The leader is one of the most important components in determining the success of a training
Every manager wants his or her staff to develop, to become more effective and confident in their work. Organisations know that training people is key, and that human resources are the most important asset today.
This is why corporate training has proliferated over the last 10-20 years. But if you spend a lot of time and money on training, what makes it really useful?
In her recent thesis research, Noémi Győrvári sought to answer just that, and found exciting findings that managers play a key role in this process. The study focused on training transfer, i.e. the extent to which participants can apply what they have learned in training to their everyday work.
The importance of leadership support
A key finding of the research is that there is a positive relationship between managerial support and the employee training transfer process. The more managers support the application of what they have learned in training, the more effectively employees are able to incorporate the new knowledge into their daily work.
As a leader, what should you do to make the training of your staff most effective?
- Support them in several ways: employees reported higher perceived support and a more efficient transfer process when the manager provided support in more ways. Provide both practical and emotional support.
- Get involved in the training process: be involved in the selection of the training programme, know its content and objectives.
- Communicate: Discuss with your subordinates how they can use what they have learned in the training in their work!
- Create opportunities: provide opportunities to practice and apply what you have learned in your daily work.
- Give feedback and recognition: If you see that your employee has successfully applied what they have learned, acknowledge them, give them positive feedback!
The role of motivation and volunteerism
The research also showed that the motivation of the participants and the voluntary nature of their participation in the training have a significant impact on the success of the training. Employees who participate in the training with high motivation and a positive attitude are more likely to apply what they learn in their daily work. The degree of volunteering was also found to be an important factor. Giving workers the freedom to choose to participate increases their sense of autonomy and motivation.
Overall, the research confirms that leaders play a key role in the long-term effectiveness of training. Multiple forms of support, as well as encouraging employee motivation and volunteering, all contribute to ensuring that what is learnt in training is effectively embedded in day-to-day work, thereby increasing the effectiveness and competitiveness of the organisation.
In order for training to truly support the achievement of business goals, other factors besides individual motivation and the role of managers are key. If you are an HR professional who wants to learn how to increase the effectiveness of training and development programmes, join our certification training „The Brinkerhoff Certification for High Performance Learning Journeys – Champion Level” (held in Hungarian).
