Training Transfer and Transfer Motivation: The Influence of Individual,Environmental, Situational,Training Design,and Affective Reaction Factors

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of individual, environmental, training design, and affective reaction factors on training transfer and transfer motivation. To determine the relationship between these factors and their influence on training transfer and to test the model, the researchers collected data from employees in the Malaysian banking sector. Structural equation modeling with Amos 16 was used to test the model and determine the relationship. The study suggested that training stakeholders should manage the training program effectively. Transfer is maximized when trainees have social support, high performance self‐efficacy, and transfer motivation. Stakeholders (e.g., trainers, trainees, supervisors, and peers) are important to the training transfer process, as are learner readiness, trainee reaction, instrumentality, and training retention. This study revealed that perceived content validity and transfer design work together and influence the trainee's performance self‐efficacy. In other words, if trainers want to improve the performance self‐efficacy level of trainees, they need to explain how the trainee can transfer the learned skills at the workplace and make sure the content of the training is similar to the actual job. The main objective of training programs is to align the employee's expertise with organizational goals. Organizations can achieve their desired objectives only when employees transfer the learned skills on the job. Unfortunately, employees often transfer only a small percentage of skills they have learned in training. To effectively manage their training programs, organizations need to identify and focus on the factors that resist effective training transfer.     

Counseling Effectiveness and Trainee Helping Qualities: Another View

This study addresses the importance of client satisfaction as an index of counseling effectiveness and also examines the relationship between trainee personality characteristics and supervisor ratings of trainee performance. Results indicated that a significant inverse relationship existed between trainee levels of self-acceptance and client's ratings of counseling satisfaction. Supervisor's ratings of the trainee's performance and progress in supervision were also inversely related to trainee levels of self-acceptance. Agreement was found between supervisor's ratings of trainee performance and client satisfaction with counseling. Implications of these results are discussed in terms of counselor training programs and future research designs.     

Preferences of Training Performance Measurement: A Comparative Study of Training Professionals and Non‐training Managers

ABSTRACT This survey‐based study addressed a perceived gap between training performance evaluation practice and decision‐making criteria required in business. Training professionals and non‐training managers in North Carolina were surveyed. The study found that the groups differ in the performance measures that motivate them to act on training issues. Non‐training managers preferred measurements of productivity, organizational climate, product quality, cost, and customer service reports. Training professionals preferred measures of opinions of the trainee's supervisor, end‐of‐training exam scores, progress/work performance reports, and opinions of the trainee. The study concluded that (1) training professionals and non‐training managers react to different training performance measures; (2) training professionals are more likely to react to job/individual‐level performance measures; (3) non‐training managers are more likely to rely on organizational‐level measures; (4) non‐training managers are not primarily concerned with converting training benefits to dollar figures; (5) on‐the‐job tests and customer service reports are valued by both the training profession and business and industry; and (6) the low response suggests a potential lack of interest for the strategic position of the training function.     

Profiles of Organizational Culture and Effective Schools∗

This study intends to investigate how school organizational culture is related to important organizational characteristics and observe how the profiles of strong culture‐effective schools are different from those of weak culture‐ineffective schools in terms of organizational variables (such as principal's leadership, organizational structure, and teachers’ social interactions), teachers’ job attitudes, and school effectiveness criteria. It is a cross‐sectional survey research involving 54 randomly sampled Hong Kong secondary schools and 588 teachers. The unit of analysis is the school.

Organizational ideology index was found to be substantially correlated with schools’ perceived organizational effectiveness. Among the 10 measures of these organizational variables, teachers’ esprit and principal's charismatic leadership can contribute substantially to the prediction of school's strength of organizational culture. The organizational profile of perceived strong culture‐effective schools is contrastingly different from that of perceived weak culture‐ineffective schools. The findings suggest that difference in organizational culture can be reflected at least in three overt levels: 1. organizational level in terms of principal's leadership behaviors, organizational formalization and participation, and teachers’ social norms; 2. teachers’ attitudinal level in terms of organizational commitment, social job satisfaction, intrinsic job satisfaction, and influence job satisfaction; and 3. school effectiveness level in terms of perceived overall organizational effectiveness and academic achievements in public examinations.

The findings reinforce the importance of organizational culture to the ongoing effort and discussion of school improvement and school effectiveness.

