Analyzing and sustainably improving one’s learning culture is on the agenda of many companies. But how can those responsible for this learning culture in companies even make it visible? Established models are helpful:

The first step for companies that want to change their learning culture is to make the current “status quo” visible: the learning culture of your company is not only the willingness to learn of the employees or the provision of learning materials, but a diverse and complex entity.

“Learning culture encompasses both the supportive as well as all the hindering conditions of learning. Thus, learning culture is the expression of the importance that learning has in the company.” (HR Lexicon: Learning Culture)

A learning culture analysis helps your company to identify problems in the learning culture, strengthen the importance of learning, and develop suitable impulses for change.

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Learning Culture in Companies

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Simple Learning Culture Analysis for Companies in 3 Levels

Organizational psychologist Edgar Schein developed a culture model for companies for this purpose. In it, Schein distinguishes three levels of (learning) culture in companies:

• Level 1 includes visible things such as learning spaces or provided learning materials, as well as clear behaviors.

• Level 2 addresses values and attitudes, for example, the degree of self-responsibility and the role of supervisors.

• Level 3 consists of (unquestioned) basic assumptions. For example, “I must (not) learn for life” or “Learning only happens in the classroom.”

Even with these three simple levels, you as a personnel or education officer can roughly assess the learning culture in your company.

Comprehensive Learning Culture Analysis and Change

A comprehensive learning culture analysis model for companies comes from the scil (Swiss competence centre for innovations in learning). In it, not only the status quo is assessed, but the process for change processes is directly outlined (see illustration):

Learning culture analysis for companies according to scil with 5 learning culture components and 4 process phases. Source

This model for learning culture analysis has already been successfully applied in several companies. A detailed description as well as two detailed case studies can be found in the free PDF excursion: Learning culture analysis and change (trend study 2010, sci) – an exciting and worthwhile read for all education and personnel managers who want to get to the bottom of their own learning culture and make sustainable changes.

New Learning Methods Require New Learning Cultures for Companies

Whether with a simple 3-level model or a more complex approach – a learning culture analysis of your company forms the basis for change among employees, those responsible, and in the whole company. Especially in light of the ongoing digitalization, a comprehensive renewal of the learning culture in many companies has long been overdue: Modern learning concepts like e-learning and blended learning require not only technical support but also a new mindset!