BSBLED501 Learning Resource Handout

Handout
BSBLED501 Develop a workplace learning

environment
Lonsdale Institute PTY LTD
Learning Resource
BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership and Management
BSBLED501 Develop a workplace learning environment
Disclaimer:
Lonsdale Institute PTY LTD does not own the rights to the resources below. Any resources provided in this
document are to be used for study/research purposes only, as per Section 40 of the Australian Copyright Act 1968.
Citations attributing works to the copyright owner have been provided for all resources used.
CONTENT
Create learning opportunities .......................................................................................................................................2

Informal VS formal learning .......................................................................................................................................5
Identify learning needs ..............................................................................................................................................7
Learning plans ..........................................................................................................................................................10
Legal obligations when training staff ...................................................................................................................11
Organisational procedures to maximise learning opportunities .............................................................................15
Training and development specialists .....................................................................................................................19
Facilitate and promote learning ..................................................................................................................................20
Learning culture .......................................................................................................................................................20
Knowledge, skills, and abilities ................................................................................................................................22
Knowledge sharing ..................................................................................................................................................23
Trust .....................................................................................................................................................................24
Leadership ...........................................................................................................................................................25
Role of Management in Knowledge Sharing ...........................................................................................................25
Recommendations for Facilitating Knowledge Sharing ...........................................................................................26
Informal and formal rewards and recognition ........................................................................................................29
Monitor and improve learning effectiveness ..............................................................................................................31
Ensure Your Training is Effective .............................................................................................................................32
Learning Resource Page 1 of 41

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Lonsdale Institute Pty Ltd
Provider ID 21915 CRICOS Code 02836F
Learning Resource
CREATE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Training presents a prime opportunity to expand the knowledge base of all employees, but many employers find
the development opportunities expensive. Employees also miss out on work time while attending training
sessions, which may delay the completion of projects. Despite the potential drawbacks, training and development
provides both the company as a whole and the individual employees with benefits that make the cost and time a
worthwhile investment.
Addressing Weaknesses
Most employees have some weaknesses in their workplace skills. A training program allows you to strengthen
those skills that each employee needs to improve. A development program brings all employees to a higher level
so they all have similar skills and knowledge. This helps reduce any weak links within the company who rely heavily
on others to complete basic work tasks. Providing the
necessary training creates an overall knowledgeable
staff with employees who can take over for one
another as needed, work on teams or work
independently without constant help and supervision
from others.
Improved Employee Performance
An employee who receives the necessary training is

better able to perform her job. She becomes more
aware of safety practices and proper procedures for
basic tasks. The training may also build the employee's confidence because she has a stronger understanding of
the industry and the responsibilities of her job. This confidence may push her to perform even better and think of
new ideas that help her excel. Continuous training also keeps your employees on the cutting edge of industry
developments. Employees who are competent and on top of changing industry standards help your company hold
a position as a leader and strong competitor within the industry.
Consistency
A structured training and development program ensures that employees have a consistent experience and
background knowledge. The consistency is particularly relevant for the company's basic policies and procedures.
All employees need to be aware of the expectations and procedures within the company. This includes safety,
discrimination and administrative tasks. Putting all employees through regular training in these areas ensures that
all staff members at least have exposure to the information.
Employee Satisfaction

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Employees with access to training and development programs have the advantage over employees in other
companies who are left to seek out training opportunities on their own. The investment in training that a company
makes shows the employees they are valued. The training creates a supportive workplace. Employees may gain
access to training they wouldn't have otherwise known about or sought out themselves. Employees who feel
appreciated and challenged through training opportunities may feel more satisfaction toward their jobs.
(Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-training-development-workplace-10321.html )
Working with many organisations with varied cultures reveals that there are two basic attitudes which inform a
company’s approach to learning:
• Compliance with mandatory legislation and industry regulators. This is important; particularly for an
organisation’s survival and reputation! If compliant, the company may well survive if the industry wide
pace of change / innovation doesn’t make it irrelevant
• A desire to improve performance, morale, explore human potential, attract, develop and retain talent,
create a learning, questioning culture and drive innovation.
Merely completing compliance training does not mean an organisation has a ‘learning culture’.
So before we examine why a ‘learning culture’ is important, let’s be really clear on what we mean by ‘learning’.
Learning is an active, participative process rather than a passive filling of vessels with information. There should be
less emphasis on ‘teaching them’ than on supporting and facilitating the growth of people through their own
processing of information into knowledge, values and skills.
Learning involves:
• Questioning
• Problem solving
• Developing the full potential of employees (human capital)
• Fostering an innovative and responsive environment
• Idea sharing to stimulate and develop best practice
• Learning events followed by ongoing coaching, to continually
better performance
• Mentoring and developing talent; continuously, and with an
eye on the future
• Developing successful habits via the process of learning and
embedding. Repetition creates habit and then discipline “We are
what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit.”
(Aristotle)
• A mindset of ongoing learning; for practical reasons, and, for
the pleasure of it.
In any organisation, the ‘learning culture’ is crucial. It affects the performance of the organisation.

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Here are 10 reasons why:
1. Developing morale and motivation – being valued is crucial to employee satisfaction. (Motivation is more
important than pay to many employees)
2. To aid staff retention and lower costs. People may or may not
leave your company – but do you want loyal, yet low-morale, staff
staying and only giving you some of their potential? If they stay you
definitely want them to be motivated, competent and engaged.
Firing on all cylinders. People now need to learn throughout their
lives to remain employable. And, to meet your needs as valuable
employees of your organisation
3. Learning and development go hand in hand. Learning helps

develop sound working practices aligned to organisational goals. The
company pulls in the same direction
4. Learning fosters understand and appreciation of other perspectives, by

challenging rigid opinions and behaviours, thus helping avoid destructive silo mentalities
5. Learning at a rate faster than change is critical. Ask yourself; ‘why have so many big organisations (such as
HMV, Comet, Kodak have recently failed?’ The pace of change over last few years is astonishing and will
probably only accelerate in the near future. Companies such as Apple and Google are flourishing. Is this by
accident?
6. Learning can increase productive capacity
7. Learning can produce an ROI
8. People, service and attitude are increasingly important to organisational success. These factors differentiate
organisations in an age when products are increasingly similar / quickly copied
9. If a company’s Board of Directors don’t have a learning culture they become irrelevant; stale, rotten. To
avoid the fish rotting from the head (see Bob Garratt’s excellent book) leadership and learning need to be
embedded in the cultural DNA via a ‘Learning Board’
10. Learning and change are inextricably linked. A ‘learning culture’ helps:
• identify problems with products / services and resolve them quickly

• ‘out-innovate’ and out manouvre competitors
• focus in on service quality
• rapid corporate growth and assists the leap frogging of others
(Source: http://www.motivated-and-competent.com/latest-updates/10-reasons-why-a-learning-culture-is-crucial-
to-your-organisation/ )

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Additional resources:
Reading:
Learning and development: https://www.ahri.com.au/assist/learning-and-development
INFORMAL VS FORMAL LEARNING
We are all learning machines. We learn constantly and in so many ways. We learn by doing, by observing, by
listening, by reading, and by teaching others. We also learn through formal and informal means. What’s the
difference between the two and what are the benefits of each? Let’s see!
First, what is formal learning versus informal learning? These two terms refer to the dissemination or acquisition of
knowledge in our organizations. Formal learning occurs through a controlled and structured approach on a broad-
based institutional level. Examples include formal training programs and/or formal written procedures. Informal
learning happens more spontaneously between groups of people. An example includes learning by sharing
experiences with others in a chat room online or at a company picnic.
We learn in both ways at work so what does this information mean to us as trainers? Let me start by saying that all
learning, no matter how it takes place, is valuable. Remember, knowledge is power right? In our training
departments we spend a great deal of our time designing and delivering formal training programs for our
employees. However, we can also create environments or situations where
informal learning between employees occurs as well. Therefore, I am going
to share my thoughts on some benefits of each type of learning so you can
think of the best times to include both in your company.
Benefits of Formal Learning:
• Large numbers of employees will learn the same information

and/or processes at the same time.
• If properly designed, the course content should be accurate and
up to date.
• Employees learning through formal training programs come up to
speed faster once they start their jobs.
• Properly designed formal training programs can include a variety of
methods to appeal to all learning styles and conform to adult learning principles.

