In total sixty four companies including Barclays Bank, Microsoft and McDonalds have formed part of the ‘Cafe Culture’ campaign run on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The aim of ‘Cafe Culture’ is to promote good practice among employers, so BIS and Business in the Community have today published Building the Cafe Culture Movement to help other organisations see the benefits of informal adult learning at work.
Skills Minister John Hayes said: “Businesses have a pivotal role in promoting adult learning, and so have a unique opportunity to change, and indeed improve, people’s lives. In turn they can reap the harvest of a productive and engaged workforce.
“The many household names that have pledged to push informal workplace learning through the Café Culture campaign is testament to the value they place on developing new skills.
“I am delighted to see such positive results and look forward to seeing adult learning continue to grow at work.”
The ‘Cafe Culture’ campaign, which has been running since 2009, has involved a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, finance, construction, utilities and food and drink companies.
It took its inspiration from the idea of a wider cafe culture, where people meet informally to share ideas in a fun and relaxed environment. By translating this to an office environment, the intention has been to encourage people to work together as teams to support creativity and improve skills.
