The Power of Lunch and Learns

“Free food’? I’ll be there.” This was the hook that kicked off the lunch and learn series at Orion.

Since the lunch and learn program has been in action, they have become a weekly highlight giving birth to some great ideas! I can vouch for the numerous lunch and learn benefits in the workplace. Not only do they provide a convenient way to learn new skills and knowledge, but they also promote a sense of community and collaboration among the team.

A close second to food, comes convenience!

A significant benefit of lunch and learn presentations is the convenience factor. It can be challenging to find time outside of work to attend training sessions or workshops, especially if you have family or other responsibilities.

With workplace lunch and learns, you can learn new skills or information during your lunch break, without having to sacrifice your personal time. This is particularly valuable for those of us who have busy schedules or live far from the workplace.

There is also virtual lunch and learn access for those that don’t work in the Sydney office (we have team members in Wollongong and Newcastle) or may be working from home that day. No one misses out (except maybe on the pizza!).

Engineers love to learn

As engineers, we are the doctors of steel, concrete, water and dirt. Developing new skills, challenging ideas and getting across the latest thinking from our research institutions (and making them practically relevant for our clients) is in our DNA.

We are the champions of our own growth – which is good and bad. Without regular forums for sharing, the expansion of knowledge and skills is patchy or non-existent. That’s where our lunch and learns are helping.

Our lunch and learns have provided an opportunity to learn from colleagues. Often, they are led by members of the team who have specific expertise or knowledge to share. This creates a supportive and collaborative learning environment where we can learn from one another, share their experiences, and ask questions.

We also gain a better understanding of our different roles and responsibilities, which can assist with better teamwork and communication.

A regular knowledge-sharing forum is key to growth

At Orion, lunch and learns have been an enjoyable and effective way to stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices. As an employee, it can be challenging to keep up with changes in your industry or profession, especially if you are busy with day-to-day tasks.

Our lunch and learns have provided an opportunity to learn about new technologies, practices, or regulations that can impact our work. This has helped us to stay informed and competitive in our line of work.

It has proven to be an excellent way to improve job performance and productivity. By learning new skills or information, we can become more efficient and effective in our roles, which can lead to better job performance and increased job satisfaction.

We have explored multiple topics hosted by our in-house designers, drafters, project managers and construction superintendents. These discussions have helped provide the knowledge, tools and resources to solve problems and overcome challenges.

Some of our lunch and learn topics so far include (but are not limited to):

• New automated-drafting methods,

• Hydrologic modelling software alternatives,

• Lessons learnt on critical path construction issues,

• Opportunities to streamline council approval processes,

• How to develop better internal methods for resource allocation

• How to keep clients better-informed about project progress,

• WSUD products,

• Electrical and Communication services

• Engineering a sustainable future

• Smart city solutions and setting technology foundations

• Stormwater treatment systems

• Working with Local Government

• Soil and water management

• Article writing and LinkedIn

• Estimation of construction costs

• Developer drop ins.

Phew – what a list. It’s not for the faint hearted!

On a more serious note, it’s not hard to come up with an endless list of lunch and learn presentation ideas.

More brain power equals better results

The emphasis is on sharing and then discussing issues, strengths, weaknesses and alternatives. Most of all, we are focused on practical application. How can this help our clients? How can we improve our own performance?

One hour, over a pizza (and sometimes even a salad!). This simple formula has created a focus for sharing and development.

In the past, we were probably guilty of learning individually in isolation. Individuals would build personal libraries of ideas, resources and hacks, but they were rarely shared or examined.

Lunch and learns mean if someone hears about an important new standard, discovers a piece of killer software or experiences practical problems – we ALL get to know and fast!  

Our simple weekly catch-up is helping to turn active collaboration from a nice idea into a business reality.  We have noticed greater consistency across business units, the ability to better-anticipate project challenges and respond proactively.

No to mention, the process of bringing together people from all parts of our business is great for the Orion culture. It’s a nice feeling to know that Orion is committed to our growth and success.

The shared learning experience has helped to build stronger relationships within the team. This not only makes work more enjoyable but has also led to better teamwork and collaboration on projects.

What our team have to say

It has been an overwhelmingly positive experience for our team:

“Although I fell short of understanding quite a few points, the Lunch and Learn showed me how much I didn’t know about the details of Service Coordination and it was a valuable learning experience. I was fascinated with industry details such as the 7-10 working days turnaround time for EE, and the considerations for each party involved – particularly the management of risk and handoff of liability.”

Nathan Suen | Graduate Engineer

“Very informative session. I feel much more confident in knowing how to structure an article that is useful and educational to the audience, while also being concise.”

Danya Leiva | Civil Design Engineer

“From that lunch and learn, I certainly got a lot more appreciation regarding the soil and water management throughout the construction process. Chris and Danya held an interesting presentation, the different types of ground cover presented was interesting.  On a lighter note, what stuck was to not use hay bales in sedimentation control!”

Florian Jaehne | Technical Director - Water Servicing

Final words

What started out as a free lunch at Orion has turned into a fantastic focal point for the sharing and development of ideas.

I have found the lunch and learn sessions to be a valuable addition to my workday. Not only do they provide a convenient and collaborative way to learn new skills and knowledge, but they also promote a sense of community and support among colleagues.

Whilst engineers, we are still human – and it’s great to get together over a meal to connect, challenge and grow – individually and collectively.

It can even be a way to improve your overall wellbeing, by taking a well-earned break from your workday to connect with others. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of the day and not come up for air. A break from your workday to learn and engage with others can reduce stress and improve your mental health.

At Orion, we are loving the journey. If you don’t have anything like this in your world, I’d strongly recommend it.

All it takes to get started is the click bait… FREE LUNCH!