Throwaway knowledge, useful skills or a source for wellbeing? Outlining sustainability of workplace learning situations

Abstract

Rapid changes in working life have raised awareness of the need for lifelong learning among personnel, and there is increasing concern regarding the sustainability of such learning, especially in growth companies, where learning can be seen as a prerequisite for many work practices. Hence, the aim of this study is to understand the sustainability of learning situations from the perspectives of individual wellbeing, widespread use of previous knowledge and rapid application of new knowledge. We broaden the understanding of workplace learning from the perspective of sustainability by identifying different workplace learning situations and outlining the sustainability of these situations. Two Finnish growth companies participated in the study, representing the technology and industrial field. The data consist of 68 interviews, and a qualitative thematic analysis was utilised. The study found three thematic categories of learning situations: technological development, structural changes within the organisation and formal learning situations. Sustainability perspectives manifested in these situations, but both negative and positive aspects of learning were observed. The findings can be utilised in organisations to enable more sustainability in learning. The research reveals a new and critical understanding of the sustainability of workplace learning.

Sustainability Within the HRD Field: A Systematic Review

“…Next, learning has also been associated with the following terms: education sustainability (Talan & Tyagi, 2020), learning sustainability (Duarte, 2017), program sustainability (Russ-Eft, 2014), and knowledge sustainability (Lemmetty & Collin, 2020). Specifically, Talan and Tyagi (2020) defined education sustainability as a tool for authorizing individuals to change their thoughts and work toward a sustainable future.…”

“…Firstly, the absence of well-defined sustainability parameters in the existing literature presents a significant challenge, underscoring the necessity to clarify fundamental aspects of sustainability for coherent guidance in analysis and implementation (Tan et al, 2010). Existing literature frequently characterizes sustainability through various attributes: continuous efforts (Brandi & Thomassen, 2021;Duarte, 2017); incorporation of the triple bottom line involving social, environmental, and economic dimensions (Ardichvili, 2013;Baek & Kim, 2014;Garbie, 2015;Valentin, 2015); and the integration of organizational learning processes (Lemmetty & Collin, 2020;Maltseva et al, 2019). Accordingly, the concept of sustainability in the realm of HRD should be approached with an awareness of (a) the systematic and long-term perspective on resource utilization, (b) the pursuit of economic and social advancement that does not compromise environmental integrity, and (c) the imperative of ethical consideration and corporate social responsibility (Ardichvili, 2011;Fenwick & Bierema, 2008).…”

The state-of-the-art of modern workplace learning: an applied assessment method of a pre-train deep learning on modern learning tools

“…In conclusion, employees are inspired to engage in learning activities when they have various opportunities and freedom to act and learn. Task and job drivers, therefore, play a role in employee learning and engagement (Lemmetty & Collin, 2020). In line with the study, Wang (2021) has proven that in a dynamic environment, external learning can spur radical innovations.…”

Lähijohtaminen kestävän oppimisen edistäjänä työelämässä (JoKo): Tutkimushankkeen loppuraportti

“…Ne korostavat ihmisten terveyttä, taitoja, osaamista ja hyvinvointia (Pfeffer, 2010). Kestävä oppiminen määritellään aikaisempaan tutkimukseen (Lemmetty & Collin, 2020) pohjautuen kolmen elementin, yksilöiden hyvinvoinnin, osaamisen hyödyntämisen sekä opitun nopean soveltamisen, avulla (ks. Kuvio 1.…”