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Benefits of Informal Learning:
• Creating informal learning situations can be less costly and more time efficient given all of the social
media technologies and electronic devices we have today.
• Learning informally can be more personal and less intimidating for some people.
• Subject-matter experts may be more willing to share their knowledge with others this way.
• Since learning this way happens more naturally during the flow of someone’s work day, employees may
be less likely to resist learning new things.
So now that I’ve defined each type of learning and offered you some benefits for each one I hope I’ve inspired you
to be more creative when deciding how to most effectively train your employees.
Types of learning opportunities:
• Formal training
• On-the-job training
• Workplace projects
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Secondment
• Action learning
• Community practice
• Further study
• Job rotation or exchange
• Work shadowing
• Professional associations and networks
Read: http://w3.unisa.edu.au/staffdev/word/overview_%20of_learning_opportunities.pdf for details on the

learning opportunities mentioned above.
Activity - 1
In group: Discuss what type of learning would be more beneficial for:
• An individual employee that is joining a new team
• A team that has just formed
• An individual who is moving into a new role
• An individual who plans to further his career
Share your notes with the rest of the class.

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Reading:
7 informal learning lessons: https://trainingmag.com/trgmag-article/7-informal-learning-lessons
IDENTIFY LEARNING NEEDS
Training is the process of gaining skills (competencies) and knowledge to perform an activity effectively. Training
usually has a practical focus.
Rarely does someone walk into a job with all the skills, knowledge and attributes required to do their work to an
optimum level from day one. Often there is a requirement for some form of training or knowledge development.
Training and development is also useful to up-skill your existing employees into higher positions or to take on
different roles in your business.
Training needs analysis (TNA)
Training is an investment in your business and can lead to increased productivity, enthusiastic staff, higher morale,
increased profit and a positive business reputation.
You will need to determine what training employees need, particularly new employees, to ensure that they are
able to complete the work you need them to do. This process is commonly referred to as a training needs analysis
(TNA).
A TNA will help you to identify what training might be required to bridge the gap between an employee’s current
skill level and the skill level that you need them to have. To make sure your training investment is properly
targeted, consider:
• the role of each staff member and what you want them to achieve and contribute to your business; and
• whether each staff member has the skills and knowledge to do what you need them to do. If not, identify
what skills or knowledge they need and put in place training in these areas to up skill them
To help you identify skills gaps and where training might be required for current and future staff, use the Training
needs analysis template. A TNA can be applied across your business, from individual staff members to whole
departments.
A team training plan
A team training record will help to keep track of the training that your employees are doing. To see how it’s done
check out the team training record template to help you keep training records for your business.

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(Source: http://www.workplace-essentials.dtwd.wa.gov.au/workforce-development/training-and-
development/identifying-training-needs )
Activity - 2
In group:
Use the TNA templates for individuals and teams provided by your trainer in class. Consider that your
group works for Lonsdale Institute who needs to launch a new social media campaign to expand its
market share to domestic students. You are all part of the team in charge of designing and launching the
campaign.
Determine the learning needs of the individuals in your group and the group as a team to complete the
marketing task.
Below is a range of tools and methods you should consider using when identifying the learning and development
needs of your work teams.
Job descriptions
Written statements of job requirements that detail the duties to be performed and the desired knowledge and
skills of the individual. A job description may also define what qualifications or experience a person must have to
be considered for a position. A copy of an organisation's job description for a specific position will help you to
establish the duties to be performed and the preferred skills and knowledge for that job. The criteria in a job
description will help you to establish the level of performance (desired competencies) for that position.
Competency Standards
Sets of standards that outline the skills and knowledge necessary to carry out specific tasks. These standards
describe the personal skills, attitudes, technical skills, knowledge and attributes of an individual to effectively and
efficiently undertake the day-to-day tasks of their work function.
Performance Reviews
Formal sessions that are conducted at least once a year between managers and employees to discuss performance
and professional development needs. A performance review will help to determine skill and knowledge gaps and is
an opportunity to develop a learning plan for the next 12 months. An individual may need training in a specific area
or be given opportunities to further develop their skills with increased responsibilities.

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Areas for learning and development can also be identified by undertaking the following methods:
Career Planning / Development Sessions
Career planning and development sessions (www.livecareer.com) may include meetings with team members to
discuss their short-term learning requirements and long-term career options within the organisation. In this
discussion, the skills they need to help further their career can be determined and ways to acquire these skills can
be identified. Together you can select the most appropriate options. This can also be done at a performance
review and followed up in separate sessions.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
RPL is a formal process that allows an individual to have their existing skills and knowledge recognised by providing
evidence of their competence, such as certificates or demonstrations. In this process, the person's skills and
knowledge are checked against a list of specific skills. These skills may be taken from national competency
standards (www.training.gov.au) or an organisation's list of required skills. As well as identifying existing skills and
knowledge, the process will also identify gaps against the performance requirements of a job.
Observing the Team
Observing the team on a day-to-day basis provides one of the best ways of identifying learning needs. By watching
how individuals handle their tasks and deal with others, the quality of material they prepare and their ability to
solve any problems that arise, you should be able to assess where any learning gaps occur.
Discussion with Individuals

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Discussion with individuals may occur when an individual has identified a learning gap that needs to be urgently
addressed if they are to perform their duties effectively and it therefore may not be appropriate to wait until their
formal performance review.
Workplace Skills Assessment
A workplace skills assessment can assist an individual to identify skill and knowledge gaps when compared against
the set standard of skill.
Self-Evaluation
By encouraging team members to regularly self-evaluate their work performance and identify areas for
improvement, they may identify their own areas in which they need advice or extra training.This method of skill
identification means that the individual is taking responsibility for their own learning and professional
development and is a strong motivator. There are a number of opportunities for you to encourage self-evaluation
and these include:
• Incorporating a task in individual learning plans where

team members are required to think about a training or
learning development activity which may help to improve
their skills and knowledge.
• Asking the team member to list the outcomes they are
hoping to achieve and questions that they want
answered before participating in a training session or
learning development activity.
• Discussing both individual and the team's needs at the
weekly team meeting and asking team members to
report on outcomes of their day-to-day activities.
(Source: https://www.nhaustralia.com.au/blog/Tools-and-Methods-for-Identifying-Learning-and-Development-
Needs/ )
LEARNING PLANS
Businesses with a culture of training are seen as quality organisations. Having a 'training champion' in senior
management is essential for successfully implementing your training initiatives. To develop a strong training
culture, you must understand the benefits of training. This knowledge will help you make informed decisions, and
will support members of staff who will be responsible for managing the training.

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Your staff training program should be described in your operational plan which cascades from the company’s
strategic plan. You need to make sure you know what training your staff need, how much it will cost you and how
frequently you will offer it. You should also decide how often you will undertake staff performance reviews.
You should:
• assess the strategic and operational goals and the

skills you need to meet them
• work out if you are on track to achieve your goals,
and identify any gaps
• think about whether your staff are happy in their
jobs, and if your customers are happy with your products and
services
• consider how you are doing compared to your
competitors
• review any existing training
• identify areas that need improvement and find out who may
benefit from training (e.g. staff may need more knowledge of your products and services or your business
processes).
Once you have reviewed your operational plan and discussed training with your staff, you should update the plan
with a new training program. Make sure you consider whether any imminent changes in your business will make
training necessary for any of your staff.
Record your staff feedback, taking note of any training needs or requests. Work out how each type of training
would be delivered, such as on-the-job, internally, or with an external training provider. Include details of all of the
courses scheduled and the staff who are participating, as well as the dates, venues and times.
Let staff know what training you have booked for them. Communicate the training program to all staff so they are
aware of what is happening in your business. Make sure you offer all staff equal opportunities for training and that
you are not breaching anti-discrimination laws by excluding any staff.
LEGAL OBLIGATIONS WHEN TRAINING STAFF
As an employer or manager, you have certain obligations in relation to training your staff. You need to ensure that
staff are trained to do their jobs safely and, in certain industries, you may be legally obliged to provide staff with
specific training.
Businesses are legally obliged to make sure your staff are trained to do their jobs safely. Certain industries also
require specific training. Remember to keep a record of any training your staff complete.

