The analysis of data from over 800 students at German universities shows, for instance, that extroverted and neurotic students are more likely to learn informally. Students who like to compare their performance with others (social reference norm) are more likely to learn formally. Conscientiousness is important for both forms of learning, but the association with formal learning is higher. The resulting implications for teaching practice are also discussed in the article, which was published in German as a chapter in the edited volume "Hochschule auf Abstand" (transcript Verlag) and is freely available online here.

In an experimental vignette study, young professionals were asked to put themselves in the shoes of job applicants and were randomly assigned various career pages of a company. The career pages differed in whether the applicants were provided with various purpose dimensions or classic attributes of employer attractiveness (including a pleasant working atmosphere, a permanent contract or an attractive salary – collectively referred to as "standard communication").

The results show that corporate purpose – contrary to expectations – does not predict better employer attractiveness, but only similar to "standard communication". This is true for the purpose dimensions of societal benefit, environmental orientation and diversity. The emphasis on the company's customer orientation and on opportunities for personal development in the company ranked even lower than "standard communication." At this point, further research is needed on the background and generalizability of the results. On a positive note, however, it can be said that young professionals evidently pay attention not only to permanent contracts and salaries when choosing an employer, but at least as much to "soft" and societally meaningful factors.

The competence center aims to strengthen the competitiveness of regional companies in the logistics sector (including port operations) and in the healthcare industry, with a particular focus on qualification and competence development for workers in low-skilled jobs, as well as health-promoting and technically-supported work and a positive leadership culture. On the RessourcE Competence Advisory Board, Prof. Dr. Vera Hagemann will represent the topic of "Data-based human resource management", Prof. Dr. André Heinemann the topic of "Regional economic fiscal analyses", and Dr. Katharina Klug the topic of "Health-oriented leadership".

IF = Impact Factor

In his presentation, he and his co-authors Timo Kortsch and Anja Schmitz explored the following research question: To what extent are the experiences of face-to-face learning (e.g., traditional classroom training), synchronous virtual learning (e.g., real-time web seminar), and asynchronous virtual learning (e.g., e-learning environment with learning nuggets) related to the satisfaction of basic needs at work according to Self-Determination Theory?

The sample of over 3000 employees allowed meaningful latent profile analyses to be calculated. The research article was published in the HICSS proceedings and is freely accessible here.

The basic idea of the model is that certain prerequisites of the learners and the work environment are important for New Learning so that learning opportunities can be recognized and exploited. A survey of 129 employees at three measurement points revealed the expected relationships between the LOPP (Learning Opportunities Perception Potential) - a perception potential for learning opportunities - and perceived learning opportunities, which in turn are associated with learning intention. There was also a compensatory effect: on the one hand, a strong learning culture is conducive to learning for all learners (whether they have a high or low LOPP). On the other hand, it was shown that individuals with a high perception potential for learning opportunities can learn well even with a low learning culture. The most unfavorable combination is accordingly: low LOPP and a low learning culture. It is therefore best for companies to promote the learning culture and LOPP of their employees. The study results can be found here.

Together with Julian Decius, Vera Hagemann and Katharina Klug, the panel discussed the requirements for an AI-based tool to support logistics companies in identifying training potential and maintaining skills in the future, in order to be accepted and used by employees.

First results from an employee survey, a user workshop and a first document review were reported in the presentation.

The article is originally published in German, but an English version is included in the online supplementary material and is accessible here.

Based on three forms of work-related learning (i.e., formal, informal, and self-regulated learning) and three learning-relevant dimensions of organizational goal conflicts (i.e., stability vs. change, exploration vs. exploitation, and short-term vs. long-term), nine work-related learning tensions are described that can lead to paradoxical situations. Using survey data of 113 experts from the field, these tensions were evaluated according to their frequency in everyday organizational life and their perceived contradictory nature. The findings show that there are many frequently occurring but less contradictory tensions and some very contradictory but rarely occurring tensions.

The complete results are freely accessible here.

In the symposium organised by Julian Decius, ‘Please everything but self-report in the cross-section: The Informal Learning Symposium’, several contributions from the Organisational Psychology team were presented:

1. "No Formal Training, So What? How Gig Workers Drive Their Sustainable Career Development Through Self-Directed and Informal Learning" by Julian Decius, Carlotta Bunzel and Denise Messerli
2. "Help Me, ChatGPT! How does Generative AI Influence Work-Related (Informal) Learning?" by Hannah Louisa Krüger, Julian Decius, Carolin Graßmann and Michèle Rieth
3. "Learning in the Lab: Development and Piloting of an Online Experiment to Manipulate and Record Informal Learning Processes" by Carolin Graßmann, Julian Decius and Bastian Rexhäuser
4. "Well Supported, well Learnt - A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Social Support and Informal Learning in the Workplace" by Laura Creon, Julian Decius, Carolin Graßmann and Annelie Lorber

Annelie Lorber was also presenting her own contribution ‘Environmental Feedback Flow: Unravelling Emotional Responses and Influence on Employee Green Intentions’ in the symposium ‘Environmental Sustainability in the Context of Work and Organisations’ by Agnieszka Paruzel and Clara Kühner.

