Q12 Article Series: Q12. "This Last Year, I Had Opportunities At Work to Learn and Grow."
Gallup’s final Q12 question measures the degree to which an employee feels they are given opportunities to learn and grow. Having opportunities to continuously develop is a basic human need, one that stays with us regardless of our roles and experience levels.
We might first think of a training or other formal learning event when we envision ‘learning at work.’ However, growth opportunities can take many forms: finding a better way to do a job, taking on additional responsibilities, mentoring other team members or being mentored… anything where employees feel challenged and personal improvement will support learning.
Benefits of Learning Opportunities
- Productivity: When employees are learning and growing, they work harder and more efficiently.
- Motivation: Having a chance to learn or try something new—rather than only doing the same thing every day—can build momentum and enthusiasm.
- Innovation: Employees who have opportunities to learn have better ideas and approaches to work. An environment that fosters learning will foster innovation.
- Retention: Employees who have opportunities to learn and grow at work are twice as likely to say they will spend their career with their organization.
Questions
Supervisors can engage their teams in initial conversations on growth and learning with the following questions from Gallup.
- When was the last time you felt like you learned something new in your role?
- What experiences are you challenging yourself with this year?
- What do you want to be doing in three years? How will you get there?
- Are there things you need to learn to do your job better?
Tips for Supervisors
- The best managers create learning opportunities at the individual level - Invest time in getting to know your employees’ career goals and strengths to help match them with the right opportunities to grow and develop.
- Help your team members set both expanding (short-term skill-building) and aspirational (career oriented stretch) goals.
- Check in on employees’ progress often, and ask them what they are learning and how they are applying it to their roles.
Tips for Teams
- Connect with GMU’s Organizational Development and Learning to request a tailored team development experience on change management, team building, conflict/communication skills, etc.
- Consider partnering employees with complementary strengths and different subject matter expertise to work on a task together. These partners might learn something new that they did not know before.
- Match a new employee with an employee with more experience to help the new employee learn about the job more quickly and provide an opportunity for the veteran employee to take on a new role.
Tips for Individual Contributors
- Partner with a coach through GMUs internal Workplace Coaching Program. A coach can provide free, personalized, confidential support for your growth and development goals.
This article was written by Laxmi Shastry. For additional information, visit the Faculty and Staff Experience Survey website or email engagehr@gmu.edu.