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Every year, we at the MCF take part in a national, week-long initiative that encourages organisations and their staff to focus on personal and professional development. Learning at Work Week has become a firm fixture in our diaries, so what better opportunity to focus on engaging the staff in our head office and beyond after more than a full year of working remotely… and earn ourselves a nationally-recognised commendation in the process?

This year, we wanted to make sure that – while adjusting to the new normal after a long period of turbulence – our staff felt supported with their wellbeing and able to develop their talents. We also aimed to raise the profile of learning at work and show our staff that training can be much more than just classroom sessions: it has the potential to be an engaging and fun opportunity to connect with colleagues, develop skills, and work towards our charity’s goals.

Throughout the week, we focused on different topics, ranging from ‘showcasing your talent’ to ‘looking after ourselves’. We also seized on the opportunity for creativity, using various formats to deliver sessions, including bite-sized activities, interactive offerings, and even a virtual scavenger hunt. With flexible working being the key to ensuring everyone could participate, the activities were made available on a self-teaching basis and were well-received by new starters and old hands alike.

As the week drew to a close, our staff found themselves more engaged and well-equipped for conversations about learning and development and the role it will play in the years ahead. Keen to keep the ball rolling following a successful five days, we now offer more in-house training sessions for staff than ever before and proactively encourage our colleagues to remain aware of their own wellbeing. We have already seen an increase in both staff retention and successful internal applications for roles, and now we can add being commended by the Campaign for Learning in their 2021 Impact Awards to the list.

With the help of staff’s feedback, we are confident that we can improve further during our next Learning at Work Week and we are looking forward to the challenge!

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