Training Transfer. What we know about what works and what doesn t? Dr Shaun Ridley, Deputy Executive Director

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1 Training Transfer What we know about what works and what doesn t? Dr Shaun Ridley, Deputy Executive Director Australian Institute of Management - Western Australia Copyright AIM WA 2011 RETURN ON INVESTMENT

2 Training Transfer What we know about what works and what doesn t? Introduction Organisations spend approximately $3.5 billion annually in Australia on training and development. Much of this expenditure is on formal, classroom based, face-to-face delivery. Global expenditure on training and development estimates range from $55 to $200 billion. Does this extraordinary commitment in time and money provide a return on the investment? The evidence from a wide range of studies indicates both individuals and organisations do reap a significant return which is way beyond the initial investment. Despite this, organisations remain skeptical about the transfer of learning back into the workplace. Estimates of effective application of what is learned through training to the job ranges from 10% to 34% and managers often have difficult seeing the transfer. They also frequently have difficulty seeing the transfer and difficulty sorting through the many models on the best ways to increase the likelihood of skills and knowledge acquired in the training room being converted into performance improvements in their workplaces. Professor John Cordery from the Business School at the University of Western Australia is leading a major three year research project called Realising Performance Improvements. The research aims to identify a range of strategies that can be adopted by individuals participating in training, by training providers and by organisations to realise increased performance arising from training interventions. The research is jointly funded by AIM in Western Australia, the Australian Research Council and the University of Western Australia. This discussion paper emerges from a presentation by Professor John Cordery from the Business School at the University of Western Australia in late 2010, and a research paper by Blume, Ford, Baldwin et al in the Journal of Management which reviews the literature and research in the field of learning transfer. This paper offers some practical advice, based on substantial evidence, on what you can do as a person participating in training and as an organisation, to increase the likelihood and amount of knowledge and skills that are transferred to the workplace. It will be necessary for you to suspend some of your preconceived notions about the transfer of training, because many of the well established beliefs about how transfer occurs are either not supported by the research evidence or are directly contradicted by the evidence. Eight findings from the research are presented with accompanying advice on how to apply the approach in your workplace. Professor John Cordery from the Business School at the University of Western Australia is leading a major three year research project called Realising Performance Improvements. The research aims to identify a range of strategies that can be adopted by individuals participating in training, by training providers and by organisations to realise increased performance arising from training interventions. The research is jointly funded by AIM WA, the Australian Research Council and the University of Western Australia. RETURN ON INVESTMENT 2

3 8 Findings on Transfer of Training Finding 1. Training transfer is greater for participants with higher levels of; Cognitive ability Conscientiousness Emotional stability Learning goal orientation Intuitively, this finding makes perfect sense. Without sufficient ability, both cognitive and emotional, we shouldn t expect a participant to understand and apply content to their workplace. Equally, personality is likely to be important. For example, highly conscientious individuals are more likely to persist in trying to find ways to apply their learnings to the job, even when the going gets tough and the work environment is not very supportive of that transfer. Less obvious is the concept of the participant s goal orientation. Participants typically adopt one of three approaches when exposed to learning opportunities. Approach number one is called Prove and reflects their drive to demonstrate to others the skills and knowledge they already possess. Number two, Avoid, is a drive not to be exposed or embarrassed by their lack of particular skills or knowledge. The third approach Learning is a genuine desire to develop and acquire new skills and knowledge. Clearly, participants who adopt the learning approach are more likely to be willing and able to transfer knowledge to their workplaces. Learning Orientation Actively focussed on development Prove Orientation Concerned with demonstrating ability Avoid Orientation Focussed on avoiding exposure This Finding highlights the importance of the selection process for participants attending training. The selection process needs to extend beyond those who simply need training to those who are capable of assimilating the training. Hard decisions are required to either reject people who cannot cope with the content, to alter the content and style of training or alternatively be willing to accept a lower transfer of knowledge to the workplace. Finding 2. Training transfer is greater for those who; Have volunteered to participate Possess high pre-training self efficacy Have a positive outlook to training Are strongly motivated to learn Whereas the focus of Finding 1 was ability, this time the focus is on willingness or motivation. If people feel positive about their ability to cope with the training, are positive about the training itself and are willing participants, then the transfer will increase. Inviting appropriate staff to nominate to attend training and promoting the opportunity as a positive experience would be useful initial steps to creating an upbeat expectation around the training. Having the participant s supervisor affirm their confidence in the participant s ability to complete the training would also be useful. Choosing a high quality training provider will, over time, create a positive culture and expectation towards training. RETURN ON INVESTMENT 3

