The impact of workplace changes and supervisor support on employee learning

2024 – In this study, the authors investigate how workplace change relates to employee participation in formal learning and informal learning. Formal learning is participating in a course or training; informal learning is learning from task performance and from colleagues at work.

Hypotheses/Expectations

A nonlinear relationship is hypothesized between workplace change and employee learning. This suggests that the occurrence of multiple changes stimulates employee participation in learning activities. In addition, encouragement of learning by managers is expected to support this relationship.

 

Method

The hypotheses were tested using survey data from a large subsample of employees who participated in the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey (NWCS) in 2018 and 2020.

 

Some results and conclusions

The results show that workplace change generally stimulates both formal and informal learning. Specifically, a nonlinear relationship with formal learning was found, but the pattern of the curve was decelerating rather than accelerating. Furthermore, supervisor support for learning was positively associated with both formal and informal learning and outweighed the association of workplace change with work-related learning: for employees who experienced high supervisor support, informal learning was less dependent on workplace change, but for formal learning it reinforced the found nonlinear relationship and resembled a positive curve that gradually flattens out. The results are discussed in the article in light of their theoretical and practical contributions.

In conclusion, this study highlights the complex relationship between workplace change, supervisor support, and employee learning. The main findings show that workplace changes can serve as motivational sources for both formal and informal employee learning; although this is only true for formal learning to a certain extent. Supervisory support for learning emerged as an important factor for work-related learning. It strongly influences employee learning itself and also strengthens the motivational power of workplace changes for formal learning.

 

Reference

Roy B. L. Sijbom, Jessie Koen, Roy Peijen and Paul T. Y. Preenen (2024) ‘The impact of workplace changes and supervisor support on employee learning.’; HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group; https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2024.2401302© 2024

 

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The impact of workplace changes and supervisor support on employee learning: a nonlinear perspective