Updated January 09, 2024 - How to become a learning company? – Adaptability has become the key to survival for businesses. The ability to evolve, to adjust quickly to new market realities and to anticipate future trends has become an imperative to remain competitive. In this race for adaptation, the emergence of learning companies has taken a central place. 

In this article, we will explore, first, the fundamentals of becoming a learning organization and the undeniable benefits it provides. But also, the practical steps to transform your business into an organization that embraces continuous learning. 

[READ ALSO: The definition of the learning company]

Understanding what a learning company is 

A learning company is an organization that establishes a culture, behaviors and processes to promote the development of everyone's skills. She believes that this addition of individual skills will increase the company's overall skills capital. It will thus become more efficient, more competitive, and more agile in the face of change. As highlighted this article, a learning company is then better positioned to seize opportunities and overcome challenges.

And to do this, the learning company must be based on fundamental pillars:

• Global Approach: Understanding how the parts of a system work together and making decisions that consider the whole. In a learning organization, everyone learns to see the connections between actions and consequences, and to think holistically for the good of the organization.
• Personal Development: Continuously improve skills and leadership. Company members strengthen their skills, leadership, and ability to adapt to change.
• Common Vision: Encourage a shared vision of the future among all members of the organization. This vision inspires and guides actions, ensuring coherence and alignment of objectives.
• Collaborative Learning: Focus on teamwork and communication within the organization. Teams share knowledge, solve problems together, thus promoting innovative solutions and strengthening cohesion within the company.

[Read also: How to implement a learning corporate culture]

The benefits of a learning company

Becoming a learning company means adopting a continuous learning approach. In this way, it encourages its employees to acquire new skills and share knowledge: 

• Improving creativity: lEmployees explore new ideas and experiment. Which can lead to innovations and new solutions. 
• Better resolution of irritants: Teams trained in learning are often more effective in solving complex problems because of their ability to acquire and apply new skills. 
• Adaptation to new technologies: Learning companies are better equipped to quickly adopt new technologies, helping them stay up-to-date in a constantly changing environment.  

Becoming a learning company means being more flexible and better prepared to deal with changes. As a result, employees are more open to adjustments and developments, which can reduce the resistance to change : 

• Reduction of adaptation time: Employees are better able to adapt quickly to operational changes, such as reorganization, mergers or new strategies. 
• Effective change management: Learning companies often have more effective change management processes in place. This therefore minimises the disruption and costs associated with transitions. 

Continuous learning can significantly improve overall business performance by enabling employees to acquire new skills and work more efficiently: 

• Increased productivity: Employees who receive ongoing training are often more productive because they have better mastery of their tasks. 
• Better quality of work: Improved skills and knowledge typically translates into better quality work and increased customer satisfaction. 
• Increased competitiveness: Companies that invest in learning are better positioned to remain competitive in the ever-changing marketplace. 

A learning company creates an environment conducive to the professional growth of its employees: 

• Team loyalty: People tend to stay longer at a company that invests in their professional development and provides learning opportunities. 
• Talent attraction: Companies with a reputation for learning cultures can attract talented candidates looking to advance their careers. 
• Reduction of recruitment costs: Talent retention can reduce the costs associated with recruiting and training new employees. 

Steps to becoming a learning company 

Step 1: Consult your teams to find collective solutions 

Organize regular meetings to collect project and solution proposals from your employees. Consult them on specific topics related to the organization of the company. This then promotes a climate of trust, exchange and sharing of ideas. 

💡 An example: A company organizes weekly meetings where employees can share suggestions to improve internal processes. This then leads to the adoption of new, more efficient methods. 

Step 2: Encourage collaboration and team spirit 

Create opportunities for teamwork and encourage collaboration. Missions in pairs or teams thus encourage the exchange of ideas and the pooling of skills and experiences. 

💡 An example: A company organizes monthly creative workshops where teams collaborate on projects to create innovative advertising campaigns. 

Step 3: Value everyone’s experience and skills 

Recognize the importance of the experience and skills of your employees, even outside of their primary work area. Encourage team members to share their skills and learn from each other. 

💡 An example: Within a company, employees participate in regular skills-sharing sessions with each other. These peer-to-peer learning sessions allow everyone to contribute their technical expertise and learn practical tips directly from their colleagues. This then strengthens the collaboration and efficiency of the team.

Step 4: Rearrange workspaces 

Create shared workspaces to promote knowledge transfer. Reorganize individual offices into common spaces to encourage interaction and collaboration among employees. 

💡 An example: An organization redesigns its office space to include open collaboration areas. Teams can then come together to discuss projects and share ideas. 

Step 5: Promote a common culture 

Develop and promote a common corporate culture that promotes group cohesion and supports learning dynamics. Indeed, this common culture must reflect the company's values ​​and encourage continuous learning. 

💡 An example: A startup focused on innovation and creativity fosters a culture of “constant curiosity.” Employees are encouraged to ask questions, explore new ideas, and learn from each other in an open and respectful environment.