I’m sure many originators of these awareness campaigns have their hearts in the right place. Like most people, I’m confident that I can sift the marketing-led and simply made-up ones from the serious efforts to flag up something worthwhile. And I’m not a killjoy (honest). I’ll happily enjoy my extra snack on National Bagel Day (January 15), or some extra time in bed (World Sleep Day, March 14) as much as anyone else.

But even the worthiest, best-thought-through campaigns quickly become a waste of time – or, worse, have a negative impact – if they’re treated as an optional, momentary concern, or leveraged for evidence of something they’re not. If you pretend that you or your people are fully engaged with something, based on one-off events and positively spun press releases, you’re in danger of doing less of it the rest of the time, or even forgetting about it altogether.

Like me doing Recycling Month once – and then, if I’m honest, feeling like I’d ticked it off, and doing less recycling than normal for the rest of the year. Or the time I was persuaded to enter a speed-eating contest on National Donut Day, then couldn’t face another donut for weeks.

LAWW – of Diminishing Returns?

And here’s one that’s close to the bone for a learning professional like me: Learning at Work Week (LAWW). This is a U.K.-based campaign, but I bet there are similar things around the world. It’s organized by good people at the Campaign for Learning. It’s free to take part in. It’s supported by a wealth of resources. And its carefully focused, highlighting a key aspect of learning each year – in 2025, the importance of building social connections and creating learning cultures. It’s well planned and professionally done.

But does it work? For me, no.

And I love learning! I’m teaching myself Japanese (with the help of a popular, owl-based app). I use video tutorials to get better at DIY. I’m in several online communities to make me a faster runner. I jump at the chance to learn something at work that’s going to help me in my job. And I know plenty of people, in all sorts of organizations, who learn regularly and widely under their own steam, in and out of work. I’m not sure that any of us need prompting to do more of it – and just during one week in May.

I’d ask any in-company organizer of Learning at Work Week: what about the other 51 weeks? And: if you need to promote learning this way, doesn’t that suggest that you’ve got bigger problems with it – problems that a few fun workshops or webinars won’t fix?

The Impact Factor

I could be wrong. Possibly those in-house celebrations of people’s quirky learning projects have a more profound effect than I realize. Maybe lots of companies are finding out exactly what their people need to learn, and spending the week focusing squarely on those skills. Perhaps leadership teams are resourcing the week properly and demanding high-value activities – not just things that look good on a newsletter or press release, and will get their logo on the campaign website next year.

And I may have overlooked the evidence that an awareness week like this inspires people who weren’t already learning to start doing it – then helps them to carry it on throughout the rest of the year. The official website certainly showcases last year’s success stories, and lists plenty of things these companies did – like trying new sports, making learning competitive, and teaching each other niche skills.

But there’s not so much evidence of impact – beyond very short-term measures (typically assessed during LAWW itself). I struggle to find data about the long-term benefits: the improvements to people’s work and lives through relevant and properly embedded learning.

Learning Without Gimmicks

According to the Learning and Work Institute, more of us than ever before are getting involved in learning anyway. And that’s despite persistent inequalities in participation based on social class and geography. Even with the best will in the world, I don’t think Learning at Work Week can do much to fix that.

What’s more, some of the most pressing barriers to workplace learning are out of the hands of even the most enthusiastic LAWW participant. In a recent survey, 52 percent of employees said they simply didn’t have time for learning. Another report showed that a third of companies don’t offer their employees regular opportunities to learn new skills (maybe not counting the activities that suddenly pop up between May 12 and 18!). There are clearly some widespread, year-long problems here.

But feel free to participate in this year’s campaign, or anything similar. And I’ll applaud you if you can make it truly meaningful and effective. Learning is a good thing. According to a study by LinkedIn Learning, employees who engage in learning at work are 47 percent less likely to be stressed, and 39 percent more likely to feel productive and successful. I certainly believe that enjoyable, appropriate, impactful, lifelong learning is something to be celebrated and supported. And when organizations get it right, all year round, everyone wins.

