capability

Foster a Productive

Learning

Environment

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Monitor Learning

Culture Health

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10. RAISE AWARENESS OF HOW TO SUPPORT A PRODUCTIVE

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Work with managers and

other senior leaders to use

team meetings, or other

group settings, to make

employees aware of the role

they play in supporting a

learning environment.

Encourage teams to dis cuss

their role in creating a

learning culture, and the

steps they will each need to

take to support a productive

learning environment.

Teams dis cuss plans to

support the pos itive change

initia tive, and the s teps they

will each need to take.

Use Managers to Discuss Employees Roles in the Learning EnvironmentSample Discussion Agenda for Team Meeting

1. Outlining the Importance of a Learning Environment

We work together to execute strategy and grow our skills both individually and

as an organization. We should

Openly discuss improvement areas that will allow us to work better together;

Seek and accept feedback from stakeholders and coworkers; and

Provide clear opportunities for team m embers to develop new skills and

talents.

2. Team Discussion Questions

On our team, how can we help each other develop, while sim ultaneously

achieving business results?

Should we be doing som e tasks differently than we currently do?

What are the rewards for ensuring our decisions support a productive

learning environment?

3. Plan for Action

On our team, what s teps do we need to take as a group to achieve a

productive learning environment?

What respons ibilities does each em ployee hold for s upporting the learning

environment?

How will we hold each other accountable for supporting a learningenvironment?

During the discussion, managerspresent the organizationsgeneraldefinition of a productive learningculture and then lead their teams ina di scussion to help them discoverwhy s upporting a learningenvironment is important, and thenext steps in s upporting it.

The Benefits of Using Managers as Discussion Facilitators

Managers have

more credibility with their teams than L&D and are adept at holding team conversations.

the authority to ensure that teams focus on the right topics and to redirect the conversation as needed.

the ability to oversee em ployees and ensure that the plan for supporting a learning environment is carried out.

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11. ENABLE MANAGERS TO SUPPORT PRODUCTIVE LEARNINGHelp managers understandhow to coach and sustain

employee learning

behaviors within the line.

By highlighting m ultiple

coaching opportunities,Accenture enables

managers to repeatedly

reinforce the im portance of

the different high-

performance learning

behaviors.

Through the specificity of

the coaching activities, L&D

helps managers identify

when and how to coach

their direct reports for a

specific high-performance

learning behavior.

Learning BehaviorExamples of SuccessfulLearning Behavior

Examples of Successful Coachingto Reinforce Learning Behavior

Active Solicitation ofInput and Fee dback

Seeks input and f eedback from aw ide variety of people to define

learning goals.

Asks follow up questions to better

understand fine points of feedback.

Informally:Encourage and identifyrole models outside of the team.

After a formal lear ning experience:Help learners challenge learning and

identify the most relevant information.

In weekly check-ins:Encourage

direct reports to seek peer feedbackon w ork before coming to manager forinput.

Active Collaboration

Learners f ind opportunities toconnect w ith others, grow their

netw orks, and become activecontributors in communities.

During project s coping:Help directreports identify other individuals to

collaborate with outside of regularteams and w orkflows.

During project s coping:Help directreports prioritize learning that isimportant f or future projects.

Agile Alignment

Is agile and flexible regarding theirdevelopment, and responsive to

learning needs that arise in ex istingw ork.

Seeks out other individuals w ithbest practice/process to learn how

to most eff ectively adapt to newlearning needs.

During development discussions:Ask probing questions about existing

w ork projects to help direct reportsprioritize current learning needs.

During development discussions:Work w ith direct report to

identify and recommend stretchopportunities in current work.

In team meetings:Recognize pro-

activity, ability to c hange, and senseof urgency.

Provide MultipleExamples

Accenture providesmanagers w ithmultiple coaching

opportunitiesto help themrepeatedly reinforce

high-performancelearning behaviors.

Ident ify the RightTiming and Activity

L&Ds specificcoaching activities helpmanagers identify the

appropriate time andactivity to reinforce thetargeted learning

behavior.

Source: Accenture Plc.; CEB analysis.

