Scenario:

Google is great at many things-attracting top talent, maintaining employee satisfaction, and encouraging creativity, to name a few. According to the Association of Training and Development (ATD), companies that offer comprehensive training programs have 218 percent higher income per employee than companies withdut formalised training. Not only that, but companies that have required programs for their employees see a much higher profit margin than those that don't. Investing in people and promoting a self-learning environment is the right plan for companies that are looking to keep employees' behaviour in check.

How do organisations offer appropriate rewards in a timely fashion? Learning may be defined, for our purposes, as a relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience. That is, a person is said to have learned something when she consistently exhibits a new behaviour over time.

Learning involves a change in an attitude or behaviour. This change does not necessarily have to be an improvement, however, and can include such things as learning bad habits or forming prejudices. In order for learning to occur, the change that takes for new skills, and increase employee development. Spending millions of dollars is not necessary to create a culture that promotes learning. Google follows the simple principles that gives their employees purpose and a career path.

They provide information that is relevant and important to their employees. They know that in order to get this information to stick, it must be pertinent and presented at the right time, and in the right format. They also archive important information, and importantly, they empower employees to access this information at any and all times. Instead of providing gateways that impede learning, they open the doors. Additionally, they share 'dumb questions'. This may seem like a silly tactic, but encouraging employees to share their questions and opinions allows for sharing of information and learning on all levels. Google also employs the values of celebrated failure, which allows for the teams to learn from their mistakes and their failures. Then they can move on to the next project with newly found valuable information to get better each time.

Lastly, formalised plans for continued learning are employed for 'informal and continuous learning' to occur. Examples of these events can be allowing employees to pursue their own interests, utilising coaching and support tools, and then training being requested at various times. With these tactics, the cultivation of learning can be expressed throughout the company. Google is at the forefront of this pursuit, but other companies can learn from their methods to get ahead and get their employees on track as well.

Required:

What can other companies learn from Google's approach with respect to creating a positive working environment and a workforce committed to the company's vision, mission, and values by continual self-learning and ongoing development?