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Abstract

The objective of the argument in this paper is to attempt at answering the question whether learning and knowledge exchange are the key factors determining online work preferences for Generation Z employees. Design/methodology/approach: The essence of knowledge management is that all knowledge, both explicit and tacit, accumulated by an organization becomes easily accessible to each of its members. This is important for decision-making processes and allows the organization to become more agile. Knowledge management is most often associated with modern information technologies. Thanks to them, streams of various data can be processed and analyzed in many different ways. However, in the literature there is an increasingly common attitude that more attention should be paid not only to the technological but also to the human aspect of knowledge management. The processes of knowledge exchange among employees have been subject to extensive research and studies, yet the recent years have added another thread to the discussion about the matter, i.e. a significant proportion of employees switching to the online work model. Based on the findings of the studies conducted on a group of employees representing Generation Z, the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique was applied to organize the factors with the highest relevance for the respondents in online work. Findings: PCA demonstrated that the components recognized as most important were those relating to knowledge transfer and their impact on employee efficiency, and on the other hand employee relations as a factor that supports the learning processes. Research limitations/implications: In order to dwell upon the underlying causes of this situation, it should be recommended to proceed with further in-depth qualitative research. Practical implications: What the research communicates to the organization is that although Generation Z members are aware of the significance of the knowledge transfer and learning processes and they understand the role of peer relations in these processes, they are unable to overcome the social barriers created by the online working system due to lack of appropriate skills. Originality/value: The paper reveals new aspects that play crucial role in shaping Generation Z attitude to online work from one side. On the other hand it also helps to design synthetic tool researching this area in the future.