Research shows that at least 80% of all workplace learning is informal in nature. Unfortunately, our experience indicates that the typical organization spends 80% or more of its learning and development budget on formal learning activities, which account for less than 20% of the learning that occurs in the workplace. In today’s economic climate, this disconnect is more apparent than ever before. As training and HR professionals, we need to step outside of our comfort zone to leverage the most strategic informal learning practices, providing training resources to our organizations at the point-of-need, when and where they’re needed most.
While integrating informal learning into our more traditional, formal learning environments seems daunting at first, there is no doubt that we recognize the rate at which the paradigm is shifting. In a 2008 ASTD/i4cp study titled, “Tapping the Potential of Informal Learning,” 41% of respondents said informal learning is occurring in their organizations to a high or very high extent. Another 34% of respondents said they believe informal learning is occurring to a moderate extent.
More than half of the ASTD/i4cp study’s respondents reported an increasing use of informal learning in their organization, citing that informal learning practices would increase in their organization over the next three years. The study also found a significant, positive correlation between the degree to which informal learning occurs in an organization, and their reported market performance. Now that is music to our senior managers’ ears! Informal learning, while cost-effective in nature, is also producing real bottom-line results for organizations that are leveraging its power in best practice.
Take a look at Business Training Library's latest white paper designed to help organization's define, utilize, and leverage informal learning, in order to enhance communication and workplace performance, and drive business results! Download a free copy of "Informal Learning - The 80/20 Rule" today.
Informal learning is a very powerful tool for organizations today. I work for a company called CoachingOurselves that strongly believes in the power of informal learning. CoachingOurselves is an approach to management and leadership development that uses self-directed peer coaching groups that participate in various informal learning sessions. CoachingOurselves helps organizations create an informal learning environment in order to develop their managers as individuals, the group as a team, and then the team undertakes initiatives to positively change the organization as a whole.
Their website is http://www.coachingourselves.com
Posted by: Brenna | May 08, 2009 at 12:51 PM