What is Learning at Work Week?
Learning at Work Week is a unique annual event to build learning cultures at work. It aims to put a spotlight on the importance and benefits of continual learning and development. The Campaign for Learning coordinate LAW Week nationally and offer resources and ideas for learning & development colleagues looking to run creative, innovative and inclusive activities as part of their Learning at Work Week campaigns.
Learning at Work Week dates for 2022
Learning at Work Week 2022 will take place from 16th to 22nd May. The national theme is Learning Uncovered.
Check the Learning at Work Week website for planning ideas, news and activities, and sign up for updates from the LAW Week newsletter. Sign up here for Learning at Work Week news – tick the relevant box.
Given the ongoing pandemic and Covid-19, there will be a continued focus on the use of virtual activities and programmes alongside place-based activities to celebrate the Week.
Do we have to run Learning at Work Week during the national dates?
The national dates are when most workplaces run the week. If there is a better time for your organisation and its employees to mark Learning at Work, you can use the resources and ideas to run the week at a time suitable for your workplace. The most important thing is that Learning at Work Week is shaped to work for your organisation including when it happens.
Who can take part?
All companies and organisations are invited to mark Learning at Work Week. All types and sizes of organisation take part including multinationals, SMEs, public sector organisations and government departments. Participating companies include Virgin Media, American Express, Canon UK and GroupM. Events are led and organised by HR and L&D colleagues, ULRs, learning champions, marketing and communication colleagues and often delivered collaboratively.
What opportunities does it provide?
Learning at Work Week offers an opportunity to run a branded learning campaign in your workplace linked to a national event. Each year, thousands of organisations run vibrant, creative campaigns and activities which promote a learning culture, stimulate curiosity and engage employees in learning. See our impact award winner’s stories for a flavour.
Learning at Work Week is not prescriptive in terms of what your company should do and how you should mark it, but provides a framework and ideas. This ensures you can plan events and activities that fit your context and are explicitly linked to your business goals and the needs of your employees, so they have longer term impact.
The Week promotes an inclusive approach and encourages the extension of opportunities to learn to all employees, especially those who may not currently participate in learning.
What do companies do for Learning at Work Week?
Many companies use the Week as a catalyst for change providing an opportunity to ‘rebrand’ or refresh learning and development, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to staff development and celebrating learning that takes place all year round. The activities that companies run range from non-work related and interest-led activities through award ceremonies to business focused sessions. Learning at Work Week offers an opportunity to promote and deliver these in a way that is fresh, exciting and engaging – from panel sessions to creative workshops.
Why take part?
For your own organisation, the reasons for taking part will depend on your particular context and goals. Companies and individuals that have taken part previously report a wide range of opportunities and benefits:
- Changing attitudes to learning and work
- More positive and improved perceptions of learning and development both at business and individual level, increased motivation and productivity
- Greater awareness of opportunities to learn
- Increased knowledge and understanding of the opportunities for learning and development all year round and what they can deliver for the business and individual
- Greater employee engagement with learning
- Employees switched back onto learning and motivated, increased take up of learning and development opportunities
- Informing business & learning and development strategies
- Stimulating and collating feedback, ideas and perspectives that inform future planning
- Opportunities to discover and recognise internal talent
- Drawing on employees own knowledge, passions and interests to create engaging activities and wider sharing and collaboration in the workplace
- Greater recognition and valuing of different ways to learn in the workplace
- Encouraging a broader perspective on how learning and development happens and how employees can take advantage of new ways to learn – from traditional class-room based training through social media to team meets for generating and sharing learning
- Highlighting business priorities, agendas and addressing change
- Providing a platform to focus on and share important information about the business and its direction and using it as an opportunity to engage employees with different agendas and policies in a interactive and stimulating way
- Addressing workplace silos and bridging information gaps
- Bringing employees from different parts of the business together or partner organisations in to learn from each other.
What does the Campaign for Learning offer?
The Learning at Work Week team provides advice and guidance for organisations wishing to run Learning at Work Week, including online and printed resources. We also run planning seminars every year – see ‘What should I do next?’ below. Given the ongoing uncertainty caused by Covid-19 a key focus will be on planning support to develop virtual activities and programmes to celebrate the Week.
How much will it cost?
It’s free to register and access our online resources. Every year, our sponsors and partners offer free and low cost resources and sessions – from language lessons to life saving skills. Most organisers spend an average of £100 to organise their activities.
Learning at Work Week 2022 Theme
We set a theme for Learning at Work Week. You can use and interpret the theme in any way that adds value to your workplace and organisation. The 2022 theme is Learning Uncovered. We will be posting ideas on the theme page to get you started!
What should I do next?
If you are interested in taking part go to our Get Started section. Don’t forget to register to receive our Learning at Work news. You will then receive the latest updates for Learning at Work Week including special offers, and news about our other learning at work activities.
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