Learning Innovations from Microsoft
Want to read up on the latest technologies or innovative business thinking?
If you're committed to continuous learning to maintain your edge in your career, then no doubt you are frequently making trips to Borders or Barnes & Noble, or perhaps online to Amazon to purchase the latest business, technology, or self improvement books. If you are really green and want to save a tree or two, maybe you even go to your local public library.
Many companies say they are committed to employee learning, some even send employees to training courses or conduct internal training classes, but Microsoft takes employee education one step further. They've built up their own library at their Redmond, WA campus headquarters that facilitates the acquisition and lending of the latest business and technology titles.
Even vendors can check out a book like The Strategy Paradox by Michael Raynor for three weeks. Audio books on CD, no problem. E-books? The Microsoft library has those too, along with access to online research sources.
If an employee or vendor doesn't return something their boss gets charged, so that keeps people honest and the library stocked.
Why is this so innovative?
Innovation sometimes requires a commitment that few others are willing to make. How many companies are willing to bear the cost of running their own library?
But yet how many companies constantly complain about the shortage of qualified technology workers?
Making the resources easily available to employees to increase their body of knowledge not only contributes to increased job satisfaction, but also to increased productivity. Making the library available to vendors working on the Microsoft business as well is where one of the key strategic innovations plays out. What a concept!
Microsoft makes use of a large number of contractors and consultants to drive their business and by opening the library to these resources, they increase the return on investment in non-employee resources as well.
What is your company doing to improve productivity and success from supporting continuous learning?
If you're committed to continuous learning to maintain your edge in your career, then no doubt you are frequently making trips to Borders or Barnes & Noble, or perhaps online to Amazon to purchase the latest business, technology, or self improvement books. If you are really green and want to save a tree or two, maybe you even go to your local public library.
Many companies say they are committed to employee learning, some even send employees to training courses or conduct internal training classes, but Microsoft takes employee education one step further. They've built up their own library at their Redmond, WA campus headquarters that facilitates the acquisition and lending of the latest business and technology titles.
Even vendors can check out a book like The Strategy Paradox by Michael Raynor for three weeks. Audio books on CD, no problem. E-books? The Microsoft library has those too, along with access to online research sources.
If an employee or vendor doesn't return something their boss gets charged, so that keeps people honest and the library stocked.
Why is this so innovative?
Innovation sometimes requires a commitment that few others are willing to make. How many companies are willing to bear the cost of running their own library?
But yet how many companies constantly complain about the shortage of qualified technology workers?
Making the resources easily available to employees to increase their body of knowledge not only contributes to increased job satisfaction, but also to increased productivity. Making the library available to vendors working on the Microsoft business as well is where one of the key strategic innovations plays out. What a concept!
Microsoft makes use of a large number of contractors and consultants to drive their business and by opening the library to these resources, they increase the return on investment in non-employee resources as well.
What is your company doing to improve productivity and success from supporting continuous learning?
Labels: Braden Kelley
posted by Blogging Innovation at 4:21 PM
1 Comments:
Braden, I agree that this is a good idea by Microsoft. Having the latest business resources available for their employees helps them keep current, and gives them motivation to read.
Microsoft having a personal library means that they're sending a strong message that "those books are important and we want you to read them."
One expansion on this idea, especially for companies that don't have the resources to build libraries on their own: encourage their employees to donate or lend their already-read books to the library. I have so many business books, and it's a shame to see them sitting there on my shelf when they could be helping others. I'd happily contribute my books to a business library.
And afraid some people won't want to donate? Offer $5 Starbucks gift cards for every donated book (or perhaps $10 for a really popular book.) The business library would still be saving money because it wouldn't have to buy new books. Or maybe entries in a contest for a big gift certificate.
Thanks for sharing this.
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