Learn. Practice. Benefit. Professional development measures are effective when participants practice what they have learned. Which measures support training transfer and how can transfer gaps be closed?
A lot of work and time goes into designing and delivering training sessions. Before the training starts, there is careful planning about what is to be conveyed. It is measured what the employees know and can do. Ideally, consideration is given to which new skills the participants wish to learn. Trainers motivate their participants and ensure learning success through engaging training content, numerous exercises, and lively presentations. When participants return to the workplace, leaders and colleagues should support the practical transfer. The newly trained employees need time and practice to apply new knowledge and to regularly implement new behaviors. New behaviors only become habits through continuous repetition. Even considering all these facets, without ongoing support, no long-term practical transfer will be possible. The longer the training recedes, the more difficult it becomes for participants to recall the content freely.
Which measures support the practical transfer in the follow-up?
Possible hurdles and obstacles for the transfer should be taken into account during the design phase. What conditions in the workplace could restrict the transfer? Are the leaders informed about the content of the professional development measures? Where and when should the new skills be applied?
Harry Martin from the University of Cleveland proposes various approaches to effectively follow up on training measures.
Action plans and implementation intentions
Reviewing goals
Holding group meetings
The role of leaders
Supporting transfer – online and offline
Action plans: Training measures convey new knowledge and skills. With an action plan, participants specify during or after the event how they want to implement the new content in practice. “Implementation intentions” were introduced by Peter Gollwitzer. Intentions in the form of “If X happens, then I will do Y” increase the likelihood of action initiation and goal achievement. The effects of these intentions have been extensively researched over the past 15 years. Many people struggle to turn intentions into actions. Let's say someone wants to go for a run after work. In the morning, they feel motivated and confident to implement this plan. When they get home from work, their work clothes end up in the corner, and the jogging shoes stay in the closet. An intention statement would increase the likelihood that the desired behavior will be implemented. “Before I leave the house, I will get my jogging gear from the closet. When I get home from work, I will put on my clothes and go for a 20-minute run.” “Implementation intentions” are successful because specific actions in specific situations are named.
Reviewing goals: If goals are set before a training session, these goals should be reviewed afterward. Why is it important for participants to think about training goals? For one, it gives participants clarity about what expectations will be placed on them after the training. Moreover, participants recognize through the comparison with the requirements in which areas they can still develop.
Group meetings: After the measures are completed, short, guided group meetings offer training participants the chance to exchange ideas about the training content. The task of these meetings is to share experiences. In these sessions, participants can discuss application possibilities of the content and skills and uncover obstacles. For formative evaluation, this information is also extremely valuable for trainers.
Support from leaders: Ensuring transfer is a leadership task, and leaders clearly assume a role model function here. If leaders in the company do not continue their education, one cannot expect enthusiasm for training from employees. Moreover, leaders must also give their employees the chance to apply the new skills. The better leaders are informed about the measures, the more accurately tasks and skills of the employees can be aligned. After a training session, leaders should also be available to employees for individual feedback. In these discussions, hurdles and transfer gaps are addressed, and solutions are developed.
Supporting transfer – online and offline: With the right support, employees retain new knowledge long-term and transfer the newly learned skills into their daily work. Examples include learning resources (online or offline), question portals with access to internal consultants, and a well-planned transfer support in the follow-up phase. In the phase after training completion, various technical options are available to ensure transfer: reminders in text form (via instant messenger or email), discussions via chat, or surveys in quiz format. Training content can be refreshed with the help of short videos. Another advantage of short videos: The trainer can also actively engage participants weeks after the in-person session and encourage reflection.
Was this article helpful to you? Which of these measures do you use for practical transfer? How suitable are these measures for you? Write us a comment.
Sources:
Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54, 493-503. (As of 02.12.15)
