(Working) life is the best school

Innumerable books have been written on the quickest way to move up the career ladder, but when Danish companies decide what employees should do to improve their skills, the standard way is the most prevalent.

Assistant Professor Frans Bévort, PhD and Professor Henrik Holt Larsen, both from the Department of Organization, are behind the Cranet study demonstrating that this is the case.

- It’s thought provoking that the perception of how people prepare for their careers is as simple as the concept of career is elitist and exclusive. The Cranet study confirms that the most effective method for career development is learning on the job and doing challenging work. It involves learning by doing, where you get your hands dirty, rather than playing smart – or becoming smart– in the classroom,” explains Holt Larsen.

Risk of cloning
Holt Larsen emphasises that the widespread understanding that experienced-based learning on the job is so effective is valuable. Companies give their employees, for example, the opportunity to participate in projects and special tasks, or in cross-organisational collaboration. He nevertheless recommends that companies be aware of the benefits of other types of learning.

- Learning on the job doesn’t confront the company culture, vision, strategies and norms, for instance because people aren’t necessarily challenged by the forms of learning mentioned. The more you learn on the job, the more you risk becoming a clone or custodian of the current crown jewels,” believes Holt Larsen.

HR in 40 countries
Cranet is a collaboration between universities and business schools in 40 countries. The goal is to continuously examine and evaluate human resource management (HRM) strategies and practices in these countries. Carried out approximately every five years, the Cranet survey makes comparing the HR strategies and practices in the involved countries possible.

The most recent Danish study was carried out in 2014 using a questionnaire filled out by 240 companies. Bévort and  Holt Larsen are in the process of analysing and doing research on the results.

Jointly with Jesper Christensen, PhD from the Department of Strategic Management and Globalization, Bévort is examining data from Cranet studies undertaken over the last 25 years, the data supplying the opportunity to better understand developments in Danish HR during that period, in addition to providing an indication of how HRM will develop in the future.

Read Henrik Holt Larsen’s article

The annual Cranet Conference will be held on Tuesday 8 September from 9:00-16:30 at Ovnhallen in CBS’ building at Porcelænshaven. Read more and register

Please contact Frans Bévort or Henrik Holt Larsen for more information.