Building Knowledge Together: Ideas for Learning at Work 2025
Learning at Work Week 2025 is just around the corner, and this year’s theme “We Build Knowledge Together” feels particularly relevant for small and medium-sized businesses.
In SMEs, learning rarely happens in classrooms or formal programmes.
It happens in conversations.
In shared problem-solving.
In quick handovers, workarounds, and moments of “oh, that’s how you do it”.
So this year’s theme isn’t about adding more training.
It’s about making the learning that already exists more visible, shared, and intentional.
If you’re an SME thinking about how to mark Learning at Work Week 2025 without overwhelming your team, here are some simple, practical ideas that bring the theme to life.
1. Skills Exchange: Bite-Sized Learning, Big Impact
Invite team members to run short, 10-minute sessions sharing something they know how to do well.
It could be:
a work skill (Excel shortcuts, customer conversations, AI prompts)
a process tip (“this saves me loads of time”)
or even a personal skill that translates into work (organisation, planning, creative thinking)
The aim isn’t polish, it’s usefulness.
Why this fits the 2025 theme:
It makes knowledge visible and shared, not hidden in job titles.
2. Masterclasses: Learn from Specialists (Without Going Big)
Learning at Work Week is a great excuse to bring in one external voice.
That might be:
an industry specialist
a local expert
a trusted partner
or someone in your wider network
Keep it short (30–45 minutes) and focused on:
emerging trends
changes affecting your sector
or practical insights SMEs can act on
Why this fits the theme:
It reinforces that learning doesn’t just live inside the business, it’s built through connection.
3. “I Can’t Live Without…”: Tools, Tips and Shortcuts
This is one of the easiest and most effective sessions to run.
Ask each person to share:
a digital tool
a shortcut
a template
or a simple habit they rely on
From task management apps to inbox rules to note-taking systems, these small shares often unlock immediate improvements for others.
Why this fits the theme:
Knowledge isn’t just formal expertise, it’s everyday know-how.
4. Guest Speaker Conversations: Exploring 2025 Topics
Rather than a formal talk, frame this as a conversation.
Topics that often resonate with SMEs in 2025 include:
sustainability in practice
AI and digital confidence
wellbeing under pressure
adapting to change with limited resources
Partnering with colleges, universities, or local organisations can keep this accessible and relevant.
Why this fits the theme:
It creates shared understanding around issues that affect everyone.
5. Mini-Experiments: Learn by Trying
Pick one small thing to test during the week.
For example:
a new meeting format
a different way of sharing updates
a visual approach to planning or problem-solving
Then take 15 minutes to reflect together:
What worked?
What didn’t?
What would we keep?
Why this fits the theme:
Learning happens through doing, not just listening.
6. Career Stories: Learning Paths, Not Ladders
Invite colleagues to share:
how they learned their role
what helped them most
what they wish they’d known earlier
what they’re learning now
This is particularly powerful in SMEs, where career paths are rarely linear.
Why this fits the theme:
It shows that knowledge is built over time and often together.
Why Learning at Work Week 2025 matters for SMEs
In small businesses, learning culture isn’t a “nice to have”.
It affects:
how quickly people solve problems
how confident they feel asking questions
how smoothly new starters settle in
how resilient the business is under pressure
Learning at Work Week 2025 offers a moment to pause and reinforce the behaviours that support all of that without launching another initiative.
Keep it realistic
If you take one thing from this, let it be this:
You don’t need to do everything.
Choose:
a small number of activities
that reflect how your team actually works
and invite people to contribute
That’s how knowledge is built together especially in SMEs.
A gentle next step
If Learning at Work Week has made you reflect on how learning really happens in your business: what’s shared, what’s assumed, and what gets stuck, that reflection is valuable in itself.
At Jessanol, I work with SMEs to make learning more intentional, practical, and embedded into real work, not bolted on.
If you’d like to talk through what this could look like for your team in 2025, you’re welcome to get in touch.