Every firm leader is looking for the "secret sauce" to attract and retain top talent. While there's no one-size-fits-all answer to that problem, one aspect of becoming an employer of choice is creating a culture of continuous learning.
Today's employees want personal and professional learning and development opportunities. It's not enough to offer training or talk about growth in performance reviews. An authentic continuous learning culture is embedded in the firm's ethos, reflected in leadership behaviors and backed by investment. It's about creating an environment where learning is an ongoing process, not just an annual obligation or an item to tick off during performance evaluations.
Here's how to build that culture in your firm.
The L&D leadership mindset
For a continuous learning culture to thrive, leaders have to champion it. Firms that excel in learning and development view it as an asset, not an expense. It's a strategic investment in the firm's future success. The managing partner and other senior leaders need to visibly and vocally support L&D initiatives, prioritizing L&D with their actions and funding.
Leaders should also model this commitment to learning. The best firms are those where leaders actively participate in continuous learning, setting an example for others. This creates an environment that celebrates knowledge and growth and recognizes learning as a driver of personal and organizational success.
Moving from a ladder to a lattice
Historically, CPA firms followed a clear career path, with steps leading from staff to senior, manager, and ultimately partner. But this rigid structure no longer fits the modern workforce. Today's firms must adopt a more flexible, customized approach to career development, embracing the idea of a career lattice, rather than a ladder.
This shift acknowledges that people's careers can move in many directions. Employees may leave the workforce temporarily, pivot within the firm, or take on roles that align with their unique strengths and interests. Customizing L&D opportunities to each individual's talents helps firms retain valuable employees who might otherwise seek opportunities elsewhere.
Broadening learning beyond required CPE
One common misconception in many firms is that L&D is reserved for CPAs and other employees with professional designations. However, a continuous learning culture involves every team member, in every department, from the newest hire to the most seasoned partner.
Send all staff members — not just CPAs or senior leaders — to conferences, training sessions and seminars. Engage external speakers and host internal knowledge-sharing events to make learning a company-wide initiative.
Graduating from college isn't the end of learning — it's the beginning. Encourage and empower accountants, administrators, IT staff and everyone else in the firm to continue learning and growing throughout their careers.
Steps to building a continuous learning culture
Creating a learning culture takes deliberate effort and planning. It's about more than just offering a few online courses or hosting an annual training day. Here's a structured approach to building a learning-centric environment in your firm:
1. Examine current L&D programs. Assess the strengths and weaknesses in your existing learning programs. Identify gaps in skills, knowledge or accessibility and address these areas.
2. Plan learning objectives. Define what you want your team members to learn. This could be technical skills, soft skills or specialized industry knowledge. Align learning objectives with firm goals and individual career paths.
3. Empower subject matter experts. Leverage the expertise within your firm by encouraging subject matter experts to create and deliver learning content. This can be formal or informal training, mentoring or knowledge-sharing sessions.
4. Ask employees what they want to learn. Leadership should set broad learning goals but also ask employees what they're interested in learning to offer relevant and engaging training.
5. Make learning accessible. Online platforms, in-person workshops and microlearning modules help make training accessible to everyone in the firm. Make use of various formats to cater to different learning styles.
6. Set aside time for learning. One barrier to continuous learning is time. Encourage employees to prioritize learning by setting aside dedicated time for development. Whether it's a weekly "learning hour" or scheduled quarterly training sessions, this shows the firm's commitment to growth.
7. Experiment with learning methods. Different people learn in different ways, so experiment with various techniques like peer-to-peer learning, on-the-job training or formal courses. Providing multiple options keeps learning dynamic and engaging.
8. Create a library of resources. Build a library of resources like industry journals, webinars, case studies and podcasts for employees to access as part of their learning journey. Encourage employees to share the resources they discover with the rest of the team.
9. Integrate learning into daily workflows. Make learning a natural part of the workday by incorporating it into daily activities. This could involve assigning learning objectives to projects, promoting mentorship programs or offering real-time feedback that supports growth.
10. Make knowledge sharing a habit. Encourage employees to regularly share what they've learned with others through internal presentations, team meetings or even informal "lunch and learn" sessions.
11. Reward learning. Recognize and reward employees who actively participate in learning and development. This could be through bonuses or simply public recognition of their efforts.
12. Measure and adapt. Continuously measure the effectiveness of your L&D initiatives. Use employee feedback, performance data and business outcomes to adjust your learning programs. What works today may need to evolve as the firm grows and changes.
Creating a continuous learning culture isn't just about keeping employees engaged; it's about building an adaptable, innovative and competitive firm. When learning becomes part of the firm's DNA, employees feel more engaged and valued, turnover decreases and the firm becomes more agile in responding to market changes.
Remember, learning is a journey — not a destination. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, you invest in your firm's future.
