3 Ways HRMS Can Encourage Peer-to-Peer Learning

Training and development doesn’t always need to be in a traditional classroom setting or via outside providers. Often the best learning experiences come from within your company, through employees who engage in peer-to-peer learning. Your HRMS can be the launching pad for such interactions as the database is able to connect employees through data points, as well as facilitate the actual learning itself. Here are some key areas to observe in the HRMS peer-to-peer learning area:

1) Create Visibility of Employee Skills and Experience

A fully configured HRMS will allow you to store key pieces of data about an employee, such as skills, competencies, project experience etc. Previously, this data in the HRMS would have only been known to back office HR staff or local managers. Current HRMS on the market allow you to configure access to allow employees to search for others who have particular talents and experience.

Furthermore, by enabling this functionality on a company-sponsored platform, employees can be encouraged to reach out to fellow employees in order to gain knowledge, skills or experience on a particular topic where another employee is an expert, thus engaging in peer to peer learning. The latest HRMS technology even takes it a step further by mining data profiles and providing recommendations to a new hire of relevant contacts to make.

2) Supplement Operational Procedures with Additional Training Options and Policies

In earlier times, an HRMS would contain ‘help’ links or instructional text which would help a data entry operator with data input. Today’s HRMS allows for much more, in particular, the social collaboration area.

Recommended Reading: HRMS Software Guide - Find the HRMS Vendor offering Social Collaboration

While you may still want to provide training materials and links, there is the option to bring in more employee-produced content, thus facilitating peer learning. If a super user is creating a report but is stuck on a finer point, rather than having to go and research on the internet, why not utilize the collaborative features of your HRMS and point the employee to relevant ‘how to’ materials produced by a colleague?

3) Encourage the Use of the HRMS Platform for Knowledge Sharing

Sometimes, social media, blogs, etc. are seen as a danger by management. However, we need to recognize that employees are going to use these tools outside of work regardless of whether your organization sanctions it. A savvy organization will allow for blogs and provide social collaboration platforms where employees can share thoughts on a problem or task. Often, this is an extremely effective form of peer to peer learning and one that can improve your overall productivity and bottom line profits.