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Employees’ willingness to participate in work-related learning: a multilevel analysis of employees’ learning intentions

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International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study focuses on employees’ learning intentions, or the willingness to undertake formal work-related learning. This cross-sectional survey study included a sample of 1,243 employees that are nested within 21 organisations. The results of the multilevel analysis show that self-directedness in career processes, time management, employability, organisational support and growth possibilities, prior participation, and initial level of education are significant positive predictors of an employee’s learning intentions when overall differences in learning intention between organisations are taken into account.

Résumé

Volonté des employé-e-s à participer à une formation continue: Une analyse multi-niveau des intentions d’apprentissage des employé-e-s. Dans la présente étude, nous nous sommes focalisés sur les intentions d’apprentissage des employé-e-s, c’est-à-dire, leur volonté d’entreprendre une formation formelle liée au travail. Cette étude transversale a porté sur un échantillon de 1′245 employé-e-s de 21 entreprises. Les résultats de l’analyse multi-niveau indiquent que l’auto-directivité (self-directedness) dans les processus de carrière, la gestion du temps, l’employabilité, le soutien organisationnel, ainsi que les possibilités d’évolution une participation préalable et le niveau initial de formation sont des prédicteurs positifs significatifs des intentions de se former des employé-e-s lorsque l’ensemble des différences globales dans les intentions d’apprentissage entre les entreprises sont prises en considération.

Zusammenfassung

Die Bereitschaft von Arbeitnehmern an arbeitsbezogenem Lernen teilzunehmen: Eine Mehrebenenanalyse der Lernabsicht von Mitarbeitern. In der aktuellen Studie konzentrieren wir uns auf Lernabsichten der Mitarbeiter, also die Bereitschaft zu formalem arbeitsbezogenem Lernen. Diese Querschnittsstudie beinhaltet eine Stichprobe von 1.243 Mitarbeitern, die innerhalb von 21 Organisationen eingebettet sind. Die Ergebnisse der Mehrebenenanalyse zeigen, dass Selbststeuerung in Karriere Prozessen, Zeitmanagement, Beschäftigungsfähigkeit, organisatorische Unterstützung und Wachstumsmöglichkeiten, vorherige Teilnahme und ursprüngliches Bildungsniveau signifikant positive Prädiktoren für die Lernabsicht eines Mitarbeiters sind, wenn die Gesamtunterschiede in der Lernabsicht zwischen den Organisationen berücksichtigt werden.

Resumen

La disposición del empleado a participar en formación relacionada con su trabajo: un análisis multinivel de la voluntad de aprendizaje del empleado. El presente estudio gira en torno a la voluntad de aprendizaje del empleado, es decir, a su mayor o menor disposición a participar en procesos y cursos de formación relacionados con su trabajo. Se trata de una encuesta trans-seccional sobre una muestra de 1243 trabajadores pertenecientes a 21 empresas y organizaciones distintas. Los resultados del análisis multinivel demuestran que, en términos generales y salvando las diferencias particulares entre empresas, los siguientes factores actúan significativamente como predictores positivos de la voluntad de aprendizaje del empleado: grado de autocontrol de los procesos curriculares, gestión del tiempo, empleabilidad, nivel de apoyo por parte de la empresa, posibilidades de promoción, participación previa en actividades formativas, y nivel de formación del empleado.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Research on Professional Learning & Development, and Lifelong Learning, Corporate Training and Lifelong Learning (K.U.Leuven), University of Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, Box 3772, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Eva Kyndt, Kelly Smet & Filip Dochy

  2. Methodology of Educational Sciences Research Group, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Patrick Onghena

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  1. Eva Kyndt
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  2. Patrick Onghena
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  4. Filip Dochy
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Correspondence to Eva Kyndt.

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Kyndt, E., Onghena, P., Smet, K. et al. Employees’ willingness to participate in work-related learning: a multilevel analysis of employees’ learning intentions. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 14, 309–327 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-014-9272-4

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