Podcast: From Courses to Culture: How Effective Pharma Learning Is Built

On the Future of HR podcast, Amplity leader Michele Graham and Davita’s Director of the School of Leadership Kati Clement-Frazier share insights on what it takes to truly embed learning as an organizational capability.

Key takeaways:

• Learning requires an environment that makes it safe to reflect and growth.
• Learning happens on and in the job, through regular reflection and debriefs.
• Culture, reflection, personal ownership, and daily interactions are all essential parts of building a learning organization.

Catch the full podcast here.

Effective Pharma Learning Isn’t Content—It’s Culture

“Learning organizations don’t start with courses or training materials—they start with environments that help people make sense of their work,” says Clement-Frazier.

At its core, learning builds a culture of psychological safety, feedback loops, and human connection. Organizations that prioritize these emotional and relational aspects of learning create spaces where employees feel safe to take risks, share ideas, and engage deeply with their work. Without this cultural foundation, even the best programs or platforms fail to deliver meaningful impact.

As Clement-Frazier explains: “Learning is about how people feel, relate, and create meaning together.”

Learning Happens On + In the Field

A common misconception is that “learning in the flow of work” means shorter content or quick tips. Instead, Graham and Clement-Frazier emphasize that it’s about embedding learning into the way work gets done, be in that in the field for MSLs and sales reps, or in the executive suite.

Effective learning in pharma organizations includes rituals like:

• Retrospectives
• Small pilots
• Regular reflection
• Leaders actively teaching and coaching

These practices make learning a habit, not an isolated event. Leaders play a critical role in modeling and embedding learning behaviors into the daily rhythm of work.

Effective Pharma Learning Isn’t a Function, It’s a System

In many biopharma companies, learning is “delegated” to HR or worse yet, a LMS.  But in world-class organizations, learning is a system.

This system is built on:

• Culture: A foundation of psychological safety and connection.
• Reflection: Opportunities for people to pause, evaluate, and learn from their experiences.
• Ownership: Empowering individuals to take charge of their own growth.
• Daily Interactions: Embedding learning into the everyday moments that shape how work gets done.

The goal is to make learning part of the pharma company’s DNA, driving growth and adaptability at every level.

How Are You Integrating Learning Into Your Company’s DNA?

As leaders, we have the opportunity to build learning systems that shape the culture and workflows of our organizations and impact the daily lives of thousands. Who can you influence, and what can you do, to embed learning into the fabric of your company?

Catch the full conversation on the Future of HR Podcast: [Listen Here].