Abstract:

Training is one of the most important tasks of human resource management. Through training, organizations make employees skilful for particular jobs. The training outcomes only can be shown through training transfer. This study mostly concern about training and transfer. The aim of this study was to critically analyse the role and importance of transfer for an organization. Through a brief literature review, the author tried to find theoretical explanation of training and transfer. To critically analyse the role and importance of training transfer, the author discussed some theories and model on training transfer. The author also discussed the transfer matrix with an example. At the end of this study, the author has given some future direction for further research.

Table of ContentsIntroduction:..........................................................................................................................................3

Literature review:..................................................................................................................................4

Concept of Training & Training transfer:..........................................................................................4

Training:........................................................................................................................................5

Training Transfer:..........................................................................................................................5

How training helps to get better performance:...................................................................................5

Benefits of Training for an organization:...........................................................................................6

Benefits of Training for Employees:..................................................................................................6

How training Makes it Right:............................................................................................................7

Critical Analysis:...................................................................................................................................7

Transfer-Of-Training Theories:.........................................................................................................7

Training evaluation process...............................................................................................................8

Training Transfer Model:..................................................................................................................9

Importance of Training Transfer:.......................................................................................................9

Advantages of Training Transfer:....................................................................................................10

Disadvantages of Training Transfer:................................................................................................10

Support of Transfer:.........................................................................................................................10

Transfer Strategies Used Before Training....................................................................................11

Transfer Strategies Used During Training...................................................................................11

Transfer Strategies Used After Training......................................................................................11

Stakeholder Support of Transfer.....................................................................................................11

Role of Stakeholders....................................................................................................................11

Transfer Matrix:...........................................................................................................................12

Conclusion:..........................................................................................................................................14

Direction for Further Research:.......................................................................................................14

References:..........................................................................................................................................15

Bibliography........................................................................................................................................15

Introduction:The main reason of offering training to the employees by the organization is to gather skills and knowledge, which are required to perform a particular job. Training is one of the essential parts of organization’s HRM department and the necessity of training is increasing to get better performance from employees.

Before starting the study, one thing needs to be clearer to the reader, the difference between training and learning. In most case, training and learning acknowledge as a same subject but there are huge different between training and learning. Training is an event whereas learning is a process. Training can be undertaken by any organization but learning totally a personal matter. Learning may occur for personal knowledge as a part of education, training, personal development. On the other hand, training is a systematic and planned effort to develop or modify skills, knowledge through a learning experience and the aim of the training is to achieve effective performance from employees in workplace (Buckley & Caple, 2009).

Training transfer is the main focused area of this study. Training transfer means applying those things which were learned from training season to the job. All organizations want skilled worker to perform the jobs, for this reason, value of training transfer is increasing. Transfer of training defined as the application of skills, knowledge and attitude learned from training on the job and ensuing continuation of them over a certain period of time (Baldwin &Ford, 1988). Goals of successful training transfer are: to make trainees generalized knowledge and skills to work setting and maintain skills to the work setting.

The aims of this study are to analyze critically the importance of transfer within the context of strategic human resource management, to discuss how transfer can be supported before, during and after training and to identify key stakeholders to support transfer strategies. To make the study strong, the author needed to review existing literature, theories and model.

To produce a good output of research and good understanding for the reader, the author of this study briefly reviewed difference literature on the concept of training, training transfer, how training helps to get better performance, benefits of training for organization and employees in the next section. Afterward, the author critically analysed the role and importance of training transfer, difference theory on training transfer, how training transfer can be supported before, during and after training and tried to identified key stakeholder to support transfer strategy using some example.  

Literature review:The aim of this section is to review the existing literature related to training transfer. The main purpose of this section is to gather theoretical literature to make a strong study. In this section, the author talked about: Training transfer, how it helps to achieve better performance from employees, its affects on organization and employees etc.

Concept of Training & Training transfer:Training is one of the most important tasks of human resource management and transfer of training is the implementation and use of training in the right place. Although, both concepts come together in human resource management study, the author tried to find them separately through different literature review.

Training:After employee hiring process, such as: selection, recruitment and induction, the next important function of human resource management is training. No employee would be fit for a particular job without training and development. Now-a-days, the importance of training in employee hiring process is increasing. To get competitive advantages in this competitive business market, organizations take training as an investment on employee. Organizations don’t thing training as an expense as they want skilled workers (Randhawa, 2007).