The Department of Organisational Psychology would like to thank the organisational committee for the excellent conference.

The organizational psychology team, consisting of Dr. Julian Decius, Annelie Lorber and Hannah Louisa Krüger, led the workshop “Recognizing Competence Potential through AI: From Assessment to Development in Logistics and Care” and was able to engage in a successful, productive exchange with representatives from research and practice. The results were promising: Together, several factors were identified that promote acceptance when introducing an AI tool. In addition, potential psychological predictors for identifying leadership potential in employees in unskilled work were collected. These results will be incorporated into the further development of the AI-based tool for developing potential in unskilled work.

The organizational psychology team would like to thank everyone involved for contributing their various areas of expertise and perspectives to the discussion.

The article, entitled “Integrating Multiple Theoretical Perspectives on Informal Field-based Learning: The Self-regulated Informal Learning Cycle (SILC)” is dedicated to the question of how informal workplace learning can be better understood by integrating motivational, behavioral, and cognitive perspectives. A new model is presented that distinguishes five phases of learning: preparation phase, action phase, encoding and consolidation phase, performance phase, and self-appraisal phase.

Particular emphasis is placed on the role of cognitive and metacognitive processes, as well as the time dimension, which has often been neglected in previous models. The SILC model provides a basis for future empirical research and at the same time offers practical suggestions for promoting informal learning in companies.

The article is freely accessible here.

Their study examines the effects of shared first authorship (Shau) on the perception of academic career success in selection processes. While Shau is becoming increasingly common in research, concerns remain regarding its impact on individual recognition. Is the first-named author perceived as receiving more credit? Is recognition for a publication equally divided between Shau authors? And could Shau be a disadvantage in hiring decisions? To address these questions, the authors conducted an experimental vignette study in which academic participants evaluated the résumés of fictitious applicants.

The findings show that shared first authorship does not pose a disadvantage, as both first- and second-named Shau authors were evaluated equally. Moreover, sole first authorship does not provide an advantage, as it was not perceived as more successful than Shau authorship. Additionally, Shau promotes fair recognition, as clear labeling ensures that shared first authorship does not lead to lower appreciation. The results suggest that common concerns about potential disadvantages of Shau may be unfounded. The study also advocates for a transparent and fair system of authorship recognition in academia.

The open-access publication is available here.

The Special Issue, titled “Learning and transfer in organizations: How it works and can be supported" explores key questions on the promotion and implementation of learning and knowledge transfer in organizational contexts. In an increasingly dynamic work environment, the development of competencies and their practical application are becoming ever more critical.

The nine contributions in this Special Issue examine different learning approaches, including formal, informal, and self-regulated learning, as well as the role of leadership, social support, and organizational structures in facilitating knowledge transfer. Additionally, new methodological approaches and empirical findings on the effectiveness of learning and transfer processes are presented.

The Editorial, written by the guest editors, provides an overview of the key topics covered in the Special Issue. It highlights the methodological diversity of the included studies, which utilize quantitative, qualitative, network analysis, and review-based approaches to generate new insights into learning and transfer. Finally, the Editorial outlines a research agenda advocating for a holistic perspective on various learning forms, discussing the role of artificial intelligence in fostering sustainable learning processes, and linking individual learning pathways to organizational transformation.

The Editorial is freely available here.

While his podium colleagues Volker Lengsfeld (Merentis) and Marco Niebur (Buhlmann) took the practical perspective and presented the AI-supported tool SIA, Dr. Decius contributed scientific insights into the conditions for success in terms of AI literacy, trust in AI, and AI acceptance culture to the discussion. Special thanks go to Sarah Hölscher from Orbitak AG for moderating the event and to the entire team in the background for organizing it.

An overview of the contributions:

• Hannah Louisa Krüger presented evaluation results of a training intervention to promote work-related learning when using AI-based chat applications such as ChatGPT and Copilot.
• Annelie Lorber presented a concept at the symposium “Simple work in services as a challenge in labour research” (chaired by Dr. Peter Bleses and Dr. Wolfgang Ritter) that can be used to identify further training potential for employees in simple work - using the logistics sector as an example.
• The Organizational Psychology team also co-authored the poster contribution “Challenges in the development of an intelligent system for identifying the potential of employees in low-skilled work” by Fenja Hesselmann from Jade University of Applied Sciences Wilhelmshaven/Oldenburg/Elsfleth - a contribution that addresses the central challenges of data-based potential identification and reflects important aspects of our own research work.

