How to make learning a two way street at your workplace

A lot of learning in the workplace involves juniors learning alongside the more experienced team members about how to do their job and how to use the programs they need to be successful at work.

There are now workplaces adding to this learning by osmosis experience (because it is still a valuable way for juniors to get their footing) and are making learning more of a two way street – juniors learning from seniors and vice versa. They’ve realised that everyone has something that they can teach others, and while juniors may not have a lot of experience in the role, they do bring fresh perspectives, unique experiences and skills that senior staff might not have.

So if you’re keen to make this type of cross-generational learning at your business the status quo going forward, check out some of our ideas!

Have a reverse mentorship program

Regular mentor programs are great – juniors are paired with seniors and can pick their brains about their role, the industry and where they should take their career. But have you ever tried reverse mentoring?

It’s essentially where mentoring goes both ways. Juniors still get mentored, but so do the senior team members – usually juniors will teach them about technology, social media and emerging trends. A safe environment is created where communication can flow and everyone feels comfortable asking questions without the fear of being ridiculed for not knowing something.

Create a knowledge sharing platform

If you don’t already have a LMS, intranet or knowledge sharing platform, this is a great excuse to get one up and running. Ask for contributions from all employees, not just senior leaders. Think along the lines of articles, tutorials, infographics and videos – however your team is comfortable presenting information.

Make sure the team updates these regularly so they remain relevant and encourage staff of all levels to contribute to the platform whenever they see a gap.

Run in-house training and workshops

Training and workshops are an important part of your regular learning and development strategy. Open them up to be run by all employees and invite them to present on hard and soft skills – both are equally important. If someone is passionate about TikTok and gaming the algorithm or is a kick-ass negotiator who never gets a no, encourage them to run a training session. Not only will your team learn a thing or two, but it’ll also give the presenter some practice with public speaking too – win-win!

Lead by example

As a leader, you need to be involved in any cross-generational learning initiatives and you need to encourage other senior team members to engage with them too. Leading by example is really powerful. Not only does it show team members that learning is a priority at your business, but that people at all different levels of experience are worth learning from, not just the senior team members. It’ll also encourage others to get involved with any two-way learning initiatives you implement, adding to the success of your learning and development program in general.

Make some noise

Make a fuss about those who get involved with any cross-generational learning – celebrate and appreciate their efforts and contributions to the program. Consider a reward and recognition program to motivate employees to get involved with learning – everyone likes a good pat on the back or a little recognition for their efforts.

Ready for a new role? Need to add to your team? We’re here to help! Get in touch at hello@creativenatives.com.au today.