Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 40

Employee Motivations for Workplace Learning and the Role of Elearning in the Workplace
employee knowledge and skills. Learning
today defines the competitive firm as a whole;
the market rewards learning organizations.
Pantouvakis & Bouranta (2013) explain
that, , “…the success of an organization
does not depend solely on the current
levels of employee skills, capabilities and
knowledge, but mainly on their ability to
improve themselves on an ongoing basis”
(p 49).
Investments in employee learning
have been shown to benefit organizations’
innovative performance (Sung & Choi,
2014), positively contribute to knowledge
transfer for multi-national corporations
(Minbaeva, Pederson, Bjorkman, Fey,
& Park, 2014), and is positively related
to overall firm performance (Aragon,
Jimenez, & Valle, 2014). Other studies
identify other specific benefits to the firm
of employee learning but clearly the firm as
a whole is improved when employees are
more knowledgeable. Given that the firm,
as a whole, impacts a reasonable part of
the workplace learning approach, and also
includes identifying how common factors
across the firm impact the design and
administration of learning for employees.
Design Factors in Workplace Learning
The first step in approaching the
design of a workplace learning program is
to define what workplace learning is and
what it is intended to accomplish. Wang
(2011) defines workplace learning, “as the
means, processes, and activities by which
employees learn in the workplace from basic
skills to high technology and management
practice that are immediately applicable to
workers’ jobs, duties, and roles” (p 196). This
definition aligns with the identified benefits
of workplace learning as it addresses learning
across an organization at different levels and
in different specialties but all focused on
improving the work of the firm.
While there are multiple approaches
to learning design Simmons (2011) identifies
the ADDIE model as a good match for
workplace learning because, “…the model
calls for continual evaluation, much like
the strategic management, continuous
improvement, and monitor and adjust/
backwards design models commonly used
in business” (p 3). This focus on continual
improvement and monitoring is a good fit
for the dynamic competitive environment
in which modern firms are operating. With
a focus on the core steps of the ADDIE
model; Analysis, Design, Development,
Implementation, and Evaluation, a firm
can develop quality workplace learning
opportunities for the workforce that will
benefit overall organizational performance.
“…the success of an organization
does not depend solely on the
current levels of employee skills,
capabilities and knowledge, but
mainly on their ability to improve
themselves on an ongoing basis”
(Pantouvakis & Bouranta, 2013, p 49).
The ADDIE model approach to
learning design provides the flexibility
to address needs at any level and in
any department of a firm. In reviewing
the approach, it closely mirrors many
of the strategic management problem
solving frameworks. Analysis provides an
opportunity to look at current practices and
current results and identify where there is
a need for change. Design creates possible
solutions to the identified need. Development
identifies and builds a selected solution from
the design phase. Implementation takes
action to apply the selected solution to the
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