Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 46

Employee Motivations for Workplace Learning and the Role of Elearning in the Workplace
be closely linked to the learning needs
of workers. For elearning design in the
workplace this means utilizing andragogy
and self-directed learning (Cheng, Wang,
Yang, & Kinshuk, 2011).
The design aspects of workplace
elearning are clearly a critical step in
building a successful learning experience
for the employees. For the firm there also
needs to be a clear advantage to providing
the learning opportunity to employees.
When using elearning as a platform this
means making a clear connection between
elearning themes and workplace learning
requirements. This is necessary because
the real purpose of a workplace elearning
initiative is for the firm to generate positive
results in employee behavior and overall
performance (Cheng, Wang, Yang, &
Kinshuk, 2011).
Connecting elearning to the needs
of the workplace goes beyond just the
goals and objectives and includes the
application of appropriate theories for
the environment. “Theories specific to
workplace learning can be categorized into
four groups: adult learning, organization
learning, Community of Practice (CoP),
and knowledge management” (Wang,
2011). With so many different elements
combining to create a successful workplace
elearning experience an organization must
be deliberate in their approach to the
process. This involves including elearning
as a component of the overall strategic plan
for the firm.
For a workplace elearning effort
to deliver the expected positive results it
must begin with a sound plan. This plan
is based on a business and people-centered
strategy (Wang, Vogel, & Ran, 2011). The
planning process, as part of a firm’s overall
strategic plan, is critical in today’s business
environment. The increasingly dynamic
competitive environment has forced
firms to focus on how they can establish
sustainable competitive advantage and
one of those approaches, the improvement
of their workers, is increasingly achieved
through the use of elearning (Cheng, Wang,
Yang, & Kinshuk, 2011). This strategic
focus on worker development was reflected
in the study by Cheng, Wang, Morch,
Chen, Kinshuk, and Specter (2014) where
they identified two of the four dimensions
of workplace elearning as elearning for
continuing education and professional
development and the integration of
knowledge management with elearning.
As knowledge workers increasingly
become the engine of productivity and
competitive advantage in the knowledge
economy the development of those
workers is of increasing importance
to a firm’s overall strategy. This drives
the importance of workplace elearning,
as, “Studies have also demonstrated a
relation between the prevalence of ICTs
(information communication technologies)
at work and the rate of workplace learning”
(David, Selleh, & Iahad, 2012). With
worker development a premium concern
for competitive companies, and worker
development aided by the use of elearning
approaches, elearning by extension is a
component of creating and maintaining
competitive advantage for the modern firm.
Because elearning is an important
element of a firm’s overall strategic plan
the final element in its planning and
implementation is the use of assessment.
In workplace learning assessment this
often takes the form of Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs). Rather than assessing
the learning process directly, KPIs assess
the critical areas of individual and
organizational performance that contribute
to overall firm success (Wang, Vogel, & Ran,
2011). This approach, rather than simply
measuring employees’ academic mastery
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