Experiences from employees with team learning in a vocational learning or work setting: A systematic review of qualitative evidence

• This evidence synthesis addresses the meaning of team learning for employees.
• Enabling environments stimulate dialogue, boundary crossing and creativity.
• Reflection and action are basic ingredients of successful learning within teams.
• The impact of hierarchical inequality on team learning should further be explored.

This qualitative evidence synthesis aimed to integrate findings on the experiences of employees with team learning in the context of their work or vocational learning setting. The meta-aggregative approach to qualitative evidence synthesis was used to summarize the findings from original research papers in which the experiential level of employees was investigated. The findings suggest that employees learn for different reasons and in different ways. Three major lines of actions for practice and policy were developed from the synthesis. A first advice is to stimulate communication, boundary crossing and knowledge sharing and establish an enabling learning environment that triggers positive factors for team learning. Secondly, it is important to analyse the authority structures that influence the relationships within a team, minimise the power inequalities that flow from hierarchical differences, and support and enable team leaders to influence the power differences inside their team. Finally, it is recommended to try to recognise the authenticity, the commitment and devotion of employees toward team learning, to stimulate but not to intervene in the natural process of team learning, and to consider the place of reflection and action in this process.