4 Finding 3. Training transfer is greater in work environments with; Supportive peers Supportive supervisors In some ways it is easier to see the impact of this strategy more clearly from the negative perspective. If the supervisor makes no attempt to encourage participation in the training or does not help cover the participant s work whilst they are away and then does not provide any impetus to help them apply the learnings, then clearly transfer is unlikely. Similarly, apathetic or unsupportive peers are demotivating. Pre-course briefings and post-course follow-ups by supervisors are a simple way to address part of this Finding. During the pre-briefing, supervisors should explain the rationale for allowing the employee to attend the training, the support that will be provided during and after the training and the expectations that exist for introducing new work practices on their return to work. The post training follow-up should include a review of the training content and process, discussion about what new behaviours or methods the person would like to try, what additional resources are required and discussion on any additional training that may be required. To connect with peers, employees returning from training should be encouraged to share some of what they learnt with their colleagues as well as thanking their peers for covering their work during their absence. Finding 4. Training transfer is greater when; Learning outcomes are better Post-training self efficacy is better Good training design dictates that both the facilitator and the participant have an agreed understanding of the objectives of the the training. Unfortunately, this level of clarity is rare. The HR practitioner who initiated the training, plus the line manager, participant and training facilitator almost never meet prior to the training to agree on the desired outcomes and therefore are often at cross purposes. This situation can be mitigated to some degree if the participant feels sufficiently empowered to act of their own accord after the training. Given the difficulty in getting all four types of people (HR, line manager, participant & facilitator) in the same room at the same time, a simple approach may be to document the specific learning outcomes for everyone to see. If the line manager is able to provide some tangible support to the participant, as recommended in Finding 3, the participant s self efficacy is likely to be enhanced. RETURN ON INVESTMENT 4

5 Finding 5. Effect of trainee motivation and supportive work environment on transfer is much stronger when objectives are open versus closed. Closed objectives are for skills that are to be produced identically in the workplace as they were demonstrated in the learning environment. In contrast, Open objectives are for skills that are highly variable and there is no single correct way to act or apply the skills. This distinction is important with the construction of training objectives and with the likely motivation of the participant and the level of supervisor support. As Closed skills allow no freedom of decision making from the participant, they impact negatively on motivation and require less supervisor support. The more motivating climate created by the challenge of implementing Open skills and the greater level of supervisor engagement means the opportunity for learning transfer could be even higher with these types of training objectives. A flexible approach to the setting of training objectives is the key to implementing this strategy. Particular attention needs to be paid to the type of skills being taught and then the approaches to enhance employee motivation and supervisor support can be modified appropriately. Finding 6. No single predictor of transfer provides a superior magic bullet. Individual and work environment factors carry about the same weight. This is bad news for anyone looking for a quick fix to enhance their training transfer. The outcomes from multiple research projects suggests lots of small actions are required to enhance the transfer rather than relying on one approach to save the day. Adopt multiple strategies to enhance the transfer of learning and discourage others from seeking the silver bullet approach. Finding 7. While the use of skills acquired in training is necessary and certainly a goal of training, if the skills are applied ineffectively, then the training will not lead to positive organisational outcomes. Horizontal transfer often equates to use whilst both horizontal and vertical are often needed for transfer to be effective. Vertical transfer is the passing-on of knowledge and skills to others who report to the participant, or to whom the participant reports, which ultimately results in changes in routines that drive organisational, as opposed to individual, performance. Embedding the transfer at multiple levels helps ensure support for the participant s efforts to implement change and spreads the impact of the knowledge and skills to more people. The increased impact that accrues when the performance of the participant s direct reports also increases as a result of their supervisors attendance is called a multiplier effect. The return on the investment is multiplied by the additional benefits that arise through subordinate performance. Horizontal transfer is less impactful, but nevertheless still valuable. In both cases, vertical and horizontal transfer, the most important element remains the effective implementation of the skills and knowledge acquired during the training. Blindly using the knowledge or skills without thought or consideration of the context is obviously not the intent of any focus on training transfer. As recommended as part of the implementation of Finding 3, a simple approach supervisors can adopt is to require staff who are returning from training to brief others within the team on the content of the training. This has the dual benefit of spreading the learning to a wider audience and refreshing the participant s knowledge as they prepare for the briefing. AIMWA has produced a ROI Calculator that enables you to do a simple calculation of the likely return from attending a short training program. The Calculator also has the capacity to include a multiplier effect calculation. To try out the calculator visit RETURN ON INVESTMENT 5