Note: Accenture eng aged in an internal multi-dimensional research progr am to identify the differentiated learning behaviors of their hig h performing employees.The behaviors lis ted above are some of the behaviors identified as a result of their study.

Accentures Learning Behaviors and Corresponding Coaching Opportunities (Excerpt)

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12. HOLD MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE

FOR THE LEARNING OF OTHERS

Hold employees

accountable for enabling

a learning environment by

identifying hard and soft

accountability measures.

Embed learning behaviors

into formal performance

management processes to

hold em ployees accoun table

for supporting a learning

environment.

Use team-bas ed rewards

and recognition to s ignal the

importance of supporting

others learning.

Tips for Creating Shared Formal and Informal Accountability

Tips for Formal Accountability MeasuresUse formal performance management to hold employees

accountable for driving a supportive learning environment

Set the expectation that all employees, not just leaders,

enable a learning environment through performance

objectives or competencies.

Hold em ployees accountable for demonstrating the right

learning behaviors, not com pleting learning activities.

Outline the learning behaviors expected at each employee

level to increase understanding of how employees can

successfully meet their performance goals.

Provide concrete examples of how employees can

demonstrate each learn ing behavior effectively.

Empower m anagers to recognize, coach, and ass ess, not

jus t unders tand, the right learning behaviors.

Focus employees on learning behaviors within work, notjus t formal trainings .

Use team-based, rather than individual, recognition to

motivate employees to support the learning environment.

Recognize teams and individuals that contribute to the

learning of others, and share great ideas w ith one another.

Provide concrete examples to employees of what it m eans to

enable a learning environment.

Reward teams that achieve tangible business outcomes

while als o contributing to a learning environment.

Create rewards that are group focused (e.g., sports

competition), not individual focused (e.g., gift certi ficate).

Stress the intentionality of s upporting a learning environment

within each group-oriented reward

Use s uccess stories to comm unicate the learning behaviors

that rewarded teams exhibit, dont sim ply publicize those

that are recognized.

Tips for Informal Accountability Measures

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Assess L&D

Portfolio

Create a Learning

Culture Strategy

Build Learner

Capability

Foster a Productive

Learning

Environment

Monitor Learning

Culture Health

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13. IDENTIFY METRICS TO TRACK LEARNING PRODUCTIVITYEvaluate the productivityof your learning culture

with a core set of metrics

that track progress

towards strategic

objectives.

Obtain metrics that allow

your organization to

discover the impact of

learning initiatives.

When tracking learning

culture productivity, consider

which metrics would be

feasible to collect and

provide accurate data.

List Strategic Objectives

What does L&D need to deliver to help the

business achieve its strategic priorities?

1

Determine Factors That Influence Objectives

What actions and/or behaviors enable L&D to

achieve each objective?

What initiatives (if executed successfully) will

influence achievement of the objective?

2

Select Detailed Measures

Which metrics will be the mos t helpful for us to

track (e.g., leading indicator, quantitative metrics

versus subjective and/or qualitative metrics)?

What trade-offs should be made s o that we focus

on only the m ost important metrics and do not

track too much?

Consider using measures such as time, em ployee

popula tion, expense, etc.

3

Identify Raw Data Measures

What data can be defined and captured

consistently across relevant areas?

What data can we dis aggregate to present more

precise m easures (and thus execute better risk

management)?

Consider using measures such as rates, ratios,

compositions, indices, etc.

4

Ease access to the right

learning content.

Eliminate unproductivelearning resources fromportfolio

Relevance of learningprograms offered.

StrategicObjectives

Factors

Detailed

Measures

Raw Data

Post-learning

employee

satisfaction rating

Metric Identification Process

Example

Learning

participation/

completion rate

Commonly Tracked Metrics

Learning Opportunity-Learning PortalPenetration, Training Content/DeliveryMix, Content Relevance

Learning Capability-Learner

Application Asses sment, DirectManager Application Ass essment

Learning Environment-OverallLearner Satisfaction, Employee

Engagement Measures

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14. ASSESS PROGRESS TOWARDS GOALSRegularly evaluateprogress towards key

goals set out in the

original lea rning culture

strategy.

