How to apply social learning theory in the workplace

We are social creatures by nature, and this goes beyond seeking social interactions sometimes. Most of our significant learning experiences occur through social contexts, which is especially true in the workplace. 

Before we delve deeper into social learning theory and how to apply it in the workplace, let’s first understand what social learning is. 

What is social learning? 

Have you ever found yourself acting or behaving in a way you saw someone else do? Chances are, you were engaging in social learning. Social learning is defined as learning that occurs through observing other people’s actions. It’s a cognitive process that takes place in the learner’s social context, through observation or direct instruction, without any direct reinforcement. 

Social learning combines aspects of both behavioral and cognitive learning, while behavioral learning is based on the belief that an individual responds to environmental stimuli. In contrast, cognitive learning assumes that psychological factors contribute significantly to the learning process. 

Albert Bandura’s social learning theory 

Albert Bandura, the Canadian-born American psychologist, is well-known for his social learning theory. According to Bandura, people make choices based on their beliefs about their capabilities. Learning happens through these beliefs, through social modeling from one’s environment, and through cognition and behavior. 

The four stages of Bandura’s social learning theory 

The learning process according to Bandura’s theory involves four key stages: 

• Attention: When we observe behavior that our minds see as different or unusual—behavior that grabs our attention—it becomes a source of learning. Drawing from our social context and seeing other humans normalizing a behavior helps reinforce new insights. 

• Retention: We process the information internally and then recall it later when responding to a similar situation. 

• Reproduction: Whether the information involves skills, insights, or behaviors, reproducing allows us to internalize this information better. 

• Motivation: Motivation is initiated by observing someone being rewarded or punished for their actions or behavior. This induces motivation when recalled in a similar situation. 

Examples of social learning in the workplace 

Before diving into the benefits and challenges of implementing social learning theory, let’s take a quick look at some common examples of social learning in the workplace. 

• Shadowing: Employees gain new skills by observing experienced coworkers in action. 

• Workshops: Hands-on sessions featuring role-playing and collaborative activities. 

• Mentoring: Experienced employees provide new hires with valuable insights and support. 

• Knowledge sharing: Use of internal forums, chat platforms, PPTs for sharing expertise and answering questions. 

With the shift to remote work and increasing time constraints, traditional methods of knowledge sharing have become more challenging. As a result, workplaces are turning to e-learning solutions to ensure continuous learning and development. Easygenerator’s user-friendly authoring software makes it easy to create and share engaging e-learning content, allowing your employees to access valuable knowledge and training anytime, anywhere. 

Benefits of social learning in the workplace 

Implementing the social learning theory in the workplace can offer several benefits, including: 

Enhanced communication and collaboration 

Social learning enables a culture of collaboration and learning from others. It contributes to seamless and authentic communication among colleagues, fostering a strong team spirit. 

Increased responsibility 

Social learning encourages and empowers employees to take responsibility for their own learning and contribute to their peers’ growth. By observing their peers, employees are driven to meet their own learning needs. This self-driven learning empowers them to own their development and, ultimately, their career growth. 

Improved motivation 

The desire to imitate others in social learning induces feelings of motivation. This can lead to better organizational productivity, more opportunities for employee recognition, and, in the long run, better employee retention rates. 

Multi-modalities and channels for learning 

Modern employees look beyond traditional classrooms to acquire skills or knowledge. By embracing social learning, you expand the number of learning avenues your employees can choose from in terms of formats and people. 

Drawbacks of social learning in the workplace 

While social learning theory has many benefits in the workplace, there are also a few disadvantages: 

Promotes a single way of learning 

While learning from peers is beneficial, it can also hold back innovation and individuality in the workplace. For example, it’s easy to look up to high-achieving students in a classroom as role models for academic success. However, this approach neglects the fact that people have different learning needs. One person’s path to success may not be suitable for another. 

Restricts L&D innovation 

Relying heavily on social learning can hinder Learning and Development (L&D) teams from exploring authentic and innovative learning experiences. Being flexible towards innovation is key to meeting the varied learning needs within the workplace. Relying solely on established theories like social learning can limit these opportunities. 

Online privacy concerns 

Carelessly sharing knowledge among peers can risk compromising the privacy of company-specific information. For example, employees may share the latest updates about new products and business developments internally. If not carefully managed, especially when it comes to externally sharing such information, social learning can lead to information breaches. 

Difficult to track learner progress 

Unlike structured learning methods such as classroom training, social learning occurs organically within the workplace, without formal measurements like assessments. This makes it challenging to demonstrate the ROI of social learning in tangible figures, making it hard to track learners’ progress. 

Applying social learning theory in the workplace 

Stimulating employees to communicate and connect with peers is at the heart of social learning. If done correctly, this can establish a company-wide learning culture. An easy way to implement social learning theory in your workplace is by fostering a culture of knowledge sharing. 

When it comes to applying social learning theory, here are some best practices to consider: 

Make knowledge sharing a part of the usual business

Knowledge sharing should be an integral part of your employees’ job descriptions. The more routine it becomes, the lower the threshold, and the more likely employees will participate. 

Ensure knowledge sharing is easy and user-friendly 

The best way to share knowledge within your workplace is by utilizing simple e-learning authoring tools and online platforms like Easygenerator. This enables employees to effortlessly capture, publish, and share their knowledge with their peers. Ensure the authoring software has a zero learning curve, making it accessible for everyone in the organization. 

Lead by example always 

As a manager, your actions speak louder than words. Encourage your team to share knowledge and lead by example. This reinforces the importance of knowledge sharing and shows your team how seriously you take the expectations you set. 

Share relevant knowledge only 

Identify the knowledge gaps among your employees and determine what would be most beneficial to share. This way, you can share relevant and valuable knowledge that aligns with the business needs and goals. 

Implementing these practices can help integrate the social learning theory into your workplace culture, fostering collaboration and continuous learning among employees. 

Boost your social learning strategy with Easygenerator 

Now that you’ve learned about knowledge sharing, let’s delve into a highly successful social learning model facilitated by Easygenerator. 

We call it Employee-generated Learning (EGL), where any employee can share and create content based on their expertise. This classic bottom-up approach is driven entirely by employees, known for saving time and effort for L&D teams. Social learning constructs such as collaboration, peer engagement, and feedback are integral to this model. But, to bring it to life within your workplace, you need to utilize Easygenerator’s user-friendly authoring tool that offers seamless communication among knowledge creators, consumers, and reviewers.  

Contact us for a quick demo to explore how Easygenerator has helped numerous MNCs get started with social learning using our home-grown EGL model.