Depending how you count it, 70:20:10 is almost 40 years old. The model provides a high-level outline of how we learn at work: 10% through formal learning, 20% through working with others, 70% through doing the work.

The numbers get criticised, but this insight is widely accepted: Most of what we learn does not come from formal training. But how then should L&D practitioners apply the model to the work that they do? Is it still a useful concept after all this time?

In the first of this two-part series, Ross Garner and Owen explore these questions with three practitioners: Ceri Sharples, Learning and Development manager at Somerset Bridge Group; Cath Addis, L&D manager at Ascential; and return guest Carl Akintola-Davis, Head of Leadership Development at Phoenix Group.

We discuss:

· The history and criticisms of 70:20:10

· How useful the concept is for discussing workplace learning with stakeholders

· How to think about the ‘70’, the ‘20’, and the ‘10’ when designing learning programs.

For more on the origins of 70:20:10, see this blog post from Charles Jennings of The 702010 Institute, who is joining us next week on the show.

Carl’s acronym for workplace learning was ‘Performance RECIPES: Reflection, Experimentation, Connection, Information, Practice, Environment and Support’.

In ‘What I Learned This Week’, Owen discussed a new paper from Nature, which didn’t really impress him: Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J. (2024). Hybrid working from home improves retention without damaging performance. Nature, 1-6.

Ross learned the unfortunate fate of 440 squirrels.

For more from us, including access to our back catalogue of podcasts, visit mindtools.com/business. There, you'll also find details of our award-winning performance support toolkit, our off-the-shelf e-learning, and our custom work. 

Connect with our speakers 

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn:

· Ross Garner

· Owen Ferguson

· Ceri Sharples

· Cath Addis

· Carl Akintola-Davis