Social learning is an effective way to help employees develop the skills they need for success. This type of learning encourages employees to observe, imitate and interact with others to acquire knowledge and build new skills. By leveraging social learning techniques, organizations can create a collaborative environment that fosters individual development as well as organizational growth.
In this space, we’ll discuss how social learning can be used to support employee development initiatives and provide some tips for creating successful social learning programs.
How Social Learning Encourages Employee Development
When social learning is used in employee development, it encourages staff to observe the behavior of others and apply what they’ve learned from them. This type of learning helps individuals gain confidence and a sense of ownership as they see their coworker’s success firsthand. It can also encourage collaboration and provide real-time feedback so that employees can adjust their strategies as needed.
It is good to learn from someone more experienced and who is fully conversant with a company’s policies. You are not just learning their skills but also applying them in the way that the organization requires. This helps new staff to fit in with the new business that they are working for.
We can learn a lot from being around others as long as they are a good influence and have the skills we are trying to learn. They should display model behavior and be following the company procedures correctly to be the best kind of teachers.
It is possible to know the skills a trainer or mentor possesses when they have the certification displayed on the wall to prove that they have gone on the right training courses following formal education. This ensures their skills have been more specifically tailored to the workplace setting and the training of others.
Observation
Employees can learn from observing the mistakes of others and applying what they’ve learned to their work. This type of social learning also allows them to see how other employees approach tasks or challenges, which can help them refine their skills.
There is nothing like learning something firsthand and in real time to gain a greater understanding of the process. We can read all the books or manuals out there but it is not as valuable to study them as an actual person doing the job successfully. This kind of insight is invaluable.
Shadowing is the preferred method of training in many situations where the new employee gets to physically work alongside the person who they are going to be assisting, covering for, or replacing. They can learn the way the job is done more easily without having to discover the hard way by accident or trial and error. It is a much more effective approach to learning work-based activities.
Tips for Creating a Successful Social Learning Program
When it comes to social learning, the key is to create a collaborative and interactive environment. Here are some tips for making social learning part of your employee development program:
- Provide ample opportunities for observation, such as allowing employees to observe each other’s work or attend social events together.
- Encourage collaboration among team members by giving them the time and space to interact with each other.
- Offer real-time feedback so employees can adjust their strategies quickly.
- Set up social learning initiatives that are tailored to individual development needs.
Conclusion
By leveraging social learning in employee development, organizations can create a more collaborative environment that encourages growth from both an individual and organizational perspective.
Social learning can help employees gain the skills they need to be successful in their roles, while also promoting a more cohesive team atmosphere. With social learning, organizations can better support employee development and create an environment that encourages growth.