Transfer of Training How to Promote Skill Transfer in Your Organization
Transfer of Training How to Promote Skill Transfer in Your Organization
A new inventory system was installed in a typical manufacturing company. Employees in the Purchasing Department were sent off to learn how to use the new software. One month later, the Purchasing Manager finds that only two out of the twelve Purchasing Officers are using the new system. The expected cost savings have not materialized and the Purchasing Manager resolves to take issue with the Training Manager at the next weekly meeting.
Does this sound familiar? Experts estimate that somewhat less that twenty percent of training investments lead to some organizational benefit. This anomaly is commonly referred to as the "problem of training transfer". Why is it that such a small proportion of training ends up being used back in the workplace? With increasing marketplace competition, leaner resources and a greater focus on tangible outcomes, more and more managers are asking this question.
How can you increase the transfer of training in your organization? For any given training program, you will need to look into three areas:
1. training participant attributes (intelligence, attitudes) .......................................
2. training program design and delivery ...............................................................
3. workplace environment ..............................................................................
What can you do to enhance the positive impact of each of these factors? Looking at the first factor, training participant attributes may be influenced when introducing new employees to your organization through an effective recruitment, selection and induction process. Attributes can also be influenced before training begins through pre-qualifying nominees during the registration process.
The second factor, training design and delivery, can be made more effective through ensuring that the training program objectives are clearly focused on your organization's priorities and goals. Tied in with this, participants’ learning outcomes must be stated in terms of behavior required in the workplace and measurable performance standards.
Along with effective design, in order to maximize training transfer to the workplace ensure that the training is delivered in accordance with what we know about how adults learn best. However, it is the third area mentioned above, the employee's workplace environment, that is the most significant, yet most neglected, factor influencing the extent of training transfer. What happens before employees attend the training event and what happens after they return to work are the most important variables determining workplace performance following training.
The PRACTICE Approach ................................................................................
The various attitudes and activities required by supervisors, managers and trainers for maximum transfer can be consolidated into an easy to remember and use model. I call this method the PRACTICE Approach ©. By focusing on each of the eight key elements, organizations can be confident of maximizing their training investments. These eight key elements of the PRACTICE Approach © to improving the transfer of training are summarized here. I have included examples of specific activities that can be undertaken to satisfy each element.
Procedures say how to perform and why .............................................
-update relevant policies and procedures before training begins ..........................................
-use actual policy and procedural documents during training ...............................................
Roles & Responsibilities say what level of performance is required ................................
-clarify role responsibilities and update relevant role descriptions .....................................
-link learning outcomes to role descriptions ...............................................................
Aids on the job extend the training room into the workplace .......................................
-replicate training aids on the job ........................................................................
-encourage employees to use on-the-job aids ..............................................................
Coaching overcomes individual barriers to skill application .....................
-plan for and dedicate on-the-job coaching resources ...................................................
-train coaches in how to coach effectively ...............................................................
Targets and measurement proves people are performing ...................................
-agree and set measurable organizational and individual goals ........................................
-link program learning outcomes to organizational and individual goals ..................................
-translate goals into required on-the-job behaviors ......................................................
Incentives give a personal reason to perform ......................................
-modify incentives to reward goal achievement and expected behaviors .................................
-provide employee feedback frequently and using a variety of methods .................................
Communication informs and involves all stakeholders .........................................
-communicate information to all appropriate levels in organization ......................................
-use a variety of communication mediums and styles .......................................................
Engagement motivates participants to apply skills ....................................
-brief employees before training on purpose and application of program ..................................
-managers and supervisors introduce training and attend sessions .......................................
-review learning after training and identify opportunities for skill application ..........................
-follow up regularly progress on skill application with employee ............................................
After you complete the training program, you will want to determine the extent of training transfer. Observe participants in the workplace or survey participants and their managers to find out how much they are using their newly learned skills on the job. Feedback the results to managers and use the learnings to improve your program further. You can even use the PRACTICE Approach © as the structure for your discussions with supervisors and managers on how best to work together to get the most benefit from your training programs.
2006 © Business Performance Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
Transfer of Training How to Promote Skill Transfer in Your Organization - To learn more about this author, visit Vicki Heath's Website.