     

Evaluating the Impact of a Performance‐Based Methodology on Transfer of Training

Transfer of training is the degree to which trainees can apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes gained in training to the job. Currently only between 5% and 20% of what is learned in training is ever applied on the job. At this time, little is known about the effects of work environment factors, such as support, feedback, and goal setting, on training transfer. We utilized a quasi‐experimental between‐groups design using surveys, interviews, and behavioral measures to evaluate the impact of performance‐based work environment factors on training transfer. Results indicated that participants in the experimental group reported a higher level of training transfer than those in the control group. These findings suggest that a performance‐based approach to training can be an effective method to increase the likelihood that employees transfer training knowledge to the job context.     

Evaluation of Corporate Training Programs: Perspectives and Issues for Further Research

Performance improvement interventions, including training, are investments that can yield identifiable payoffs for an organization in the form of better job performance. Evaluation is vital to continuous improvement of human performance in the workplace. Without measures of effectiveness, organizations do not know whether dollars are being spent wisely and, consequently, whether to continue, modify, or improve performance interventions. There are several approaches for the evaluation of training programs. Few adequately cover the broader perspective of performance improvement. Various schemes and terms are used to describe facets for evaluating training programs. However, sometimes different terms describe the same event. At other times, quite different training evaluation activities are discussed by different authors using the same terms. The present article reviews six overall evaluation perspectives of corporate training programs: Kirkpatrick's four‐level approach; the CIRO approach; Hamblin's five‐level approach; Florida State University approach; Indiana University approach; and Phillips' five‐level approach. And four research areas for further study are recommended: overall evaluation models, causal relationships between evaluation categories, systematic research on how to evaluate the various categories, and appropriate uses of the results of evaluations.     

Surviving Layoffs: A Qualitative Study of Factors Affecting Retained Employees After Downsizing

Workforce downsizing is becoming an increasingly common outcome of organizational restructuring. Recent studies have focused on the victims of downsizing, the employees laid off. Unfortunately, little has been said about what happens to the “survivors” of downsizing. This qualitative report documents the perspectives of a small company's layoff survivors. It examines factors that affect retained employees' performance. A conceptual framework for evaluating how downsizing impacts job performance is presented. Three main factors–need for security, desire for justice, and level of job enrichment–found to have an impact on employees' ability to actively support the company in its quest for competitive edge, are discussed.     

Career Development: The Linkage Between Training And Organizational Development

Improved organizational efficiency can only be accomplished if the employees within an organization have developed the skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes to perform at the highest possible levels. To a limited degree this can be accomplished via training, but employees develop the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes related only to their current job. As a result, the organization is only indirectly impacted. This refers to the micro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Organizational efficiency can also be accomplished through organizational development, but the individual employee is often overlooked during this process. Without employee commitment to improve efficiency, it will be short-lived. This approach refers to the macro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Both the micro and macro perspectives of improved organizational efficiency have their weaknesses. Thus, a combination of the two processes is necessary. Career development is that combination. Career development is a process which enables employees to develop beyond the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes required for their present job assignments. It is a process which is focused on improving organizational efficiency while relying on the development of the individual employee. Performance improvement practitioners can provide learning activities which improve employees' skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes by viewing improved organizational efficiency from an individual (micro) perspective while remaining dedicated to the overall enhancement of the organization (macro). However, many performance improvement practitioners fail to see the connection between training and overall organizational development. These terms are often used interchangeably which leads to the increased confusion and misapplication of each process. It is necessary, therefore, to arrive at an acceptable definition in order to communicate effectively the intent as well as the similarities and differences of the processes. This will enable performance improvement practitioners to better understand the commonalities of each process. It is this understanding that serves as the basis of this article and the forthcoming recommendations.     

Human Performance Technology Applied to Supermarkets in India

The International Society for Performance Improvement human performance technology model was applied in four supermarkets of a well‐known retail firm in India. An organizational environment model was used for a cause analysis. The fishbone (i.e., cause‐and‐effect) diagram was used to express the basis of poor sales performance. Both customers and employees were dissatisfied with the stores. It was determined that poor inventory management, long approval periods, and frequent employee turnover were the reasons for poor sales performance in the supermarkets.     