6 Finding 8. Support for a number of interventions is fairly even, although they all tend to be short, low intensity initiatives with little action orientation. More research is required in this area to determine the true impact of particular training interventions. What does appear to be clear is that most interventions are episodic and lack rigour. That is, the training event stands alone and is not part of a comprehensive development plan for the individual or the organisation. There is some evidence encouraging the use of action learning models to support the application of learning, but such approaches are relatively rare. What can you do to implement finding in your workplace? Longer, deeper interventions could well be the key. This does not necessarily mean that staff need to be away from the workplace for extended periods. When they are attending training however, their participation needs to be part of a clear development plan that is understood by everyone. An action learning model could also be valuable where appropriate. This approach offers a rigorous way for participants to transition the learning from the training room to the workplace. Summary Most of what we know about what works and what doesn t work in the transfer of training can be boiled down to the eight topics discussed above. The research being conducted by Professor Cordery in conjunction with AIM WA and the Australian Research Council will hopefully add significantly to the body of knowledge in the this important area of organisational and personal performance improvement. In the meantime, a quick review of the things organisations can do to implement the Findings reveals a list with little or no additional financial cost. Most items require additional time by the supervisor or participant and a more disciplined approach to ensuring the training does what it intends to do. Summary Strategies 1. Select people for training who have both the ability and willingness to participate and implement the learning. 2. Select people for training who are positively disposed to the training experience. 3. Ensure participants have access to a supportive supervisor and supportive colleagues. 4. Define the learning outcomes clearly and make them known to the participant, their supervisor and the training provider. 5. Adjust the approaches to the training depending on whether the training is for open or closed skills. 6. Use a variety of methods to increase the transfer of learning. 7. Ensure the objective is the effective transfer of learning, not just the use of learning. 8. Consider longer term interventions with an action learning component. Given the enormous investment by all sectors, this research into ways to realise the performance improvement from training could have significant implications for the future of the learning and development industry and for the way we develop our people. AIM WA is fully committed to this research and looks forward to the opportunity to share additional findings when they become available. References 1. Blume, Brian D., Ford, Kevin J., Baldwin, Timothy T. and Huang, Jason L., Transfer of Training: A Meta-Analytic Review, Journal of Management, Vol 36, No. 4, July Cordery, John, Improving Training Transfer in Organisations: From Research to Practice. Presentation at the University of Western Australia Business School, 11 November RETURN ON INVESTMENT 6

7 Contact Us: If you would like to know more about this research or would like to discuss how AIM WA can help you improve the return-on-investment from your training expenditure, please call Dr Shaun Ridley on