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Problem of Training Transfer .......................................................................
A new inventory system was installed in a typical manufacturing company. Employees in the Purchasing Department were sent off to learn how to use the new software. One month later, the Purchasing Manager finds that only two out of the twelve Purchasing Officers are using the new system. The expected cost savings have not materialized and the Purchasing Manager resolves to take issue with the Training Manager at the next weekly meeting.
Does this sound familiar? Experts estimate that somewhat less that twenty percent of training investments lead to some organizational benefit. This anomaly is commonly referred to as the "problem of training transfer". Why is it that such a small proportion of training ends up being used back in the workplace? With increasing marketplace competition, leaner resources and a greater focus on tangible outcomes, more and more managers are asking this question.
How can you increase the transfer of training in your organization? For any given training program, you will need to look into three areas:
1. training participant attributes (intelligence, attitudes) .......................................
2. training program design and delivery ...............................................................
3. workplace environment ..............................................................................
What can you do to enhance the positive impact of each of these factors? Looking at the first factor, training participant attributes may be influenced when introducing new employees to your organization through an effective recruitment, selection and induction process. Attributes can also be influenced before training begins through pre-qualifying nominees during the registration process.
The second factor, training design and delivery, can be made more effective through ensuring that the training program objectives are clearly focused on your organization's priorities and goals. Tied in with this, participants’ learning outcomes must be stated in terms of behavior required in the workplace and measurable performance standards.
Along with effective design, in order to maximize training transfer to the workplace ensure that the training is delivered in accordance with what we know about how adults learn best. However, it is the third area mentioned above, the employee's workplace environment, that is the most significant, yet most neglected, factor influencing the extent of training transfer. What happens before employees attend the training event and what happens after they return to work are the most important variables determining workplace performance following training.
The PRACTICE Approach ................................................................................
The various attitudes and activities required by supervisors, managers and trainers for maximum transfer can be consolidated into an easy to remember and use model. I call this method the PRACTICE Approach ©. By focusing on each of the eight key elements, organizations can be confident of maximizing their training investments. These eight key elements of the PRACTICE Approach © to improving the transfer of training are summarized here. I have included examples of specific activities that can be undertaken to satisfy each element.
Procedures say how to perform and why .............................................
-update relevant policies and procedures before training begins ..........................................
-use actual policy and procedural documents during training ...............................................
Roles & Responsibilities say what level of performance is required ................................
-clarify role responsibilities and update relevant role descriptions .....................................
-link learning outcomes to role descriptions ...............................................................
Aids on the job extend the training room into the workplace .......................................
-replicate training aids on the job ........................................................................
-encourage employees to use on-the-job aids ..............................................................
Coaching overcomes individual barriers to skill application .....................
-plan for and dedicate on-the-job coaching resources ...................................................
-train coaches in how to coach effectively ...............................................................
Targets and measurement proves people are performing ...................................
-agree and set measurable organizational and individual goals ........................................
-link program learning outcomes to organizational and individual goals ..................................
-translate goals into required on-the-job behaviors ......................................................
Incentives give a personal reason to perform ......................................
-modify incentives to reward goal achievement and expected behaviors .................................
-provide employee feedback frequently and using a variety of methods .................................
Communication informs and involves all stakeholders .........................................
-communicate information to all appropriate levels in organization ......................................
-use a variety of communication mediums and styles .......................................................
Engagement motivates participants to apply skills ....................................
-brief employees before training on purpose and application of program ..................................
-managers and supervisors introduce training and attend sessions .......................................
-review learning after training and identify opportunities for skill application ..........................
-follow up regularly progress on skill application with employee ............................................
After you complete the training program, you will want to determine the extent of training transfer. Observe participants in the workplace or survey participants and their managers to find out how much they are using their newly learned skills on the job. Feedback the results to managers and use the learnings to improve your program further. You can even use the PRACTICE Approach © as the structure for your discussions with supervisors and managers on how best to work together to get the most benefit from your training programs.
2006 © Business Performance Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
Transfer of Training How to Promote Skill Transfer in Your Organization - To learn more about this author, visit Vicki Heath's Website.
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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