Social Learning & Communities: Why Your People Learn More From Each Other Than From Courses
Think about the last time someone in your company truly learned how to use a tricky tool or navigate a tough client situation. Chances are, they didn’t open an LMS course first they pinged a colleague on Teams or WhatsApp, asked in a group channel, or watched someone share their screen. Harvard Business Review notes that at least 55% of employees turn to peers as their first option when they want help understanding something new about work. The classic 70/20/10 model says only 10% of learning comes from formal training, while 20% is from others and 70% from on-the-job experiences. Social and community-based learning simply formalizes what’s already happening. In hybrid workplaces, corporate learning communities and social learning platforms connect dispersed employees, making peer knowledge visible and reusable instead of trapped in private chats. Companies that build branded communities and in-app social spaces see retention increase by around 40%, engagement by 35%, growth by 30%, and revenues by up to 2.8x. The question is no longer whether people want peer learning – data shows employees specifically ask for more peer-to-peer opportunities inside L&D offerings. Why social and peer learning matter now Most learning is already social The 70/20/10 model remains one of the most-cited L&D frameworks: 70% of learning happens through experience, 20% through others, and only 10% through formal courses. For hybrid and remote employees, that 20% from others increasingly happens in digital spaces, not conference rooms. Internal social tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and community platforms have become informal “learning environments” where people ask questions, share examples, and solve problems together. From the employee perspective, a thriving corporate learning community empowers up to 90% of the workforce to engage in meaningful learning beyond the classroom. From the corporate perspective, social learning connects virtually disengaged learners, supports self-organization, and enables collaborative learning across locations and roles. In other words, employees are already learning this way; the opportunity is to make it intentional, visible, and aligned with business priorities. Employees actively want peer learning Research shows employees want more peer-to-peer learning as part of L&D offerings. In most workplaces, when people need help, they instinctively turn to peers rather than supervisors or formal documentation, because peers explain things in relatable language and context. Peer-assisted training enables deeper learning that is more impactful and longer lasting, especially for remote workers who have fewer organic opportunities to overhear or observe colleagues. Peer learning also builds strong relationships. Regular collaborative sessions improve communication skills, increase trust, and encourage open dialogue across teams. This social glue supports engagement and performance in ways that content-only training cannot. For L&D teams, ignoring peer learning means ignoring the format employees find most useful and natural. Core elements of effective learning communities Mentoring, coaching, and expert access Structured mentoring connects experienced employees with those who need guidance, helping new hires and internal movers adapt more quickly to company culture and expectations. Coaching relationships, whether manager-led or peer-based, give employees safe spaces to ask questions, reflect, and practice new skills with feedback. Communities of practice bring together people who share roles or interests (for example, “frontline managers,” “data analysts,” “customer success leaders”) to discuss cases, share templates, and develop expertise together. These communities accelerate knowledge diffusion, reduce duplication of effort, and create visible internal experts whom others can approach. Social learning platforms and channels Organizations increasingly use tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or dedicated social learning LMSs to host channels where employees share resources, ask questions, and discuss real challenges. Internal forums and interest groups give employees spaces to post questions, share solutions, and vote up the most helpful answers. Hybrid corporate training programs often build cohort communities that persist long after formal sessions end. These digital cohorts become continuing support networks where participants share wins, troubleshoot problems, and keep each other accountable. Cohort-based formats significantly increase completion and application because people don’t feel they’re learning alone. Collaborative projects and peer training Team-based projects encourage employees to learn from each other’s expertise, promoting hands-on learning and better communication across departments. Peer-to-peer training can be especially effective for contextual skills like internal tools, customer processes, and real workflows. Employees acquire knowledge faster by learning from peers because explanations are tailored to specific work contexts. Peer learning is also cost-effective. Instead of relying solely on external trainers, organizations tap into internal knowledge and build capacity by having employees teach each other. This makes training budgets stretch further while strengthening internal networks and collaboration. Business impact and ROI of learning communities Engagement, retention, and performance Building strong internal communities brings measurable business benefits. Companies with branded in-app communities and social features have seen user retention increase by around 40%, engagement rise by 35%, growth accelerate by 30%, and revenue increase by 2.8x, with average revenue per user up 2.2x. While these numbers often come from customer communities, similar mechanisms apply internally: when people feel connected and supported, they stay longer and contribute more. Peer learning facilitates deeper learning, leading to better understanding and longer-lasting application. Employees who regularly engage in peer-assisted training grasp concepts more fully and can execute their roles more effectively. Social learning improves speed of learning, as employees can acquire knowledge faster from peers using language and examples that make sense for their specific context. Better relationships formed through joint learning heighten synergy and collaboration at work. This social capital improves team performance, innovation, and resilience outcomes directly tied to business success. Knowledge engagement and cost savings Knowledge engagement platforms that support community Q&A and social search act as a single source of truth while making it easy for employees to find and reuse answers. This reduces duplicated work, shortens time to resolve customer or operational issues, and decreases dependency on a few “go-to” experts. Communities reduce training and support costs by capturing answers once and reusing them many times. Instead of everyone asking the same question in private channels, community spaces make solutions visible and searchable. Over time, this creates a living knowledge base maintained by the