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Businesses must provide work health and safety training in order to keep your workplace safe for you, your staff
and any visitors or customers.
You need to train your staff when they start working for you and provide regular refresher training. If you have
made any changes to your business (e.g. to equipment, materials or processes), you will need to update your
training. Providing training can reduce the chances of workplace incidents and injuries. Find out more about
keeping your workplace safe.
You must include work health and safety training in inductions for new and returning staff.
You must make sure your staff know what to do in the event of a fire or other emergency. You must provide
regular evacuation training for staff so they understand emergency procedures, including evacuation instructions,
assembly point locations and use of fire alarms and equipment.
Other training may include (depending on the nature of the business):
• How to use personal protective equipment

• Industry specific training
• Security and cash
When developing training plans for your staff, consider anti-discrimination and equal opportunity. Discrimination is
any practice that makes distinctions between individuals or groups to disadvantage some and advantage others.
People can also be indirectly discriminated against if certain attributes, such as parental status, religion, race or
impairment, make them less able or even unable to participate in an activity.
(Source: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/staff-development/training/program )
If some of the people who are going to be involved in the learning are already competent in some parts of it, then
it would be a waste of time to train them as if they were not. This might sound a bit obvious, but it continues to be

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surprising how often we hear trainers say that repeating something is “good revision” and that “it won’t hurt”. In
reality, it is often not good revision, and it can have very damaging impact on the training as a whole and the
workplace in which the training occurs.
So, it is worthwhile for us to work out the level of competency and general educational profile of our learners. This
is called a Learner Profile. What it does is give us a snapshot of the learner group’s characteristics, so that we can
plan ways to best meet the needs of that particular group.
The characteristics that are commonly included in a Learner Profile are:
• gender
• age bracket
• level of education
• employment status
• level of English
• specific cultural requirements
• particular skills or expertise in the area
• positive or negative attitude to learning and training
• language, literacy or numeracy needs
(Source: https://fortresslearning.com.au/cert-iv-content/design/learner-needs-influence-the-learning-strategy/ )
When developing a Learning Plan for individuals, teams and companies you should complete the following steps:
1. Determine the learning objectives
When determining the learning objectives you should consider the strategic objectives of your organisation, team
goals and individual requirements.
2. Prioritise the learning needs
Prioritising learning needs will require a good understanding of

individual, team and the organisational goals, requirements and
priorities.
You may need to complete a risk assessment to rank the learning

needs. Think about the potential risks or losses to the individual,
team and organisation if the learning is postponed or ignored.
3. Decide when the training is required
Traditionally, learning activities deliver all of the information required to complete a task or use a system at once.
This often means the learner receives too much information and information that is not necessary.

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Determining when the information should be delivered allows you to distribute the information in manageable
chunks.
This step can also assist in determining the way in which the information is delivered.
4. Determine the most effective way to deliver the learning activity
The method of delivery should be determined by considering the complexity of the information, the importance of
the learning activity and the way in which the learner can best receive the information.
System skills are learnt best when the learner can access and utilise the system. Therefore, learning activities
should incorporate some form of practice.
5. Establish how the learning is to be completed
When thinking about the learning window you will need to consider any set delivery or implementation dates. For
example, if the system is active on a particular date or if it has been agreed that a particular service will be
available to customers from a specific date.
Working backwards from this date you will need to allow for the learning activity or activities, practice, assessment
and rework if necessary.
6. Consider how the learning is to be validated
Before the Learning Plan is complete you will need to decide whether competency has been attained by the
learner(s). Competency can be assessed by observing the learner complete the task or by having the learner
complete a survey or questionnaire on the topic covered in the learning activity.
A Learning Plan should include the following components:
Component Information
The individual/group who need to undertake the

Who
learning
The competencies or performance criteria to be

What
developed
How The strategy or action recommended
The timeframe for completing the learning activity and

When
attaining competence
The location of the learning activity and the details if

Where
the provider is external

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Why The identified need
(Source: https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/toolbox/leadership/toolbox/ls/ls_c06.html )
The learning plan should reflect the diversity needs.
Reading:
Equal opportunity, discrimination and harassment:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Documents/Equal-Opportunity-Discrimination-and-
Harassment.pdf
Activity - 3
In group:
Build on your work in Activity 2.
• Build a learner profile for the team

• Use the template at : http://www.viha.ca/NR/rdonlyres/F50F6155-6648-4EA6-A3C9-
B57A8CDA3BB5/0/developing_a_learning_plan.pdf
• Develop a learning plan for an individual group member and for the team making sure to include all
the key components of a learning plan, including diversity needs.
ORGANISATIONAL PROCE DURES TO MAXIMISE LE ARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Organisational procedures should support learning opportunities.
Please see below a template for training and development policy:
This Employee Training and Development Policy is ready to be tailored to your company’s needs and should be
considered a starting point for setting up your employment policies. An employee training and development policy
may also be referred to as Staff Training and Development Policy or Employee Development Policy.

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Policy brief & purpose
Our Employee Development company policy refers to the company’s learning and development programs and
activities.
In the modern competitive environment, employees need to replenish their knowledge and acquire new skills to
do their jobs better. This will benefit both them and the company. We want them to feel confident about
improving efficiency and productivity, as well as finding new ways
towards personal development and success.
Scope
This policy applies to all permanent, full-time or part-time,

employees of the company. Employees with
temporary/short-term contracts might attend trainings at
their manager’s discretion.
This policy doesn’t cover supplementary employees like

contractors or consultants.
Policy elements
Employees, managers and Human Resources (HR) should all collaborate to build a continuous professional
development (CPD) culture. It’s an employee’s responsibility to seek new learning opportunities. It’s a manager’s
responsibility to coach their teams and identify employee development needs. And it’s HR’s responsibility to
facilitate any staff development activities and processes.
What do we mean by training and development?
In general, we approve and encourage the following employee trainings:
• Formal training sessions (individual or corporate)

• Employee Coaching and Mentoring
• Participating in conferences
• On-the-job training
• Job shadowing
• Job rotation
As part of our learning and development provisions, we can also arrange for subscriptions or educational material,
so employees will have access to news, articles and other material that can help them become better at their job.
There are two conditions for this:
• Subscription/Material should be job-related

• All relevant fees should not exceed a set limit per person

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This list doesn’t include software licences or other tools that are absolutely necessary for employees’ jobs.
Individual training programs
The company has certain provisions regarding individual training programs. All employees that have worked for
the company more than four months are eligible to participate in external training programs individually or in
teams. We will set a budget for each employee at the beginning of a year, which we’ll renew annually. Employees
can be absent for training for up to 10 days per year.
Employees can choose to attend as many training programs as

they want, provided they don’t exceed the budget and day
limit. If they do, they’ll have to use their paid time off (PTO)
and pay any extra fees themselves.
Employees may have to bring proof of attendance.
Any employee training that the company mandates (e.g. due

to inadequacies of an employee’s performance or changes in
their job description) is excluded from the training budget
and time limit. The company may take care of the entire cost.
All trainings should consider what employees need and how

they can learn best. This is why, we encourage employees and
managers to consider multiple training methods like
workshops, e-learning, lectures and more.
Corporate training programs
We might occasionally engage experts to train our employees.

