John Buco Colegio de Jimenez, Inc

Dicoloc, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, Philippine

Subject: Training and Development

Topic: Transfer of Training
Instructor: Danica J. Dagpin, MBA

What is Transfer of Training?

Transfer of training refers to the extent to which the skills, knowledge, and behaviors learned in
one context can be applied in another context. In other words, it refers to the ability of
individuals to take what they have learned in a training program and use it in their job or real-life
situations.

4 Secrets to Making Employee Learning Stick

1. Understanding the three types of training transfer
2. Look at the transfer of training model

3. Identify the learning inputs you can positively influence

4. Build these inputs into your learning and development program

Most learning and development initiatives are meant to save money or make money. So
when corporate learning and development initiatives don’t improve organizational measures, you
lose twice.

First, you lose the cost of the training itself in time and money. But you also never realize the
benefits of the training being applied. The point: transfer of training is critically important for
learning and development teams.

Yet, despite the importance, many companies lean heavily on learning methods focused on
knowledge acquisition. The problem is that only about 19 percent of knowledge acquired can be
skillfully applied. And without application, we forget 75 percent of what we learned in less than
a week.

So what’s the solution? Building transfer of training principles into your L&D activities makes
them “stickier” and increases training effectiveness. I will discuss how to implement transfer of
training principles into your program for maximum effect.
How to build Transfer of Training into your Learning and Development Efforts?

Transfer of training can be a tricky concept to understand—and even tougher to master

and implement in your L&D efforts. However, if you want your training efforts to succeed in
today’s business world, it’s a concept you shouldn’t ignore.

We cannot discuss transfer of training without discussing knowledge application. The two
concepts go hand-in-hand.

Knowledge application refers to applying information or skills gained during a training session
to a real-world situation. We like to conceptualize knowledge application as the glue that ties
training efforts to employee development and improved job performance. Even the most
engaging training will be ineffective if the employee can’t see how the lessons apply to their
daily job duties.

When conducting L&D activities, you will want to ensure that you are including knowledge
application in those efforts. Knowledge without application is just information. With the amount
of information presented to us daily, it’s estimated that we only retain between 10-20
percent of what we hear or read.

In other words, if your employees aren’t able to see how the information provided in your L&D
efforts applies to their daily work, they will be less likely to retain the information—and less
likely to engage with the training activities in the first place.

The result? Wasted company time and resources on training and development that will not
change behavior or produce results.

1. Three Types of Training Transfer

The first secret to mastering transfer of training is developing an understanding of the three types
of knowledge transfer: positive transfer, negative transfer, and zero transfer. Examining these
three types of training transfer will help you assess your current efforts. Let’s examine each type
in a bit more detail.

Positive Transfer
Positive transfer occurs when one skill helps you learn another new skill. This type of
training transfer often occurs when two skills are closely related or require the same
underlying understanding.
For example, an employee who already knows SQL may find it easier to learn HTML. The two
coding languages are not directly related, but understanding the structure of one may help a
learner grasp the structure of the other.

Negative Transfer
Negative transfer occurs when learning one skill makes it more difficult to learn
another new skill. Similarly to positive transfer, the two skills in this scenario will likely be
closely related or based on the same root knowledge. However, the skills will require wildly
different applications or processes.

An example of negative transfer is when a student taught to use MLA citations in their
schoolwork begins a new program and must now cite using APA style. The citation styles share
many similarities, but the student’s understanding of MLA is likely to trip them up in the areas
where the styles differ. In other words, knowing MLA style has made APA style more difficult
to master.

Zero Transfer
The final type, zero transfer, occurs when one skill does not affect your ability to
learn another new skill. Generally speaking, this occurs when two skills are completely
unrelated.

For example, an employee’s knowledge of Microsoft Excel is not likely to impact their ability to
learn the soft skill of leadership. Understanding how to structure a spreadsheet and how to
inspire and guide subordinates are unrelated to one another, so the employee’s knowledge of one
will not impact their ability to learn the other.

2. Transfer of Training Model

Once you understand the three types of training transfer and how they apply to your
organization, you are ready to examine the transfer of training model. Multiple models exist, but
the Baldwin and Ford model is the simplest and most effective. The Baldwin and Ford model is
comprised of a three-stage process:

Stage One: Training Inputs

Training inputs refer to the elements present going into a training session. These fall into three
categories:
 Trainee Characteristics: How motivated is this individual to engage with this training?
The trainee’s capabilities also come into play here. Is this training too advanced for the
trainee, or will they be able to succeed?
 Training Design: How well has the content of this training been prepared and
sequenced? Here, we consider the quality and appropriateness of the training.
  Work Environment: Will the employee use the knowledge and skills gained in this
training on the job? Additionally, you should consider support issues here—will your
trainee have access to resources to help them with this new knowledge post-training?