In addition to the presentations, the conference offered numerous opportunities to exchange ideas with colleagues from other projects such as KREIS and other regional competence centers - an inspiring environment for interdisciplinary knowledge transfer and networking.

Many thanks to the organizing team at RWTH Aachen University for three insightful days!

The team was represented with three exciting presentations in various thematic symposia:

• Julian Decius presented the results of his mixed-methods study entitled “Facilitating Informal Workplace Learning of Apprentices: A Mixed-Methods Diary and Interview Study” in the symposium he organized, “Enhancing Self-regulated and Informal Learning in Dynamic Work Environments.” The focus was on the learning processes of trainees in everyday working life and how these can be specifically promoted through suitable framework conditions.

• Annelie Lorber presented her paper “From Learning to Greening: Exploring the Role of Informal Learning for Employee Green Behavior” at the symposium she co-organized, “Towards a Greener Workplace: Exploring the Role of Governance, Change Management and Learning.” She examined how informal learning processes can positively influence the environmentally conscious behavior of employees in the workplace.

• Hannah Louisa Krüger presented her paper “Help me please, ChatGPT! How does Generative AI Influence Informal Learning?” at the symposium “AI and Work Design: Unraveling the Impact on Knowledge Work.” In her presentation, she highlighted the role of generative artificial intelligence—in particular ChatGPT—as a support tool for informal learning in the work context.

The Organizational Psychology team looks back on an enriching conference with inspiring contributions, exciting discussions, and valuable contacts. A big thank you goes to the organizers of EAWOP 2025 and all those involved for the successful exchange!

Annelie Lorber presented the paper “Opportunity Makes A Learner? A Refined Conceptual Understanding of Learning Opportunities” at the symposium “Shaping Growth: Employee Development and Learning Environment in Organizations” (organized by Eyal Rechter and Noga Sverdlik). This paper, which also involved Dr. Julian Decius, Prof. Dr. Miriam Schilbach, and Prof. Dr. Carolin Graßmann, presented a novel understanding of learning opportunities—prospective on the one hand and deficit-oriented on the other—including the development and preliminary validation of a corresponding scale for measuring this two-dimensional construct.

Hannah Krüger presented the poster “Integrating AI into Back-Translation: Insights for Organizational Research Practice.” This study, in which Dr. Julian Decius and Dr. Emily Kleszewski also participated, examines whether AI-based translation tools are suitable for translating psychological scales and derives recommendations for the use of such tools in research.

The team looks back on an inspiring conference with exciting discussions and valuable exchanges and would like to express its sincere thanks to the organizers and all those involved!

The final presentation took place on June 30, 2025, at the invitation of the cooperation partners Julia Schultheis, Kathrin Denzer, and Nora Bauer at DB InfraGO’s Learning and Development Center in Maschen near Hamburg. In addition to presenting their results, the students were given a guided tour of the adjacent marshalling yard, offering valuable insights into railway infrastructure operations. The Field of Work Organizational Psychology extends its sincere thanks to the representatives of DB InfraGO and all those involved for the successful collaboration and their shared commitment to practice-oriented university teaching.

The team was represented with three contributions:

Dr. Julian Decius presented the paper “No Formal Training, so What? Self-Regulated and Informal Learning of Non-Permanent Gig Workers” in the symposium he organized, “Supporting Workplace Learning of Vulnerable Workers: Insights Across Sectors.” The study, co-authored with Carlotta Bunzel (University of Amsterdam) and Dr. Denise Messerli (ETH Zurich), examined the role of informal and self-regulated learning among gig workers.

Hannah L. Krüger also presented the paper “A Conservation of Resources Lens on Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Hiding in Vulnerable Workers” in the above-mentioned symposium. In collaboration with Dr. Julian Decius and Annelie Lorber, this study investigates various factors influencing knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding among employees in logistics and nursing.

Annelie Lorber presented the paper “Fostering Apprentices’ Informal Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study on Situational Readiness.” Conducted together with Dr. Julian Decius and Dr. Wilken Wehrt (University Maastricht), this study explored the relationship between job characteristics and support for informal learning in a training context.

The Organizational Psychology team would like to sincerely thank the conference organizers and all participants for the stimulating discussions and inspiring interdisciplinary exchange!

The study used large archival data from the European Working Conditions Survey, covering about 34,000 employees in 2015 and 60,000 employees in 2021. Taking a person-centered perspective, three recurring profiles of economic stressors were identified: low, subjective-dominant, and high. The key findings show a clear and significant gradient: the higher the economic stress, the lower the likelihood of participating in workplace training – and the lower the level of mental well-being. In countries where the “subjective-dominant” profile is more common, overall training participation is also lower.

