Millennials and the Changing Workplace: The Process of Organizational Learning

Abstract

Members of the workplace are at the heart of the organizational learning process. They play a major role by communicating their shared perceptions, distributing knowledge, and acting as human components of the broader organizational memory. Today, three generations cohabitate in the work environment, each of whom have their own distinct traits that influence how they perceive and enact learning. This thesis explores how Millennials experience organizational learning and its significance. By applying Crossan et al.’s (1999) 4I Framework, the process of intuiting, interpreting, integrating, and institutionalizing are considered from the standpoint of the Millennial generation. The methodology for this study includes semi-structured interviews and qualitative thematic analysis to better understand this relationship. This is based on 13 conversations with members all drawn from a single organization. The findings describe how Millennials see learning as fundamental as well as how they overcome the challenges they face and apply their knowledge.