The Seven Factors in the Transfer of Learning Process

Is it enough to simply have employees go through a variety of training and professional

development opportunities and assume any knowledge they gain will automatically
translate into action on the job? The answer is no! If your organization wants to get the
most out of its training and learning opportunities, you need to ensure that what is
learned, is transferred to the workplace. What is the transfer of learning? It is defined
as, “the degree to which an individual applies new skills and knowledge from training to
the job.”1 Only with successful transfer of learning can an organization expect training to
result in changed employee behaviour that positively impacts service delivery.
According to the National Literacy Secretariat, “Successful training and its long-term
application on the job is possible only when the right people are provided with the right
training at the right time and are supported by the right kind of organizational
environment.”
This statement can be further explained by considering the following seven
factors in the successful transfer of learning process:
1. The Planning Process
This is perhaps the most important factor in the process, as it lays the
foundation for learning to occur. It is up to each organization to strategically
choose meaningful learning opportunities for appropriate employees to attend or
complete. An organization’s training strategy will be derived from considering
the pre-determined competencies required for each position, and then, on a
person-by-person basis. Taking the time to complete a knowledge/skills gap
analysis, will help you to determine which employees require which training
programs. Having a specific organizational training strategy in place indicates
that an organization is fostering an environment that supports not just learning,
but also the transfer of learning. This means Supervisors need to take the time
to talk with staff before they go through training to review course learning
objectives or priorities together. Make the connection between the goals of the
individual, the organization, and the program, in order to maximize learning.
Managers and Supervisors play a pivotal role in inspiring and motivating
employees to attend, to be active Learners, and to apply that learning once
training is complete.
2. Learner Characteristics and Motivation
The expectations and motivation set by the organization and Supervisors, and
the motivation and attitude of the employee who is going through the training,
plays a pivotal role in learning and the transfer of knowledge. If the Learner

1 Malamed, Connie. “Strategies to Enhance Learning Transfer.” Training &Development. 2017.

wants to learn, is motivated to learn, is engaged to develop their learning plan,
and understands how this knowledge will positively impact their work , the
organization, and the people they support, there is a greater chance of
transferring the knowledge learned to practice. Failing to set learning
expectations for the Learner usually results in failing to motivate the employee,
resulting in a failure to learn. Regardless of how strong a training program is,
before a Learner can learn, they must be confident, comfortable, open to
learning, and know what is expected of them upon returning. One of the factors
in Learner Motivation is the Workplace Environment – refer to Factor #6 for
more information.
3. Design and Delivery Method
When looking for training opportunities for employees, look for programs that will
meet a wide array of learning preferences and accommodate different cultures
and communication styles. You want to look for training that encourages
Learners to learn in a variety of different methods (i.e. lectures, videos,
PowerPoint presentations, group work, self-reflection, etc.), and encourages
Learners to be actively involved. Research shows that when a training uses a
variety of instructional methods, there is a greater chan ce of appealing to all
Learners and driving home the information. The bottom line is that the training
not only needs to be relevant (i.e. aligns with desired learning objectives), but
also engaging in order to be absorbed.
4. Learning Context
When Learners are asked about their preferred learning methods, almost all will
fall into one (or more) of the following categories: visual, auditory, kinesthetic
(interactive), or repetitive. To provide employees the best chance to learn, find
programs that blend all four of these learning methods as this increases the
likelihood of learning and being able to transfer that learning. Keep this in mind
when employees are back at the organization and expected to transfer their
learning – provide a variety of ways for them to demonstrate their knowledge, as
the organization’s learning context will set the stage for future learning. If you
have employees who have successfully completed Train-the-Trainer programs
and are now in-house Trainers, remind them to also incorporate these methods
into their programs, to encourage learning and increase the ef fectiveness of the
transfer of learning.
5. Immediate Application
The best way for the transfer of learning to happen, is to set the expectation for
the Learner to put their knowledge into action immediately upon returning to the
workplace. Research shows that transfer of knowledge will not occur if putting it
into practice is delayed. It is also critical for the organization to have some way
of confirming that the Learner has disseminated and implemented the training as
intended. For example, if an employee has been registered for SARC’s Med
Assist online training program, following completion, the organization’s policy
and procedures should be such that the employee is expected to physically
demonstrate competency before being allowed to assist clients wi th medication
alone – this is also considered a form of risk management. Immediate
application is supported by the Supervisor in various ways, including follow -up
conversations (refer to Coaching Conversation: Post-Training) and through role-
modelling and other types of reinforcement to support employees to apply the
training to their jobs (refer to Ensuring Learning Transfer at Your Organization ).
6. Workplace Environment
The environment where the employee works is the single most important
influence on knowledge transfer. Employees should be rewarded for
demonstrating what they know and wanting to learn – if learning is valued by the
organization, show it. Creating a culture of learning and accountability is critical.
An organization’s leadership must be willing to support and embrace best
practices and procedures as outlined in training, even though it may mean doing
things differently, as exposure to training can often bring forward new ideas for
consideration. They must promote the use of new skills on the job, include co-
workers by encouraging the sharing of information learned, and foster peer
support for knowledge transfer. Leadership must also be actively committed to
the principles that the training is intended to support (i.e. health and safety,
Person-Centred culture, etc.).
The effectiveness of Managers and Supervisors plays an essential role in
ensuring effective implementation of training course material on the job, and
determining whether the employee is demonstrating competency.
Managers/Supervisors are the ones responsible for coaching/re-direction,
ensuring compliance with policies and procedures, ensuring re -training if
necessary, disciplinary action if necessary, etc.
Reinforcing the value of learning comes from leadership.
7. Eliminating Barriers
Many studies cite lack of time, lack of organizational support, training
applicability, inadequate equipment/supplies, absence of reinforcement on the
job for newly acquired skills/abilities, and workplace issues as the biggest
barriers to the implementation of training. It is important for organizations to
anticipate and plan ways to eliminate barriers – make the time for immediate
application of learning and create an environment where new ideas and
concepts are welcome. If there are expectations set for Learners to demonstrate
what they have learned upon completion of training, or if a meeting is scheduled
for the Learner to speak with their Supervisor about new ideas gained, the
likelihood of putting what they’ve learned into practice is greatly increased. The
end of training doesn’t mean the end of learning.
Although each of these seven factors is important in and of themselves, it is the
inter-relatedness of them that is essential to achieving the successful transfer of
learning. When even one piece is missing, the odds are diminished. There are
many moving parts and many different roles – Learners, Trainers, Supervisors,
Leaders – necessary to create and sustain a dynamic learning environment
within an organization.

Sources:

1. Ratcliff Daffron, Sandra, Shelley Moore, and Tasha Chicovsky. “Transfer of Learning for
Health Care Workers.” PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning. 2015.
2. Melamed, Connie. “Strategies to Enhance Learning Transfer.” Training & Development.
April 2017.
3. Canada. National Literacy Secretariat. Transfer of Learning: Planning Effective Workplace
Education Programs. Ottawa, 1997.