We have already discussed the advantages that learning partnerships offer to companies in the last article. In this article, we will take a closer look at how you can create the optimal conditions for learning partnerships in the workplace.

Learning partners benefit not only from the individual exchange of knowledge between two colleagues. Rather, it is the personal conversation and shared experiences that make learning so efficient. Companies benefit at least as much from the personal development of their employees as they do themselves. After all, employees who possess the right soft skills and experiential knowledge are invaluable.

Do you want to learn more about the concept of learning partnerships and how they work? In part 1 of our learning partner series, we have compiled all the important information for you!

Whether on-site, as a blended learning concept, or as a tandem, learning partnerships are a successful addition to workplace training in any scenario. In addition, the concept of learning partnerships can be expanded through blended learning platforms to achieve an optimal and long-term learning experience. This enables employees to acquire knowledge independently of human resource managers while still having a partner available for questions. Learning partnerships are therefore the optimal complement for self-directed learning in the company.

Working with a learning partner shows a participant a new dimension of learning that is cooperative and no longer competitive as in school. – Rolf Stiefel

As an HR professional, here’s how to create the right conditions for successful learning partnerships!

Learning partnerships rely on the fact that learning partners can exchange ideas independently and thematically. However, the role of HR professionals should not be underestimated, as HR professionals guide the learning partnership throughout the entire learning process. To give learning partnerships in your company a promising start, we recommend the following:

Tip 1: Plan your online courses for multiple participants. The human brain learns particularly well when it can explain things to others. Therefore, it makes sense to stimulate the learning process of learners through tandem courses.

Tip 2: Create free time slots for individual learning time. Everyone learns differently and at their own pace. Therefore, set up free time slots where each participant can deepen their knowledge as they wish.

Tip 3: Allocate free time for identifying possible thematic focuses. Have you ever noticed an important point while learning that was actually too brief? Important topics are often recognized too late. By planning buffer time in advance, you will have enough time for such topics in the later learning process.

Tip 4: Provide free spaces for learning partners. Yes, this is an important point – being able to focus on a specific topic without interruption is part of effective work. Therefore, provide your learning partners with resources in the form of rooms and support them in knowledge exchange.

Tip 5: Assign joint projects to learning partners. The collaboration of those who are also learning partners can have great advantages. On the one hand, they already know each other well and have also learned about each other's working methods. This is not necessarily the case in large companies with different projects. On the other hand, learning partners expand their knowledge beyond departmental boundaries, which ties in with our last tip:

Tip 6: Form learning partnerships that are independent of teams and areas of work. "I don’t know anything about that, I’m not responsible for that!" Departmental thinking is still often found in companies today. However, it is much more effective to let employees dip into different areas of the company. Only then do especially new employees get a sense of what the company really does and what is important.

4 central goals pursued with learning partnerships

Learning partnerships and personality development are two terms that practically intertwine. Because learning partners not only share knowledge and experiences with each other. Personality development is also a significant component of the learning method. In addition, the following four goals are pursued:

1. Leadership behavior

Employees have an influence on decisions and should actively contribute their opinions.

2. Joy of learning and motivation

This counteracts the depersonalization of learning and also shows non-content-related learning successes, such as soft skills. Moreover, learning becomes a cooperative process and is no longer competitive as in school.

3. Interpersonal sensitivity

This is part of the soft skills of every leader, as one's own behavior should be adapted depending on the situation.

4. Initiative, responsibility, self-awareness

Learning by doing: Employees learn behaviors not just by talking about them. Rather, employees must be given the chance to gain their own experiences.

We derived these four goals from an article. If you want to learn more about the goals of learning partnerships, you can find the scientific article by Rolf Stiefel here.

Blended learning connects online and offline learning partners. Learn now how to create the optimal conditions for blended learning training!

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