Sociocultural relationships

Successful interaction and participation in the workplace played an intricate and critical role in promoting effective learning. The challenge is when individuals enter the organisation; existing employees create the parameters of the extent of knowledge, skills and application of how to perform and execute the task. New employees who are willing to fit in are mindful and acknowledge these parameters to gain acceptance into the workplace.

Le Clus (2008) points out that the constructivist view of learning claims that individuals construct knowledge through experiences and interpretive interaction and participation with employees in the workplace, this was discussed in the previous section where the focus was

134 | P a g e on how employees acquire knowledge and skill through informal learning. Sociocultural constructivism claims that employees acquire knowledge and skill from interacting with different cultures and people in their workplace and examining the norms, value and practices in the workplace. Socio-cultural constructivism contends that knowledge is sourced through individuals' interaction with a socially determined world, in the forms of its culture, communities and practices.

In this research study both viewpoints have been taken into account to examine the construction and acquisition of knowledge and skill. This view of cognitive development emphasises guidance by social and cultural conditions. Guidance and support is seen as being either proximal whereby the direct interpersonal guidance is provided by a more experienced co -worker or indirectly guided by the social norms and rituals of the way workplace determines practice (Le Clus, 2008). Most of the employees, in the study appeared to have adjusted and adapted to operating within the sociocultural boundaries of the workplace. When co-workers take responsibility to facilitate learning in their team especially with new employees, it creates a productive and interactive workplace environment. This is pointed out by the participants. Participant 9:” I can describe myself as good and they good to see me and they helping each other, doing the same, we show others what they must do.” Participant 11: “Working as a team, everything we do, we do as a team… Everyone, they give each other a chance. He shows me how to clean here and do this where must I start and where must I end and the other one is done with me always come and check how far I am”.

Application of knowledge is normally idiosyncratic and based on the personal experience and the nature of how individuals acquire knowledge. Therefore individuals' initial perceptions and demonstration of knowledge are different. However, participation in workplaces leads to an increasing congruity and utilising the knowledge where it is required. Therefore, daily tasks and participation of co workers continuously provide opportunities for an increase in knowledge, it should constantly be appraised thus providing feedback and evaluation could reinforce the effectiveness of learning and create linkages among different practises of knowledge (Le Clus, 2008).

Relationship dynamics play a key role in fostering positive relationships, clear communication by listening to each other, building trust in mentoring and coaching, co worker relationships, mutual respect by nurturing a positive relationship and developing

135 | P a g e positive connections by developing good matches in mentoring and peer relationships in a natural, positive working connections (Cunningham & Hillier, 2013). This is confirmed by a participant that indicated, “Working as a team, everything we do, we do as a team… the team is hardworking and committed”. Furthermore, participant 10 says: Immediately, when I took on more responsibility, I relied on Richard to show me things and guide me and correct me, what I haven’t done…I was promoted to my own site, he still then mentored me on how to get the staff to respect you..at supervisor level, if it wasn’t for him I would not have been there”.

Participants also felt that positive relationships dynamics could promote a sense of awareness of the extent of diversity and foster a level of empathy. Participants described their views of the importance of empathy, mutual respect, trust of people and commitment. Participant 5 says: “For Me, they are like a family because most of the time I’m here.” Participant 10: Working as a team, everything we do, we do as a team. In a work sense, words that come to mind are hardworking, committed. Commits to what they doing, maybe sometimes, compassionate and caring.” Participant 3: “Some of them, how can you say, they can work for you but it’s not only about working, you must always want to have a chat with them that day, so if you know your staff member has a problem, you can make a joke, you speak to her and she is doing your work.” It provides the platform for employees to become familiar with the knowledge and skills of job and the dynamics of the team.

A significant feature of informal learning was pointed out by one of the participants, maintaining a level of professionalism, participant 10: “I think we should have a balanced relationship that we know when it’s time to work and when play. So, I think that I can describe it as balanced, that goes for when I’m managing and when I am being managed, it’s a perfect balance; you have to keep the balance.” Participant 7: I must make a good relationship, because I need help with a good job. I don’t need a bad result.”

Workplace environments are negotiated by what is afforded and restricted, hence cultural norms and values with regard to professionalism is being exercised through work practise (Billet, 2004). Furthermore, Filstadt (2004) points out new employees are more accepted by other co-workers if they showed commitment and dedication to the new work environment. When starting at in a new team, participants reported being faced with the challenge of learning the workplace practises and acquiring the social skills that were necessary for a

136 | P a g e successful acceptance by the existing team members. They reported the importance of communicating how the job must be done and the norms and values of the team in an orientation programme. The role of the co workers and the working environment are important and has a significant influence on make new employees feel comfortable in a group. During the process of settling in employees learn new work procedures and technical skills, including the social knowledge that lead to successful integration into the team

The concept of co-participation at work is the reciprocal processes of learning shaped by interactions between two entities, the first one, what is afforded by the workplace. Secondly, how individuals elect to engage with what is afforded (Billet (2004). These findings illustrate those who are strongly committed to the workgroup are more favoured by existing employees and management especially when they are contented that the new co worker will not deviate from the norm or cause an imbalance in the workplace.

Participants expressed the significance of the social process by focusing on co-worker support, participant 4: “I like to make them feel welcome when I have someone new, I like to introduce them and treat them right and start talking to them.” Participant 3: “I find it easy to share information. Anybody will always ask you, sometimes I say, just keep your belongings on you, like your money and then they come and ask you where they must work, it’s better for me to show them everything and where they need to work and what the company wants them to do.” This approach provides co-workers with a sense of security and a feeling of belonging. Employees feel that a genuine interest in their well being is displayed and feel committed to the process of learning. It also helped reduce new co-workers uncertainties such as how to do their job and how to identify social behaviour that is normal to the work group.

A good Intergroup relationships helps co-workers deal with challenges of diversity, by “getting along”, to get the job done, participant 13: I can say, I am working with different types of people, sometime I have to be pressured, you know you working with different people, otherwise they alright. Participant 12: “People have different mentalities some of them are pathetic, maybe some say I’m pathetic but we in an environment of people, I would say you get the good ones and bad ones. I interact with both of them and sometimes I just laugh it off.” Employee’s ability to work together despite their difference in other departments, workplaces areas or a different organisation has become a key competence sought after by other companies (Silverman, 2003).

137 | P a g e Social support especially when motivated by supervisors is one aspect of the work environment that is believed to play an important role in the degree of transfer of learning. In the present study there was sufficient evidence of the importance of management in how co- workers participated daily in their workplace and granted access to new knowledge, skills and sharing information about the job. This suggests that management support plays an integral part in helping a new co worker in facilitating technical and social knowledge that is necessary to perform a job. Managers facilitate interaction through introducing a new employee to the rest of the team and encouraging participation.

The socialisation process could reduce the level of stress, co workers are willing to share knowledge and skills with new employees, and knowledge is accessible and easily transferred from the existing employees to the new. It is pointed out by participant 11: “I share information with them, even of me. I understand he maybe doesn’t know how to do it and myself it is still happening to me. I can’t just leave him or he doesn’t know how to clean here. New employees become are comfortable with understanding and accepting the norms and values of the group.