Foster Collaborative Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Many skills evolve too quickly for formal learning plans to keep pace. To complement your formal learning items and remain competitive, you can encourage collaborative learning through self-published videos and learning journeys.

Collaborative learning can equip learners with the newest best practices, methods, and technologies to use while doing their work. To create a positive environment for collaborative learning, you might need to adjust your organization's culture. Executives and managers can use their leadership to empower and encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Collaborative learning cycle — A cyclical flow showing how social recognition and management encouragement inspire growing involvement in collaborative learning.

Remove Barriers to Publication

Let individuals share their knowledge with minimal interference. Long approval chains and demanding standards dampen enthusiasm and prevent timely sharing. A more hands-off approach, with short or no approval chains, lets individuals more quickly produce learning content with varied points of view. It also lets your learning communities self-curate.

Encourage Collaboration

Executives can encourage collaboration by actively sharing insights with the organization. Here are examples of how managers can also encourage collaboration:

Require their teams to complete certain learning items.
Encourage peer-to-peer learning recommendations.
Help individuals find better ways of doing their work using employee-sourced knowledge.

Recognize and Reward Contributors

Many contributors share because of enhanced reputations resulting from likes and recommendations of their published content. Managers can further motivate collaboration by recognizing and rewarding key contributors in other ways, such as at team meetings or events. This also raises awareness of generates interest in the best knowledge.

Train on Content Creation

Not everyone has the skills to share their knowledge effectively. If you've experts who are slow to get involved, you can provide training on content creation. As you help people convey their knowledge in concise and engaging stories, the quality of your learning resources improves.