‘Café culture’ learning encouraged

Skills Minister John Hayes has called on UK businesses to promote informal learning at work, following pledges from 64 companies
to increase informal work-place training for their staff. These companies, including 11 from the FTSE 350 (including Microsoft and BT), represent nearly 2 million employees. They formed part of a recent ‘café culture’ campaign run by the Business in the Community corporate-responsibility organisation on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to improve workers’ skills.

At the end of last month, BIS and Business in the Community jointly published Building the café culture movement, which includes case studies showing how successful companies have seen the business benefits of informal learning, alongside guidance on how to follow in their footsteps. Mr Hayes said: “Businesses have a pivotal role in promoting adult learning, so they have a unique opportunity to change and improve people’s lives. In turn, they can reap the harvest of a productive and engaged workforce.”

The campaign, which has been running since 2009, has involved a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, finance, construction and utilities. It took its inspiration from the idea of a wider café culture, where people meet informally to share ideas in a fun and relaxed environment. By translating this to an office environment, the intention has been to encourage people to work together as teams to support creativity and improve skills.