"In 2012," European Union Member States committed to implement policies for the "Validation of Nonformal and Informal Learning" (VNFIL). In this article, we examine Austria and Italy and ask how VNFIL policies in these two countries relate to "informal learning" (IL) and how this can be interpreted from a…

Introduction: This dissertation focuses on how informal educators learn through conversations during meetings, planning sessions, and other discussions with colleagues. These on-the-job learning experiences remain relatively understudied, and this dissertation aims to illuminate the dynamics of informal educator relationship-building within…

Purpose: Fast-changing global environment, hybrid and virtual work, today's workplace is confronted to an unprecedented level of complexity. This conceptual paper aims to explore ways to re-think and adapt informal workplace learning to those recent changes and important dimensions to consider when designing successful learning strategies in the…

Purpose: The aim of this study is to unveil how professional trainers and training managers describe the learning conditions of their workplaces, what informal and formal learning activities they intend to accomplish and what barriers to learning at work they encounter. Design/methodology/approach: Barriers to learning in the workplace fall under…

Informal workplace learning is an essential part of lifelong learning. In recent years, digital technology has come to play an increasingly important role in enabling informal learning at work through various tools and resources. However, as little empirical research exists on informal learning in this context, more knowledge of digital work…

Purpose: This paper aims to find a measurement model with better evidence of validity, with data extracted from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). To test a parsimonious model in which dispositional and workplace context characteristics are predictors of informal learning behaviors (ILBs).…

This dissertation investigated the learning required for individuals to onboard into self-managing organizations (SMOs). Using a qualitative case study approach, 15 participants from various SMOs were interviewed to gain insight into their experiences. In addition, data were collected from a document review and focus group. The study found that:…

Work practices and learning are entangled processes that operate differently in each workplace. Central factors producing this diversity are the informal, social and affective cultures facilitated and supported in each workplace. Recent research findings further suggest that these informal modes of workplace practice are critical for how people in…

Adopting a theoretical perspective that acknowledges both formal and informal learning as crucial and emphasises reproductive and developmental learning as complementary, this article analyses and discusses temporary agency nurses' experiences of working and learning, focusing on conditions for workplace learning. This provides opportunities to…

Digitalisation does not only transform material constructions of workplaces and work but also social constructions for employees' interaction and learning at work. In this paper, we explore emerging challenges related to the digitalisation of workplaces aiming for an understanding of the changing prerequisites for working and competence. Our…

Purpose: Past research shows that workplace fun has a positive effect on informal learning, however, the role of individual and organizational mediating variables in this relation has not been studied much. This study aims to examine the role of management support, motivation to learn and learning opportunity in the relationship between workplace…

Fluctuating demands and fast changing job-requirements require organizations to invest in employees so that they are able to take up new tasks. In this respect, fostering employees' employability is high on the agenda of many organizations. As a prerequisite for creating employability, many scholars have focused on the role of social informal…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the constituent parts of learning in the manufacturing work context and understand why these parts are key in the learning of the employees. Design/methodology/approach: The data was collected from two sources: a literature review of the Information Systems literature to establish an initial…

Despite the well-established benefits of technological advances, a lack of adequate tacit knowledge sharing is one of the major setbacks affecting the development of human capital in technology industries. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the experiences technology managers will need to support the transfer of…

We investigated informal workplace learning (IWL) within an under-researched target group: blue-collar workers. IWL is particularly important for these workers because of learning barriers to participation in formal training. Based on meta-analytical conceptualizations and findings, we developed a conceptual framework of antecedents, processes,…