Social Learning | How Does it Work in the Workplace?

Did you know that 70% of learning in the workplace happens informally, through experiences, interactions, and collaboration with others? In fact, most employees learn new skills not through formal training programs, but from informal exchanges, whether it's during casual conversations, team meetings, or collaborative problem-solving. 

This type of organic knowledge sharing is known as social learning. This powerful, people-driven approach helps employees pick up new skills, solve problems, and adapt to change simply by observing and interacting with others. In this article, we will delve deeper into social learning in the workplace. We will explore everything you need to know, from what it is to key theories and best practices you can start implementing today. So, if you are ready, let’s kick things off. 

What is social learning?

Social learning is the process of gaining knowledge by observing and interacting with others. So, instead of solely relying on oneself, a person engaged in social learning is gaining knowledge and experience by watching the actions of others. 

For instance, an example of social learning is when a new employee learns how to handle tasks from established colleagues. Also, new employees observe and learn team communication styles, how employees solve complex tasks, and so on. 

When organizations create space for these natural learning moments to happen more often and more intentionally, they make it easier for employees to grow their knowledge, apply new skills, and stay adaptable in a constantly changing business environment.

What does Bandura’s social learning theory imply?

Albert Bandura’s social learning theory highlights a key concept in human behavior: learning by observing others. 

According to Bandura, human imitation, observation, and modeling are just as powerful as direct experiences when it comes to developing new skills or behaviors. This means that your employees do not learn only from formal training programs. They also learn by observing their peers, in particular how they approach tasks and make decisions. 

His theory delves deeper into the process through which social learning occurs. According to Bandura, it starts from stimulus focus (attention) - rehearsal encoding (retention), practice feedback (motor reproduction), and reward reinforcement (motivation). 

Bandura’s theory explains why employees often mirror the habits, communication styles, and work ethics of those around them, especially when they see that behavior being rewarded or accepted. That’s why building good teams is also crucial for success. 

How does this work? 

Well, first they pay attention ot the behaviors of their peers. Then, the retention process starts when individuals store a model of behavior in their minds. After that, motor reproduction kicks in, which is the ability to imitate demonstrated behavior. Finally, motivation is what pushes the behavior to continue. 

As an organization, this theory reinforces the concept that learning is not limited to formal education and can occur anywhere. So, as a modern company, you can incorporate different practices encouraging social learning, including gamification, quizzes, and others. But, more on this one later. 

Key concepts of social learning 

So, what are the key concepts of social learning? 

Social learning is based on the idea that people absorb knowledge best through social interactions and collaboration. 

Two important theories form the foundation of this approach: Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory. We’ve already overviewed the first one a bit earlier, so let’s delve deeper into Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory. 

Vygotsky describes human learning as a social process. The major theme in his theoretical framework is how social interaction shapes the development of cognition. He believes that everything is learned on two levels: the first is the social level, and the other is the individual level. 

Key principles of social learning include observation, imitation, reinforcement, and social interaction. However, Vygotsky delved deeper and shared a few key concepts applying to social learning. Let’s briefly overview them. 

Zone of proximal development 

One of the theories includes the Zone of Proximal Development. This describes the gap between what an individual can do alone and what they can achieve with guidance from someone more experienced.

Example: A new employee might struggle to create a client proposal independently, but with guidance from a senior team member, they can successfully draft and refine it until they feel confident handling the task alone.

Scaffolding 

Another key concept in his theory is scaffolding, which refers to his view on supportive learning. 

Scaffolding involves offering structured assistance until the learner becomes capable of working independently. For example, guidance from mentors or supporting training materials. 

Example: A manager might first walk a new hire through a software tool step by step, gradually reducing help as the employee becomes more comfortable navigating it alone.

Social interaction 

As Vygotsky believed and suggested, social interaction is the foundation of learning. He believes that people develop ideas and improve understanding through conversations. 

Example: During a team brainstorming session, employees exchange perspectives on a project challenge. As ideas bounce back and forth, individual knowledge expands, and solutions become clearer.  

Why introduce social learning in the workplace?

Now that we understand the basics of social learning, let’s explore the reasons for incorporating it into the workplace. 

• Encourages collaboration 

Social learning creates a healthier environment at work, encouraging employee collaboration. By incorporating various practices and creating the right atmosphere, you foster trust between employees, helping them to be more open to exchanging ideas and insights. 

• Increases engagement 

Learning from peers can feel more relatable and immediately useful. Employees tend to stay more engaged when knowledge comes through real-world examples and human interaction rather than static lessons. 

• Faster adaptation 

Formal training often fails to keep up with tools, processes, and challenges in fast-paced industries. By formal, we mostly mean one created a few years ago and “forced” upon employees. To achieve actual results, Social learning allows employees to stay current by learning directly from those who are already applying the latest knowledge in real time.

• Strengthens company culture 

Finally, let’s not forget that social learning strengthens company culture. It helps employees feel more connected to each other and to the organization’s mission. This sense of belonging encourages loyalty and long-term growth. 

How to start using social learning in your organization? 

It is time to delve into the practical section of today’s guide. In this section, we will provide an overview of key steps, such as creating informal learning opportunities, organizational wikis, gamification, group problem-solving, and other essential practices to encourage social learning in the workplace. 

So, enough talk and more action. Let’s examine the main steps to effectively incorporate social learning in your organization. 

