The importance of learning from errors

Many organizations will face disruption but few are set up to learn from it, according to new research.

McLean & Company urged employers to build resilience by embedding after-action reviews into crisis response. The firm’s Build Resilience With After‑Action Reviews Guide identified after‑action reviews, structured and blame-free reflections held after a crisis or major event, as a powerful but underused way to turn real-time experience into lasting improvement.

“Crises are no longer isolated events; they’re a defining feature of today’s operating environment,” said Leann Schneider, director of HR research & advisory services at McLean & Company. “The differentiator isn’t whether an organization faces disruption, but whether it pauses long enough to learn from it. After‑action reviews give leaders a practical way to reflect, capture lessons, and respond with intention.”

The company said the pace of change is outstripping organizational learning. While many employees report experiencing change, only 34 per cent of HR teams have increased their focus on risk mitigation and business continuity, according to the firm’s 2025 HR Trends Survey. Without structured learning, the research warns, organizations risk repeating the same missteps under pressure.

The guide outlined how HR can create the conditions for useful reviews, including clear purpose, confidentiality and trauma-informed practices. It said HR leaders can support resilience by helping teams identify what worked and what did not while details are still fresh, by surfacing gaps in decision making, communication and execution and by preserving institutional knowledge so lessons can be applied by future teams.

Case examples in the guide pointed to improved outcomes, such as fewer safety incidents and stronger coordination in later crises when after-action reviews are used consistently.

Psychological safety is central, McLean noted. Reviews often fail when they are performative or punitive.

“Learning that isn’t applied erodes trust,” Schneider said. “The true power of after-action reviews is realized when insights are shared, acted on, and used to shape how organizations respond the next time disruption hits.”

Follow-through is the other pillar. The research recommended translating insights into clear recommendations, assigning ownership, tracking progress and baking changes into planning cycles, playbooks and training. The goal is to ensure the lessons from one event inform day-to-day operations and future responses, rather than sitting in a file.

McLean positioned after-action reviews as a practical tool to close the gap between change and learning. By structuring reflection, safeguarding candour and driving action, the firm said organizations can move from crisis response to continuous improvement.