Community building plays a vital role on Academy
Active, social environments are critical to how we are motivated, engaged and how we learn. For these reasons, Academy is a social platform.
Human nature is social, on and off Academy
As a species, mankind thrives best in communities and gains an understanding of itself through social context – how we are different from others or similar to those we are close to. Social elements are present across Academy. That is because we know that a social environment is not only beneficial on an evolutionary level – it is also an important premise for a good working environment, successful learning and sustained motivation.
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We thrive best in communities
To be part of an organisation is to be part of a community. In fact, the organisation can be seen as a collection of subcommunities – a kind of hive, where each segment comes together and creates the whole. Individual subcommunities in the workplace might be departments or teams, or your closest colleagues with whom you share an office.
As an employee, you always belong to one or more of these groups; we are a colleague, department head, manager, etc. And it’s important that the community you have on a daily basis is reflected on Academy.
Connecting with other members of the group is fundamental
Employees copy the behaviour of colleagues to gain social acceptance
Social Facilitation motivates members of a group to try harder
Social Proof: I do what others do
When an Academy user can see that several colleagues have read a news post or completed a learning activity, it significantly increases the likelihood that they will do the same. This is also called Social Proof – we do as those closest to us, in order to maintain a sense of community.
Studies have shown that sparring between users on a social learning platform like Academy also improves knowledge retention. In addition, Academy creates an environment where it is natural to seek help from colleagues and chime in when others need advice.
Social facilitation: I work a little harder when others are watching
We’ve all been there; we go the extra mile when someone is watching, for example if we are part of a team and want to contribute to a shared success. This is called Social Facilitation and was first described back in 1898 by Norman Triplett.
The presence of other people in a learning environment affects the individual’s incentive to improve at their job. Social beings seek to impress other members of the group and gain their recognition.
– Christoffer Arensbach, CEO, HiFi Klubben
How to get started
Want to boost training, elevate your internal communications and let your employees share their expertise? Then Academy is for you. Here’s our recipe for success:
- Appoint a dedicated project manager
It’s no secret: New systems require resources to start up. So find a passionate member of your organisation to lead – someone who has both the overview and the expertise to get things done.
- Think ‘why’ and we’ll handle the ‘how’
We’re systems experts and know all of Academy’s tricks. But you know your organisation’s needs and challenges. You’ll get the best results when Academy is a digital reflection of your organisation.
- Be patient – and brave
Change takes time. Be prepared that it may take some time for all employees to get fully on board with your new platform. Don’t be afraid to help them on their way, for example by shutting down old, fragmented communication channels.