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Dr. Nico Broers
Program Manager
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Many companies focus on getting the knowledge their employees need from outside. Expensive trainers are often hired to train employees in workshops and sessions. But is this old-fashioned method the best? In this article, we'll show you what peer-to-peer learning is, why it's so valuable, and how you can implement it in your organization.
In a company, peer-to-peer learning refers to a type of training or education that takes place among employees and is not carried out by a manager or an external trainer. This type of learning can take many forms, for example by employees sharing their expertise and knowledge with each other in informal discussions or as coaches, or by participating in structured training programs together. Peer-to-peer learning can be an effective way for employees to acquire new skills and knowledge, and it can also help build stronger relationships and a more collaborative work environment.
Studies have shown that, on the one hand, 55% of employees contact their colleagues first when they want to learn new skills. It's not Google and it's not YouTube. On the other hand, less than 50% of companies have implemented any type of formal peer learning. Experts have found that the main reason is that managers believe that external experts are more valuable as teachers for their employees. That is very unfortunate! Without peer learning, your company's entire knowledge pool remains untouched.
Think of it this way: By introducing peer-to-peer learning to your company, all of your intelligent employees can share their expertise, which leads to the development of new skills!
The experience and expertise of your employees are one of your company's most valuable assets. Peer-to-peer learning makes it possible to use this wealth of knowledge effectively. The exchange between colleagues not only acquires new knowledge, but also deepens existing knowledge. It also promotes collaboration and team spirit, which leads to an improved working atmosphere. At a time when the need for continuous education is increasing, peer-to-peer learning is a flexible and efficient way to constantly empower employees and drive business growth.
Michael Simmons' “learning pyramid” makes it clear that learning not only takes place through passive teaching methods such as speaking, reading and listening, but also through active or participatory methods such as discussions, exercises and teaching others. This pyramid highlights the importance of active learner engagement, as by involving them in the learning process, they can achieve a steeper learning curve and higher retention rate. In comparison, passive teaching methods such as listening and reading are less effective in learning.
“As we teach, we learn.” - Seneca
Participatory teaching methods involve learners fully in the learning process. This results in higher learner engagement, a steeper learning curve, and an average higher retention rate. According to experts, the average learner is able to retain around 90% of what they can teach others. By comparison, listening and reading have an average retention rate of 5-10%, making both forms of learning incredibly ineffective. Engaged learners don't just learn because a certificate or something like a promotion or a prize beckons at the end of a learning path. They learn because they actually want to understand and internalize the information they convey.
A good learning culture ensures that your employees remain motivated and ambitious in their learning goals. Particularly in a group of like-minded learners, team cohesion ensures that your employees learn more and share their newly acquired knowledge with their colleagues. In addition, it can be inspiring for every employee to listen to those who have achieved excellent results. With peer learning, you improve team spirit, communication and collaboration. We have written a blog post on the subject How you can promote a positive learning culture.
Peer-to-peer learning provides a platform for social and interactive learning, where employees can learn from each other and support each other. The exchange of experiences and perspectives creates a dynamic learning process that promotes diversity within the team and can lead to innovative solutions. This not only promotes individual development, but also strengthens the bond between team members and contributes to a positive work culture.
There are many ways to implement peer-to-peer learning. However, here are three crucial steps that are easy to implement.
By implementing a collaborative e-learning platform, employees can be brought together in regular learning sessions. These platforms make it possible to form teams, set common learning goals and work together on them. While learning, teams can earn learning points to track their progress and even bring in a healthy dose of competitive spirit through team rankings.
A buddy system allows new employees to work with experienced colleagues who act as mentors. These personal buddies help new employees integrate smoothly into the company by providing them with basic information and skills for a successful start. In addition, the buddy system promotes important relationships in the workplace.
By organizing regular workshops, employees have the opportunity to meet with colleagues and learn new things together. These workshops provide a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences, whether during the actual event or in informal discussions during breaks.
After we've learned the benefits of peer-to-peer learning and how it can help learners develop critical thinking, improve collaboration, and promote the joy of learning, it's clear that it's a good method that allows you and your employees to voluntarily share knowledge, explain ideas, discuss opinions, and provide valuable feedback. With each session, your employees use the learning loop as efficiently as possible and break through the most common barriers to learning and skill building.
By actively promoting and integrating peer-to-peer learning into their learning strategy, companies can utilize the full potential of their employees and ensure that they are continuously developing new skills and knowledge. Finally, it is important to stress that there are various approaches to promote effective learning in companies and to establish an active learning culture. As in our previous blog posts about effective learning in the company And the Fostering an active learning culture Described in detail, companies can optimize their employees' learning processes through targeted measures and create an environment that supports continuous learning.
edyoucated is funded by leading research institutions such as the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