(Dessler, 2004) Training refers the methods used to give the present and new employees the skills and knowledge’s they need to perform their jobs.

(Jucious, 1975)Training is the process, which increases the ability, knowledge and skill of the employees to perform a particular job.

(Armstrong, 2005)Training is use of planned and systematic instruction to promote learning, whereas learning is the process, which provides new skills, knowledge and capability.

Training Transfer:Training transfer is the extent to which employees apply their skills, knowledge and attitude gathered in the training to apply in their job (Wexley & Latham, 2002). Training transfer is the application of a skill, which is learned in one situation, transfer to a different but similar situation (Definitions.net,2012).

Training process is a costly investment for most business organisations. Employers intend to make sure that investments in training supply greatest returns but in some extent transfer of skills learned in training are functional to the workplace have been revealed to be a bit limited (Baldwin & Ford, 1988). The idea of training transfer concerned the attention of a lot of training researchers and human resource practitioners, mainly in terms of how transfer can be improved (Holton et al., 2000)

(Holton et al., 1997) exactly determining transfer of training climate is significant because it can help human resource management to move beyond the question of whether the training works or not, why training works etc. consequently, covering a suitable and dependable measure of transfer climate can facilitate recognizing not only when an business organisation is prepared for a training involvement, but also when groups, departments or individuals are equipped for such an involvement.

How training helps to get better performance: In the world of labour force management, training is an essential practice to improve the performance of workforce. Training helps employees to know the skill that is required by the workplace. Business organizations invest money on training to get better performance from employees with the help of team work. (Lorenz, 2012) shows some benefits of training, which can make employees to give better performance:

Reduce the risk of Injury: It helps employees to make sure business is running efficiently. It gives them the skill of fill is for absence employee; even in short of staff the other can manage the job.

Avoid Burnout: Naturally, a employee become bore to do the same thing over a period of time. Training and cross-training teach employees how to face the situation and take the same job as a new challenge.

Others: The cross-training teach employees how to work better in a team and also teach them to be loyal with the organization.

Overall, training is one of the best policy for an organization to be profitable and profit comes through employees performance. A better and appropriate training can boost the performance of normal employees within organization (Forsyth, 2008).

Benefits of Training for an organization: Benefits of training are indescribable. Investing money in training benefit organization and its employees. Training increases skills and knowledge of employees and also it makes a sense of satisfaction, sometimes it works as a sensitive motivator. Moreover, a perfect training session can make multi skill worker for an organization (Ansar, 2009).

Because of insufficient knowledge, sometimes worker takes longer than standard time to do a particular job. It can make stress on workers and profit and target loss for organization. These types of problem can be solved by trained the workers through practical techniques (Sulaiman, 2009).

Ansar (2009) shows some benefits of training for organizations. According to Ansar (2009) the main benefit is that, training increase skills of employees and it reduces overall cost of organization’s operation. A business organization can survive long time through good quality of products and services, which can be acquired by proper training of workers. Thirdly, customer satisfaction can be increased through skilled workers. Finally, training can reduce high employee turnover.

Benefits of Training for Employees:

(Leard, 2010) However, training to be beneficial to both the employees and organizations at the same time, there has to be chemistry between them, the purposes of the trainings, the

training methods and its frequencies and the impacts they are having on the trainees, and the quality goods and services provided.

(Sulaiman, 2009) Training is beneficial in many ways for employees. Employees can learn new things which can be relevant to their job; also it can help them to be efficient in their present job. Moreover, one of the main aims of giving training to the present employee is to teach how they can save time and energy in the work place through different technique.

Training also helps employees to get to know the different people in the same level when the business organization is very big or training seasons undertaken in outside of the organization. Giving training outside of the organization can make employees more prospective and they can come with new ideas for business. This is one of the ways to make business profitable within short time (Sulaiman, 2009).

How training Makes it Right:

Critical Analysis:To critically analyse the role and significance of transfer in context of HRM we need to brifly talk about different theories on training transfer. In this section, the author talked about transfer of training theories by noe(2009) and Kirkpatrick’s Framework (1998):

Transfer-Of-Training Theories: (Noe, 2009) shows three different theories which explain training transfer, they are shown below:

Theory Highlighting Appropriate Conditions Type of Transfer

Identical Elements

Training environment and workplaces are same.

