Employees as self-regulated learners: a case study of employees’ upskilling through internal microlearning platforms

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to investigate which factors affect employees’ self-regulated microlearning processes. Furthermore, to explore in what way these factors affect the utilization of internal microlearning platforms in organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A single-case study was conducted on a Swedish retail group with an internal microlearning platform. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 informants. Findings – The main findings suggest that there are a total of eight factors affecting employees´ self-regulated microlearning processes. The findings indicate that these, with an expectation of one factor, also affect the utilization of microlearning platforms. In addition to five factors from previous research, this study found evidence suggesting that there are three additional factors that have a significant effect on the self-regulated learning. Practical implication – The practical implication of this study is extended knowledge about how to create and maintain internal microlearning platforms in organizations. If an organization wants to succeed with the utilization of a microlearning platform, these factors need to be considered. Research limitations and future research – This study is inherently limited by the chosen research design being a case study. The relatively small sample limits the findings to be generalized to a larger population. Further studies with a larger sample are encouraged. Future studies should also consider studying the correlation between factors in the proposed updated triadic reciprocal causation model. Originality – The research is uniquely focusing on what factors affect employees’ self-regulated learning strategies, and in what way these factors affect the utilization of microlearning platforms. The research topic and questions have received limited previous research. Keywords – Microlearning, Upskilling, Lifelong learning, Self-regulated learning, Digital Learning, Triadic reciprocal causation, Individual Learning, Organizational Learning.