The company will cover the entire cost in this case. Examples of
this kind of training and development are:
• Equal employment opportunity training

• Diversity training
• Leadership training for managers
• Conflict resolution training for employees
This category also includes training conducted by internal experts and managers. Examples are:
• Training new employees

• Training teams in company-related issues (e.g. new systems or policy changes)
• Training employees to prepare them for promotions, transfers or new responsibilities
Employees won’t have to pay or use their leave for these types of trainings. Attendance records may be part of the
process.

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Other types of training
Both employees and their managers are responsible for continuous learning. Employees should show willingness
to improve by asking their managers for direction and advice. Managers should do the same with their own
superiors, while encouraging and mentoring their subordinates.
Employees and managers are responsible for finding the best ways to CPD. They can experiment with job rotation,
job shadowing and other types of on-the-job training (without disrupting daily operations). We also encourage
employees to use their rights for self-paced learning by asking for educational material and access to other
resources within allocated budget.
General guidelines:
All eligible employees are covered by this policy without discriminating against rank or protected characteristics.
Managers should evaluate the success of training efforts. They

should keep records for reference and better improvement
opportunities.
All employee development efforts should respect cost and time

limitations, as well as individual and business needs.
Employees should try to make the most out of their trainings by

studying and finding ways to apply knowledge to their work.
Employees are encouraged to use up their allocated training

budget and time.
Procedure
This procedure should be followed when employees want to

attend external training sessions or conferences:
• Employees (or their team leaders) identify the need for training.
• Employees and team leaders discuss potential training programs or methods and come up with
suggestions.
• Employees or team leaders contact HR and briefly present their proposal. They might also have to
complete a form.
• HR researches the proposal, with attention to budget and training content.
• HR approves or rejects the proposal. If they reject it, they should provide employees with reasons in
writing.
• If HR approves, they will make arrangements for dates, accommodation, reserving places etc.
• In cases where the company doesn’t pay for the training directly, employees will have to pay and send
invoices or receipts to HR. HR will approve employee reimbursement according to this information.

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• If an employee decides to drop or cancel a training, they’ll have to inform HR immediately. They’ll also
have to shoulder any cancellation or other fees.
• In cases where training ends with examination, employees are obliged to submit the results. If they don’t
pass the exam, they can retake it on their own expense.
Generally, the company will cover any training fees including registration and examination (one time). They may
also cover transportation, accommodation and personal expenses. This is left to HR’s discretion. If HR decides to
cover these costs, they should make arrangements themselves (e.g. tickets, hotel reservations). Any other covered
expense that employees have will be reimbursed, after employees bring all relevant receipts and invoices.
If employees want subscriptions, they should contact HR directly or ask their managers to do so. HR will preferably
set up the subscription. In some rare cases, they might give formal approval to employees so they can do it
themselves. Once employees make arrangements, they should inform HR of the cost and any other details in
writing. Any relevant invoices should also be sent to HR.
HR’s responsibilities also include:
• Assessing training needs

• Maintaining budgets and training schedules
• Assisting with learning and development activities and strategies
• Promoting corporate training programs and employee development plans
• Calculating learning and development KPIs whenever possible and decide on improvements
Activity - 4
In group:
Consider the example of policy provided in the section above.
• Discuss how the policy and procedures maximise individual and team access to, and participation
in, learning opportunities.
• What could be added to the policy and procedures?
TRAINING AND DEVELOP MENT SPECIALISTS
You should ensure to liaise effectively with training and development specialists and contribute to learning
opportunities which enhance individual, team and organisational performance.

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This can be done by:
• Taking the time to select the most appropriate facilitator or training company.
• Participating in the TNA and learning plan development
• Providing the training and development specialist with the information and documentation they need,
including an overview of pertinent policies and procedures
• Providing the learning and development specialist with support to remove blocks within the company and
teams
FACILITATE AND PROMOTE LEARNING
Facilitation and promotion of learning in the organisation can be achieved in different ways. Here we present some
of them.
1. Develop strategies to ensure that workplace learning opportunities are used and that team members are
encouraged to share their skills and knowledge to encourage a learning culture within the team
2. Implement organisational procedures to ensure workplace learning opportunities contribute to the
development of appropriate workplace knowledge, skills and attitudes
3. Implement policies and procedures to encourage team members to assess their own competencies and to
identify their own learning and development needs
4. Share the benefits of learning with others in the team and organisation
5. Recognise workplace achievement by timely and appropriate recognition, feedback and rewards
LEARNING CULTURE
A learning culture is a collection of organizational conventions, values, practices and processes. These conventions
encourage employees and organizations develop knowledge and competence.
An organization with a learning culture encourages continuous learning and believes that systems influence each
other. Since constant learning elevates an individual as a worker and as a person, it opens opportunities for the
establishment to transform continuously for the better.
There are many benefits of a cultivated learning culture in an organization. These include, but are not limited to:
• Increased efficiency, productivity and profit

• Increased employee satisfaction and decreased turnover
• An improvement mindset among employees

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• A developed sense of ownership and accountability

• Ease in succession/transition
• A culture of knowledge inquiry and sharing
• An enhanced ability for workers to adapt to change
For learning to be effective in an organization, the knowledge that is encouraged must be related to the business.
More so, individuals in an organization should be working together rather than learning individually. Shared
learning enables companies to increase their staff quicker and solve problems more efficiently.
The first step in creating a culture of learning in your workplace begins with your leaders. Since they are reinforcing
training initiatives, they should be
supportive of a learning environment.
Otherwise, they should alter the way
they see the company and look at it
from a different perspective.
Some key steps in creating a learning

culture in the workplace are as
follows:
• Formalize training and

development plans. For a learning culture to be ingrained, it should be mandatory for all individuals in the
organization. Training and development plans that are not formalized run the risk of not being taken
seriously and as a result, not implemented.
• Give recognition to learning. Employees who have successfully learned new skills and abilities should be
recognized and encourage others to follow suit.
• Get feedback. Sessions and polls should regularly be done to evaluate the benefits of training and
development, as well as to determine whether the training investment is well spent.
• Promote from within. One of the advantages of training is having employees who are ready for a bigger
role. Announce an internal job posting to encourage employees to gain knowledge.
• Develop knowledge and information sharing into a formal process. People will be more encouraged to
share knowledge and information if they are required to do so. Formalizing the process makes sure that
everyone who needs the information gets it.
Since the business environment quickly changes, many companies feel pressure to learn faster than the
competitor or risk losing the business altogether. This is apparent in digital technology where companies keep
churning out new models of products at a fast pace to outperform competitors who are doing the same.
Developing a learning culture is no longer just another fanciful idea. It is becoming more imperative for companies
to cultivate learning if they wish to stay in business.
The question that every organization faces as it considers a learning culture is its readiness to embrace such a
radical concept. Is your company ready to give up confrontational attitudes for an open culture of trust and
inquiry? Are you ready to unlearn competition among groups and individuals, and replace it with cooperation,

