Partnerships for training transfer: Lessons from a corporate study

TLDR

The study examines whether pre‑training expectations and post‑training follow‑up discussions by managers improve skill transfer from training to work. Ninety‑one trainees in five skill‑development courses at a Fortune 200 Michigan firm were randomly assigned to receive manager‑led pre‑ and post‑training discussions or no such support, and their reported training transfer and related factors were compared. Trainees who received manager support reported significantly higher training usage, more positive perceptions of transfer‑facilitating forces, and lower perceived barriers, demonstrating that pre‑ and post‑training managerial discussions enhance transfer and supporting a recommendation for strong trainer‑manager‑trainee partnerships.

Abstract

Abstract This study explores the impact of two management interventions, a pre‐training expectations discussion and an after‐training follow‐up discussion, on the transfer of skills from training programs to the work situation. Ninety‐one trainees in five skill development courses in a Fortune 200 company in Michigan participated in this study. For each course, the trainees were randomly assigned to two groups: (1) those whose managers provided the specified pre‐ and postsession interventions and (2) those whose managers did not provide them. Comparisons were made to see which group reported more instances of training transfer and selected transfer‐related factors. The results showed significantly higher training usage and a more positive perception regarding the forces that encourage transfer of training within the work environment among the trainees who received the management support interventions. On the other hand, the trainees who did not receive management support reported lower training usage and perceived more forces mitigating against transfer. The findings provide further evidence that support provided by managers before and after training leads to greater transfer of training. The study recommends building strong trainer‐manager‐trainee partnerships in the phases before, during, and after training.