Tips for Training Transfer

Pre-Training Checklist
You can do the following in advance of the employee training session to increase the likelihood that the training you do transfers to the workplace.

1. Ensure the need can be met via training. Before committing to developing a training module in-house or purchasing a training program, conduct an analysis to make sure the need is real and that training will help resolve it.  There are situations where all the training in the world will not improve performance – it is up to you and management to determine if with the right time and tools, an employee or situation can be changed for the better.

2. Impact morale by providing relevancy. Make sure it is clear how what you are teaching will translate to job performance. Failure on the part of trainees to understand the relevancy of training can cause a dip in motivation. The bottom line is this: the greater the link, the higher the motivation. 

3. Make sure training is organizationally specific. Conducting generalized training when you have specific needs can potentially be a large waste of resources, time and money. For example, if your group is having problems with anger management, a course on employee communications will not target this issue or nearly suffice.

Don’t purchase a generic training program if it won’t meet your situational needs completely. This may mean tweaking a program, or seeking out a training provider that can customize what they offer to match your specific needs.

4. Train managers first. Be sure to familiarize managers with the information provided to employees during the course. This allows the manager to not only model the appropriate learnings, it also lets the manager create an environment for the employee to apply what was learned in training.

5. Look for training programs that contain the following:

• Measurable outcomes. Many testing packages come with pre- and post- tests, and other measurement tools, to properly gauge what the student is learning.
  
  
• Pre-training assignments. Reading or thought-provoking exercises before training begins can help put students into the right frame of mind to “hit the ground running.”  It can also make students aware of areas where they are lacking, which may provide additional incentive to get the most out of training.
  
  
• Post-training learning materials. CDs, books or other reference material can reinforce the learning process post-training.

6. Train in chunks. While there is no doubt that attending intense training is easier from a staffing, planning and time management perspective, it can also be less effectual.  Training in chunks, say one day a week for five weeks rather than a week-long program, allows for information to be processed in a way that it cannot when it is thrown at you all at once. It also allows for everyone to go back to work, try out the training, and come back with feedback and questions that can further enrich the experience.

7. Invest in a trainer.  While in some situations sending managers to classes with the expectations that they can return to share learnings makes sense, it can prove challenging when material is complex. Additionally, just because someone is a manager does not mean they possess the skills necessary to be a competent trainer. A quality trainer can mean the difference between skills transferring effectively to the workplace and skills being left in the classroom. 


If your company does not have the resources available to hire an in-house trainer, consider contracting with a company can provide you with training resources on an as-needed basis.

After Training Checklist
Successful training transfer is highly reliant on activities that pick up where training left off. The following three steps will help create an environment that allows an employee to implement what they have learned straight away.

1. Share training results. Communicate the results of the training to the employee’s manager, so that the manager knows where the areas of strength lie and where there is opportunity for continued improvement. 

2. Create opportunities for the student to practice new skills.  The old adage “practice makes perfect” certainly applies here. For instance, if your team attends training on effective public speaking, direct each employee to create a work-related presentation with the whole team as an audience.  Or if you send an employee to training to learn how to run a meeting, require them to run a meeting once a week for a month, or until they have satisfied your requirements for proper meeting facilitation.

3. Make plans for additional training or coaching as needed. As part of regular feedback and coaching, keep a close eye on where additional coaching or refresher training would be beneficial.

The Case for Training Transfer
The above-detailed suggestions will help ensure the resources your organization spends on training do not go wasted. Whether you create a training program in-house, customize an existing training program, purchase a ready-made unit off the shelf, or hire a trainer to create a tailored-made program for you, training transfer is critical to maximizing your company’s return on its investment.