In today’s business environment, companies want to not only recruit top talent, but create a skilled workforce. With a talented workforce, it positively affects an organization's bottom line, work productivity and strengthens the company’s overall culture and training and learning programs.

Part of growing employees’ careers and skillsets includes learning programs that adapt to current trends, such as  mobilization and personalization. Employees are more on-the-go than ever before with their jobs and need more engagement tactics implemented into their learning programs. Furthermore, when elearning solutions and other training tactics use personalization, it leads to better engagement and faster learning. Part of creating learning methods unique to individual employees includes growing a diverse personal learning network.

Firstly, what are personal learning networks? Simply put, they are informal learning networks built of coworkers that teach each other different skills and build connections. Employees act as resources for one another in order to build and increase skillsets. These networks can also be virtual with many communities communicating via a social platforms. Sahana Chattopadhyay of elearning industry explains, “A Personal Learning Network can be seen as one's gateway to continuous learning, exchange of thoughts and ideas, validation of one's thoughts and insights on challenges encountered, and an involvement in the process of continuous inquiry and exploration on topics that matter. In today's context rising complexity and diminishing shelf-life of knowledge, it is not possible for an organization to provide training for every conceivable skill that may be required. Moreover, since a large part of the skills and knowledge required to handle tasks and problems today are emergent, the possibility of training gets ruled out.” This is why personal learning networks with a diverse workforce is vital in business today. In short, these networks are key to building a talented workforce at a faster rate.

One benefit that personal learning networks brings to companies is that they build a positive company culture based on creativity and collaboration. Employees get to know each other better when reaching out for help in certain areas. As an organization, work to build a more diverse workforce where employees bring in different types of skillsets to teach one another. This type of collaboration can not only give your company a competitive advantage, but can help produce better work. Lastly, building relationships helps employees recognize each other, promotes a wider sense of ownership and helps increase engagement overall.

Another benefit is that personal learning networks add value to an employee’s job and position within the company. It shows that the company trusts the employee’s expertise and that they can do a good job in teaching other employees vital skills to grow their careers. A teamwork environment needs to be a safe place where employees feel comfortable communicating their ideas as well as asking for help. And with this added trust, it cultivates better employee engagement.

So, how can you build a successful personal learning network within your company and company culture?

First, take advantage of social media and the diversity it brings when creating large and skillful personal learning network. Search for hashtags on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ that relate to what skills your organization is looking to develop. Join groups on LinkedIn and check out their comment section to learn the latest news and their expertise. The Internet is a great resource to see what other personal learning networks are out there and how you can incorporate them into your organizational culture. Getting employees on social media to actively look for these networks is a great stepping stone in creating a personal learning network.

In addition, your personal learning network ideation and creation should also have input from employees. Have them participate in meetings and brainstorm sessions to see how they would like to develop and grow these networks and who should participate in them. Their input helps create learning programs more beneficial to their overall career growth.

Lastly, as an organization, have patience when developing these learning networks. They don’t happen overnight and take some adjustments to really find a good system that employees can benefit from. As you learn what works for the individual, the better programs your organization can establish down the road. All in all, personal learning networks are a great system/tool to have in today’s business environment when looking to create a stronger and more skilled workforce.