Work environment are expected and stable.

Near

Stimulus Generalization

Common principle and skills, which can be applied in all situation.

Work environment is random and extremely variable.

Far

Cognitive Theory General knowledge and skills training within organization.

All types of training and environments.

Near and far

Transfer of training theories (Noe, 2009)

Firstly, the identical elements theory means that the work environment and training are the same. The transfer of skills is the same in this case and it is known as ‘near’ transfer as it is not very different than original work. Training in the job is the good example of this theory. For example: training in the same computer will be used in the job.

Secondly, the stimulus generalization theory indicates some common training which can be applied in most of the workplaces. It is known as ‘far’ transfer as it does not have straight forward involves with the jobs. For example: To influence colleagues; leadership skills training, conflict resolution skills to solve problems, time management skills training and communication skills training. These kind of training are not involved straight way to the job.

Lastly, the cognitive theory is the combination of near and far training transfer. It discusses on the internal processes of organization and give knowledge about it to the learners, which helps them to apply it in workplace.

Training evaluation processDonald Kirkpatrick (1998) developed these evaluation levels as a framework to assess different training outcomes:

Training evaluation process. (Kirkpatrick, 1998)

To review different training outcomes, Donald Kirkpatrick (1998) showed these evaluation levels as a framework. According to the training measurement report conducted by Bershin & Associates (2007), the greater part of employers said that, they often measured learner fulfillment and cognitive gains after a training session; though only 14 percent of said they calculated whether training transfer had taken place. In spite of such a small percentage, 76 percent employers also said that compute training transfer is precious. Only 10 percent said they tracked the genuine contribution that the training skills and knowledge made to enhanced performance (Bersin & Association, 2007).

Reviewing the utilization of the skills and knowledge gathered through training, examination, checklists, evaluation of actions and plans or an additional method after a considerable period of time has passed is called measuring transfer. General Timeframes contain 30, 60 (or longer) time. Reviewing transfer can be time overwhelming, requires several resources and stakeholder support.

Training Transfer Model:

Training Transfer Model (Baldwin & Ford, 1988) (Salas et al., 1999) (Burke & Hutchins,2007)

Baldwin and Ford (1988) first discussed a three-factor model of transfer. Salas, Cannon-Bowers, Rhodenizer, & Bowers, 1999 also talked about it. Later in a integrated literature review on training transfer, Burke and Hutchins (2007) extended and updated the transfer model. In this model, several factors affect the skills and knowledge which are learned from training seasons. From the above figure we can see that, learning characteristics, intervention design and work environment together affect employees learning and all together come this to the transfer which can be shown in individual organizational performances. Although, all factors has its individual affect on transfer but the work environment has a tough influence on learner’s performance within organization.

Importance of Training Transfer:Training transfer is very important in today’s business. Business organizations are investing billions of pounds every year on training. Importance of training transfer has shown below:

To get better performance: Performance in the job is most important for both organization and employees. Business cannot run with unskilled worker. To make skilled the new workers, organization arrange training for them. Once they become skilled for a particular job, the can perform better in the job.

Learner Characteristics

Intervention Design

Work Environment

-Cognitive Ability

-Self-efficacy

-Motivation (personality, job/career)

Development of Learning GoalsAdult Learning PrinciplesInstructional Methods & Media Self-Management Strategies

Strategic Link of TrainingOrg Climate & AccountabilityOpportunity to PerformTechnological Support

Learning

Transfer Individual &OrganizationalPerformance

Individual &OrganizationalPerformance

To make business Profitable: When a employee learn how to do a particular job, he or she can manage the service and able to follow the business procedure, as a result, business starts making profit.

Manage time: If a employee learn properly in training and can apply on the job what he or she learned in training period than the employee can manage time to do the job. Even in the busy time of the business, the employee can work with cool mind.

To maintain business standers: In training, business organization’s aim is to let employees know about their own business standard. After finishing the training when trained employees come to work, they try to follow the business standard properly and it become a practice for them.

To avoid the accidents: Training is very important to let employee know how to avoid the accidents when performing the job. Transfer helps to avoid the accidents in this case. Compare to the untrained employee a trained employee can avoid most of the accident while performing the job.

