Overcoming the barriers
While recognizing that not all identified barriers can be addressed by employers
alone, the Conference Board has proposed a series of steps that employers can
take to ensure that the training they deliver is effective both in terms of
skills-transfer to the workplace and in terms of improving the bottom line.
- Build and maintain employee loyalty – To confront the risk of external
poaching, employers have to find their own way to keep their workplace attractive
for their employees; this could include: care for employees’ opinions
and concerns on job-related issues, keep satisfaction high, personal involvement
in projects and their own work.
- Benchmarking – Tools for evaluation of learning activities have to
be built in the program from the implementation stage; recording initial skill
levels is an important step; realistic objectives can be set; then regular
assessment of progress should be made and recorded – these will be essential
to the rationalization of the training investment and its continuation.
- Design challenging jobs – For training to be seen as useful by employees,
it has to be put to use in the workplace. Employers need to put employees’
skills to best use and show commitment to the workforce by establishing career
ladders that offer opportunities and challenges.
- Allow employees access to learning – Employers should consider all
opportunities to make time for training, by looking at such possibilities
as rotating schedules, shift work, irregular job demands; they should also
look for flexibility on the training delivery side through small group instruction,
one-on-one tutoring or self-study modules; it is important that all this be
in consideration of employees’ needs, interests and own schedules.
- Deliver employee-friendly workplace education – Training content
and delivery should be considerate of the characteristics of the workplace,
its diversity and culture, its management style and equipment used.
- Raise training staff requirements – Respect for the past experiences
and learning styles of the adult learners should be clearly demonstrated by
the trainers. They should also show flexibility in program design, schedule
and delivery.
Literacy programs at work
The Conference Board of Canada has brought together the 12 key success factors
for the delivery of effective workplace literacy programs (Figure 6.2). In addition,
case study research has identified a number of specific strategies that have
worked in firms of different sizes. (A large list of case studies is also available
on the Conference Board’s website.41)
- In small businesses:
- Senior management’s support and enthusiasm for the training program
encouraged hesitant mature workers to take part.
- Effective time management, supervisor buy-in and training in small groups
of employees helped ease scheduling conflicts and minimize impact on production.
Modular learning programs and delivery through e-learning are also used to
resolve time issues.
- Partnering in course development helped with making the courses directly
relevant and applicable to the workplace. Partnership with the sector council
is proving an efficient and cost-effective way to access proven training resources
and tools.