Create opportunities for informal learning 

Everything in the workplace starts from culture. So, make sure to build a culture where employees are encouraged to share their skills and are eager to learn more. 

Culture does not start out of a new policy change or a suggestion; it, in fact, starts from designing an appropriate environment. So, one of the things you could do is design open office spaces to promote casual interactions between employees. 

Then, you can incorporate mentorship programs where experienced employees guide newcomers to help them adapt faster and better. In fact, you can create a wholesome mentorship program and add appropriate tools that mentors can use by leveraging an LMS platform. 

For instance, in Uteach, you can create an in-house website for your company. Then, you can add courses and programs that employees and mentors can use. 

Also, as far as we are talking about creatinine informal learning opportunities, I must mention… wait for it… Yes, organize cross-departmental projects to facilitate diverse collaboration. If you are a big shark in the industry or generally have a big company, then this is an excellent way to encourage social learning. 

For instance, did you know that Deloitte is one of the prime examples of how modern companies leverage LMS platforms to achieve higher operational efficiency and employee satisfaction? The company implemented an LMS platform (LXP) that incorporates social learning features, skill development, and personalized learning paths for its talent. 

Deloitte offered employees personalized learning paths tailored to their specific roles, skills gaps, and career goals, ensuring that each individual received relevant content to support their professional growth. Social learning was integrated into the platform, allowing employees to share articles, courses, and insights with their peers, thereby creating a collaborative, knowledge-sharing culture.

Deloitte saw an increase in employee engagement in learning, improved knowledge retention through peer interactions, and faster upskilling across the organization. 

Use gamification 

Integrating game elements into training can and will boost employee engagement levels. For instance, if new employees are required to complete some training materials, make sure to add some game elements to those. E.g., introduce points, badges, and leaderboards to motivate learners. 

Use organization wikis 

Let’s not forget about organization wikis. Make sure to establish internal knowledge bases. This will help to: 

• Document best practices and standard operating procedures.
• Allow employees to contribute insights and updates.
• Facilitate easy access to information across departments.​

Many organizations have training sites for employees with documents ranging from product training to best industry practices. You can create such a thing using tools like Uteach. 

Incorporate crowdsourced problem-solving activities.

If you want more specific ways of incorporating social learning, you are in the right place. We have some more.

Promote collaborative learning by hosting hackathons or innovation challenges. For these to work, make sure to add some reward systems as well. 

Create forums for employees to propose and discuss solutions. Besides communication channels designated strictly for work, make sure to set up some channels for discussions. E.g., girls' team, or “going out time,” and maybe even a channel named “for funzies.” 

Encouraging cross-functional teams to tackle organizational issues. Still remains one of the best ways to promote social learning. Such activities not only enhance problem-solving skills but also build a sense of community and shared purpose.

Introduce lunch and learn sessions 

Real Life Counselling offers corporate lunch and learn programs focusing on workplace wellness and productivity. Their sessions cover topics such as emotional intelligence, stress management, and effective communication, aiming to enhance employee well-being and organizational efficiency. 

Do you know why this is a great approach? Well, results speak for themselves. The company increased employee retention and satisfaction rates. 

If you want your employees to perform at their best while staying motivated, then social learning is a way to go. E.g., you can organize informal learning sessions during lunch breaks. You can do so by: 

• Invite internal or external speakers to share expertise.
• Encourage employees to present on topics of interest.
• Facilitate discussions that allow for knowledge exchange.

These sessions provide a relaxed environment for learning and can spark new ideas and collaborations.​

FAQ on social learning 

Finally, let’s quickly dive into the FAQ section and get some answers. 

• What are the key components of social learning?

The key components of social learning are attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation. Similarly, another theory suggests observation, modeling, feedback, and interaction. 

• How can social learning improve team performance?

Social learning gives employees more than just knowledge. It builds confidence, collaboration, and adaptability. Teams that practice social learning tend to exchange ideas more freely, solve problems faster, and develop a shared sense of ownership over their work. This leads to fewer mistakes, smoother workflows, and stronger results.

• What tools can support social learning in organizations?

While social learning often starts with face-to-face conversations and teamwork, technology can help organizations make it more intentional, scalable, and consistent. Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Uteach make combining formal training with social learning features easy. Discussion boards, peer feedback tools, collaborative workspaces, and video-based learning platforms all create opportunities for employees to share knowledge and learn from each other. 

Conclusion

To conclude today’s article, it is worth mentioning that social learning is one of the best ways to increase employee engagement, retention, and skill level, ultimately improving workplace productivity. 

To effectively encourage social learning in the workplace, you can incorporate a variety of tips and recommendations mentioned throughout this guide. The most effective practices include organization wikis, lunch & learn sessions, gamification, and creating opportunities for informal learning.  

Uteach offers everything you need from website & course builders to email automation and other customization capabilities. This platform allows you to create, upload, onboard, and distribute different learning and training materials to your employees. 

The key features that will help you enhance the social learning experience of your students are tools dedicated to building and managing communities and the availability of a mobile app. These equip you with everything necessary to offer accessible learning experiences to your employees. 

Ensure better team cooperation, more comprehension of the company’s processes, and help employees to always stay on top of their fields by incorporating comprehensive learning solutions. Schedule a free demo with our team to find out more.