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openness and dialogue? If so, your organization may be on its way to developing a learning culture. This will enable
you not just to survive in a hostile business environment but to grow organically and thrive.
(Source: https://www.trainingindustry.com/workforce-development/articles/creating-a-learning-culture-for-the-
improvement-of-your-organization.aspx)
Reading:
Build A Company Culture Of Learning With This Critical Ingredient:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cheetung/2017/01/15/build-a-company-culture-of-learning-with-
this-critical-ingredient/#e94c641282ff
6 Steps to Creating a Learning Culture — and Why You Should:

https://www.lynda.com/articles/6-steps-to-learning-culture
What makes for good workplace learning?:

https://www.ncver.edu.au/__data/assets/file/0016/5632/cp0207.pdf
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Knowledge, skills, and abilities (aka KSAs) are three different things. And it’s important to know the difference –
even though the difference can be subtle.
Knowledge is the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. For example, an employee might have
knowledge of the ADDIE model used in instructional design. This doesn’t mean the employee knows how to be an
instructional designer. It means they know the model.
Skills are the proficiencies developed through training or experience. Using the ADDIE example, the employee has
demonstrated skills in applying the ADDIE model when designing training programs. Skills are usually something
that has been learned. So, we can develop our skills through the transfer of knowledge.
Abilities are the qualities of being able to do something. There is a fine line between skills and abilities. Most
people would say the differentiator is whether the thing in question was learned or innate. I think of organization
and prioritization as abilities that can help an employee develop their instructional design skills.
The reason we sometimes use the terms interchangeably is because they are all “must-haves” in our career.
Recruiters look for knowledge, skills, and abilities during the hiring process. Managers use KSAs when they are

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considering employees for transfers and promotions. KSAs are used as the company creates and updates their
replacement and succession plans.
As we talk more about the skills gap, it will be important to understand the difference because the way we obtain
knowledge, skills, and abilities can vary. And if we’re an organization trying to figure out how to solve the skills gap
that exists within our workforce, then we have to link the right solutions.
For instance, if the issue is knowledge, then maybe we can create an in-house library that employees can check out
books on the topics. But if the challenge is skills, the answer might be training. And if abilities need to be improved,
is it possible to develop personal action plans that give employees the opportunity to refine their abilities.
(Source: https://www.hrbartender.com/2013/recruiting/the-difference-between-knowledge-skills-and-abilities/ )
Activity - 5
In group:
Consider work in activity 2 and 3.
• Develop strategies to encourage learning and sharing of skills and knowledge within the team
• Identify what organisational procedures could ensure that learning opportunities contribute to
the development of appropriate workplace knowledge, skills and attributes
• Identify what organisational policies and procedures can support team members in assessing
their own competencies and to identify their own learning and development needs
KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Knowledge sharing is a critical component of knowledge management. Knowledge management is

generally referred to as the way an organization creates, retains and shares knowledge. Knowledge
sharing is the process by which individuals exchange tacit and explicit knowledge in order to create new
knowledge (Van den Hooff & De Ridder, 2004). Knowledge sharing can occur between individuals, within
teams and across the organization. Research supports the idea that cognitive resources available within
a team will be underutilized if knowledge is not shared (Argote, 1999). Therefore knowledge sharing is a
critical team process that involves members interacting to share ideas, information, and suggestions
relevant to the team's task at hand (Srivastava, Bartol, & Locke, 2006).
In an increasingly competitive business environment, organizations must develop capabilities that will provide
them with a sustainable competitive advantage. These capabilities must be unique such that other
organizations cannot copy or imitate them (Jones & George, 1998). The degree to which an organization

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creates new products, services and processes better and faster than its competitors is dependent on
knowledge sharing practices (Almahamid, Awwad, & McAdams, 2010). Knowledge sharing enables
organizations to develop skills and competencies, increase value and sustain their competitive
advantage. Knowledge embodies intangible assets, routines and creative processes that are difficult to
imitate and as such is a firm’s most valuable resource (Renzl, 2008).
Accordingly, one source of competitive advantage for an organization is the capability of teams to
produce superior results based on the knowledge that is embedded in the interactions among team
members (Amit & Schoemaker, 1993; Prahalad & Hamel, 1990). Srivastava et al. (2006) state that
knowledge sharing in teams has lead to enhanced performance. By engaging in the knowledge sharing
process teams create a new unique knowledge resource that competitors cannot easily imitate.
Knowledge sharing leads to superior team performance and is a source of competitive advantage for
organizations.
Literature indicates that there are a variety of factors that influence knowledge sharing in teams. Some
of the factors include personality traits, communication styles, trust, interpersonal attitudes, leadership,
diversity of expertise and team size. Two factors that the literature has examined extensively on
multiple dimensions are trust and leadership. Research has found that leadership and trust have a
positive direct impact on team knowledge sharing (Lee, Gillespie, Mann, & Wearing, 2010).
Trust
Trust is an important ingredient to successfully creating, sharing and applying knowledge in teams. Trust
in teams becomes important when a team process, like knowledge sharing, requires interdependence,
information sharing and collaboration. Research shows that these processes are very sensitive to the
quality of interpersonal trust relationships (Zand, 1972). When teams collaborate and share information
openly, vulnerabilities often surface. Accordingly, when members of teams become vulnerable to one

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another, risk increases and trust becomes important (Mayer, Davis, & Schoorman, 1995).
A trusting person will openly exchange useful ideas, collaborate, accept influence and impose relatively
little control. On the other hand, when a teammate discovers evidence that leads them to believe they
are not trusted they conceal information, reject influence and try to take control (Gillespie & Mann,
2005). Therefore trust needs to be present to enable knowledge sharing behaviors. Trust is particularly
important when examining the role of a team leader related to knowledge sharing in teams because an
individual’s belief about how honest, reliable and trustworthy their team leader is has a direct influence
on the individual’s willingness to disclose sensitive information and the extent to which they do so
(Mayer et al., 1995).
Leadership
Leadership and management are not synonymous. Leadership can be thought of as a relationship
between the leader and those being led that can motivate a team or organization. A leader is able to
influence individuals to accomplish a group or organizational goal (Thompson, 2008). A team leader,
then, can have a large amount of influence on a team. The traditional task of the leader is to focus and
coordinate the diverse viewpoints found on a team in order to achieve a common goal (Zárraga &
Bonache, 2003). In addition, team leaders also serve as models by openly sharing information, trusting
others, stepping into another’s shoes and providing constructive feedback.
Role of Management in Knowledge Sharing
“Knowledge sharing does not happen automatically in a team, and the team’s leader has an important
role to play in making it come about” (Srivastava et al., 2006, p. 1241). As such, the attitude that the
team leader has about knowledge sharing is critical. A study of knowledge workers done by Karl Sveiby
(2007) that analyzed the free text comments entered by 2,988 respondents, across 92 business units, in
12 companies found that respondents blame their nearest supervisor and senior executives for a lack of

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knowledge sharing. Yet only a few managers are perceived as resistant to knowledge sharing. The issue
is in what they do not do; managers are perceived not to share what they know or encourage
knowledge sharing behaviors of others. Literature suggests that managers and leaders who simply
express a favorable opinion toward knowledge sharing are resented and seen as hypocritical.
Accordingly, in order for knowledge sharing to occur, team leaders must actively encourage (Svieby,
2007) or facilitate it.
Recommendations for Facilitating Knowledge Sharing
Given the importance of trust and leadership in knowledge sharing, below are four recommendations
that leaders should consider implementing to increase knowledge sharing and enhance performance
within teams:
• Create an Open Trusting Environment: Trust in another team member is directly related to the accuracy,
relevance and completeness of information and knowledge shared as well as the acceptance of others'
knowledge and influence (Zand, 1972). Team leaders who actively model knowledge sharing lead by example
and demonstrate that the open and timely sharing of significant ideas and information is valuable for the
team. Team members are likely to reciprocate by sharing their expertise and knowledge with the team as a
result (Lee et al., 2010).
• Engage in Participative decision making when possible: By engaging in participative decision making, a team
leader provides more opportunities for members to share their ideas. When team members have a forum to
give input it is more likely that they will influence decision making and thereby experience the
importance/benefit of knowledge sharing (Srivastava et al., 2006). In addition to team members experiencing
the value of knowledge sharing, it is likely that a better decision will result from the collective knowledge of