For practice, three main implications emerge:

• Remove barriers: reduce costs and time requirements for training.
• Target outreach: actively include vulnerable groups such as part-time employees, those with short tenure, lower formal education, or blue-collar jobs.
• Increase feasibility: design short, job-embedded learning formats with supportive measures to build confidence.

At the country level, results mostly showed no additional moderation effects (only one very small and inconsistent interaction for well-being). Overall, however, the study makes clear that reducing economic stress fosters training participation at work.

The article is available open access here.

What you can expect:

• Effective prompting techniques: How to formulate queries so that AI tools really help you.
• Learning-enhancing strategies: Prompts that not only provide answers but also deepen your understanding.
• Practical work: Directly try out and refine your prompts using concrete examples.

Special extra:

All participants who attend the workshop and take part in the accompanying evaluation will receive an official confirmation of participation from the University of Bremen.

The evaluation consists of short online questionnaires to be completed at the beginning and end of the workshop, as well as every two weeks over a period of eight weeks.

Please only register if you are willing to reliably complete these questionnaires – this will help us to evaluate the effectiveness of the workshop and improve future offerings.

📅 Duration: 4 hours

📍 Location: University of Bremen

💡 Secure your spot now – the number of participants is limited!

Register at: hannahlouisa.krueger@uni-bremen.de

Contact person:

Hannah Louisa Krüger

Department of Economics, Organizational Psychology

hannahlouisa.krueger@uni-bremen.de

Dates:

07.10.2025           15:00 – 19:00 Uhr           WiWi 2, Raum F3290

14.10.2025           09:00 – 13:00 Uhr           Room planning pending

04.11.2025           15:00 – 19:00 Uhr           Room planning pending

08.11.2025           11:00 – 15:00 Uhr           WiWi 2, Room F3290

11.11.2025           10:00 – 14:00 Uhr           WiWi 2, Room F3300

06.12.2025           11:00 – 15:00 Uhr           WiWi 2, Room F3290

09.12.2025           14:00 – 18:00 Uhr           Room planning pending

08.01.2026           14:00 - 18:00 Uhr            Room planning pending

23.01.2026           09:30 - 13:30 Uhr            Room planning pending

04.02.2026           14:00 - 18:00 Uhr            Room planning pending

19.02.2026           10:00 - 14:00 Uhr            Room planning pending

From September 10–12, 2025, the Organizational Psychology team successfully participated in the 13th Conference of the Work, Organizational, and Economic Psychology Specialist Group of the German Psychological Society, held at Leuphana Universität Lüneburg. With the theme “Changing Work Environments: Cooperation Between Humans and Technology”, the conference provided engaging insights into the latest research and opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange.

The team contributed through several presentations:

Dr. Julian Decius, together with Prof. Dr. Simone Kauffeld (TU Braunschweig), organized the double symposium “Learning in a Changing Work Environment”, consisting of Part 1: “Forms of Learning and Support Contexts” and Part 2: “Artificial Intelligence on the Rise”. Within the symposium, he also presented the conceptual paper “Rethinking Bandura: Developing the Human-AI Social Cognitive Theory”. In addition, he actively contributed to the practice forum “Connecting the Dots: How AI is Transforming Work-Related Learning – Insights from Science and Practice”, which he co-prepared with Dr. Laura Creon (HRpepper), Dr. Michèle Rieth (University Bremen), and Prof. Dr. Franziska Schölmerich (SRH Berlin).

Annelie Lorber presented on “Informal Workplace Learning and Employee Green Behavior: A Motivational Perspective” in the symposium “Psychological Perspectives on Environmental Sustainability at Work”, organized by Agnieszka Paruzel (University Bielefeld).

Hannah L. Krüger presented the paper “Work-Related Learning with GenAI: Development and Validation of Two Instruments Measuring Individual and Situational Influences on Learning Success” in the symposium “Successful Use of AI in Work and Health Contexts: Individual, Contextual, and AI-Related Influences”, organized by Lara Watermann (TH Augsburg) and Insa Schaffernak (TH Augsburg).

We sincerely thank the organizers of AOWI25, especially Prof. Laura Venz and Prof. Franziska Kößler, and all participants for the engaging discussions and the enriching interdisciplinary exchange!

The ZIS entries are available here, both the long scale and the short scale.

On the one hand, informal learning can help disseminate “green” knowledge and promote sustainable behavior in the workplace. On the other hand, the same informal channels can also spread skepticism and resistance to sustainable practices among employees. The commentary also discusses ways to address this dilemma, as well as the role of an organization’s learning culture.

The article is openly accessible here.