Collaborative learning that works: strategies and tools for a more engaged workforce

Guest post from Totara platinum partner, Synergy Learning

A strong collaborative learning culture promotes knowledge-sharing, innovation, and collective problem-solving. However, a survey found that two-thirds of respondents (64%) claim poor collaboration costs them at least three hours a week in productivity, with 20% saying they waste as many as six hours per week.

For organisations that collaborate well, a Stanford University study found that employees are 50% more effective at completing tasks, boosting their intrinsic motivation and engagement with their work.

Choosing the right collaboration tools

Collaboration tools are essential for a remote or dispersed workforce. Many workplaces use communication and collaboration platforms such as instant messaging or cloud-based document sharing, but it’s important to ensure that these tools align with organisational needs and integrate seamlessly within the digital ecosystem.

Having too many communication channels can quickly become overwhelming. Employees may struggle to decide whether to collaborate via Teams, Slack, email, their learning management system, a task management board, or in person. Keeping all communications centralised within an LMS helps shift employee perceptions. Instead of seeing it as a platform used only for compliance training, they begin to view it as a collaborative hub for growth and learning.

Totara Learn integrates collaboration features from Totara Engage, making it easy to interact in real time, discuss learning materials, and curate content. Employees can comment on resources, create and share playlists, and tag relevant materials for their teams. Dedicated workspaces for teams, job functions, and interest groups ensure collaboration happens dynamically rather than passively. In addition, forums provide structured discussion spaces, whether for essential announcements, interactive discussions, or scenario-based learning.

With Learn and Engage working together in one platform, employees have a single place for formal, informal, and social learning, making collaboration a natural part of daily work rather than an isolated activity.

Fostering psychological safety

Do employees feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and admitting mistakes? The term “psychological safety,” coined by Harvard Business School professor Dr. Amy C. Edmondson, refers to a belief that individuals will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up.

High levels of psychological safety are linked to stronger learning behaviour, greater creativity, and a feedback-friendly work environment. Google’s Project Aristotle found that the highest-performing teams weren’t necessarily the most skilled but the ones where members felt safe to voice opinions and take risks.

To build psychological safety, organisations should encourage open communication, where employees can share ideas in meetings without interruptions. Managers can model openness by sharing their own learning experiences. Reframing failures as learning opportunities also plays a key role—discussing how past mistakes led to improvements fosters a culture of continuous learning. Additionally, normalising constructive feedback shifts conversations from blame to growth, asking, “What did you learn from this?” instead of, “Why did you fail?”

Shifting from individual to collective learning

Traditional learning often focuses on individual achievement, but collaborative learning encourages employees to share knowledge, solve problems together, and break down silos between departments. LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report found that 91% of teams develop new skills effectively together, while learner engagement increases by 30% when collaboration is prioritised.

One major challenge is “knowledge hoarding,” where departments keep information to themselves. To combat this, organisations should encourage cross-functional projects, interdepartmental learning initiatives, and shared digital workspaces. Rewarding collaborative learning helps embed it into company culture so that employees naturally seek input from colleagues rather than working in isolation.

Totara Learn supports this by providing collaborative workspaces where teams, project groups, and employees with shared interests can gather to exchange ideas and work together. Informal learning insights can highlight who contributes the most and which resources drive the most engagement. Machine learning recommendations further enhance personalisation, ensuring employees receive relevant content based on shared learning interests.

Why collaborative learning works

A Stanford University study found that people working collaboratively persisted with tasks 64% longer than those working alone. They also reported higher engagement, reduced fatigue, and greater overall success—benefits that lasted for weeks beyond the initial collaboration.

Building a collaborative learning culture isn’t a one-time initiative but an ongoing commitment. Organisations that invest in the right tools, foster psychological safety, and encourage collective learning empower their workforce to grow together, improving both engagement and productivity.

Get more resources on collaborative learning

If you’d like to get more resources and training on how Totara can help you build collaborative learning in your workforce, join the Totara Community. You’ll find step-by-step walk-throughs, webinars, a community of peers, and more.