You know the saying: Knowledge is power. The more your team commits to continuous learning, the better positioned you will be to thrive in a constantly changing world. Learning in the workplace can open the door to innovation, creativity, and engagement. When team members feel empowered to learn and grow, they often feel more motivated to contribute.

So, how can you create the kind of culture that promotes continuous learning? According to Lisa Holley, a learning and development expert at Insperity, it begins by laying a foundation that allows learning to flourish. We share her ideas on how to do this in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

1. Vocalize your commitment. Make sure everyone on your team knows the importance of continuous learning. Holley recommends including it among your company’s core values, working it into job descriptions and talking about it in employee reviews. Clearly express how your team is committed to learning and self-improvement.

2. Make it easy and accessible. When you want your team members to commit to learning more, make it as convenient as possible. Start on online portal with training courses or education resources, suggests Holley. This format allows onsite and remote workers to access information. You could also start an onsite resource library in your office with educational materials sales reps can review in person.

3. Host internal learning opportunities. From lunch-and-learns to roundtable discussions, you can encourage regular learning by bringing opportunities to your team. Some other ideas include hosting webinars and bringing in outside speakers to discuss topics relevant to the promotional products industry. These kind of events don’t require any research or legwork from employees — they simply show up and learn.

4. Invite ideas from your team. Talk to your sales reps about what interests them and what they want to learn more about. If the topics align with their job, look for courses or trainings that can provide them with the information they’d like. Holley recommends exploring educational offerings from local business groups, local academic institutions and certification organizations.

5. Create stretch projects. Many people learn by doing. Look for ways you can help your team members build new skills, whether it’s giving them greater responsibility or asking them to lead new projects. Ideally, you can create opportunities in areas in which your team members have already shown an interest.

6. Pair up your team members. Your sales reps may share some common strengths, but they also have individual talents. If one employee shines with public speaking, consider pairing up that person with an employee who wants to develop that skill. Or if someone on your team demonstrates impressive organization skills, try matching them with someone who could use help in that area. Holley points out an added perk to peer learning: It can help improve team camaraderie and engagement.

7. Start a mentorship program. Everyone on your team has valuable experiences and knowledge they can share with others. By creating a mentorship program, you allow that that knowledge to be shared among the group.

Is your company and team set up for continual learning? You don’t need a huge budget to weave more learning into your workday — you just need to be intentional. Start by getting everyone on the same page about professional development. Then, mix and match the ideas above. From hosting lunch-and-learns to creating a mentorship program, there are many ways you can cultivate a culture of learning.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Lisa Holley is a manager for corporate learning and development at Insperity. She has more than 20 years of experience in the training development industry.