Learn. Practice. Benefit. Development measures are effective when participants practice what they have learned. What measures support training transfer and how can transfer gaps be closed?
A lot of work and time goes into designing and conducting training sessions. Before the training begins, it is carefully planned what will be conveyed. It is measured what the employees know and can do. Ideally, it is taken into account which new skills the participants want to learn. Trainers motivate their participants and ensure learning success through engaging training content, many exercises, and lively presentations. When participants return to the workplace, managers 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, long-term practical transfer will not be possible. The longer the training has been completed, the more difficult it will be for participants to recall the content freely.
What measures support practical transfer in the follow-up?
Possible hurdles and obstacles for the transfer should already be considered in the planning phase. What conditions at the workplace could limit the transfer? Are the managers aware of the content of the development measures? Where and when should the new skills come into play?
Harry Martin from the University of Cleveland proposes various approaches to effectively follow up on training measures.
Action plans and implementation intentions
Review goals
Hold group meetings
The role of managers
Support transfer – online and offline
Action plans: Training measures impart new knowledge and skills. With an action plan, participants establish 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 occurs, then I will do Y" increase the likelihood of action initiation and goal achievement. The effect of these intentions has been extensively researched in the past 15 years. Many people find it difficult to convert intentions into actions. Let’s assume someone actually wants to go for a run after work. In the morning, the person feels motivated and self-assured about pursuing this plan. After getting home from work, the work clothes get tossed into the corner, and the jogging shoes remain 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 out of 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.
Review goals: If goals are set before a training or session, then these goals should be reviewed afterward. Why is it important for participants to think about training goals? On the one hand, it provides clarity for participants about what is expected of them after the training. Moreover, participants recognize through comparison with the requirements in which areas they can still develop.
Group meetings: After the completion of the measures, short, guided group meetings give training participants the chance to discuss the training content. The purpose of these meetings is to share experiences. In these sessions, participants can discuss ways to apply the content and skills, and uncover obstacles. For formative evaluation, this information is also extremely valuable for trainers.
Support from managers: Ensuring the transfer is a managerial task, and managers clearly take on a role model function here. If managers in the company do not continue their education, one cannot expect enthusiasm for further education from the employees either. Furthermore, managers must also give their employees the chance to use the new skills. The better managers are informed about the measures, the more accurately tasks and skills can be aligned with the employees. After a training session, the manager should also be available to employees for individual feedback. In these discussions, hurdles and transfer gaps are addressed and solutions are developed.
Support transfer – online and offline: With the right support, employees retain new knowledge in the 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 advisors, and a well-planned transfer support in the follow-up. In the phase after the training completion, various technical options are available for ensuring the 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 actively engage participants even weeks after the in-person meeting and encourage reflection.
Was this article helpful for you? Which of these measures do you use for practical transfer? How effective are these measures for you? Leave 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)
