Using workplace changes as learning opportunities

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to an understanding of how individual characteristics and perceived contextual conditions shape reflection in professional work, particularly in workplaces that provide a variety of work experiences related to changes. The authors examine the effects of personal initiative, self-efficacy and perceived psychological safety in work relations with colleagues and supervisors on individuals’ reflection at work. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 84 client advisors who had recently been affected by major changes in retail banking workplaces participated in the study. The participants completed a questionnaire consisting of instruments to map their self-rated personal initiative, self-efficacy beliefs, reflection at work and perception of psychological safety in work relations with colleagues and supervisors. The data were analysed by performing correlation analyses and hierarchical regression analyses. Findings – The results revealed that both individuals’ personal initiative and self-efficacy significantly positively affect reflection at work. An individual’s perception of psychological safety – particularly among peers – positively predicts reflection. Originality/value – This paper enriches the research on reflection in professional work, particularly against the backdrop of workplace changes. This is done by emphasising the power of individuals’ proactive role and initiative-taking work behaviour; positive beliefs in their own capabilities, e.g. managing the various opportunities involved in workplace changes; and their perception of a psychologically safe environment within a work group that is characterised by interpersonal trust, mutual respect and supportive cooperation.

Conceptual Change in the Face of Digitalization: Challenges for Workplaces and Workplace Learning

“…Apart from their initial training, learning in the context of working life is considered to be of particular relevance for workers' development of required skills and competences. This can be explained due to permanent change that processes and structures at work underlie (e.g., Hetzner et al, 2015;Illeris, 2018). Such change may result from technological development, modified customers' expectations, adaption to market requirements, etc.…”

Feeling Weary? Feeling Insecure? Are All Workplace Changes Bad News?

“…In the field of organizational change, change is generally considered a work stressor [11] that is associated with increased employee strain [12,13,14,15]; work strain experiences can result from a change-induced rise in job demands such as job insecurity [1] and the interruption of employees’ daily work routines [16]. In the field of workplace learning, however, researchers have emphasized that workplace changes require employees to develop new knowledge, skills, and work routines and can therefore increase employee learning [17,18,19]. Moreover, several scholars [17,18,20] have suggested that exposure to changes can be particularly beneficial for workplace learning, because jobs affected by frequent changes in technology and working methods are more “learning-intensive” by nature.…”

“…In the field of workplace learning, however, researchers have emphasized that workplace changes require employees to develop new knowledge, skills, and work routines and can therefore increase employee learning [17,18,19]. Moreover, several scholars [17,18,20] have suggested that exposure to changes can be particularly beneficial for workplace learning, because jobs affected by frequent changes in technology and working methods are more “learning-intensive” by nature. Altogether, research within the organizational change domain has provided initial evidence on both the strain [2,15] and the learning [18] perspective; however, as far as we know, organizational change researchers have not yet tried to integrate these two perspectives, nor have researchers attempted to explain the mechanisms through which workplace learning and strain might evolve as outcomes of change implementation.…”

“…The fast pace of environmental and workplace changes generally means employees need to continuously adapt their skills and knowledge in order to keep up their performance and secure their position on the labour market [26,27]. Changes in working methods, procedures, or tools may imply that the knowledge and skills used previously for carrying out daily tasks may become obsolete and insufficient [18] and that employees need to adapt their knowledge, skills, and work routines to retain their level of competence [17]. In other words, workplace changes may result in increased learning demands that foster learning and professional development [28].…”

Learning Strategies at Work Scale: a Confirmatory Factor Analysis

“…Labor market dynamics require individual and organizational resources to rapidly adapt to external demands to respectively keep up with their colleagues or rival companies (Hetzner, Heid, & Gruber, 2015;Manuti, Pastore, Sadigno, Giancaspro, & Morciano, 2015). A crucial resource is knowledge management via learning, as it offers development of knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs), according to Noe, Clarke and Klein (2014).…”