May 30

Beyond Learning at Work Week: Making Learning Stick All Year Round

Beyond Learning at Work Week: Making Learning Stick All Year Round

May has seen the LA team buzzing with inspiration as we’ve embraced the theme of learning—something we are all about! 

While Learning at Work Week may officially span just a few days, we see it as a springboard for learning all year round and so this has been our focus this month. 

Let's delve in to a few of our reflections on the month of May and what we've learned along the way. 

Learning When Life is Full

One idea that keeps going through my mind is how hard it can be to make space for learning when everything feels full. Our minds are busy, our schedules packed, and learning can shift from something we want to do into something we feel we should do but never find the time for.

I know how that feels – even as someone in the business of learning, I’ve looked at everything on my plate and wondered what has to give, choosing to give up (formally) learning my native Welsh language a few years ago because my brain felt overwhelmed. Too often, it’s learning that gets pushed aside. Especially the kind of learning that isn’t urgent but deeply important: the kind that helps us grow, connect, evolve.

As human beings, we’re wired to learn. We’re naturally curious, endlessly adaptive. Learning is what has helped us get where we are. So the question isn’t whether we can learn—it’s how we can learn when we’re stretched too thin. What do we need to do to create space to learn?

Cutting Through the Noise

There is a lot of noise in our working lives—emails, videos, blogs, posts, notifications—and even when we want to learn, it’s hard to cut through to the stuff that actually makes a difference. I’ve been really noticing my own reactions when I am faced with post after post, email after email – all great, useful information; all things I want to engage with. But it’s just too much.

We’ve been talking a lot about this in the team over the last few years and recognised our own propensity to create and build in vast amounts – possibly just adding to the noise.
That’s why we’ve continued developing our microlearning resources, short video modules, and Quick Guides—like this month’s Quick Guide to Making Learning Stick. These are bite-sized, focused tools designed to help people learn just enough to spark change. Just three clear steps or takeaways, so learning can fit in without overwhelming.
And we’ve really focused on our approach too. We’re moving away from packing in everything we know (because it’s all such good stuff so everyone should know about it!) and instead focusing on quality over quantity. We’re going deeper into fewer ideas, creating time for discussion, examples, reflection and plenty of questions. 
It’s more meaningful, more engaging—and the learning science backs it up. When we keep to the important points we can retain more of what matters most.

I’m a firm believer that there is always something to learn- no matter how skilled or confident I am at something, there is always room for improvement or something new I can add. 

Learning Through Reflection

My go to technique for learning these days has to be reflection. the unsung hero of learning – it feels like you are doing so little, but your brain is working hard! Carving out space to process what we’ve taken in and make it relevant to ourselves helps cement our insights and build understanding that lasts.


My good friend and I are taking this to the next level. We are both undertaking training next month and we’ve built reflection into the process: 

  • complete the pre-session eLearning
  • meet to explore what we learned and what we thought
  • attending the live workshop itself
  • another joint reflection session to explore how we might use it


It's a small change that I know will make a big impact on how well we embed what we learn. And it keeps us accountable because we know that we have to chat to the other about it! 

Connection as a Catalyst for Learning

This year, for Learning at Work Week, which happens in May, we created a series of webinars around the LAWW theme of connection. We chose to focus on some familiar topics but through the lens of how they help us to connect with ourselves, with ideas and with others.

I really enjoyed this new way of thinking about collaboration, curiosity and clarity (love a bit of alliteration!) and it reminded myself and the team about the power of connections in what we learn, not just who we learn with.

I loved seeing the creativity and enthusiasm that showed up on social media across Learning at Work Week. It sparked a question for us: What would it look like if we made learning a habit throughout the year, not just a one-week celebration?

How You Can Keep Learning Alive Year-Round

So, as we close the month, here’s what we’re taking forward—and what we invite you to try too:

• Prioritise reflection: Even 10 minutes to jot down what you’ve learned can deepen understanding and boost retention.
• Keep it small and focused: One powerful takeaway is more useful than 10 rushed ones.
• Connect learning to your context: Ask yourself, How does this relate to my work, my goals, my team? How will I put this learning into practice?
• Make learning social: Talk about what you're learning with others. Ask questions. Share insights. It helps everyone grow.
• Allow yourself to be curious: Learning doesn’t always have to be planned. Sometimes the best lessons come from following an interest, or noticing something new in a familiar place.

Remember - learning is not a luxury. And it’s not just for one week a year. It’s a human need.

What will you choose to learn next?