Enterprise software provider Deltek encourages an environment that embraces continuous learning, says Jodi Atkinson, the company’s senior director of global learning. “We live and breathe a culture of learning,” she says, “[whether we’re] walking down the hall with a colleague or in a team meeting or intentionally during a learning circle focused on a particular area of expertise.”

Since 2018, when Deltek made learning and development a core value, its more than 3,400 employees have been asked to dedicate at least 40 hours of work time annually to learning in its myriad forms. The company has deployed a digital learning management system where employees can work with their managers to pursue personal development plans that advance both organizational objectives and personal aspirations. If an employee wants to learn a programming language, for example, they can study it independently and report their efforts. Or if they want to perfect their presentation skills, they can participate in Toastmasters as part of their annual 40-hour minimum.

Anyone at Deltek can lead a learning circle session on a subject they want to share with colleagues. Some divisions mandate weekly or monthly learning sessions facilitated by experts who teach and invite conversation on a broad range of topics.

Other companies don’t mandate a set number of learning hours, but rather encourage and support learning in whatever way their employees find most useful. Leaders at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, for example, are encouraged to set aside specific days or times for learning throughout the 10,000-person company. One division has declared a monthly “no-meetings” day to free up employees to pursue professional development either independently or in groups at work.

“You don’t have to seek permission or wait to be told to learn something,” says Shibani Gopal, vice president of talent development at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “We are a culture that is based on inquisitiveness and curiosity. We try to develop offerings that will enhance that.”

If an employee wants to learn how to create Excel pivot tables, for example, they can seek out in-house experts or take a course on the company’s digital learning platform. Additionally, the company hosts conferences that surface customer insights, create networking opportunities, and encourage teams to share information.

A new digital mentoring platform has not only contributed to the company’s culture of learning, but also created previously unimagined connections. Using automated recommendations, mentees can set up formal six-month relationships with mentors from a different division or the opposite side of the globe—or both.