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the group when team members possess relevant knowledge not possessed by the team leader (Knight &
Locke, 1997).
• Agree on Expectations for Knowledge use: When individuals are uncertain about how information will be
used (i.e. for individual benefit or for the benefit of the team) knowledge is not likely to flow freely (as cited in
Jones & George, 1998). Ensuring that knowledge will be used for the greater good decreases knowledge
hoarding and facilitates trust by agreeing to put the collective interest of the team first (Jones & George,
1998).
• Recognize Individual Ideas and Contributions: Individuals are motivated to share their unique knowledge with
one another when their leader treats them fairly and recognizes their input as valuable. Knowledge sharing
will increase when team leaders recognize individuals for their contribution of ideas and information
(Srivastava et al., 2006).
(Source: https://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/masters-learning-and-organizational-change/knowledge-
lens/stories/2012/knowledge-sharing-leveraging-trust-and-leadership-to-increase-team-performance.html )
Knowledge sharing is essential for a company to achieve success, since it can facilitate decision-making
capabilities, build learning organizations (through a learning routine) and finally, stimulate cultural change and
innovation. Still, overall performance in a company improves just when people do things differently, according to a
study published by the Ivey Business Journal.
Therefore, it’s obvious that managing

knowledge properly can bring a lot
benefits to a company. Below you can find
a list with some of those we consider are
the most important and able to influence
the way an organization works, in a
positive way:
1. Make the organization’s best problem-

solving experiences reusable
Once you develop an effective solution to an issue and it turns out to be the best one so far, it allows members of
your organization to use it in all future situations. Avoiding redundant effort by managing knowledge properly,
saves a lot of time and budget – not to mention that it can significantly streamline work and keep employees’
morale up.
Knowledge sharing also improves communication among employees, both intradepartmental and
interdepartmental, according to “The Benefits of Knowledge Management: Some Empirical Evidence” study. The
members of an organization can improve their relationship significantly by sharing and managing knowledge
properly, no matter if they work in the same or different departments.
2. Enable better and faster decision making

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When customers are facing problems or you have to solve an internal issue, analyze trends, understand
competition or plan new strategies, you tend to look for information and resources in order to support such
activities. Information overload can make this process difficult.
However, using knowledge again and again in repositories allows decisions to be based on the actual experiences
of the members in your organization. All these tasks can be performed efficiently if it’s easy to find what you need
and, most importantly, when you need it.
3. Stimulate innovation and growth
Most businesses have the main purpose of increasing revenue, but this can be a bit difficult when competition
increases. By managing knowledge properly, employees gain access to valuable information and deliver better
results. The organization stimulates innovation and, directly, achieves growth a lot easier.
4. Improve delivery to customers
Customers appreciate a company that can demonstrate its widespread expertise and the ability to use it in their
benefit. Also, the ability to deliver on time is essential and can help
a company differentiate itself among its competitors. Sharing
knowledge and innovation can definitely reduce the time required
to deliver a product or a service, which results in increased win
rates and, of course, satisfied customers!
5. Reduce the loss of know-how
Know-how is another important asset in each company and it

should be exploited and managed properly. Through knowledge
sharing, organizations can capture explicit and tacit knowledge and
eventually reduce their losses. You can find more information on
this subject in these 2 articles we wrote about deep smarts and
how to manage and keep your company’s deep smarts.
It’s also a great way to make scarce expertise widely available to the entire organization. Classic tools like forums,
training events, presentations, white papers, etc did the job before, but more dynamic and peer-to-peer centered
knowledge sharing Q&A platforms are making information more easily accessible now.
Reading:
The power of shared learning: http://srosenstein.com/pdf/hkv4i9.pdf

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INFORMAL AND FORMAL REWARDS AND RECOGNIT ION
There are many ways to provide employees with both informal and formal rewards and recognition.
This is not an exhaustive list. Be creative in devising the most meaningful means of recognising the efforts of
individuals and teams. Be aware of the culture of your team and your style as manager.
Some of these ideas may seem comical or would be interpreted as disingenuous in your environment, but even so
may spark your imagination!
Informal recognition
• Post a thank-you note on the employee's or team member’s

office door.
• Have your Director call an employee or team member to
thank him or her for a job well done, or have the same person visit
the employee at his or her workplace.
• When discussing an employee's or a group's ideas with other
people, peers, or higher management, make sure you give credit.
• Acknowledge individual achievements by using people’s
names when preparing status reports, and copy them in on relevant
emails.
• Ask five people in your department or company to go up to the person
sometime during the day and say "(Your name) asked me to thank you for (the task or achievement). Good
job!"
• Write five or more Post-it notes thanking the person for a job well done and hide them among the work on his
or her desk.
• Have lunch or coffee with an employee or a group of employees you don't normally see.
• Make a thank you card by hand.
• Lunch outings for the entire group as an everyone-pays-their-own-way event. The value is in the going, so
encourage but don't force anyone who isn't comfortable going with the group.
• Let the person you are recognising know what you are doing or requesting on his or her behalf (i.e., send the
person a copy of your requesting memo). Even if upper management doesn't approve the request, the person
will know you were trying.
• Share verbal accolades. Don't forget to forward voice mail messages that compliment a team member’s work.
Ask a person to teach or share his or her accomplishment with others as a way of recognising the person's
ability and role.
• Recognise an individual's accomplishments in front of peers - yours or theirs. Set aside time at staff meetings
to recognise team and individual achievements.

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• Ask your manager to attend a meeting with your employees during which you thank individuals and groups for
their specific contributions.
Formal rewards
• Devise a peer nomination scheme, where staff are encouraged to nominate their peers for recognition.
• Make a large calendar that can be posted. Call it the "celebration calendar" and use Post-Its and written
notes of recognition tacked onto specific dates to honour contributions made by team members.
• Name a continuing recognition award after an outstanding employee.
• A personal letter of thanks to the employee or team member from a senior manager for a significant
contribution (you might need to get the information to this person before the letter can be written).
• Write a letter of praise recognising specific contributions and accomplishments. Send a copy to senior
management and the employee’s personnel file.
• Movie tickets.
• A framed memento/letter/certificate.
• Inscribe a favourite book as a gift.
• Purchase a plant or flower arrangement with appropriate message.
• Buy the person something to use in his or her hobby.
• Take the person to lunch as a form of thanks or to mark a special event.
• Organise a morning tea to celebrate a particular team accomplishment or event.
• A "funny" trophy that is passed among team members based on "inside" criteria.
• Submit the person's name for a Wall of Fame
award.
• Gift vouchers that can be used at local
department stores, specialty shops, or local
merchants; especially appropriate for ones
that can be easily assessed during the
workday.
• Something engraved with the person’s name,
such as a pen set, business card holder,
plaque, or portfolio.
• Paid subscription to a professional magazine
or newsletter.
• Authorise a non-standard stationary item; set
a maximum limit.
• Authorise time-off; full day or half-day.
Converting bonuses to other benefits
• Professional development course/trip

• Conference
• Care arrangements for dependents to enable conference attendance
• Payment to research account (can then be used to pay casuals, short term research assistants, equipment
and the like)

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Activity - 6
In group:
• Develop strategies to share the benefits of learning with others in the team and organisation
• Develop strategies to recognise workplace achievement by timely and appropriate recognition,
feedback and rewards
• Share your notes with the rest of the class.
MONITOR AND IMPROVE LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS
To monitor learning performance of employees, the following can be applied:
• Assess employees progressively during learning (for example, embedding practical activities to be observed by
a facilitator)
• Implement newly acquired knowledge and skills in every day task progressively and monitor effectiveness of
learning on the job
• Collect feedback from the facilitator, line managers and fellow employees
• Set up clear KPIs in the learning plan and measure the post-training performance against them. Please
consider that the results of training might be seen after some time
Monitoring activities can be sued to:
• Determine type and extent of any additional work based support (for example, additional mentoring on
the job after formal training); and
• Any work health and safety issues (this is particularly important when learning manual tasks, for example
an electrician learning how to use a new tool)
Feedback should be sought from individual and team to identify and introduce improvements in future learning
arrangements. Feedback can be collected:
• During the training

• After the training (for example via an online survey)
• During one on one meetings between line manager and employee
• In a focus group
• During team meetings
Based on the feedback that has been collected and the result of the monitoring activities, you should consider
making adjustments for the improvement to the efficiency and effectiveness of learning.