青年员工职业倦怠影响机理的质性研究

为厘清保险公司青年员工职业倦怠影响因素和结构维度,基于Maslach理论,以11名青年员工深度访谈文本为数据来源,采用扎根理论三级编码,笔者建构了保险公司青年员工职业倦怠概念模型。该模型揭示,个体因素与工作情景因素不匹配是诱发青年员工职业倦怠的根本原因,阐明职业倦怠影响因素不同组合的作用路径。研究结果深化Maslach等人关于个体与情境匹配模型观点。由此,提出如下建议:掌握唤起积极情绪的能力,树立“界限”意识,保持积极乐观的心态是完善员工个人因素的重点;以岗定编,以考代训,实现富员强司,营造互助的职场氛围,帮助青年员工获得社会支持是夯实工作情景的重点。     

Workplace‐based Learning Degrees: a new business venture,or a new critical business?

There is increasing emphasis in higher education on preparing students for the workplace and recognising the learning that occurs in the workplace. Workplace learning has been exemplified in aspects of traditional courses by work experience, practicum, sandwich courses and practice‐based courses. Recently, however, academic attention has focused on the development of subjects and degree programs that are entirely workplace‐based. Such programs are negotiated with organisations to meet their own learning needs and promote the learning of individual company employees in the performance of their everyday work. Workplace‐based courses have developed in response to employer demand, restricted government funding for higher education and the need for universities to appeal to new markets. These factors have created a context of considerable tension between traditional academic practice and beliefs, and those that accompany this new approach. These tensions present challenges for universities as they attempt to respond in ways that maintain rigour and integrity while meeting the demands created by contemporary economic, political and social pressures.     

Career Development; The Linkage Between Training and Organizational Development Originally published in 1989, PIQ 2.1

Improved organizational efficiency can only be accomplished if the employees within an organization have developed the skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes to perform at the highest possible levels. To a limited degree this can be accomplished via training, but employees develop the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes related only to their current job. As a result, the organization is only indirectly impacted. This refers to the micro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Organizational efficiency can also be accomplished through organizational development, but the individual employee is often overlooked during this process. Without employee commitment to improve efficiency, it will be short-lived. This approach refers to the macro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Both the micro and macro perspectives of improved organizational efficiency have their weaknesses. Thus, a combination of the two processes is necessary. Career development is that combination. Career development is a process which enables employees to develop beyond the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes required for their present job assignments. It is a process which is focused on improving organizational efficiency while relying on the development of the individual employee. Performance improvement practitioners can provide learning activities which improve employees' skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes by viewing improved organizational efficiency from, an individual (micro) perspective while remaining dedicated to the overall enhancement of the organization (macro). However, many performance improvement practitioners fail to see the connection between training and overall organizational development. These terms are often used interchangeably which leads to the increased confusion and misapplication of each process. It is necessary, therefore, to arrive at an acceptable definition in order to communicate effectively the intent as well as the similarities and differences of the processes. This will enable performance improvement practitioners to better understand the commonalities of each process. It is this understanding that serves as the basis of this article and the forthcoming recommendations.     

COUNSELING THE ELDERLY: A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONALS

The present study examined the effectiveness of a training program designed to teach mental health professionals information and skills specific to counseling the elderly client. Twenty‐eight women and four men, ranging in age from 23 to 56, completed the 12‐hour training program. Results indicated that participants showed statistically significant gains on the two major assessment devices after completion of the training program. Concomitantly, job satisfaction and perception of preparedness for their current jobs as counselors to the elderly were affected in a positive direction, providing support for the efficacy of the program. The impact of the training was also sustained at the two‐month follow‐up. Regression analyses revealed that the trainee characteristic that was most predictive of success in the program was that having to do with prior knowledge; those entering the program with a higher level of basic knowledge tended to improve and learn more in training.     

A NATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY TRAINERS’ ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS ABOUT EVIDENCE‐BASED PRACTICES

The present investigation examined 460 school psychology trainers’ attitudes and beliefs about the conditions for the education and training of evidence‐based practices (i.e., assessments and interventions) in training programs in the United States and Canada using an online survey. Trainer attitudes and beliefs about education and training in evidence‐based practices were measured using a 24‐item five‐point Likert scale. Overall, trainers had positive views of evidence‐based practices, as well as program and organizational support for such training. However, trainers rated the education and training of evidence‐based assessments more favorably than evidence‐based interventions. In general, trainer characteristics nor program accreditation status, model, or type of degree offered were found to influence trainers’ perceptions about evidence‐based practices. However, trainers with prior experience teaching evidence‐based intervention courses were found to have more supportive views of evidence‐based assessments and interventions than those without such experience. Implications for future training and school practice are discussed.     

