Why startup teams can benefit from a regular lunch and learn
by Addison Anthony, Associate Content Manager at Innovation Department
Ping pong tables, cold brew taps, and lax dress codes aside, startup culture has a lot of value to offer to its employees. People who are interested in startup environments tend to be self-starters who want to work hard and innovate, but they’re also almost always there with one big goal in mind: to learn.
And startup or not, most employees have another main goal as they try to get through the workday: to lunch. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where the “lunch and learn” comes into play.
The power of a lunch and learn is that it combines two important workday objectives — learning and lunching (yes, we’re considering eating an “important objective”) — into a single casual setting that simultaneously makes regular knowledge sharing a habitual tradition in the workplace. The idea here is that employees have a lot of knowledge — both work-related and of general interest — that they can share with and learn from one another, so creating a regular platform for that exchange is a great way to increase value within your team.
Not yet convinced? Here are a few reasons why establishing a recurring lunch and learn can help your startup graduate to the next level of learning.
Learning for learning’s sake
Participating in active learning situations on a consistent basis keeps the brain limber and expands the mind’s ability to tackle new tasks in creative and effective ways, which is an essential component of thriving in a startup environment. When employees know they have a dedicated time to spend learning about a new topic without the pressure to perform, they are more likely to feel relaxed and comfortable in their surroundings, growing their confidence in the office environment and enhancing productivity.
Utilizing knowledge you already have
Startups are often made up of employees with diverse backgrounds and a wealth of knowledge on subjects that may go far beyond their current role. A lunch and learn gives your company a chance to allow employees to share and explore their own interests with team members in a way that feels super inclusive and encourages a sense of ownership, plus it multiplies the knowledge base of the entire company many times over and could even help open doors for several people on your team. While classes and conferences are always helpful in expanding the company’s education, it benefits everyone to tap into the resources already working under the same roof.
Minimal spend, maximum gains
Sure, catered lunch is definitely an expense, but many startups are already doing one of these a week, so adding in a learning element on top brings on no extra cost while realizing a great amount of gain. Startups, especially in their early stages, are often not in the place to provide as much financial compensation as older, more established companies, so supplying an appealing office culture and ample learning opportunities is even more important when it comes to attracting employees and keeping people feeling fulfilled and like they’re growing on a regular basis. Basically, a lunch and learn is an interactive, cost-effective way to boost company morale on a recurring basis and keep employees involved and excited about the sharing of knowledge across the team.
Building community
Colleagues who know each other better work better together, so taking time outside of the usual water cooler chatter to get to know the passions and interests of your coworkers everyone feel like they know (and even understand) each other better. Shared experiences and empathies is great for team-building, allowing workers to be more productive as well as community-oriented in their work lives. For this reason, it’s important to encourage employees to think even outside of the traditional work-related topics when considering what to do their own lunch and learn on. Sure, it’s great to have someone do a deep dive on Photoshop or SQL, but it’s just as interesting to hear someone share a little bit about their passion for sports, history, travel, etc. At the end of the day, a lunch and learn is as much about fostering that workplace community and social connection as it is learning something new.
Keeping things fun and exciting
Because there are few rules (like, virtually none) around what a lunch and learn needs to be about, one of the simplest reasons to embrace one is that it’s an opportunity to have a little fun amongst coworkers. Sure, some lunch and learns might offer more skill-based value––again, a Photoshop deep dive could offer a lot of actionable and useful information to different members of your team––some might just offer some silly information and laughs. For example, one of the lunch and learns that we put on at our office was run by one of our Australian colleagues who shared some history about Australia and then offered a fun tutorial on Australian slang. You might also do some timely, thematic lunch and learns, like a presentation on the most haunted places in the world in honor of Halloween. At the end of the day, lunch time is a time for people to relax a bit and give their brains a break from work, so it never hurts to encourage a little fun with a lunch and learn in addition to work-related education. And hey––even the silliest lunch and learn offers a chance for some coworker bonding and public speaking practice for the presenter.
Whether it’s every week, once a month, or whenever the wind blows west, recurring lunch and learn will help expand your startup’s learning culture, maximize the effects of knowledge that has already been acquired, create a big impact with low investment, and strengthen the bonds of the office community.
