Do you know why most Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives fail to deliver a return on investment? It's often because they overlook a crucial element: training transfer. When L&D efforts don't improve organisational processes, you lose twice. Firstly, you lose the cost of the training itself in terms of time and money. Secondly, you'll never reap the benefits of applying that training. This makes training transfer critically important for L&D teams.
Despite its importance, many companies rely heavily on learning methods focusing on acquiring knowledge. The problem is that only around 19% of acquired knowledge can be skillfully applied. Without practical application, we forget 75% of what we've learnt in less than a week. So, what's the solution? Embedding training transfer principles into L&D activities solidifies the learning and boosts training effectiveness. This article explores how to implement training transfer into your programme for maximum impact.
Integrating Training Transfer into L&D
Training transfer can be tricky to grasp and even harder to master and apply in L&D efforts. However, if you want your training to succeed in today's business world, you cannot ignore it. We can't discuss training transfer without mentioning knowledge application, as they are two sides of the same coin. Knowledge application refers to applying information or skills gained during a training session to a real-world situation. The glue connects training efforts to employee development and improved job performance. The best training programmes will be ineffective if employees don't understand how to apply the lessons to their daily tasks.
When designing L&D activities, you must integrate knowledge application because knowledge without application is merely information. With the massive volume of information we receive daily, it's estimated that we only retain 10-20 per cent of what we hear or read. In other words, if your employees cannot understand how to apply the information presented in L&D efforts to their daily work, they are unlikely to retain the information and engage with the training in the first place. The result wastes the company’s time and resources on training and development programmes that fail to change behaviour or achieve results.
Understanding the Three Types of Training Transfer
The first secret to mastering training transfer is understanding the three knowledge transfer types: positive, negative, and zero transfer. Understanding these three types will help you assess your current efforts. Let's examine each in more detail.
1. Positive Transfer
occurs when one skill helps you learn another. It most often happens when the two skills are closely related or require the same underlying principles. For example, an employee who knows "SQL" may find it easier to learn "HTML." These two programming languages are not directly related, but understanding the structure of one can help the learner understand the structure of the other.
2. Negative Transfer
This occurs when learning one skill makes it harder to learn another. Like positive transfer, the two skills are likely closely related or built on the same underlying principles. However, the skills require completely different applications or processes. An example of negative transfer is when a student who learnt to use "MLA" for citations in their schoolwork starts a new programme and now must cite using "APA". Citation styles share many similarities, but the student's understanding of the "MLA" system will likely cause problems in areas where the styles differ. In other words, knowing "MLA" made it more challenging to master "APA".
3. Zero Transfer
This occurs when one skill does not affect your ability to learn another. Generally, this happens when the two skills are entirely unrelated. For example, an employee's knowledge of "Microsoft Excel" is unlikely to affect their ability to learn leadership skills. Understanding how to create a spreadsheet and how to inspire and guide subordinates are entirely unrelated. Thus, the employee's knowledge of one will not affect their ability to learn the other.
The Training Transfer Model
After understanding the three types of training transfer and how they apply to your organisation, you're ready to explore a training transfer model. Multiple models exist, but the Baldwin and Ford model is the simplest and most effective. The Baldwin and Ford model consists of a three-stage process:
Stage 1: Training Inputs
Training inputs refer to the elements present before a training session begins. They fall into three categories:
1. Trainee Characteristics
How enthusiastic is this individual to participate in the training? The trainee's abilities also play a significant role here. Is this training too advanced for the trainee, or will they be able to succeed?
2. Training Design
How well-prepared and sequenced is the content of this training? Here, we consider the quality and relevance of the training.
3. Work Environment
Will the employee apply the knowledge and skills gained from this training? Additionally, you need to consider support issues: will the trainee have access to resources to help them cement this new knowledge after the training?
Stage 2: Training Outputs
Training outputs are the outcomes gained from completing the training. In this stage, you must consider how well the trainees did in the training programme. How much did they learn in the training session? You also need to think about how well the information sticks. If a trainee performed well in the session but forgot all the lessons they learnt within a week, the training output is unsuccessful.
