Experiential Learning as a Workplace Pedagogy: A Case Study of Non-Formal Employee Development in an Event Organizer Company

Abstract

This study examines how non-formal workplace learning takes place among employees of an event organizer company, focusing on the processes through which competence is built outside formal training structures. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving five purposively selected informants holding managerial and operational roles at PT Indra Global Persada. The findings show that employee learning occurs primarily through experiential and action-based processes, where employees acquire problem-solving and adaptive skills directly through project work rather than through structured instruction. Cross-divisional collaboration functions as a form of collective or team-based learning, while participatory leadership practices serve a facilitative and mentoring role in supporting employees' learning journeys. A flexible and creative work culture further reinforces employees' engagement with the learning process. However, the study also identifies limitations in the organization's capacity to formalize and sustain this learning, including the absence of a structured training framework, inconsistent performance-based feedback, and underutilized digital learning tools. These findings contribute to the understanding of how non-formal and informal learning operates within dynamic, project-based work environments, and suggest the need for organizations to design more intentional scaffolding around naturally occurring workplace learning processes.