Does Informal Workplace Learning Contribute to Burnout and Self Undermining? The Moderating Role of Negative Job-Related Affect and Mindsets

Abstract

The present research study examined informal workplace learning (IWL) in the context of the Job Demands-Resources Model, and its relationship with the following variables: general self-efficacy (GSE), job crafting (JC), learning goal orientation (LGO), stress-debilitating mindset (SDM), negative job-related affect (NJA), job burnout (B), and self-undermining (SU). The focus of the present study is on IWL and how it may relate to negative health outcomes. In Study 1, hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine JC, GSE, and LGO as antecedents to IWL, and LGO was examined a moderator in the JC-IWL and GSE-IWL relationships. In the quantitative portion of Study 2, hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine B and SU as outcomes of IWL, and the moderating roles of SDM and NJA were also examined in the IWL-B and IWL-SU relationships. The qualitative portion of Study 2 consisted of four open-ended survey questions designed to tease out aspects of IWL, and how often these may contribute to, or be associated with, negative health outcomes. Study 1 results showed that household income, JC, LGO, and GSE significantly predicted IWL. Moreover, LGO moderated the relationships JC-IWL and GSE-IWL. Study 2 results showed that job tenure, SDM, and NJA significantly predicted B, and SDM was found to significantly moderate the relationship IWL-B but only at lower levels of SDM. On the other hand, when SU was the outcome, age, NJA, and internal locus of control emerged as significant predictors. No interaction effects were found when the outcome was SU. Findings from the qualitative portion of Study 2 indicated several ways in which practitioners could work towards mitigating negative health outcomes by reducing frustrating aspects of IWL. Implications for practitioners and researchers include gaining a more nuanced perspective of learning in the workplace and stress outcomes such that learning and motivation to learn should not always only be expected to produce more positive outcomes.