Advantages of Training Transfer:There are some advantages of training transfer. They are given below:

Trained employee become more effective after training. Transfer helps them to be efficient in the job.

Staff can perform the job correctly, which is beneficial for the organization because through doing job correctly a business standard and level of service increase.

Training transfer increase productivity of the business because staff are already trained and in training period they were thought how to work in the workplace. So they don’t feel hesitation to perform the job and it increases business productivity.

Business does not need to take extra headache to hire a new employee because from training a employee already learned how to perform the job and they just transfer the training to the workplace.

Training transfer increase the quality of customer service, as in training season employees normally come to know how the business organization look at their customer and how the business want to treat them. When a employee transfer training to the job, it become easier for them to give appropriate customer service.

Disadvantages of Training Transfer: Companies are spending lots of money on training. If the training is not effective then

training transfer won’t be good. If the training contents if not properly synchronize with the realistic job than the

transfer of training will be negative. Although training was accurate and perfect, if transfer award is not provided by the

business than some times the transfer can be not satisfactory. Trainee are influenced to transfer the training when they get reward from the organization (Taylor et al.,2005).

Support of Transfer:Transfer support is one of the focused topics of this study. Supporting transfer design and work on environmental levels required involvement that work throughout the training period (Shrm, 2008).

Broad (2005) undertaken a research to get the strategies that can support training transfer before, during and after training period. In the earlier work with Newstrom (Broad &Newstrom, 1992) showed a matrix which could be used to support transfer. Recently (Broad,2005)updated the lists, they are shown below:

Transfer Strategies Used Before TrainingIn this stage of training, managers analyze the training goals to know how learning will provide to improved employees performance. Secondly managers review the content of training before starting training period. What will be the actual work and example during training season should be fixed in this stage to support the identical element theory.

Transfer Strategies Used During TrainingThis is very crucial part of the strategy. In this stage, manager should be motivated minded. Managers have to create a mnemonic mechanism to help learners memorize key concepts through different symbols, picture, number and words. This kind of things helps to remember learned things quickly. Manager participation is very important part in this stage. This is a part of motivation. Participation of managers in training motivates learners to enjoy the training. On the other hand, learners can know what would be the actual scenario of jobs and communication in the through their managers. Finally, having a complete action plans for a learners in essential part. Through the action plan, learners can determine how to apply the learned skills and knowledge in the practical job.

Transfer Strategies Used After TrainingIn this stage, trainees get the opportunity to use their skills and knowledge on the job which were gathered from training. Managers talked with the new trainees about how they feel and how they are using the knowledge of training at work. Moreover, trainees can talk with other about applying the training knowledge. Finally during performance reviews, they discuss about transfer behavior.

Stakeholder Support of TransferTo understand when and how training transfer can take place, we need to know about who are the behind the scenario and how they do it. Day by day the business organizations are becoming more complex, especially in human resource management department. In training transfer strategy, stakeholders play very important role to helps employees to achieve better performance.

Stakeholder means a person or a group of individuals with a stake of transferring skills and knowledge in work settings. Stakeholders are also responsible to support transfer. Stakeholder can be a manager, colleague, supervisor, customer or the whole organization.

Role of StakeholdersBroad (2005) shows some role of stakeholder, Below they are shown with brief example:

• Learners: Learners are group of individuals, who any training assignment, with the real work study, discuss plan for transfer with the managers.

• Peers: Peers and co-workers play a vital role in training transfer. They ask learners about the skills and knowledge which are learned in training seasons and help learners with the real experience task.

• Trainers: A trainers can be a supervisor, manager or external individual. How helps learners on how to support transfer and provide realistic job experience.

• Supervisors: Work with learners in training period and account learner for transfer.• Executives: An executive give support for training transfer, provide all related

resource which are necessary for learning and reward learners for better transfer.

It is important to decide who should be in charge of using transfer strategy throughout the training period. Above the author showed some role of stakeholders, but some specific job should be done by difference stakeholders. Such as, trainers can create different types of training materials or mnemonic device to help the trainees’ ti memorize the training study concept. Managers can participate training programme to motivate learners and to show the support. Trainees can focus to complete action plan to perform in the job.

