When employees stop learning, not only do they grow bored and often begin looking externally for new jobs, but the organization itself is also left in a dangerous state of stagnation.
It is therefore imperative to have an internal system in place to facilitate employee learning and growth. According to a recent article from the Harvard Business Review, "If you want a high-growth organization, you need to create a learning ecosystem to support high-growth individuals — to expose them to new and challenging opportunities before their roles become stale."
These innovative ecosystems manifest in various ways: Entire teams can be combined, fostering inter-departmental collaboration, or particularly high-growth employees can be shifted into new roles and thus pushed onto new learning curves. Other tactics include establishing ongoing training and educational opportunities, job sharing, mentoring and outreach programs — all of which aid in boosting employee and companywide learning and, often, break down organizational silos.
"By creating an ecosystem that fuels continued learning, an organization builds capacity ahead of the competition," according to HBR. That capacity comprises new technical skills and greater adaptability, among other advantages, and can help ensure an organization's survival.
More articles on strategy:
How clinicians with MBAs can better assist patients: Brigham and Women's Hospital executive explains
How organizations track employee data to improve overall performance
Optum aims to help John Muir Health System thrive in Bay Area