OPINION
The benefits of encouraging LIFELONG LEARNING
If more companies commit to creating a lifelong learning culture within their organisations, we will see happier employees and make the world a better place in which to work and play, says Miika Mäkitalo
W hen it comes to establishing what makes a successful manager, there’s a saying, ‘good leaders are good learners’. Unfortunately, for many of us, learning is a word we associate almost exclusively with early education and universities. In truth, schooling should be seen as a warm-up rather than the finish line. Over the past two years, businesses have been forced to adapt in the most dramatic fashion. Switching to remote working has been a learning curve for most, but despite widespread concern initially, we have seen how quickly teams can pick up new systems and ways of working. While employees have proven their commitment and abilities during the pandemic, companies themselves have been stretched. Naturally, with budgets tight and all the focus on productivity, investment in employee progression has gone from a run to a crawl. Ultimately, this comes down to companies investing in training and education when they are doing well, and withdrawing the budget
when things are pointing south. Research from Soffos.ai illustrated this trend by revealing that 46% of employees have received no professional training from their employer during the pandemic. Given that employee development has slipped down the list of priorities for many businesses, I wanted to share several reasons why companies should endeavour to support initiatives that encourage learning within their organisation. As the CEO of customer and employee feedback company HappyOrNot, I am conscious that in order to practise what we preach, we must maintain a culture where employees are continually given the opportunity to learn and develop their skills. In today’s market, attracting new talent is a constant fight between companies. Generally, the winners of these battles are the organisations that can offer applicants and graduates the culture they are looking for, as well as suitable roles and road-mapped career progression, rather than just financial rewards. The beauty of becoming a company that
Miika Mäkitalo is Chief Executive Officer of HappyOrNot (www.happy-or-not.com)
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