The Nexus Between Organizational Learning Capabilities and Employee Performance in the Nigerian Hospitality Industry

This study examined the relationship between organizational learning capabilities and employee performance in hospitality firms in Taraba State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: (i) examine the relationship between organizational memory and employee performance, (ii) assess the relationship between team learning and employee performance, and (iii) evaluate the influence of tacit knowledge sharing on employee performance. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to 141 employees across selected hospitality organizations. Out of these, 124 valid responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha reliability tests, and Pearson correlation. Reliability coefficients for all variables were acceptable, ranging from .849 to .888, indicating strong internal consistency. Correlation results showed statistically significant and strong positive relationships between all three organizational learning dimensions and employee performance, with team learning showing the highest correlation (r = .902), followed by organizational memory (r = .857), and tacit knowledge sharing (r = .843). All three null hypotheses were rejected at the 0.05 significance level. The findings imply that implementing structured organizational learning practices especially those that preserve institutional knowledge, foster teamwork, and encourage informal knowledge exchange can significantly enhance employee performance. The study concludes that employee performance in hospitality firms improves significantly when learning structures such as institutional memory, teamwork, and informal knowledge exchange are effectively implemented. It recommends that hospitality firms invest in systematic knowledge management, encourage collaborative learning environments, support informal knowledge sharing, and communicate a clear and unified vision to employees.