Principal's Leadership as a Critical Factor for School Performance: Evidence from Multi‐Levels of Primary Schools 1

This study aims to investigate how principal's leadership is related to school performance in terms of multi‐level indicators such as school's organizational characteristics, teachers’ group‐level and individual‐level performances, and students’ performances. In the study, strong leadership represents that a principal can be supportive and foster participation for teachers, can develop clear goals and policies and hold people accountable for results, can be persuasive at building alliances and solving conflicts, can be inspirational and charismatic, and can encourage professional development and teaching improvement. The strong leadership is found associated with high organizational effectiveness, strong organizational culture, positive principal‐teachers relationship, more participation in decision, high teacher esprit and professionalism, less teacher disengagement and hindrance, more teacher job satisfaction and commitment, and more positive student performance particularly on attitudes to their schools and learning. The findings support that principal's leadership is a critical factor for school performance at multi‐levels. Implications are advanced for further study and development of leadership.

     

台湾员工的工作绩效、福利制度对于员工工作满意度与组织承诺之影响

员工一直是企业最重要的资产,员工所累积的技术与经验是无法被复制的,为了使企业的员工提升工作的动机与用心态度,即是工作绩效观点,另外在员工的薪资福利制度,也可以激励及改善员工并提升整体对企业的向心力,则是工作满意度最主要的影响因素。工作绩效与员工福利对于工作满意度有正向显著关系;工作绩效与员工福利对于组织承诺有正向显著关系;工作满意度对于组织承诺正向显著关系。研究结果可知,企业为了留住人才、降低员工流动率、盼望员工能多一些绩效及责任,利用福利制度,激励员工并达成组织目标。未来企业的部分单位更可能采用人力外包制度,相同单位下会出现同工不同酬的现象,在薪资制度无法调整之下,企业必顸提升员工潜在的知觉感受,才能留住高素质员工及保持良好工作效率。     

The Influence of Coaching on Employee Performance: Results From Two International Quantitative Studies

Coaching has been identified as a key managerial behavior that organizations must promote to develop employees and achieve higher levels of performance. Despite this agreement and an increasing interest in coaching, there is still a paucity of studies exploring the impact of coaching on individual performance. This article presents an empirical investigation from two international field studies, one using business‐to‐business salespersons working in Latin America and the other one using business‐to‐consumer frontline employees from a service organization in Canada. Building on leader‐member exchange theory, we propose that coaching increases individual performance beyond the potential impact of sales experience and tenure. We find that coaching can explain between 2.9% and 6.2% of the variance in performance when controlling for tenure and experience. This article makes several scientific and managerial contributions, and also opens new avenues for research.     

知识型员工工作倦怠影响因素分析及其干预

通过对知识型员工工作倦怠的影响因素进行探索性分析,从人力资源管理角度提出干预措施,从而促进知识型员工生活质量的提高和组织绩效的改善,保持知识型员工在组织中的相对稳定性。     

Relationships among organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and learning organization culture in one Korean private organization

The purpose of this study is to identify dynamic relationships among organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and learning organization culture in a Korean private company. Using a sample of 669 employees from five subsidiaries of a Korean conglomerate, this research found that learning organization culture is moderately and positively related to job satisfaction. In addition, organizational commitment, except for continuance commitment, was found to be moderately and positively related to learning organization culture and job satisfaction. This research enables CEOs and HR practitioners to view organizational commitment, learning organization culture, and job satisfaction as important variables that can be applied in their management, interventions, and practices.     

How to Connect Diversity to Performance

Diversity programs are common in the American workplace. Most organizations, either formally or informally, have facilitated diversity interventions designed to educate employees about cultural differences, to recruit a diverse workforce, to enhance career opportunities, or to improve cross‐cultural interactions. Unfortunately, many of these programs have failed to deliver the desired results. One reason for this lack of success is the failure to connect diversity programs to organizational performance systems. This article offers a five‐step process to use in systematically developing performance‐focused diversity interventions and evaluating their impact on individual and organizational success.