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The organisation should develop processes to:
• Collect feedback of pre-training activities (example training needs analysis)

• Collect feedback during the training activities
• Collect feedback after the training activities
• Collect results of monitoring activities
The realm of this process is Human Resources; therefore, you should look into the HR policies and procedures of
the company to see if there any adjustment or addition that is required to enable the collection of information
mentioned above. For instance, you could look into the employee performance evaluation policy and procedures
but also the knowledge management system of the organisation.
ENSURE YOUR TRAINING IS EFFECTIVE
The training session is over and employees/trainees have returned to their jobs to begin applying what
they’ve learned, so the trainer’s job is done, right? Wrong.
A successful training program is always a work in progress, and the training cycle isn’t complete without
an evaluation of training’s effectiveness, which leads to decision-making and planning for future
training. Therefore, a useful and informative evaluation program needs to be a part of your overall
training operation.
Here are several methodologies for evaluation as well as practical ways to retrieve good results.
To begin with, what should you be looking for in your evaluations?
• Was training delivered as planned, on time and to the appointed audience?

• Which training methods worked with which topics and which audience groups?
• Which methods did not with which topics or audiences?
• What specific problems occurred?
• How effective was the trainer at engaging the audience and conveying information?
• How did the training affect employee performance?
• Did the training satisfy regulatory and legal requirements?
• Were all stated goals reached? If not, why not?
This is a lot of information to gather; fortunately, there are many methods and tools available to help
you.
Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Model of Evaluation
Donald Kirkpatrick, author of many books, such as Evaluating Training Programs: The Four
Levels and Another Look at Evaluating Training Programs, created a four-level evaluation system more

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than 40 years ago, which has stood the test of time and continues to be utilized in many training
programs today. Here are Kirkpatrick’s four levels of evaluation.
Level I: Reaction
Kirkpatrick’s first level evaluates how well participants liked the training session. If you’re interested in
running the best training program possible, you want participants to be motivated for and engaged with
training. This exercise gives trainees the opportunity to give feedback to the trainer on the pros and
cons of the session, which is valuable information that shows trainers specific areas to
improve.
Follow these tips when obtaining feedback on trainees’ reactions:
• Observe trainees during the session for your own perception of their reception.
• Get trainee feedback in writing immediately following the session.
• Use measurable and meaningful terms.
• Use uniform feedback forms so results can
be quantified and tabulated for the
whole group.
Reaction Surveys
Ideally, trainers will include reaction surveys as

the final section of training sessions
and will insist on 100 percent participation.
Make surveys easy to fill out
by following these guidelines:
• Use a numbered rating system, i.e. 1 to 5,

with 1 being the low end of satisfaction and 5 being the high end.
• Use close-ended questions, such as those requiring the numbered assessment mentioned above
to assess trainees’ impressions of the overall success of the session.
• Use open-ended yet directed questions that require more than a Yes or No answer along with
space for trainees to write their comments in order to get detailed feedback on specific things
that worked or didn’t work.
• Include space for undirected questions or comments on topics that trainees want to address.
Level II: Learning
This level measures how much of the desired principles, techniques, and skills trainees learned in the
training session. In order to determine what trainees, learn during a session, you need to know what
they knew before training.

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Follow these suggestions for measuring learning:
• Use pre- and post-knowledge and/or skills testing.

• Use objective measurements to assess what trainees now know or can do that they didn’t know
or couldn’t do before training.
• Use a control group of employees who did not attend the training session to compare their
performance to employees who received training.
Level III: Behavior
The third level measures employee behavior changes based on

training. Your goal is to see how well trainees incorporate
learned principles, skills, and knowledge into their jobs on a
permanent
basis—or at least until they learn a new and better way to
perform.
Follow these methods for evaluating behavior:
• Solicit the help of trainers, supervisors, and others who

work closely with trainees to observe these employees before
and after training, and to give their measurable, objective
feedback on performance.
• Continue observations for 3 to 4 months after the training session, so you can get an accurate
assessment of whether trainees have made permanent performance improvements based on
training.
Level IV: Results
Kirkpatrick’s first three levels focus on trainees and the effect of training on their performance. The last
level in Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model focuses on the results of training on the company in
terms of:
• Reduction of costs
• Reduction of turnover and absenteeism
• Reduction of grievances
• Increase in quality
• Increase in quantity or production
• Improved morale
Follow these suggestions for measuring the results of training on the company’s overall performance:

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• Measure statistics in each of the categories listed above (or whichever categories you included
in your goal-setting) before and after training.
• Use a control group, if possible, for comparison.
• Measure more than once over several months to allow time for changes from training to affect
the areas you listed.
Evaluation by Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis (or the Fifth Level of Evaluation)
Some training professionals consider ROI analysis to be one method for determining the results of
Kirkpatrick’s fourth level of evaluation. Others consider ROI its own level and make it the 5th level of
evaluation. In any case, this method is an effective way to measure the success of your training program.
ROI analysis gives the trainer data about the financial impact training programs have on the
organization. It differs from Level IV evaluation in the sense that Level IV takes into consideration
nonfinancial data such as employee satisfaction. ROI analysis deals strictly with the financial impact of
training. It answers the question “For every dollar invested in training, how many dollars does the
employer get back?”
Here are three great reasons to use ROI analysis:
1. It’s a concrete way to validate your training program as a business tool.

2. It can be used to justify the cost of your training program to upper management.
3. It can be a useful tool for choosing future training methods.
Many business executives view training as a business expense

and, therefore, measure its worth in terms of profits made or
savings earned from this expense. You need to make sure training
is seen as beneficial to your company. Use the following formula
when measuring the ROI for your company to get the percentage
of profit earned for every training dollar spent.
ROI Formula:
ROI (%) = Monetary Benefits – Training Costs x 100

Costs
To get the figures for this formula, keep track of training costs, including:
• Design and development

• Promotion
• Administration
• Delivery (staff or technology)

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• Materials
• Facilities
• Employee wages
• Evaluation
After training, keep track of monetary benefits, including:
• Labor savings
• Productivity increases
• Income generation
• New leads
• New products
• Lower turnover costs
Here’s an example for Ace Widget Company. Assume that a widget-making skills training session
increased production by 20% and that a 1% increase in production yielded $40,000 in annual
revenue.
$800,000 total benefits

$200,000 in total cost
[(800,000-200,000)/200,000] x 100=300%
So in this example for every $1 spent on training, the organization gained a net benefit of $3.
ROI Analysis is fast becoming an essential level of evaluation for companies who invest in
training.
Standardized Tests
Tests can be used for collecting information at all five levels of evaluation. They can be given prior
to training, during training, and after training. There are several types of tests from which to choose.
True-False
When designing true-false tests, keep these factors in mind:
• Write statements that are clearly true or clearly false.

• Take statements used in training and rephrase them slightly.
• Avoid words that tip trainees to the answer, such as “may” or “generally” for true statements,
or “always” or “never” for false statements.
• Avoid double negatives, which make statements unnecessarily confusing.

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• Remember that you’re not trying to stump trainees, you’re trying to make sure they learned the
material.
Multiple Choice
These tests may be the most popular with trainees, but they can be the hardest to write for trainers.
Follow these suggestions when designing multiple choice tests:
• Cover one topic per question.

