What enhances or inhibits learning a new job? A basic career issue.

Abstract

A model of the factors that enhance or hinder learning a new position is proposed and partially tested. Time on the job explained 27% of the variance in the facility with which a position was learned, and individual-differences, job-characteristics, context, and environmental factors explained an additional 24%. Job characteristics such as role complexity and lack of job challenge and individual differences such as self-efficacy and immediate prior similar experience were strongly related to job learning. In addition, contextual factors representing the organization's climate, pace, and stage contributed to the explanation of job learning along with the individual's marital status