Learning on the job is difficult. With high workloads and intense time pressure, the natural incentives of the workplace push people to do rather than to practice. If managers and L&D leaders want to create a learning culture, they need to explicitly shape the environment in order to value practice as well as execution.
Managers and L&D leaders can help make practice an organizational habit by embedding cues to practice in the environment. Here are some simple techniques to make the prompts for practice visible:
- Have employees post job aids or practice materials in their work spaces. When the practice material is visible, it is much more likely to be used.
- Add practice to meeting agendas. If the last 10 minutes of the weekly team meeting are always reserved for practice, it builds an expectation that practice will occur.
- Put practice-related questions into your check-ins. Many managers have a standard list of questions for their regular meetings with direct reports, such as “What did you accomplish this last week?” and “What do you need from me in order to move forward?” Simply adding questions like, “What skill are you going to practice this next week?” and “What were the results of your practice attempts last week?” can establish a routine of practice.
- Praise employees who share their practice experiences. It only takes a few seconds to verbally recognize a worker for practicing, but when done consistently it signals that leaders value those behaviors.