The importance of informal learning at work: On-the-job learning is more important for workers’ human capital development than formal training

Andries de Grip

IZA World of Labor, 2024, No 162v2, 162v2

Abstract: Although early human capital theory recognized the relevance of workers’ experience, its focus was on education and formal training. More recent studies show that much of the performance of newly hired workers is driven by learning by doing or learning from peers or supervisors in the workplace. Descriptive data show that workers learn a lot from the various tasks they perform on the job. Informal learning at work seems to be relevant for all age groups, although it is more meaningful for younger workers’ performance. Informal learning is far more important for workers’ human capital development than formal training courses. Younger workers in the Netherlands spend a larger share of work time in informal learning

Keywords: informal learning; human capital; learning by doing; knowledge spillovers; high performance workplace (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J22 J24 M53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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