Learning at work currently faces the challenge of being sustained in workplaces. Research has shown that, although many employers express their intentions and desire to train and develop their employees, often their rhetoric does not match the reality of their practices. Although, the thesis leverages the idea that there is a partial coincidence of interest between employers and employees at work which was also evident in learning. This study, therefore, explored the practices of learning at work and the avenues that can sustain it over time. To do this, the study investigated the practices, perceptions and agency of the stakeholders of the employment relationship – employers and employees – to make this contribution. Through qualitative research, the study examined the practices of employers, the perspectives and the agency of employees in regard to learning at work. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants in a multiple case study of two Nigerian banks.
The research found that, while employers had well-set-out policies, processes and procedures for learning, administrative encumbrances affected the effectiveness of their purpose and outcomes. At the same time, employer-funded learning contributed mainly to formal learning structures in the banks. Second, the research found that while employers held a view that their learning systems supported learning adequately, employees held somewhat mixed views from employers and this impacted their perception of learning at work. This perception led to feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration, which led employees to respond. Third, the research found that in response to the deficiencies of the employer-funded learning, and for other reasons, employees exercised agency by initiating learning for themselves to bridge the gap, and also position themselves for career progression. While employers were interested in job-related learning, employees were interested in developmental learning that could also influence their job performance. The research, therefore, concluded that for learning at work to be sustained in work, both employer practices and employee agency are relevant to its achievement.
