Forming an Open Circle: Informal online social learning at a UK university.

Whilst many organisations might offer employee training, this is often in the areas of compulsory ordevelopmental training to facilitate adherence to compliance regulations, the law, or for promotional purposes. Theselearning interventions exist at universities in the UK. At one, there exists something a little different; a suite of informal,online social learning opportunities which aim to enhance motivation, broaden skills, and provide an informal socialonline developmental space for employees. At the same time, these sessions, which are voluntary to attend, facilitatedifferent topics and ways of approaching potentially new topics for attendees. This paper will provide the rationale forthese learning opportunities and analyse primary research involving a range of means to ascertain attendee satisfactionand how these learning interventions can improve employee performance, morale and interpersonal connectivity whilstraising skill levels and enhancing changes in how employees consider key workplace factors like employee relations,respect and understanding. It was discovered that while there is scope for quantitative measurement of performanceimprovement; at a qualitative level, new working relationships were formed, workplace skills were transferred and novelavenues of dealing with problems were promulgated.