Survey shows people take training as infrequently as they go to a conference; but they learn continuously in other ways

Last week I invited readers to take my latest Learning in the Workplace survey, where I asked how regularly are you “learning” in the workplace.

Although there have been well over 100 responses to the survey, once again, as with my previous survey a pattern to the responses appeared quite early on. So to make it easier to read the data, I took a snapshot of the results once 100 responses had been received.

Although there are probably few surprises in the responses to the four main questions themselves, it is when you view the amalgamated results that you can see the bigger picture. But, here first, are the responses to the four main questions. Click on the images for the full-size versions.

	Question 1: How frequently do you use the following ways to keep up to date with what is happening OUTSIDE your organisation – in your industry or profession?
	Question 2: How regularly do you use the following ways to keep up to date with what is happening INSIDE your organisation?
	Question 3: How regularly do you use the following ways to try and solve a learning or performance problem (e.g how to use a software feature, carry out an job task or professional activity)?
	Question 4: How regularly do you use the following formal approaches of acquiring a new skill or knowledge?

I used a weighted scoring system to create a ranked list of all the items in the four questions, which shows the most frequent way respondents learn, down to the least frequent ways. It also shows in bold red type, the most selected option. (Note: KUPTD = Keeping up-to-date)

	Total	Daily	Weekly	Monthly	2-3 times a year	Rarely	Never	Learning purpose
Email	479	91	5	1	0	11	2	KUPTD-inside
In person conversations	466	83	9	2	3	3	0	KUPTD-inside
Read blog posts/online articles	453	65	27	6	1	0	1	KUPTD-outside
Search the Social Web (using Google or another search engine)	444	61	28	7	3	0	1	Solve problems
Connect with others in public social networks or in private groups or communities	430	65	19	6	3	5	2	KUPTD-outside
Telephone calls	425	52	34	7	2	4	1	KUPTD-inside
Ask colleagues in your own organisation for help	383	27	46	17	3	7	0	Solve problems
Team meetings	361	10	54	25	10	0	1	KUPTD-inside
Watch videos or view presentation slides	345	13	40	31	11	5	0	KUPTD-outside
Read industry/professional magazines	292	27	46	17	3	7	0	KUPTD-outside
Search the organisational intranet (e.g. for a job aid or company document))	284	14	30	17	14	15	10	Solve problems
Ask colleagues in your external networks for help	275	5	25	31	21	15	3	Solve problems
Participate in an enterprise social network/ collaboration platform	256	33	9	11	1	20	26	KUPTD-inside
Company briefings	240	3	15	30	30	15	7	KUPTD-inside
Live chats/instant messages/Skype chats	235	22	14	14	4	1	27	KUPTD-inside
Participate in a private online team space	207	15	17	10	9	16	33	KUPTD-inside
Attend webinars	197	1	6	24	38	20	11	KUPTD-outside
Search the organisational LMS/ learning platform (i.e. for a course)	168	7	13	12	13	19	36	Solve problems
Participate in a training webinar	164	0	3	18	35	28	16	Formal learning
Go to in-person professional networking events	159	0	1	15	38	34	12	KUPTD-outside
Go on a face-to-face training course or workshop	154	0	2	6	41	46	5	Formal learning
Take an self-paced online course	147	1	1	10	34	40	14	Formal learning
Go to face-to-face conferences	145	0	1	4	38	53	4	KUPTD-outside
Attend online conferences	145	1	1	10	34	42	15	KUPTD-outside
SMS	145	6	16	3	3	36	36	KUPTD-inside
Use a coach (in person or online)	121	2	2	12	16	35	33	Formal learning
Take a scheduled online course (alongside other people)	116	2	3	3	22	41	29	Formal learning
Use a simulation or immersive learning solution	75	1	0	5	10	35	49	Formal learning

Looking at this ranked list, what stands out for me is the fact that people are taking formal training as infrequently as going to a conference – near the bottom of the list. But it also shows me that they are learning much more regularly — in fact continuously — in many more informal ways.

Taken together with the results from my previous survey, which showed that training was considered to be the least important way of learning in the workplace, I think this provides useful evidence for those trying to bring about change in their L&D departments, and might help them to see where they should be focusing their activities to have more impact in the business.

However, it is also clear that for many organisations, moving forward is not as easy it might sound, as it requires surmounting a number of mindset obstacles to do so. I’ll talk about that in a subsequent post.