How could fun activities motivate informal field-based learning?

Purpose As the motivational mechanisms through which workplace practices activate employees’ informal field-based learning (IFBL) remain underexplored, this study aims to address this gap by examining how fun activities (FA) influence IFBL in hotel contexts. Design/methodology/approach Three-wave survey data were collected from 424 frontline and backstage employees in Chinese hotels and analyzed through the AMOS and Macro PROCESS in SPSS. Findings The results showed that the interaction between FA and individual playfulness influenced IFBL through two distinct mediators: harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP), depending on employees’ playfulness. FA activated HP only among employees with high playfulness, whereas among those with low playfulness, FA activated only OP. Practical implications Organizations should design FA that genuinely meet employees’ needs, thereby satisfying psychological needs such as autonomy and activating HP to promote IFBL. Importantly, employees should be given greater flexibility in choosing the form and frequency of their participation in FA according to their level of playfulness. Originality/value This research advances understanding of the organizational antecedents of IFBL and explores the motivational mechanisms that stimulate hotel employees’ IFBL by integrating organizational- and individual-level research on fun and play.