Informal Learning tracked in CLO’s 2007 Business Intelligence Report

This post was written by Jacob McNulty

CLO Media has just released their 2007 Business Intelligence Report.  In the Executive Summary they include ‘Trends in Informal Learning’ and report the following:

“Compared to formal workplace learning, informal learning tends to be unplanned and unstructured. Because informal learning can take a variety of forms, it is difficult to define and even harder to measure.  While the BIB reports that on average 58 percent of the learning occurring in their organizations is informal, fully 36 percent place that figure at 70 percent or more. However, only 20 percent of the BIB actually tracks informal learning in their organizations. Given this low number, it is not surprising that only 8 percent of organizations have a comprehensive strategy in place to manage informal learning.”   The report did go on to say that more than half of the organizations surveyed “expect informal learning to receive increased support” while 14% expect to receive a “significant increase in support” for informal learning. 

I see this as progress and great news.  Embracing informal learning is a major mindset shift for organizations that have been going the formal/traditional route for so long and it won’t happen overnight. 

Beyond the mental shift that needs to happen, significant investments have been made in processes, procedures and systems that are more aligned with formal/traditional learning.  It simply isn’t feasible to abandon what is currently in place for something new - I’m sure many will take a cautious, phased approach to integrating more informal learning into their learning portfolio.

For those of us in the field the shift can’t happen fast enough but as a business owner I understand the cultural and financial questions that must be vetted before supporting what many consider to be a radical approach.

Tags: business training, Chief Learning Officer, CLO, corporate training, development, informal learning, learning, learning strategies, organizational learning, professional development, workforce development