Podcast-based learning and organizational communication in the public sector: a mixed-methods analysis

Digital transformation has increased the demand for more adaptive and communicative approaches to capacity development in public-sector organizations. As traditional training models struggle to respond to these demands, podcasting has emerged as a flexible and narrative-driven medium with potential relevance for organizational learning. This study examines how podcast-based learning is perceived, adopted, and experienced by civil servants within a large public-sector organization in Indonesia, conceptualizing podcasting as a communicative practice embedded in bureaucratic processes. Using a mixed-methods descriptive case study design, the research combines survey data from 338 respondents with insights from 20 semi-structured interviews. The findings show that podcast-based learning is widely valued for its flexibility and accessibility, particularly in supporting policy understanding and continuous professional development. At the same time, adoption is shaped by organizational context, professional experience, and patterns of prior media use, rather than age alone. The results also highlight the role of narrative audio formats in facilitating reflective learning by linking policy content to everyday work experience. By emphasizing the communicative and institutional dimensions of podcast-based learning, this study contributes to communication studies and public administration by offering a more nuanced understanding of how creative media practices can support capacity development in the public sector.