Employee learning for workplace training and national culture: insights from Canada and Morocco

This two-pronged cross-cultural comparative study investigates the influence of national culture on learning for work. The premise is that one’s national culture has an influence on how employees learn. The purpose is two-fold; first, to present a comparative, exploratory and interpretative analysis of how national culture influences learning in a Canadian and Moroccan context; and second, to examine how complexities of culture such as globalisation, agency, gender, and power dynamics play a role in employee learning. The primary objective was to describe and explain the what and how of participants’ insights from a cross-cultural management perspective; a secondary analysis focused on current debates about complexities of national culture to examine why such things may be happening.

This study contributes to bridging the gap in the literature and to understanding how culture influences learning because despite a century of research on the topic, the influence of national culture on learning for work has been virtually ignored. Research also indicates a dearth of comparative studies, particularly in the Canadian and Moroccan context. Understanding norms, beliefs, and diverse ways of doing things is due to influences inherent in one’s national culture. Moreover, recognizing various perspectives to better grasp how complexities of culture may play a role in employee learning also inform the study.

This comparative study described, compared, and interpreted insights about how national culture influences learning from two diverse cultures. 46 semi-structured interviews were conducted between March and November 2020. Participants were selected from a cohort of employees on corporate training for both samples. The interviews were analysed by means of content analysis with cultural differences explained from a cross-cultural management perspective. Additionally, various approaches to understanding complexities contributed more insight to the research.

The findings illustrated that Canadian participant’s learning practices aligned with a decentralized, flexible, individualistic, and an outcome-based learning approach. Conversely, Moroccan respondents revealed that practices in this study were more centralized, rigid, collectivistic, and less outcome based. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of complexities related to varying issues also provided more understanding about employee learning.

The conclusion of the study is that norms, beliefs, and diverse ways of doing things are due to influences inherent in one’s national culture. How complexities of culture may influence employee learning also require consideration in cross-cultural comparative studies. Various stakeholders working in diverse spaces need to understand differences in national culture and complexities of national culture to efficiently manage, design, and deliver well-structured learning programs. A practical implication is that custom designed corporate training programs fitting cross-cultural realities will be more efficient and effective. To better adapt in cross-cultural situations, cultural awareness of underlying complexities of culture needs thorough consideration and should be approached openly. Also, international organizations benefit from comparative insights when working on training and learning for employees in diverse cultural contexts. This study helps to understand what specific aspects require reflection based on their cultural appropriateness rather than just resorting to standardized approaches. Organizations ought to be aware of these cultural differences and to tailor their learning and training activities to meet the needs of their employees. This ensures that a training is helpful and that employees can apply what they have learned at work.