Most of us have gone to school where we’ve spent years of our lives in the education system being taught, trained and developed. Even outside of school, our parents, mentors, pastors, community leaders and peers are constantly offering us opportunities to learn and grow. The internet and luxuries of the modern age afford us unprecedented opportunity self-teach and never stop accumulating knowledge and information.  

Since learning and education are such huge parts of past and our present, why shouldn’t they also continue to shape our future in the workplace? 

Spaces dedicated for learning and education have a tangible impact on an organization. A recent study by LinkedIn reports that 94% of employees would stay at a firm longer if they are invested in career development. Compare that with a report from G2HR which cited 40% of employees with poor training will leave within the first year. A report from Ceridian states that employees working from companies who invest in learning are 83% more likely to feel happier in their job and, according to a report by Udemy for Business 80% agreed learning at work would make them more engaged.  

The statistics and proof goes on and on; learning and education are good for business, and there has never been more of a need. The half-life of skills (referring to how much time can pass before we need to relearn) is decreasing rapidly. Previously it was 10-15 years according to human resource giant SHRM, but today, according to a study by Deloitte, it’s decreased to just 5 years.

So given all this knowledge, it’s very important that we dedicate spaces in our workplaces for learning and education. Fortunately, given the agile and dynamic nature of the modern workspace, this can take many forms, from the more traditional training room, to more informal gathering spaces where smaller teams can gather for peer-to-peer sharing and on-the-job development.  

As with all type of spaces, most education and learning spaces integrate technology to connect people across spaces and make sharing content and knowledge more seamless.  

Depending on the size of your organization, you may also consider making learning spaces multi-use so they can support other types of work when they aren’t supporting education. Stackable or nestable seating, fold up tables, modular furniture and casters can help a facilities team transform a space in a matter of minutes to support different types of work.  

Benjamin Franklin said that ‘an investment in knowledge pays the best interest’, and that may very well be the case when it comes to attracting, retaining and getting the most out of teams in the modern workplace.