Stage Two: Training Outputs

Training outputs are the results gained from completing the training. In this stage, you will want
to consider your trainees’ success in the training program. How much have they learned
throughout the training session or sequence? You will also want to consider retention here. If the
trainee does well during the session but forgets all the lessons learned within a week, the training
output is unsuccessful.

Stage Three: Conditions of Transfer

Even if retention is strong in stage two, transfer of training is not guaranteed. For transfer of
training to occur, the conditions of strong training transfer need to be met.
According to the Baldwin and Ford model, these conditions are met when the concepts passed on
through training are maintained in the work environment. A few factors that impact the trainee’s
ability to retain their knowledge successfully include having a system of support in the office,
opportunities to perform work relevant to the material learned, and regular feedback and check-
ins with leadership to ensure that transfer of training has occurred.
Based on this model, which employee is more likely to retain training material successfully?

 Employee A: The employee in this scenario is unmotivated to complete training,

believing it to be a waste of time. The training material is strong, but delivered
sporadically. After the session, leadership never mentions the training again, and the
employee is never actively encouraged—or shown how—to use the training material on
the job.

 Employee B: The employee in this scenario has been told by management how valuable
the upcoming training is for the team. They are excited to learn the skills outlined and
already understand how this information will help them in their job. The training material
is just as strong as the first scenario and delivered in a regular, thought-out sequence.
After each training, leadership takes steps to check in with the employee to ensure they
understand the material and see how they are using it in their job.
 1. Identifying the Learning Inputs You can Positively Influence

From examining the Baldwin and Ford Transfer of Training Model, it is easy to see that
the training inputs significantly impact the transfer of training. Therefore, the next secret to
making employee learning stick is to identify learning inputs within your control.

The more factors you can positively impact, the greater your chances of positive training
transfer.

Training Strategies & Activities

Training strategies and activities are where you have the most direct impact on transfer of
training.
Here are some of the training factors you can influence:
 Similarity: The training activity or strategy will be more effective if it is similar to the
trainee’s work environment. A simulation that mimics a real-world setting will be more
effective than a PowerPoint lecture.
 Active learning: The degree to which the employee is engaged in the training session.
Hands-on learning, like learning modules in CapsimInbox’s simulations or VR
simulation training, will be more effective than reading a hand-out.
 Behavioral modeling: When the employee is shown the correct way to manage a
situation in a real-world setting, it is easier to model that behavior later.
 Error-based examples: Does your training focus on how to learn from errors? Mistakes
happen on the job. Examples and simulations rooted in critical problem-solving result in
greater transfer.
 Collaboration: How much opportunity is the training given to work with trainers,
supervisors, and other trainees? The best learning occurs collaboratively, not in a
vacuum.
 Multiple strategies: Are you leaning on the same training method for all your sessions?
Using a variety of training strategies can aid in learning. CapsimInbox’s microlearning
options divide training into bite-sized experiences that are easy to mix and match for
variety.
 Goals: Employees benefit from the establishment of clear expectations. The more
transparent your goals for the training session, the more likely the trainee is to meet
them.
 Assessments: Check-ins regarding the trainee’s knowledge. Simulation training
through CapsimInbox allows for periodic assessments throughout the training process,
giving the trainee—and the trainer—an idea of how much the trainee has learned.

Work Environment
  Transfer climate: Does your work environment contain reminders of the training
material? These reminders can be visual cues or verbal ones from management. The more
cues in the work environment, the higher transfer levels occur.
 Support: The degree to which others in the workplace are willing to support your trainee
in their knowledge transfer. When a trainee feels supported by management and peers,
they are more likely to retain what they have learned.
 Opportunity to perform: How often will your trainee get the opportunity to use what
they have learned? When their work environment mimics the training environment, the
trainee is more likely to retain their knowledge. Using a custom simulation designed to
mimic your current work environment from CapsimInbox sets you up for success in
training transfer.
 Check-ins: Refresh your trainees’ memories with regular check-ins. CapsimInbox allows
for post-assessments and periodic training modules that will assist with training transfer
in this area.

2. Build these Inputs into Your L&D Program

As you delve into the details of the steps provided above, you may discover that your current
L&D efforts include some of these practices. If so, this is an excellent start: keep up those
practices.

It can be difficult to control learner outcomes, so it’s vital to understand and identify the factors
you can control. Determining areas where you can have the most influence is a vital step toward
effectively allocating your team’s resources, time, and effort.

As always, you will also want to ensure you are tying these efforts and changes to your L&D
program back to your Key Performance Indicator (KPIs) and other business metrics. Ensure your
efforts align with your current departmental goals and objectives.
Keeping your eyes on your metrics will also enable you to measure your L&D program’s
progress over time. This practice will help you see whether your efforts positively impact
employees, enabling you to course-correct if you do not see the desired results.

Transfer of Training Conclusion

Overall, transfer of training is an essential consideration for organizations that want to ensure
that their training programs are effective and result in tangible improvements in performance and
productivity.