Supporting a learning organization

Public Service Renewal will be enhanced by flexible and innovative learning approaches. Diversity in teams and organizations in terms of background, experience and talent is a valuable resource enabling cross-fertilization of ideas, insight and knowledge. Our commitments to learning will contribute to our success in the areas of innovation, recruiting and retaining the best and brightest people, enhancing organizational capabilities and developing employee knowledge, skills and competencies and making the Public Service a more healthy and enriching work environment. Initiatives at individual, team, departmental, regional, community and national levels will help to build the Public Service brand by supporting the Public Service as a learning organization positively affecting the everyday lives of public servants.

In the table below, you will find suggestions for individual and organizational action to support learning. Learning is a shared responsibility. As individuals, teams, communities and organizations, we can change the way information is shared, decisions taken and the basis upon which we undertake our work and learning.

A wide range of learning activities beyond traditional classroom training can help to meet the diverse challenges being faced by public servants. Relatively modest steps can lead to significant changes and improvements.

Learning Commitment	Actions
Learning as Management Priority	Establish clear corporate management priorities that include learning
Building a Learning Organization	Focus recruitment on required skills and competencies Integrated Planning: individual learning plans linked to organizational priorities, business and human resources plan and work objectives
Employee Professional and Career Development	Focus on required skills and competencies for short, medium and long-term Support employee engagement and shared responsibility for individual and team learning Promote just-in-time and on-the-job learning Research and consider formal and informal learning options: e.g. horizontal committee work, special projects, job-shadowing, assignments, volunteering Consider distance learning degree and certification programs, part-time studies, cost-sharing, flexible work hours Support employee participation in developmental programs Support stretch assignments, secondments, Interchange
Time and/or Resources for Formal Training and On-the-Job Learning	Explore options to provide time and/or money for formal training and on-the-job-learning (e.g. special project, brown bag lunches, tutoring, peer learning, site visits) Consider distance learning options and flexible work hours to support this option.
Self Learning and Computer-Assisted Learning	Support employees to utilize existing tools for self-assessment and self learning within and external to the Public Service, e.g. Campusdirect, distance learning programs Create a Learning Centre or “E-Learning Zone” Utilize remote computer access. Research and develop new tools
Tutoring: A relationship composed of an expert with a highly developed skill, who is capable of transmitting his/her knowledge, and a learner who wishes to acquire the particular skill or knowledge.	Target tutoring to support new employees or employees with new responsibilities Focus tutoring on preserving corporate memory and assisting employees to enhance performance and key skills and competencies Link tutoring to learning plans and succession planning Utilize electronic information technologies
Mentoring: A voluntary, collaborative and mutually beneficial partnership between a mentee (who is looking to enhance his or her knowledge, skills and experience) and a mentor (who possesses this knowledge, skills and experience).	Target mentoring to support specific groups of employees, e.g. new employees, functional specialists, supervisors or managers, employees with developmental potential Focus mentoring on assisting employees to enhance performance and key skills and competencies Link mentoring to learning plans, leadership development and succession planning Support mentors Develop those mentored to become mentors to others Consider peer mentoring Consider two-way mentoring, e.g. between seasoned managers and new recruits Consider virtual mentoring with the support of electronic information technologies
Coaching: A relationship that helps an individual achieve desired results, e.g. deepen learning, improve performance or enhance well being. A coach does not necessarily possess the particular expertise, skills and experience that the client is aiming to enhance. Rather, a coach has developed competencies to help clients to clarify, align with and achieve desired objectives. Coaching is results-oriented and requires an ongoing commitment to learning and follow-up from the client.	Target coaching to support specific groups of employees, e.g. new supervisors or managers, employees with developmental potential Focus coaching on assisting employees to enhance performance and skills and competencies Link coaching to learning plans, leadership development and succession planning Develop internal coaching capacity Consider peer mentoring Consider two-way coaching between seasoned managers and new recruits Consider virtual coaching with the support of electronic information technologies
Team Diversity	Build and support teams with a diversity of talents, backgrounds and skills Support cross-cultural and cross-functional understanding
Team Learning	Support team learning and development objectives and activities Explore team or group learning plan options
Action Learning Groups: Action learning is a form of peer learning by posing fresh questions rather than giving advice or copying what others have already shown to be useful. It involves ongoing collaborative inquiry with fellow learners who are participating in the same questioning experience and is useful when an individual finds that her/his current expertise fails to provide effective resolutions to problems. Action learning involves working on real problems, focusing on learning and actually implementing solutions. To be effective, this partnership in learning needs to be both supportive and at the same time challenging, caring yet questioning.	Focus action learning on assisting employees to enhance performance and key skills and competencies Link to learning plans, developmental programs, leadership development and succession planning Apply action learning methodology to permit peers to learn, support one another and enhance problem-solving Support action learning groups
Partnership	Identify opportunities for joint research, project development and management, training etc. within and across departments and external to the Public Service Leverage economies of scale through memoranda of understanding for shared services etc.
Horizontal Linkages	Create interdepartmental or cross-disciplinary project teams, networks or working groups Hold regular team and community meetings to review lessons learned
Networks	Support participation in departmental, public service -wide, professional and functional community networks to share knowledge and to develop functional communities and communities of practice Support youth networks
Virtual Networks and Platforms for Sharing Ideas/Knowledge	Use electronic information and web-based technologies (e.g. facilitated e-learning, collaboration software, discussion groups) to share knowledge and support community Hold regular virtual meetings to review lessons learned
Preserving Corporate Memory	Document and share specialized knowledge and expertise within the system Create knowledge management and transfer mechanisms Create a system of expert elders to assist with transfer of organizational knowledge and skills
Leverage the Knowledge and Experience of Retired Public Servants	Establish an Alumni program to transfer specialized knowledge and teach specific skills Create an Emeritus program
Feedback from Employees	Seek formal and employee feedback and input on innovative learning methods and options Analyze formal employee feedback received relating to learning and develop action plan (e.g. Public Service Employee Survey results)
Advice from internal and external Clients, Partners and Stakeholders	Seek formal advice, feedback and input on best practices and innovation from clients, partners and stakeholders (e.g. Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee on the Public Service) Analyze formal employee feedback received relating to learning and develop action plan (e.g. Public Service Employee Survey results)

