PIAAC results on opportunities for informal learning in the workplace in Spain /Resultados PIAAC sobre las oportunidades para el aprendizaje informal en el puesto de trabajo en España

Abstract

This article uses data from the PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competences) Background Questionnaire to describe conditions related to informal learning (IL) in the workplace and opportunities to learn informally in organizations in Spain. PIAAC data indicate that in Spain, informal learning processes in organizations are a common, everyday practice. However, some differences have been found in the intensity of this learning by gender, the position that the employee occupies and the business sector in which the organization is framed. This study opens some future avenues to develop further knowledge about IL mechanisms and practices in the workplace, as a strategy to help towards the development of people and organizations.

Informal learning behaviors, interaction and workplace autonomy and readiness to learn

“…The intensity of informal learning in the workplace decreased with age, and the level of education was positively correlated with informal learning in the study by Ferreira et al (2018). Individuals with low educational levels have fewer opportunities for informal learning, and younger individuals probably benefit from informal learning, as suggested by Pineda-Herrero et al (2017). No relationship between age and learning activities was found by Froehlich et al (2020).…”

“…In addition to these teaching activities, interaction in the workplace brought together activities related to planning the work of others and advising, negotiating and influencing people. In the PIAAC data for Spain, advising, teaching and negotiating with others were among the most frequent interaction activities (Pineda-Herrero et al , 2017). Working in groups with individuals with different knowledge and skills helps to understand these skills and make better use of them, allowing the exchange of information and feedback, which promotes informal learning (Eraut, 2011).…”

“…The need for additional training, occupation level and increased number of people hired by the organization were associated with ILBs. Other studies have already indicated that managers tend to have a higher frequency of informal learning in the workplace (Brandão et al , 2012; Ferreira et al , 2018), occupy a prominent position in influencing information sharing (Hoffman et al , 2015) and promote more informal learning in organizations (Pineda-Herrero et al , 2017). It is likely that managers have higher scores in interaction in the workplace due to their attributes of control over other people, goals and demands.…”

“…We selected the following characteristics as control variables: personal: sex, age group, and education; and work or organizational: type of contract (indefinite time vs other types of contract), need for additional training (yes or no), occupation level (manager or not), sector of the organization (public, private or third sector) and increased number of people hired by the company (yes, no or remained the same). These control variables were selected because they had significant effects in other studies (Brandão et al , 2012; Ferreira et al , 2018; Hoffman et al , 2015; Moraes and Borges-Andrade, 2015; Pineda-Herrero et al , 2017; Wolfson et al , 2018). The only exception was the variable “need for additional training”.…”

“…The PIAAC data contributed to several studies in the fields of learning and organizational behavior (Olsen and Tikkanen, 2018). For example, the conditions related to informal learning in the workplace and opportunities for informal learning in Spanish organizations were described by Pineda-Herrero et al (2017). The relationship between temporary employment and the intensity of informal learning in the workplace in 20 developed countries was investigated in the first round of the first cycle of the PIAAC JWL 34,4 (Ferreira et al, 2018).…”