Purpose – From a workplace learning perspective, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between conditions for learning and stressful work and, to analyse the learning conditions that support the management of stressful work. The model of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) is adopted as an indicator of stressful work by measuring the relationship between Effort and Rewards in work.

Design/methodology/approach – The material consists of questionnaire data from 4,420 employees in ten public and private organisations in Sweden.

Findings – The results provide evidence that suggests that some workplace conditions known to enable learning also indicates a comparatively better chance for employees to manage stressful work. An innovative practice reduces the feelings of effort, whereas managerial support and knowledge sharing serve as rewards contributing to appreciation, while competence and career development create rewards in the form of opportunities for progression.

Practical implications – Workplaces in which there are enabling learning conditions can provide employees with ample resources for managing stressful work.

Originality/value – This paper explores the complex relationship between workplace learning conditions and the ERI model seen from a workplace learning perspective which has received relatively sparse attention in the literature.