Learning Commitment

Actions

Learning as Management Priority

Establish clear corporate management priorities that include learning

Building a Learning Organization

Focus recruitment on required skills and competencies

Integrated Planning: individual learning plans linked to organizational priorities, business and human resources plan and work objectives

Employee Professional and Career Development

Focus on required skills and competencies for short, medium and long-term

Support employee engagement and shared responsibility for individual and team learning

Promote just-in-time and on-the-job learning

Research and consider formal and informal learning options: e.g. horizontal committee work, special projects, job-shadowing, assignments, volunteering

Consider distance learning degree and certification programs, part-time studies, cost-sharing, flexible work hours

Support employee participation in developmental programs

Support stretch assignments, secondments, Interchange

Time and/or Resources for Formal Training and On-the-Job Learning

Explore options to provide time and/or money for formal training and on-the-job-learning (e.g. special project, brown bag lunches, tutoring, peer learning, site visits)

Consider distance learning options and flexible work hours to support this option.

Self Learning and Computer-Assisted Learning

Support employees to utilize existing tools for self-assessment and self learning within and external to the Public Service, e.g. Campusdirect, distance learning programs

Create a Learning Centre or “E-Learning Zone”

Utilize remote computer access.

Research and develop new tools

Tutoring:

A relationship composed of an expert with a highly developed skill, who is capable of transmitting his/her knowledge, and a learner who wishes to acquire the particular skill or knowledge.