I’m just not sure that a stand-alone awareness week is the way to do it – or much else, for that matter.

And I still can’t look at a donut without feeling a bit sick.

What’s Next?

If you want to learn new skills – and not just take part in LAWW – you’ve come to the right place. There’s plenty of hard evidence that making learning a habit brings long-term benefits for individual and team performance. Just ask learning expert Brad Staats, who gave us an Expert Interview on the subject.

We’ve got articles that explain Learning Curves (to improve your learning efficiency), the 5 E Learning Cycle (to help you learn actively and effectively) and Virtual Learning.

And if you’re a manager, check out How to Create a Learning Team, to help you to build a positive learning culture in your organization.

Tip of the Week

Use AIDA to Get Results

By Simon Bell, Mindtools Content Writer and Editor

I spend a lot of my time trying to figure out how to get busy people to do things. It's not always easy. So, I often use the AIDA model. It’s an easy-to-use tool to make your written communication more persuasive. Whether you're writing an email, giving a presentation, or crafting a report, structure your message around four key steps:

1. Attention. Start with a hook – something bold or eye-catching to break through the noise.
2. Interest. Keep them reading by focusing on what matters to them. Use clear, relevant points and strong subheadings.
3. Desire. Show how your message benefits the reader. Link features to personal wins.
4. Action. Be specific. Tell them exactly what to do next.

In a world flooded with messages, AIDA helps yours to stand out and stick. Add Conviction (AIDCA) if your audience needs proof before acting.

Try reworking your next business communication with AIDA – and notice the difference.

Pain Points Podcast

Be honest: do you really know what it means to be "agile" – as a business, but also as a member of a team?

On Pain Points this week, Katie Taylor from the Agile Business Consortium explains where the concept of "agile" came from, what it means in today's fast-changing world, and how you can move closer to it the next time you lead a meeting, make a management decision, or even just show up at work.

Subscribe Today

Video of the Week

Expert Video With Doug Strycharczyk

Mental toughness is essential for managers to survive and thrive in their careers.

In this expert video, Doug Strycharczyk talks managers through the importance of mental toughness – what it is, what it isn't, and how to apply it.

Watch Now

News Roundup

This Week's Global Workplace Insights

Productivity Boost – Lessons From the Recruitment Sector

In a climate of sluggish U.K. productivity growth, the recruitment sector has some better news. According to Recruiter, global firm Hays has reported five consecutive quarters of productivity growth, credited to sharper operational focus, strategic resource allocation, and a culture shift under new leadership.

Good for them, you say: but what’s that telling the rest of us? Well, their results suggest that mindset is a key productivity lever. This approach positions quality thinking – not just busy schedules – as central to high performance.

Experts recommend the “65/35 Rule”: dedicating 65 percent of time to doing, and a hefty 35 percent to reflection, recovery and perspective-building.

Meanwhile, Gartner urges leaders to rethink how productivity is measured and communicated: more data and increased use of AI are not necessarily enough on their own. Instead, sustainable productivity comes from aligning measurable outcomes with meaningful, energizing work routines.

Are you giving your team space to think as well as act?

The Power – and Peril – of Vulnerability

Recent insights from TEDx speakers – as told to the Fast Company website – spotlight a powerful leadership paradox: vulnerability, when well-timed, can dramatically increase connection and influence. Their onstage goofs – blanking on lines or losing the slide clicker – became memorable moments that humanized them to their audiences.

This aligns with the “pratfall effect,” which shows competent leaders often become more likable after small missteps. But, of course, there’s a catch. The effect only holds true when your credibility is already established. For emerging leaders – especially women and people of color – the same vulnerability can reinforce harmful stereotypes or undermine authority.

The takeaway for managers and team leaders: authentic leadership isn’t about flawless performance. It’s about finding the “vulnerability sweet spot,” calibrated to context, audience and power dynamics. Done right, it fosters psychological safety and trust. But it also requires an awareness that "freedom to fail” isn't distributed equally. True leadership includes creating cultures where everyone can be human – and still be heard.

See you next week for more member-exclusive content and insight from the Mindtools team!