Why social learning is the next transformative force for FMCG companies
Originally written for https://tigerhall.com/.
Social learning has emerged as a significant trend in corporate learning & development, with a rising number of FMCG companies turning to Social learning to upskill and support their talent: 28% of companies relied on social learning to train employees and encourage collaboration in 2021 compared to just 19% in 2020. This piece will discuss why social learning is the next big transformative force for FMCG companies, as it drives transformation, enhances employee experience and shapes business strategy for large FMCG companies.
What is social learning?
University of California, Berkeley defines social learning as a “cognitive process that occurs in a social context through examples and direct experiences, favoring a real-life approach.” In other words, social learning is a participative form of learning that involves learning from others and with others, whether this takes place in formal or informal settings, in person or through social platforms, at school or in the workplace, etc.
Many well-known learning theories have arrived at the same conclusion: as social beings, people learn best through observing others’ behaviors and interacting with others. For example, Bandura’s Active Learning theory has shown that people learn best when they are active participants in their learning experience, a theory further confirmed by the 70/20/10 framework, a model conceptualized by three researchers at the Center for Creative Leadership, which states that 70% of learning happens through hands-on experience, 20% through interactive and behavioral learning, and only 10% through consuming traditional courseware.
Social learning can be enacted in many different ways: one-on-one mentorship, peer-to-peer learning, cohort-based learning, job shadowing, to name a few. It can encompass social media-based learning or technology-enabled platforms that may or may not include content curation, subject matter experts, and digital tools such as forums and networks, or even blogs and podcasts.
First and foremost, social learning drives transformation within FMCG companies by tapping into the collective intelligence and knowledge of employees
Social learning is designed to help social learners leverage the expertise of the people around them or that of more experienced real world leaders on an on-demand basis, so that they only get the exact information they need at the exact moment they need it. Instead of going through hours of irrelevant training that they will eventually forget, employees can cut through the noise and access only the most relevant information and quickly apply it to the task at hand.
Additionally, social learning supports continuous training that adds value without interfering with a workers’ workflow. Under this learning model, learners are empowered to own and personalize their learning experience and seek out the specific knowledge and immediately actionable insights that they need. Employees who are continuously learning, sharing knowledge and gaining new skills will tend to be more engaged, productive and innovative.
A learning culture that champions a growth mindset and treats learning as a skill makes for a highly adaptable and resilient workplace, where employees are encouraged to be agile, always learning, solving problems, and thinking critically. This mindset naturally extends to the company as a whole and boosts organizational growth in the long run.
As an interactive and highly-individualized learning model, social learning is sure to tip the scales at FMCG companies, as it facilitates the dissemination of best practices, fosters the generation of innovative ideas, and accelerates the adoption of new processes and technologies, thereby driving organizational transformation.
2. Social learning significantly enhances the employee experience within large FMCG companies by putting people first and building culture
Because social learning involves learners as active participants in their learning experience rather than passive recipients of knowledge, it reinforces their engagement with and retention of the learning material, but also empowers them to take ownership and responsibility over their own development, effectively putting them in the driver’s seat of their own success.
By leveraging digital collaboration tools and social networks, social learning fosters a climate of collaboration, increases cross-functional sharing, and breaks down silos. As a result, employees are more likely to feel a sense of belonging to a larger vision, which helps build community and reinforces a sense of alignment with the organizational goals and overall mission.
Social connection and intentional community building are especially important at the age of post-pandemic remote work, as these initiatives help develop a more connected workforce through increased empathy, flexibility and understanding, which ultimately affects employees’ mental health and well-being. Happy and connected employees are productive employees.
What’s more, social learning encourages a culture of inclusiveness which has an abundance of positive ripple effects on worker’s confidence and engagement. Peer-to-peer training, for example, can foster a culture of vulnerability and psychological safety by encouraging employees to take risks, ask questions, share their perspectives, and make mistakes.
Social learning, therefore, not only helps people work better, but it also helps them feel valued and supported, it helps them build healthier relationships, and it gives them purpose. This all leads to higher job satisfaction, increased retention rates, and an overall more positive and productive organizational culture.
3. Social learning plays a vital role in shaping business strategy for FMCG companies.
With the advent of technological advancements like ecommerce, new social media platforms, AI and machine learning, to name only a few, employee skills are becoming rapidly obsolete and businesses must find ways to stay current in an ever-evolving business landscape. FMCG companies in particular must contend with emerging digital trends, and be prepared to shift their business strategies to maintain their competitive advantage.
These effects have been felt within the FMCG workforce which has been experiencing significant turnover over the last few years. Deloitte's research reveals that more than 50% of FMCG companies have encountered substantial upswings in voluntary turnover rates, primarily due to burnout, as FMCG employees are always expected to be connected, but also because the market demand for them is very important due to their varied and useful skill set. It is often easier for FMCG companies to upskill and retrain the talent they already have than to hire new talent.
To stay competitive, many FMCG companies are feeling the pressure to incorporate digital capabilities across all functions of the organization. Championing a culture of learning and professional development provides employees with the skills they need to stay relevant, performing, and always ready to adopt new processes and new technologies, which ultimately supports business growth in the long run. Helping employees stay up-to-date on industry developments and providing the adequate training allows companies to fill skill gaps across the organization and to have a broader reservoir of talent to tap into.
PepsiCo, Unilever or Colgate-Palmolive are prime examples of FMCG companies who have successfully deployed Talent Management programs to respond to ever-changing customer needs and that have reaped the direct benefits in productivity gains and technological advancements. Colgate-Palmolive’s deployment of digital training across all its departments not only helped grow in ecommerce gains but also created more equitable access to opportunities for its employees.
Any FMCG company that hopes to stay current in a challenging environment must find a comprehensive upskilling system that strikes a balance between meeting the evolving organizational goals with the need to provide adequate support for their employees to upskill and adapt. Tech-enabled Social Learning is an option that an increasing number of FMCG companies have started to look to, as it includes comprehensive learning capacities that fulfill competencies across different business functions (sales, marketing, finance, etc.), scalable programs that companies can customize according to their specific business needs, and actionable insights and content from reputable experts and business leaders. A winning social learning platform encompasses all these features along with interactive social tools to keep employees happily engaged, connected, and coming back to constantly grow and invest in themselves and their professional development.
4. How Kelloggs championed social learning to drive organizational transformation
Tomissa Smittendorf, Director of Sales and Learning Development for Kellogg's North America, recognized the importance of driving organizational changes that puts people at the center and invests in culture first. “There are so many things that are changing around us, but there is one thing that will not change and that’s our investment in you [the people],” has been her guiding mantra throughout the important organizational transformation she helped drive at Kelloggs.
In the midst of important organizational change, Kellogs decided to look to Social Learning as an opportunity to invest in and grow its workforce. Kellogg's had a unique mindset during times of change. While many companies tend to halt learning initiatives, Kellogg's leaders recognized the significance of investing in people. They understood the importance of supporting employees and guiding them towards growth opportunities during potentially challenging transitions.
“Sometimes change is hard, and you have to dig deep to find that silver lining," says Smittendorf about her personal and professional philosophy about change.
As a champion of continuous learning and staying abreast of new industry processes and technology, Smittendorf was looking for a solution that would actually support people through change, ultimately ensuring that the commercial organization was thriving through change. This led her to look to Social Learning, and eventually to Tigerhall. Read Kelloggs’ full story here.
