The relationship between qualitative job insecurity and informal workplace learning: The role of basic need satisfaction and psychological safety

The relationship between qualitative job insecurity and informal workplace learning: The role of basic need satisfaction and psychological safety Workplace changes can trigger qualitative job insecurity, that is, employee concerns about the loss of valued job features. At the same time, these workplace changes enhance the need for on-the-job learning. Although prior research shows that qualitative job insecurity is a stressor with nega-tive impact, only limited research has been conducted into the relation between qualitative job insecurity and learning. This study investigates the relation between qualitative job insecurity and informal learning by employees, and whether basic need satisfaction and psychological safety play a role in this relation. Results from a survey of 199 Dutch employees show that job insecurity has a negative relation with informal learning. Frustration of the basic needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence is a mediator of this relation. Psychological safety is positively related to informal workplace learning, but does not moderate the relation between qualitative job insecurity and basic need satisfaction. From the perspec-tive of learning, it is important to avoid qualitative job insecurity while strengthening feelings of autonomy, relatedness, and competence.