Workplace learning isn’t just about formal training or top-down instruction. Some of the most impactful development happens peer-to-peer; through spontaneous knowledge exchange, real-time problem solving, and shared curiosity. That’s where Communities of Practice (CoPs) come in.
A well-supported CoP can be a game-changer for workplace learning, especially for L&D professionals looking to drive upskilling, collaboration, and retention in a scalable, sustainable way. Here’s a practical guide on what CoPs are, why they matter, and how to create and support them effectively.
What is a Community of Practice?
A Community of Practice is a group of people who share a common professional interest—a domain—and improve through ongoing interaction. The concept, originally developed by Etienne Wenger and Jean Lave, combines elements of social learning, peer mentorship, and knowledge management. Three key pillars define a CoP:
- Domain – The shared topic or field that gives the group its focus (e.g., UX design, ESG reporting, Agile delivery).
- Community – The people who build relationships, trust, and a shared identity as they interact.
- Practice – The knowledge, stories, tools, and experiences that the group develops and refines together.
Unlike project teams or formal departments, CoPs are voluntary, self-organising, and exist to learn, not to deliver outcomes. That makes them incredibly agile, and incredibly valuable.
Why L&D teams should care about CoPs
Communities of Practice align seamlessly with the core goals of any forward-thinking L&D strategy. They bring the 70:20:10 model of learning to life by powering that crucial “20%”—social learning—and extending into the “70%” by supporting just-in-time, on-the-job problem solving. Rather than learners waiting for formal instruction, CoPs enable knowledge to flow organically and in real time, peer to peer.
They also serve as powerful connectors across organisational silos. Whether bridging departments, geographies, or job functions, CoPs help surface and spread tacit knowledge, insights that often remain locked in individual teams. This cross-pollination enhances collaboration and enables lessons learned in one part of the business to benefit others.
From a people perspective, CoPs are strong drivers of engagement and retention. They give employees a sense of identity beyond their role, recognition as contributors, and access to meaningful development through shared expertise. It’s the kind of professional community that keeps people growing.
For organisations striving to stay agile, CoPs are also hotbeds of innovation. By creating spaces where challenges are aired and tackled together, they accelerate problem-solving and promote the rapid exchange of ideas. Best practices evolve and spread without the need for formal top-down change.
CoPs build institutional resilience. They don’t just benefit individual members, they help turn personal experience into collective organisational memory. That knowledge can then be captured, shared, and embedded into broader learning systems, ensuring the organisation continues to learn and adapt over time.
How to build and support a Community of Practice
Start with what exists
You may already have the seeds of a CoP in your organisation; an informal Slack group, a recurring meeting between peers, a shared drive of templates. Identify these organic communities and give them light-touch support: a meeting space, recognition, a small budget, or simply your endorsement.
Launch new communities with a strategy
If you need to strengthen particular skills or break down knowledge barriers, deliberately start a CoP in that space. Look for:
- A clear, high-value domain (e.g., “Cybersecurity Champions”)
- A critical mass of interested people (5–10 can be enough)
- A committed facilitator (not necessarily from L&D)
Don’t dictate the agenda. Help convene the first few meetings, then let the community shape itself.
Make time and space
CoPs often fail not due to lack of interest, but due to lack of time. Work with line managers to protect time for community engagement, maybe an hour a week or a day a month. Also give them a home: a Teams channel, Zoom link, or physical space to meet.
Use tech to connect
Especially in hybrid or global teams, technology is essential. Keep it simple:
- Asynchronous tools: Slack, Teams, Confluence, Notion
- Synchronous tools: Zoom, Google Meet, webinars
- Optional extras: community platforms (e.g., Hivebrite, Circle, MS Viva Engage)
Choose tools people already use and know. What matters is that members can ask questions, share resources, and connect regularly.
Help capture and share the learning
Don’t let valuable insights disappear in a chat thread. Encourage the community to:
- Record key takeaways after each meeting
- Maintain a shared doc or FAQ
- Record “lightning talks” or expert tips
- Feed best practices into the formal LMS or training programme
Your L&D team can act as curators, attending meetings occasionally, pulling out highlights, and spotlighting stories.
Keep it voluntary and learner-led
Mandatory “communities” are doomed to fail. Let people opt in based on interest. Let the members drive the agenda. You can help by providing light structure (a kickoff guide, a template charter, a feedback form), but resist over-controlling.
Promote, celebrate, and recognise
Don’t just create CoPs; market them internally. Make it clear what people will gain. Share success stories “Thanks to the Risk CoP, we reduced incident response time by 20%”. Recognise contributors in newsletters or learning events. When others see the value, they’ll want to join,or start their own.
Real-world examples of Communities of Practice
Professional services firm:
Faced with high attrition among junior consultants, one firm launched a Consultants CoP. Subgroups formed around industries. Senior consultants facilitated monthly virtual roundtables to share stories and answer questions. New hires felt supported and learned faster. Attrition dropped, and clients noticed better consistency in service.
Healthcare network:
A hospital launched CoPs for nurses and medical specialists across sites. One nursing group identified that small differences in post-op care led to significantly better patient outcomes. They shared and standardised those practices, improving care across the entire network.
Common challenges and how to solve them
| Challenge | Solution |
| People are “too busy” to participate | Frame CoPs as part of development time, not extracurricular. Secure manager buy-in. |
| Community loses momentum | Rotate facilitators, schedule regular check-ins, share outcomes widely to maintain energy. |
| Valuable knowledge stays in the group | Appoint someone to capture and share learnings across the org. Link CoPs to your knowledge management system. |
| Difficult to measure impact | Use qualitative feedback, participation rates, or track community-driven improvements (e.g., reduced errors, faster onboarding). |
