Can
we all agree that the purpose of corporate training is to improve on-the-job
performance that matters to the target audience, their bosses and the business?
Pretty darn simple. And yet there is a huge chasm between delivering training
on the skills that need development and actual improved performance back in the
workplace. Why? It all has to do with the effective transfer of training.
What
good are the well-conceived needs assessments, well-designed content and
well-targeted audiences if the changes in behavior never make it to the front
lines? Here are two tips on how to close the transfer of training gap:
1.
Provide real-time,
on-the-job learning
Let the workplace be your continuous classroom. Take real work problems and address them in the moment with the guidance of an e-learning program, an internal coach or an outside facilitator with expertise in the skill area needed. People learn faster and deeper when what they are learning is 100% applicable to a current task they need to complete.
Let the workplace be your continuous classroom. Take real work problems and address them in the moment with the guidance of an e-learning program, an internal coach or an outside facilitator with expertise in the skill area needed. People learn faster and deeper when what they are learning is 100% applicable to a current task they need to complete.
2.
Provide dedicated and
timely training when appropriate
When an entirely new skill is to be learned, schedule highly targeted action-learning workshops for those specific individuals who need to learn it. From a timing perspective, schedule them as close as possible to when the skills need to be used. For example, behavioral interview training in August does not make much sense when your hiring forecast calls for hiring to start in December. Additionally, be sure that there are experts at hand who can model, monitor, coach, encourage and support the new skills on the job.
When an entirely new skill is to be learned, schedule highly targeted action-learning workshops for those specific individuals who need to learn it. From a timing perspective, schedule them as close as possible to when the skills need to be used. For example, behavioral interview training in August does not make much sense when your hiring forecast calls for hiring to start in December. Additionally, be sure that there are experts at hand who can model, monitor, coach, encourage and support the new skills on the job.
