Employee cohesion and its influence on workplace learning: The lived experiences of public university lecturers in Ethiopia

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the driving factors for staff cohesiveness in the workplace and how they are related to workplace learning and development opportunities. Two research questions guided the inquiry: (1) What are the driving factors for staff cohesiveness in the workplace? and (2) How does staff cohesiveness influence workplace learning? Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a phenomenological research design. The data collection involved interviews and focus group discussions with 22 lecturers in two public universities. Thematic analysis was followed to analyse and interpret data. Findings The findings of this study indicate that staff cohesiveness is greatly influenced by several factors. Firstly, the presence of shared visions and goals plays a significant role in fostering staff cohesion. In addition, the similarity of age and gender among employees, as well as the presence of mutual support and a sense of belongingness, trust and solidarity, managerial support and the nature of the job that requires collective action, all contribute to staff cohesiveness. It is worth noting that previous studies have not reported the influence of age, gender and job characteristics as factors influencing staff cohesiveness. Practical implications Employers should not only focus on the knowledge and hard skills of applicants but also on the soft skills which support teamwork and cohesion in the workplace. Managers who want to enhance workplace learning should create opportunities for social gatherings and informal contacts in the workplace to facilitate informal learning in the workplace. Researchers focusing on workplace learning should include tacit learning practices that occur in the workplace as a result of the closeness between teammates. Originality/value This manuscript, which the authors hereby present, is the result of own original work. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the authors wish to emphasise that it has not been submitted for publication in any other journals.

Skill Development Journey through Hospitality: An In-Depth Study of Trainee Experiences in Malaysia

“…Furthermore, (Adula et al, 2023) explore the effects of HRM practices on organizational performance, mediated by employee work attitudes, emphasizing the importance of aligning human resource strategies with organizational goals. In addition, learning and development, indicating the importance of a supportive work environment for skill enhancement (Birhanu, 2024).…”

Fostering employee cohesion

“…Birhanu and Gugssa (2024) have gathered qualitative data from staff in Ethiopian universities, and have discovered the following areas of inter-staff conflict or tension: The personalization of issues; Favoring narrow interests; Harboring mutual suspicion and distrust; Displaying paranoia; Lacking empathy and understanding; Engaging in character assassination; Being closed-off; Holding grudges; Being envious; and Stubborn and resistant to compromise. …”

“…Interestingly, these areas have found tension points around inter-age, inter-gender, and conflicting visions and goals. Birhanu and Gugssa (2024) have discovered that there are some significant cultural issues which are preventing staff cohesion at Ethiopian universities. These are mainly centered on the traditional gender divide in Ethiopia, whereby single men and women feel unable to communicate clearly and honestly with each other for fear of being thought of as trying to elicit a romantic engagement.…”