Gear by Gear: Building Success
How to Create a Peer-led Learning and Development Program That Works
Imagine a dynamic space where peers converge to share insights, tackle real-world challenges, and fast-track their professional growth. Just over a year ago, Rockwood analysts identified the need for this type of collaborative space for junior staff and launched the innovative Analyst Lunch & Learn Program. Peer-to-peer learning has long been a valuable tool in the classroom, and now it has transcended into the workplace. By leveraging the resources and knowledge already in your organization, peer-to-peer learning allows employees to grow in a low-pressure environment and helps instill management and leadership skills in employees of all levels (Palmer, 2018). Moreover, businesses with strong learning cultures, including those with peer-to-peer learning programs, can experience retention rates of 30-50%. Additionally, a whopping 76% of employees are more likely to stay with a company that offers continuous training (Flynn, 2023; SHRM, 2022). These statistics underscore the significant impact that peer-led continuous training programs can have on employee retention and development.
Rockwood’s Analyst Lunch & Learn Program, driven by the mantra "by analysts, for analysts," has helped cultivate a culture of continuous learning and innovation within the organization. As we look back on a year filled with triumphs and trials, we unveil the key elements for organizations looking to establish a thriving, peer-led learning and development program.
Set up a program that will run itself.
Begin by outlining a clear vision, expectations, and goals to reflect on throughout the program. For us, this included seeing high participant engagement, having analysts report growth opportunities, and offering hands-on, activity-focused sessions.
Next, brainstorm the curriculum and schedule sessions on a variety of topics throughout the year. Identify peer-level and senior experts to lead each session.
Last, create a repeatable implementation process that will run each month. As the L&L program leaders, we shared best practices and advice with session leaders in the months leading up to their session. We gave session leaders the freedom to structure their session as they’d like, so long as it kept to the program’s vision, expectations, and goals. A week before each session, we approved the session plan, and in the week leading up to the session, we finalized all logistics. From there, rinse and repeat.
Stick to the mantra “by analysts, for analysts.”
Create and stick to a mantra that reflects your vision, accomplishes the goals of the program, and allows you to implement focused programming on topics that address the everyday challenges participants face. For Rockwood’s program, this involved hosting sessions on a variety of topics relevant to analysts' work, such as mastering Microsoft Excel and critical thinking skills. Provide opportunities for junior staff to lead sessions solo or with a mentor, emphasizing mutual learning and building on each other’s experiences. Enlist a wide range of subject matter experts (SMEs) and participants to lead sessions, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment. By rotating session leaders, program leaders will ensure fresh perspectives and dynamic, engaging content and help prevent burnout.
Do more, say less.
Rather than covering broad topics, narrow the focus to one or two specific skills per session. Offer engaging sessions that are activity-focused and hands-on. Most session time should be spent practicing new skills. Participants retain information more effectively when actively building knowledge, rather than passively listening. Some activities in our sessions included a facilitation role play as kitchen staff from the popular TV series, “The Bear,” and a Canva poster design competition. Activities like these encourage participants to learn by doing.
Optimize your participants’ experience.
Make showing up and learning as easy as possible. Offer sessions at convenient times and minimize the work participants should do ahead of time. One way we enhanced the participant experience was by offering lunch to in-person attendees and providing a lunch subsidy for virtual attendees, minimizing the need for participants to worry about logistics.
Solicit feedback, adapt, and improve.
Require short feedback surveys after every session and reflect on whether results align with the program’s original goals and vision. If the program is running as intended and feedback is positive, continue forward. If the program is not running as intended, or you are unhappy with results, re-evaluate and adjust the program for future sessions. Additionally, communicate feedback to session leaders to encourage further growth within their facilitation skillset.
Conclusion
By fostering a self-sustaining structure, prioritizing hands-on engagement, and embracing continuous feedback, Rockwood’s peer-led Lunch & Learn Program has helped our analysts grow and collaborate. Empowering analysts to lead and tailor sessions to their real-world challenges has made learning both effective and enjoyable, driving the professional growth of all participants.
Peer-led learning and development programs not only enhance technical skills but also create invaluable opportunities for collaboration and growth. Through these sessions, organizations can ignite a culture of peer-led learning, driving junior staff’s satisfaction, engagement, and retention to new heights.