Lifelong learning is the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for personal or professional reasons. Association for Talent Development (ATD) research finds that nearly 60 percent of high-performing organizations actively encourage their employees to be lifelong learners, and talent development professionals are leading the way in encouraging, embracing, and creating a culture of self-directed or lifelong learning within organizations.
TD professionals are obligated to model the value of lifelong learning by updating critical knowledge and skills for personal and professional reasons. Taking ownership for your professional development signals to others that they should do the same.
“A culture of learning requires a growth mindset, or the belief that people are able to increase their talent and ability through curiosity and learning,” according to the Talent Development Body of Knowledge. “The growth mindset concept was pioneered by Carol Dweck, and her research shows that employees with a growth mindset have a desire to learn and a tendency to embrace change, learn from criticism, and find inspiration in the success of others.”
“Keeping pace with a workforce that’s continuing to learn and be adept to understanding shifts in the marketplace, in industries, and in technologies enables businesses to be innovative and to quickly recognize and act on opportunities. That drives competitive advantage,” Loren Heeringa, senior vice president and chief HR officer at Land O’Lakes, said in ATD’s Lifelong Learning: The Path to Personal and Organizational Performance research report.
Acquiring new knowledge through professional development activities for themselves (for example, attending professional conferences, self-directed reading, and monitoring industry trends)
Companies that nurture lifelong learners see improvements in employee engagement, organizational performance, employee retention, and the ability to meet changing business needs. The 2019 ATD BEST Award winners supported lifelong learning through their talent strategies and initiatives. For example, in more than 90 percent of the award-winning companies, employees participate in setting their own annual performance goals, and more than 95 percent of winners create personal development plans for employees.
This is so true and relative today more than ever! We can't sit still when so much is evolving and the environment of learners has moved to virtual vs instructor led classroom. As leaders in Learning and Development we are the role models of a curious mindset and can help others do the same. It's easy to feel alone in a virtual work environment and leaners can feel "stuck" and on an island.