• Include only one right answer. Of course, you want all the choices to seem right, but make sure
you don’t get so close to right that someone might
have a valid argument as to their choice being
correct.
• If space allows, use more than three choices.
Remember, the more choices you have, the less
guessing is involved, e.g. four choices means a
guess rate of 25 percent, five choices means 20
percent.
• Avoid always making the right answer the
longest choice.
• Avoid making the right answer choice “C” very
often. This practice thwarts seasoned multiple choice
test takers, who know the ditty, “when in doubt, guess ‘C.’” One way to achieve randomness is
to list answers in alphabetical order.
• Avoid giving a grammatical clue in your question, such as using “a” with only one answer
beginning with a consonant or “an” with only one answer beginning with a vowel.
• Limit your use of “all of the above” and “none of the above.” But if you use it for one question,
you must use it for at least one more, or trainees will take a clue that it’s probably the right
choice for the only question where you included it.
Matching
This type of test is used less often but can be fun for the trainee and much easier to design for trainers.
Here’s how to write a matching quiz:
• Cover one topic per matching exercise. For example, one test could match a list of chemicals
with a list of personal protective equipment the chemical requires. A separate test could match
a list of chemical regulations with a list of quotations from those regs. Or one test could match a
list of employment laws with a list of the rights they protect and another test could list
employment law acronyms with a list of their full names.
• Limit the number of items to around 10. Fewer than 8 can be too easy and more than 12 can get
too confusing.

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• Lay out the test on one page so trainees don’t have to flip back and forth.
• Make the items in each list brief. Use names, objects, tools, agencies, etc. Avoid making an item
longer than one sentence.
Fill in the Blank
These tests can be tricky to write, but they prove that trainees learned the information because they
have to produce the right answer without seeing it on the page as in any of the previous tests
mentioned. Follow these tips for composing fill in the blank questions:
• Use only one blank per question. Too many blanks don’t give trainees enough information to
even grasp the topic.
• Keep the blanks to specific information, such as regulation titles or government agencies, etc.
Make the nouns or verbs in a sentence the blank lines, not the adjectives or adverbs.
• Word statements so that there can be only one answer that correctly fills in the blank.
• Place blanks later in the sentence, which helps to give trainees the context of the topic.
• Avoid grammatical clues immediately preceding the blank, such as “a” or “an.”
Other Evaluation Methods
Some other evaluation methods include first-hand

observation and production data analysis. You can use
observation both in the classroom to monitor trainees as they
practice new skills and later on the job to see how they’re
incorporating training into their performance. Your goal is to
see how well the trainee learned the skill. You can develop a
rating scale or simply make comments.
Use production data analysis by keeping track of production

quotas and other data before and after training. Compare the
results to see measurable ways training improved job
performance. Make sure you take into account variables other than
training that could have affected performance when you look at these numbers.
Transferring Learning to Work
In order to ensure your training has been effective, you need to do more than evaluate. You also
need to take post-training time to help trainees transfer new skills and knowledge to the workplace—
and to make these changes stick. You may need to help employees overcome certain obstacles
to applying training to the job.
Obstacles to the Transfer

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Here are common obstacles employees may encounter:
• Learners can be set in their ways and reluctant to embrace change.

• Upper management may not offer enough support either in terms of morale or materials.
• Learners may lack enough motivation or incentive.
• Learners may not have enough time to practice new skills and achieve a comfort level.
• Co-workers may apply peer pressure against changing methods.
How to Avoid Obstacles
Here’s how you can help trainees avoid

obstacles to transferring what they’ve
learned:
• Give your personal support. A few

weeks after the training program, send
trainees a note or e-mail, or give them a
call. Ask questions like these:
o How is what you learned to affect your
work?
o Are you having any problems or
concerns?
o Do you have any final comments or suggestions about the learning experience?
• Make your support ongoing. Have an open-door policy with employees so they know they can
talk with you at any point about any issues that come up as they transfer learning to the job.
• Establish group support. At the end of training sessions, assign trainees to small groups that will
meet regularly for a while after training. Participants can use these groups to discuss common
problems and concerns, how they are doing in applying the new skills, and to perform practice
sessions. Group support gives members a sense of unity and security, which they can fall back
on when they run into problems.
• Compose checklists or cheat sheets. Give these out at training sessions for employees to take
with them back to work and refer to as needed. These are especially helpful for new procedures
or new steps in existing procedures.
• Set up a coaching program. Coaches can be trainers, qualified experienced employees, or
members of upper management. The point to this method is to have someone on call to answer
questions, give feedback, give support, and to be a role model for proper
behavior.
Putting It All Together
Investing in human capital is a wise decision for every organization. Training makes better employees,
and better employees make better companies. Keep in mind training is much more than a one-time

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event as long as methods and technologies keep changing the way we work. For companies to stay
competitive, they must invest in their employees by turning them into lifelong learners.
Follow the steps outlined in this manual to design and run an effective training program that will
motivate and train your workforce to be the best in the industry—and that will have positive effects on
every department in your company.
• Make training a top priority at all levels of the company.

• Develop a training program that meets training needs and is customized to your company and
its employees.
• Choose the right training techniques for your training topics.
• Decide when and how to outsource some of your training needs.
• Prepare people, places, and things for your training sessions.
• Conduct effective training sessions with a sound presentation that incorporates engaging
activities.
• Evaluate training at every level.
• Assist trainees as they transfer learned skills and behavior into their work.
With these steps in hand, you’re now ready to put together a top-notch training program.
(Source: http://trainingtoday.blr.com/article/ensure-your-training-is-effective/ )
Reading:
How to Get the Most Value out of Your Employee Training Feedback:
https://www.questback.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-value-out-of-your-employee-training-
feedback/
8 key tactics for developing employees:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2015/07/20/8-key-tactics-for-developing-
employees/#32d1717f6373
Activity -7
In group:
• Develop strategies to ensure that team and individual learning performance is monitored

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Activity -7
• Develop a feedback plan for the learning activities

• Identify processes to ensure that records and reports of competency are documented and
maintained within the organisation’s systems and procedures to inform future planning

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BSBLED501 Develop a workplace learning

Create learning opportunities .......................................................................................................................................2

Learning Resource Page 1 of 41

CREATE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Improved Employee Performance

An employee who receives the necessary training is

Learning Resource Page 2 of 41

Learning Resource Page 3 of 41

Here are 10 reasons why:

3. Learning and development go hand in hand. Learning helps

4. Learning fosters understand and appreciation of other perspectives, by

6. Learning can increase productive capacity

7. Learning can produce an ROI

• identify problems with products / services and resolve them quickly

Learning Resource Page 4 of 41

INFORMAL VS FORMAL LEARNING

Benefits of Formal Learning:

• Large numbers of employees will learn the same information

Learning Resource Page 5 of 41

Benefits of Informal Learning:

Types of learning opportunities:

Read: http://w3.unisa.edu.au/staffdev/word/overview_%20of_learning_opportunities.pdf for details on the

In group: Discuss what type of learning would be more beneficial for:

• An individual employee that is joining a new team

• A team that has just formed

• An individual who is moving into a new role

• An individual who plans to further his career

Share your notes with the rest of the class.

Learning Resource Page 6 of 41

IDENTIFY LEARNING NEEDS

Training needs analysis (TNA)

A team training plan

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Share your notes with the rest of the class.

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Career Planning / Development Sessions

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Observing the Team

Discussion with Individuals

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Workplace Skills Assessment

• Incorporating a task in individual learning plans where

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• assess the strategic and operational goals and the

LEGAL OBLIGATIONS WHEN TRAINING STAFF

Learning Resource Page 11 of 41

Other training may include (depending on the nature of the business):

• How to use personal protective equipment

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The characteristics that are commonly included in a Learner Profile are:

1. Determine the learning objectives

2. Prioritise the learning needs

Prioritising learning needs will require a good understanding of

You may need to complete a risk assessment to rank the learning

3. Decide when the training is required

Learning Resource Page 13 of 41

4. Determine the most effective way to deliver the learning activity

5. Establish how the learning is to be completed

6. Consider how the learning is to be validated

A Learning Plan should include the following components:

The individual/group who need to undertake the

The competencies or performance criteria to be

How The strategy or action recommended