The pandemic has shown that companies need to be proactively resilient – to use the crisis as a learning experience and an opportunity to transform into something new and stronger. This requires a culture of constant learning. To build those capabilities, constant learning needs to be part of the company’s culture.
Learn, Apply, Share
At Sanofi, a diversified global health care company present in more than 170 countries, they developed a “learn, apply, share” strategy
- People who want to kick off their own learning actions are asked to complete a formal one-page document that poses six questions
- What will I learn?
- How, how, when, and why? – Formalizing the individual initiative on paper makes it part of the job, not a sideline or after-hours task.
Retaining Gig Mindsetters
Fostering a gig mindset learning culture is a retention issue – if gig mindsetters encounter repeated obstacles, they may decide to look for more fulfilling places to work.
- Gig mindsetters can encounter problems at work because managers see their behaviors as disrespectful, undisciplined, and self-centered
- Positive deviance, where the so-called negative behaviors actually bring benefits to the organization as a whole, is a willingness to make things bett
Lifting engagement Internally and Externally
Nishith Desai Associates (NDA), a 31-year old international law firm with 120 employees and a presence in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America, was recognized by the Financial Times as “India’s most innovative law firm” for six years.
- During the pandemic, NDA developed a Client Continuing Education Program (cCep), which extended beyond clients and potential clients to include other professionals like lawyers, accountants, bankers, and the larger community
Company Self-Assessment
To determine whether your organization has a gig mindset learning culture, think about these questions:
- Flow of information and ideas
- Teams and experimenting
- Horizon scanning
- Are there systems for getting input from the edges?
- Is there time for activities, such as external networking, attending conferences, and taking online learning programs?