Transfer Matrix:Broad (2005) suggests a transfer matrix to understand how training transfer can be supported before, during and after training. It shows role of stakeholders and the temporal dimension. Board’s transfer matrix helps a organization to identify and evaluate the strategy to support training transfer. In board’s matrix, the stakeholders must carry some responsibility to support the transfer before, during and after training. Transfer matrix helps employers to take decision how to align involvement with key stakeholders. Broad’s transfer matrix has shown below:

Before During After

Trainers

Trainees

Supervisor

s

Example:

To show the example of transfer matrix, the author had taken food shop in account, such as nando’s. Nando’s is a brand restaurant based on food from chicken. Nando’s is planning to open a new store in Canary Warf (a commercial area). As Canary Warf is a busy area buring week days, Nando’s will need good front line staff. In this case, a training manager would want skilful workers. So, from the training manager, the scenario of the transfer matrix would come as bellow:

Before During After

Trainers Design the training with the real scenario.

Stand a training goal and communicate with supervisors and trainees.

Need to make sure that managers are involved in training design.

Actual materials and equipment should be use in training season.

Allow must know contents.

Helps trainees to remember the things through mnemonic device.

Let trainees involve practically

After a period of time, take a quiz to make sure they can still remember the training study.

Evaluate the performance.

Put foster or banner inside the store to remind them the required knowledge.

Trainees Ask supervisor, why it is important for them and organization.

Know properly what they going to do.

Come to the training with a mind of learning.

Ask questions. Keep involving. Try to create an

action plan.

Take helps from supervisor and ask how to use training in the job.

Try to follow co-worker, and request helps to use the knowledge of training.

Keep job aid observable.

Supervisors

Let trainees know about learning goals.

Support them to use training in the work.

Explain how training transfer is effectual for

Helps them to concentrate on training.

Give motivation during training.

Evaluate what trainees learn from training.

Show them difficult customer service circumstance and based on training how to solve

the organization. Let them know how customer service important for nando’s.

it. Ask trainees some

example about what they learned.

Conclusion: Employees are the main area of human resource management. Business all activities occur by employees, machine and products. Business profit can come through effective employees. Importance of effective employee within organization is tremendous. Business organizations are spending lots of money on employee every years and the amount is going high by the time. Training can make efficient employees for an organization. Through training, a employee can know, what they are for, what they are going to do, what is purpose and how to do the job in work place. Employees gather skills and knowledge about the job and the purpose of the organization through training.

Training transfer is the outcomes of the training. The effectiveness of training only can be known through training transfer. Whatever employees learn from training about organization and jobs, they apply them into the workplace. The skills and knowledge gathered from training, which are applied to the jobs is training transfer. The training success can be only measured through training transfer. The importance of training transfer within organization is increasing day by day. Through training transfer, an employee can be efficient and confidence in the workplace. On the other hand, a business organization can be benefited through training transfer in many ways, such as- a business can be profitable, can maintain proper business standards, maintain the customer services and avoid the expected hazard etc.

In this study the author has talked about the concept of training and training transfer through a literature review. After reviewing the existing literature on training and training transfer, the author focused on critical analysis of importance of transfer in evaluating training outcomes. To analyse critically, the author briefly talked about different theory on training transfer, such as- three transfers of training theories by Noe (2009) and training evaluation process commonly known as Kirkpatrick framework. After analyzing the training transfer, the author discussed about support of transfer, which includes before, during and after training supports. In that section, the author briefly talked about Broad (2005) transfer matrix, which is very useful to determine the training objective. The author used one example to describe this matrix.

From the above study, the author found that, the training transfer can be effective if the perfect procedure has been followed. In this case, transfer matrix can help managers to indentify the key stakeholders and distribute the responsibility among them. The transfer theories and framework can help to determine and evaluate training outcomes.

Direction for Further Research: This study was strictly concern with training and training transfer. The readers can find the theoretical integration and synchronization with critical analysis on training transfer. This research discussed about the importance of training and training transfer and role of stakeholders on transfer. However, due to the time and word limit, the researcher could not explore further area of the training transfer. The future researcher can get brief idea on training transfer from literature review and critical analysis. This research will be helpful to know the training transfer theories, model and transfer matrix. However, the research outcomes on the same topic can be different especially from critical analysis.

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