Stage 3: Transfer Conditions
Training transfer is not guaranteed even if the information retention is good in stage two. For training transfer to occur, the conditions must be met. According to the Baldwin and Ford model, these conditions are met when the work environment supports the knowledge gained from the training. Some factors influence a trainee's ability to successfully retain their knowledge, such as having a support system in the company, opportunities to perform work relevant to the material they learnt, and periodic feedback and communication with leadership to ensure training transfer occurs.
Based on this model, which employee is more likely to retain the knowledge gained from training?
Employee A
In this scenario, the employee is unenthusiastic about completing the training and considers it a waste of time. The training materials are strong, but they are delivered sporadically. After the session, the leaders never mention the training again and don't encourage the employee or teach them how to apply the training materials at work.
Employee B
In this scenario, the managers told the employee how important the upcoming training is for the team. He is enthusiastic about learning the specific skills and understands how this information will help him in his work. The training materials are strong, like in the first scenario, and were delivered regularly and thoughtfully. After each training, the leaders communicate with the employees to verify their understanding of the material and watch how they apply it in their work.
Although both employees received strong training materials, due to other factors present in the situation, Employee B is much more likely to retain the knowledge gained from his training than Employee A.
Identifying Learning Inputs You Can Positively Influence
From the Baldwin and Ford training transfer model study, it's easy to see that training inputs significantly influence training transfer. Therefore, the next secret to cementing information in an employee's memory is identifying the learning inputs you can control. The more factors you can positively influence, the greater your chances of efficient training transfer.
Training Strategies and Activities
Training strategies and activities are the tools through which you can directly influence training transfer. Here are some factors you can control:
1. Similarity
The more similar the training activities or strategies are to the trainees' work environment, the more effective they will be. For example, simulating real-world situations is more beneficial than theoretical lectures.
2. Active Learning
Employees learn better when they are engaged in the training. Hands-on or virtual training is more effective than reading instruction manuals.
3. Simulation Learning
When employees watch how situations are handled in a real-world environment, they find it easier to simulate the correct behaviour in the future.
4. Error-Based Examples
Training should focus on how to learn from mistakes as they happen at work. Problem-solving examples and simulations contribute to better knowledge transfer.
5. Collaboration
Employees learn better when they have the opportunity to collaborate with trainers, supervisors, and other trainees. Collaborative learning is more effective than learning in isolation.
6. Varying Strategies
It is best not to rely on the same training method for all sessions. Using a variety of strategies helps to diversify the learning experience.
7. Clear Goals
When training goals are clear and specific, it's easier for employees to understand what is expected of them and achieve it.
8. Continuous Assessments
Periodic assessments should be conducted to check the trainees' knowledge and estimate their progress. Training that uses simulation allows for constant assessments throughout the training process, giving the trainee and the trainer an idea of how well the trainee absorbs the material.
Work Environment
1. Transfer Climate
Does your work environment remind you of the training material? These reminders can be visual or verbal cues from management. The more cues in the work environment, the higher the transfer levels.
2. Support
This is the extent to which others in the workplace are willing to help the trainee transfer knowledge. When the trainee feels supported by management and colleagues, they can better retain what they have learned.
3. Opportunity to Apply
How often does the trainee get to apply what they've learnt? When the trainee's work environment simulates the training environment, the trainee can better retain what they've learnt.
4. Evaluation
Refresh trainees' memory by periodically communicating with them to conduct an evaluation process that aids in training transfer.
Integrating These Inputs into Your L&D Programme
Ultimately, these inputs must be integrated into your L&D programme. By understanding the factors you can control, you can identify the aspects in which you can make the most significant impact. This, in turn, helps you allocate your resources, time, and efforts efficiently. Furthermore, linking these efforts to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and other business metrics is essential. This ensures your efforts are aligned with management's goals. Monitoring these metrics also enables you to measure the progress of your L&D programme over time. By applying this practice, you can determine if your efforts positively affect employees, allowing you to adjust course if necessary. Focusing on results ensures you get the most out of your L&D programme.
In Conclusion
The success of an L&D programme depends on knowledge retention. If your training is ineffective and does not stick, your organisation will not see a positive return on its investment in L&D efforts. Training transfer is the difference between L&D success and disappointment. One key to training transfer is applying the knowledge gained in situations similar to the job. Regardless of the trainee's role or the training topic, simulation enables your employees to apply knowledge in a controlled, realistic environment.
