Workplaces are changing rapidly: According to the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Jobs Report, 94% of business leaders expect their employees to gain new skills. Like those businesses, your government agency may need to adapt to new technology or other new developments. Promoting lifelong learning in your agency can help your employees improvise solutions when unexpected challenges pop up, making it easier to meet the needs of your constituents.
How to promote lifelong learning in your agency
- Inspire the right mindset
- Reward professional development
- Provide opportunities for collaboration
- Make learning more inclusive
1. Inspire the right mindset
A culture of lifelong learning often starts with the right mindset. According to Forbes®, a growth mindset involves believing that talents can be developed through hard work. This mindset can be encouraged in several ways:
- Growth plans: Give employees the opportunity to set their own learning goals and have them document their own progress. This can inspire excitement for learning new skills.
- Positive reframing: View challenges as opportunities for growth, rather than obstacles to progress. Encourage framing discussions about workplace hiccups in a positive way by highlighting lessons learned.
- Personalized feedback: Offer individualized feedback about an employee’s goals and work performance. This can help target what skills they’d like to sharpen.
2. Reward professional development
Building a culture that promotes lifelong learning includes rewarding employees who invest in themselves with education and training. Give workers who attend seminars or make progress in training courses a shout-out during team meetings and present them with professional development gifts. A mini tote filled with a classic notebook, their favorite snacks and a certificate frame to show off their new credentials recognizes their achievements. The rest of your staff will feel inspired seeing their colleagues’ progress and will want to take a more active role in the learning culture in your agency.
3. Provide opportunities for collaboration
Your staff members are already experts in a range of skills, meaning they may not need to go outside your agency to learn new things. Giving your employees the opportunity to collaborate can build an atmosphere where learning is valued. Host “learning lunches” based on professional topics employees are interested in and invite the entire team to attend and ask questions. Thank those employees who choose to attend with professional development gifts, like a Wave Cap, Jupiter Bluetooth® Speaker or a set of Wooden Stacking Zen Stones for their desk.
4. Make learning more inclusive
One important tip for building an atmosphere that promotes development is to involve everyone in the process of gaining and sharing expertise, regardless of age, seniority or position in the agency. Promote learning opportunities to your newest hires and your most experienced veterans alike. Your team will appreciate the idea that no one is ever finished learning and will embrace development as a lifelong process.
Promote lifelong learning to empower your agency’s employees
Establishing a culture that promotes lifelong learning may take time but will ultimately teach your team members to embrace changing trends and how to handle unexpected challenges. These skills can help them better serve your community.
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