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‘Culture’ is a powerful word that brings with it many meanings. We live within them. Our world is defined by them and the interactions between them. History is their story. It makes sense then that we study them, wherever they take root. The workplace is no different.
Our High Impact Learning Organization ™ research, which looks at more than 20 different elements of L&D, found that the strength of an organization’s learning culture is the greatest predictor of business impact. In fact the cultural practices described in that research have two to three times greater impact than any other single dimension.
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So we knew it was important – but how and why? We needed to do more research – to go deeper. We wanted to come to answers to questions such as:
- What is it – exactly – and how do we know a strong culture of learning when we see it?
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What and who has influence over it?
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Why is it important? What is its business impact?
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And, what can we do about it?
Well, at our IMPACT conference in two weeks (you can still attend, so sign-up now!), we will unveil the results of a truly landmark study – including tools for first, defining and identifying the existing practices and elements of learning culture in your organization (and we have an assessment to help with this); and second, guidance for taking action to improve these practices and processes to drive your culture toward one of “high-impact.”
Our study begins and ends with one premise: learning culture is more about how your business operates, not how your L&D or HR departments operate. Choosing to build a strong learning culture is a business strategy with business results. Our research is grounded in this perspective.
And guess what? We now have the data to prove it.
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We compared almost 100 possible company processes, policies, attitudes, and activities against performance at business outcomes, such as employee productivity, ability to innovate, customer satisfaction, and speed to market.
Strong learning cultures are :
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46% more likely to be strong innovators in their markets;
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37% more likely to list employee productivity as a strength;
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34% more likely to get to the market before their competitors;
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and 18% more likely to currently be a market share leader in one or more of their markets.
Of course, many factors affect a company’s performance at outcomes like these, but we can now clearly state that the 40 High Impact Learning Culture ™ practices identified in our study account for 46% of the variance in business outcomes studied - almost half. All else being equal, culture matters.
Figure 1: Overall Performance at Business Outcomes vs High Impact Learning Cultures
Source: Bersin & Associates, 2010
Our data shows that most organizational learning cultures today are decidedly mediocre. That said, take heart in the fact that learning culture CAN be changed – and for the better. But those of you who work in L&D and HR cannot do it alone. Most of the practices we identified in this research must be developed through collaboration with business leaders. The good news is that learning culture is not some nebulous concept which you just “feel.” It can be defined, cultivated, and improved. And it really makes a difference. Without a strong set of cultural practices, the right learning strategy, organizational structure, and well-designed learning programs will fall short of meeting your desired needs. This research is designed to help managers and executives in L&D, HR, and the business understand how to make culture a ‘multiplier’ of business success, not an obstacle.
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So be the first to hear the results of this research. Join us at
IMPACT. Then keep an eye for the study:
High Impact Learning Culture ™ to publish soon after.
As always, comments welcome.
-David