Target tutoring to support new employees or employees with new responsibilities

Focus tutoring on preserving corporate memory and assisting employees to enhance performance and key skills and competencies

Link tutoring to learning plans and succession planning

Utilize electronic information technologies

Mentoring:

A voluntary, collaborative and mutually beneficial partnership between a mentee (who is looking to enhance his or her knowledge, skills and experience) and a mentor (who possesses this knowledge, skills and experience).

Target mentoring to support specific groups of employees, e.g. new employees, functional specialists, supervisors or managers, employees with developmental potential

Focus mentoring on assisting employees to enhance performance and key skills and competencies

Link mentoring to learning plans, leadership development and succession planning

Support mentors

Develop those mentored to become mentors to others

Consider peer mentoring

Consider two-way mentoring, e.g. between seasoned managers and new recruits

Consider virtual mentoring with the support of electronic information technologies

Coaching:

A relationship that helps an individual achieve desired results, e.g. deepen learning, improve performance or enhance well being. A coach does not necessarily possess the particular expertise, skills and experience that the client is aiming to enhance. Rather, a coach has developed competencies to help clients to clarify, align with and achieve desired objectives. Coaching is results-oriented and requires an ongoing commitment to learning and follow-up from the client.

Target coaching to support specific groups of employees, e.g. new supervisors or managers, employees with developmental potential

Focus coaching on assisting employees to enhance performance and skills and competencies

Link coaching to learning plans, leadership development and succession planning

Develop internal coaching capacity

Consider peer mentoring

Consider two-way coaching between seasoned managers and new recruits

Consider virtual coaching with the support of electronic information technologies

Team Diversity

Build and support teams with a diversity of talents, backgrounds and skills

Support cross-cultural and cross-functional understanding

Team Learning

Support team learning and development objectives and activities

Explore team or group learning plan options

Action Learning Groups:

Action learning is a form of peer learning by posing fresh questions rather than giving advice or copying what others have already shown to be useful. It involves ongoing collaborative inquiry with fellow learners who are participating in the same questioning experience and is useful when an individual finds that her/his current expertise fails to provide effective resolutions to problems. Action learning involves working on real problems, focusing on learning and actually implementing solutions. To be effective, this partnership in learning needs to be both supportive and at the same time challenging, caring yet questioning.

Focus action learning on assisting employees to enhance performance and key skills and competencies

Link to learning plans, developmental programs, leadership development and succession planning

Apply action learning methodology to permit peers to learn, support one another and enhance problem-solving

Support action learning groups

Partnership

Identify opportunities for joint research, project development and management, training etc. within and across departments and external to the Public Service

Leverage economies of scale through memoranda of understanding for shared services etc.

Horizontal Linkages

Create interdepartmental or cross-disciplinary project teams, networks or working groups

Hold regular team and community meetings to review lessons learned

Networks

Support participation in departmental, public service -wide, professional and functional community networks to share knowledge and to develop functional communities and communities of practice

Support youth networks

Virtual Networks and Platforms for Sharing Ideas/Knowledge

Use electronic information and web-based technologies (e.g. facilitated e-learning, collaboration software, discussion groups) to share knowledge and support community

Hold regular virtual meetings to review lessons learned

Preserving Corporate Memory

Document and share specialized knowledge and expertise within the system

Create knowledge management and transfer mechanisms

Create a system of expert elders to assist with transfer of organizational knowledge and skills

Leverage the Knowledge and Experience of Retired Public Servants

Establish an Alumni program to transfer specialized knowledge and teach specific skills

Create an Emeritus program

Feedback from Employees

Seek formal and employee feedback and input on innovative learning methods and options

Analyze formal employee feedback received relating to learning and develop action plan (e.g. Public Service Employee Survey results)

Advice from internal and external Clients, Partners and Stakeholders

Seek formal advice, feedback and input on best practices and innovation from clients, partners and stakeholders (e.g. Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee on the Public Service)

Analyze formal employee feedback received relating to learning and develop action plan (e.g. Public Service Employee Survey results)

Date modified:: 2007-08-23

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Supporting a learning organization

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Supporting a learning organization