Learning at Work Week started 15th May for 2023 with the theme ‘Create the Future.’ On 13th May the 2024 Learning at Work Week starts with the great theme learning power.

With the cost-of-living crisis and huge pressures to perform we’re seeing a lot of demotivated teams out there. But the great news is there’s many ways to engage with your team improving wellbeing and increasing their performance. 

Here’s 5 ways to invest in team development for Learning at Work Week and beyond. 

2024 Learning at Work Week Sessions

1) Helping others grow 

You have a great teammate; you’ve seen their hidden strengths but they’re struggling. How do you bring out their best? It starts with asking the right questions to empower them. Knowing what questions to ask starts with understanding your teammate on a deep level, going far deeper than KPIs and small talk. 

Of course, however great your rapport is with your team there will be times when difficult conversations are needed, knowing how to navigate these without destroying their motivation but also kickstarting desired behaviours is paramount to the future success of the team. By providing feedback in the right way, you provide them with opportunities to grow. 

Not only is this great for the individual, and for team performance, but mentoring is a deeply rewarding experience. 

2) Understanding how to have a wellbeing conversation 

We’ve spoken before about the dangers of fake empathy. Listening to someone and then not following up or supporting them is one way to undermine a wellbeing conversation. 

Supporting a teammate through a tough time can feel outside our comfort zone, you may be unsure how to balance maintaining a healthy distance whilst still helping. Finding the right words in the moment comes with practice.  

It’s really helpful to have good authoritative signposting resources available, perhaps in the form of an EAP programme. Remember you aren’t a trained professional there is only so much you can do to help and there are specialist external resources out there for your team. 

Stress can be contagious and one stressed person can ‘infect’ a whole office. By addressing wellbeing head on and removing stigma from the conversation the effects have far reaching consequences on team culture. Building resilience as a whole team is also a great thing to work on together this year. 

3) Getting buy-in for positive change 

Changing as an organisation is a bit like a rollercoaster, you need every team member to join you on the ride, if you leave people on the side they don’t experience the thrill of the wins and learn during the dips; you all need to be pulling in the same direction and that is when the magic happens. 

Understand the power of persuasion, not to manipulate but to sell the benefits to each team and department and how social copying can play a big part in creating great company culture. 

4) Leveraging cognitive diversity in teams 

As organisations begin to understand the power of thinking differently there are a number of factors at play. As well as integrating demographic diversity and neurodiversity, and building a multi-generational workforce, cognitive diversity is another thing you need to consider. 

There has been much talk about domestic diversity and more talk about neurodiversity, but there’s also cognitive diversity. 

“Cognitive diversity reflects the different ways we as people process knowledge, problem solve, understand complexity and learn” 

There are some great techniques for bringing out the different cognitive styles of your existing team and understand what may be missing when considering hiring new staff. 

5) Creating your dream team 

The best teams are ones that are nurtured and which evolve as great new teammates are added. 

High employee turnover can be hugely damaging to company culture. It can be easy to deviate from company values if onboarding doesn’t fully explain and ‘sell’ missions and purpose to new team members. 

Learn to identify the strengths and challenges your team face, this will help you build and maintain a successful team who achieve great things together. 

Take the time to create a psychologically safe environment for your team and understand it’s impact on team growth. 

What’s more learn how to turn downfalls into opportunities. 

Learning at work week inspiration 

There are many ways to grow, connect and engage with your team during Learning at Work Week.

Start evolving your learning culture and tap into learning power with these 9 ideas

Learning at Work Week ideas

Last Updated on 10 months by Hannah Ingram