Building a Learning Culture: How to Turn Learning into a Core Behaviour in Your Organisation

Many managers and leaders are fascinated by the idea of a learning culture — a workplace that enables teams to adapt, innovate, and respond to customer needs faster than the competition.

A culture of learning also improves overall business performance and creates an environment where people feel valued and empowered.

But here’s the thing: a learning culture isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s about behaviours.

A Learning Culture Is Behaviour

Culture is nothing more than collective habit. It’s the sum of everyone’s behaviours, day in and day out.

If you want to build a learning culture, your focus must be on learning behaviours — not just a vague notion of “culture.” And this isn’t achieved through training alone.

Training is easy to implement; learning is a behaviour to nurture. Knowing something and applying it are not the same thing. Training is a tool, learning is a habit and behaviour.

I explore ways to nudge learning behaviours daily in my article on Leadership Improvements, but here’s a deeper dive into the methods I use to build a culture of learning across teams, companies, and consultancy projects.

More “School” in the Workplace

I often advocate for bringing more “school” into work. And yes, that sounds strange at first.

After all, school is something most of us wanted to leave behind decades ago. But the original meaning of the word “school,” from the Greek skholē, referred to leisure—time spent developing thinking, discussing ideas, and learning for the joy of it.

Learning wasn’t about sitting in rows, taking tests, or memorising facts. It was about curiosity, discussion, and personal growth. The Stoics also emphasised using leisure to expand knowledge.

So why not bring a little of that back into work? Not by forcing people to stay late or steal their free time, but by creating calm, purposeful opportunities to learn—without pressure, without rigid measurement, and without quotas.

Ease, Calm, Idleness

In today’s corporate world, training has become an industry. Budgets, courses, metrics, compliance—all of it.

But true learning is different. It requires curiosity, reflection, and a relaxed approach. It happens when we’re engaged, when we experiment, and when we apply knowledge to real problems.

Have you ever met someone with every certification in your field, yet they still struggle to do the job? They can quote theory, but they cannot work effectively. That’s because training alone does not equal learning.

Learning is not a checkbox; it’s a habit. It’s cultivated through practice, experimentation, and deliberate reflection.

Role Model Learning

As a leader or manager, your behaviour sets the tone.

It’s not enough to preach learning and growth if you don’t actively engage in it yourself. Leaders should go first - after all, actions speak louder than words. Show your team that it’s okay not to know everything. Attend training with them. Read, experiment, and share insights.

Role modelling learning demonstrates that growth is a priority, not an optional extra. It also encourages a culture where it’s safe to make mistakes, ask questions, and explore new ways of working.

Create Time and Space for Learning

Learning takes time. Deep learning takes even more.

If your teams are constantly busy with non-essential work, they won’t have the mental space to improve the business, innovate, or develop skills. Creative problem-solving and skill growth require breathing room.

Managers can help by focusing on workflow, not just capacity. Smooth, deliberate processes free up time for:

• Studying and improving the business
• Team training and learning sessions
• Individual skill development
• Creative problem-solving workshops

Even small amounts of time carved out for learning can have a huge impact on personal growth, team performance, and business results.

Don’t Let Administration Take Over

One common trap is treating learning as a number to be measured.

“How many people attended the course?”
“How many hours of training were completed?”

If learning is reduced to numbers, the focus shifts to compliance, not development. Employees may appear trained, but behaviours and outcomes don’t change.

Learning should be measured by improvements in behaviour, not attendance. It’s about developing abilities, not hitting quotas.

Don’t Always Expect a Return

In one of my early jobs, every employee was given a reasonable amount of money per year to spend on personal learning outside work. And here’s the twist—it didn’t have to be work-related.

One person joined a local gardening course. Another took guitar lessons. Someone else bought books. I spent mine on Tai Chi lessons. But the most memorable story was about a classic car.

A team member had an old MG but didn’t know how to restore it. The CEO, a classic car enthusiast himself, suggested taking a course in bodywork restoration. The employee admitted they couldn’t afford it, so the CEO arranged for the company to cover the cost for all employees to spend on any learning of their choice.

This simple, generous act sparked a learning movement. Employees began sharing knowledge, hosting brown-bag learning lunches, and building a small library. Leaders joined in. Guest speakers were invited. Teams started experimenting, improving the business, and applying what they had learned—all voluntarily.

The lesson? Learning doesn’t always need a measurable return. Sometimes, simply nurturing curiosity and personal growth creates engagement, innovation, and lasting impact.

Ask Learning-Based Questions

Instead of chasing blame or quick fixes, ask questions that spark curiosity:

• “What could we learn from this?”
• “How could we avoid this in the future?”
• “Is this problem worth solving?”
• “What skills do we need now?”

Questions encourage reflection, dialogue, and critical thinking. They allow the team to explore solutions and foster a learning mindset at every level.

Collective Intelligence

When individuals adopt learning as a habit, the organisation benefits from collective intelligence. People solve problems closest to where they occur, share insights, and collaborate effectively.

This doesn’t happen automatically. It requires:

• Leaders who role model learning
• Space and time for curiosity and experimentation
• A focus on behaviours, not just numbers

When done well, learning spreads organically. Teams become smarter, more innovative, and better at achieving goals together.

Learning Is the Foundation of Great Companies

A learning culture is not about training quotas or mandatory courses. It’s about behaviours, curiosity, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Leaders who prioritise learning create teams that:

• Embrace growth
• Solve problems creatively
• Continuously improve the business
• Enjoy their work

This is the true power of a learning culture. Learning moves from being a checkbox exercise to the culture - and life - of the organisation.

Key Takeaways

1. Learning is behaviour, not training. Encourage curiosity, experimentation, and reflection.
2. Leaders must role model learning. Your behaviour sets the cultural tone.
3. Create time and space for learning. Avoid constant busyness.
4. Avoid metrics for metrics’ sake. Focus on behaviour change, not attendance.
5. Learning may not always show immediate returns. That’s okay. It compounds over time.
6. Collective intelligence emerges when learning is habitual. Individuals learning = teams performing well.

A true learning culture doesn’t happen by chance. It requires deliberate effort, consistent behaviour, and a leadership mindset that values curiosity above compliance.