Hold regular meetings to

assess how well the

organization is progressing

against key action steps,

and potential areas where

improvement is s till needed.

Involve relevant

stakeholders in meetings

and s olicit their feedback for

what is, and isnt, working.

Assess Progress Against Key Action StepsSample Process

Action Steps Data (If applicable) Opportunities Risks Next Steps

Amended HIPOprogram to stressawareness oflearningbehaviors.

Post-learning ratings ofcontent relevance haverisen.

Offer advanceddevelopment opportunitiesand tools to more self-aware learners.

Intentiona lity of learningthats stressed in HIPOprogram is lost oncelearners return to theirjobs.

Sustain behavi or changeby providing managersresources to focus onlearning i ntentiona lityduring daily work.

Aligned learninginvestment withcurrent businessstrategy,

High-priority learningcontent still seeing lowadoption rates

Rework high-prioritylearning content to makeit more relevant tocurrent employee needs.

Learners arent takingadvantage of hi gh-prioritylearning because theydont have the time orabili ty to partic ipate inthe opportunity.

Examine learni ng deliveryoptions; work withmanagers to ensureemployees have access tothe ri ght learningopportunities.

Reduced number

of e-learningcourses availableon LMS.

Percentage of employees

accessing L&D portalremains steady.

Trim the learning

portfolio even further tosimplify employee choice;increase focus on informallearning opportunities.

Learners may become

frustrated with dwindlinglearning offerings.

Seek line i nput to ensure

opportunities available onportal are relevant to thecurrent needs ofemployees.

Addressing Opportunities and Risks

Fully Evaluate Current StateBefore describing a

new course of action, be s ure to fully unders tand whyyour initiative is succeeding, or falling behind.

Weigh Opportunities and RisksWhen outlining the

next steps of your s trategy, consider the possible

ramifications of each s ubsequent action on both the

L&D function and external stakeholders.

Keep Stakeholders Involved Stakeholders will be

involved throughout the culture initiative, so its

important to continually update them on progress

towards key goals.

Describing Current Progress Towards Goals

Source Line Input Line managers have

valuable ins ight into the daily operations of thebusiness, so s eek their input when describing

current progress towards key goals

Be Specific- Clearly outline what actions have

been taken to date, and whether they have

been successful in order to best determine the

appropriate plan of action.

Include Data Where HelpfulMetrics can be

a valuable, objective source for determining

the current state of your learning culture so

include them where applicable.

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CEB Learning & Development Leadership Council

FURTHER RESOURCES

Build LearnerCapability

Foster a SupportiveLearning

Environment

Bord Gis Networks Tips

for Getting Executive Buy-

InSee how the L&D team at Bord GisNetworks presented their learningculture vision to their executive teamto get buy-in for the direction.

LPL FinancialsLearning

Supply Management

StrategyUnderstand how LPL Financialactively limits and curates thelearning opportunities provided bythe organization.

Standard Banks LearningMaturity FrameworkUse Standard Banks LearningMaturity Framew ork to diagnose thebusiness units learning maturityand design solutions that both meetand stretch learning maturity.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of

North Carolinas Effective

Learner PlatformLearn how Blue Cross and BlueShield of North Carolina designed alearner-centric on-demand mediaplatform (BLOOM) that supportsproductive learning behaviors instead

of just passive consumption.

American Expresss

Learning PathsSee how American Express buildslearning capability by designing theirLearning Paths to teach employeeshow to learn, not just w hat to learn.

The Hershey Companys

Global Leadership

BehaviorsDiscover how Hershey usesperformance management to holdemployees accountable fordemonstrating the right learningbehaviors, and impacting thelearning environment aroundthem.

Measuring for ImpactUse this research brief touncover the key aspec ts oflearning measurement andreceive guidance on a three-step process for ef fectivelyevaluating learning programs.

Assessing

L&D StructureTypes

Create a Learning

Culture Strategy

AssessingL&D Structure

Types

Assess L&D

Portfolio


Types

Build Learner

Capability


Types

Foster a SupportiveLearning

Environment


Types

Monitor Learning

Culture Health

27
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Building a Productive Learning Culture

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