Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
I’m seeing a lot of questions lately about how human resources professionals can stay informed and continue learning. It’s an important activity to make time for. If we want to provide value to organizations, we need to stay current.
It’s also a great question to ask other people because they might do something that you want to try and add to your list. So, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite ways to stay informed. I hope you’ll share yours in the comments. It would be great to create a list for others in the HR community.
I’m sure one of the first things that people think of when it comes to staying current and continuous learning is attending professional events, whether that’s a local meeting or a conference. Stepping away from the daily operation can be a time for renewal and reflection. It can give us the ability to consider new possibilities when it comes to Human Resources policies, procedures, and goal setting. But I do realize that getting away can be expensive both in terms of time and money.
That’s why including online events can be helpful as well. You can listen to a podcast or webinar. There are conferences that are entirely online. Since the pandemic, I think we’re seeing more online offerings and that’s a good thing. The challenge is getting ourselves in a mindset where we can learn online without being distracted.
Don’t forget massive open online courses (also known as MOOCs). I’ve mentioned before that I try to take at least one MOOC a year. Most of them are free and if you’d like a certificate of completion, there’s a small cost. There are two things I like about MOOCs: 1) they help me learn how to learn online, which I believe is a skill we need to work on. 2) in many, the audience is global, and it keeps me informed on a global scale.
Another option can be just a meeting with a colleague over cup of coffee or cuppa tea. This could be part of a Human Resources mentoring or coaching session. It could also be a networking meeting. We don’t always need a big event over multiple days to learn something new and helpful.
I’m also a big fan of books to learn and be challenged with new ideas. Let me add that sometimes the book doesn’t have to be newly released to bring value. There are classic business books that continue to deliver value. I’m sometimes amazed at the classics that I haven’t read yet and remind myself it’s not too late. Oh, and please forgive me for the shameless plug but I’ve written four books and collaborated on several others. I hope you’ll check them out.
One of the ways I try to challenge myself is by not doing the same types of activities all the time. While I love reading books, I try to push myself to do other things. That way I’m staying current both in terms of what I learned as well as how I learned it.
Speaking of what I learned, when it comes to learning topics, obviously staying current includes human resources and business-related topics. For example, artificial intelligence is a hot topic to stay current on. But don’t discount the value of getting business lessons from non-business topics. I’m reminded of an article I wrote years ago about how much I’m able to apply to my work life from playing Pokémon Go.
The business world is constantly changing, which means our industries and departments are changing as well. Finding ways to stay current and bring value is critical to our personal success and the success of our organizations.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the Wynwood Art District in Miami, FL
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