For the transformation of organisations into “Learning Workplaces” to be achieved, first the people that lead organisations need to believe in that vision.
The aim of this activity has been to introduce the main workplace actors – employers and employer representatives (company owners, General Managers, Managing Directors, members of Boards of Directors, Department Managers, and HR staff) – to the idea of establishment of a workplace learning culture within organisations, by measuring their attitude regarding the concepts of workplace learning and workplace transformation before and after a workshop on this topic. Also, their perception of key concepts related to workplace learning (adult learning, types of learning, etc.) and how receptive they are of such a transformation have been considered.
This has been attained by developing a curriculum for a one-day training as well as interactive training material, which have been used in 9 workshops for 132 employers and employer representatives, implemented in the 5 countries of the consortium.
In those workshops, the key objective was to develop a positive attitude towards the transformation of organisations into “Learning Workplaces” by changing the views of employers and employer representatives to a more favourable approach towards workplace learning. To measure the original attitude of participants and their attitude after the workshops, an attitude test had been developed, which was used twice: at the beginning and at the end of the workshops. The data collected from the attitude tests was analysed using a tool providing average scores and the percentage change in the views of the employers on: 1) what a “Learning Workplace” is, its benefits, and possible disadvantages, 2) a potential transformation of organisations into “Learning Workplaces”, and 3) challenges that may be addressed through workplace learning.
A report has been developed on the workshops’ results, which was based on 5 national reports completed by the partners and includes conclusions – reaction, learning, and attitude change of employers – on the trainings in the partner countries as well as recommendations for future trainings.