This is part of the series of presentations from Capacity for Humanity, a Humentum learning and capacity building conference held in Arusha, Tanzania February 2018. In this session, rethink and reflect on your current approach to staff learning and development. Understand the role that line managers and peers play in creating the conditions for effective learning transfer. Walk away with practical guidance and examples on how to foster a strong organizational learning culture through leveraging technology solutions.

1. How Do We Create an
Organisational Learning
Culture? Fostering a Work
Environment Conducive to
Learning Transfer
Capacity for Humanity
7 February 2018
Arusha Tanzania
Faye Ekong: Director Human Resources, Learning & Development

2. At the end of these 60 minutes you will have:
• Explored learning transfer from a practitioner perspective
• Developed a deeper understanding of work environment factors influencing learning
transfer
• Discussed practical suggestions for practitioners to support line managers and peers to
strengthen learning transfer within their organizations and teams
SESSION OUTCOMES

3. WHY…
…do we invest in LEARNING
TRAINING
CAPACITY BUILDING
PROFESSOINAL DEVELOPMENT of our workforce?

4. ULTIMATELY FOR…
Better
organizational
results &
performance

5. WHY DOES LEARNING TRANSFER FAIL?
Share from your own:
Experiences
Observations
Lessons Learned
Reflections
Tried and tested approaches
“The degree to which
learners effectively
apply the knowledge,
skills and attitudes
gained in a
training/learning
context to the job”

6. KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING LEARNING
TRANSFER
Trainee
Characteristics
• Ability
• Motivation
Training
Design
• Principles of
learning
• Sequencing
• Content
Work
Environment
• Support
• Opportunity
to use

7. Typically professional military forces spend 95% of their time training and
5% of their time in action. The non-profit sector the figure is reversed; 95%
of their time is spent in action and 5% of the time training would be a high
figure. (HERR, 2011)
QUICK FACTS…
Employees spend an average of 33.3 hours in training (ASTD, 2013). On
average employees work 2000 hours per year. A basic calculation reveals
that on average employees spend 1967 more hours surrounded by and
interfacing with their line managers and peers than they do in training.
Employees work an average of 2000 hour per year.

8. EMPHASIS ON THE WORK ENVIRONMENT
Transfer
Climate
Support
Opportunity
to Perform
Follow-up

9. BASIC OVERVIEW OF 3 FACTORS
Transfer Climate Opportunity to Perform Follow-Up
• Organizational Culture
• Reminders to prompt
learners
• Rewards & incentives
for proper use
• Structured way to
correct wrong
application or absence
of application
• Resources to perform new
learning
• Formal or informal mechanisms
that allow for practice & application
• Small adjustments e.g. increasing
and individual’s responsibilities,
changes to work process or
obligation to coach others
• Structure & targeted adjustments
e.g. changes to job descriptions or
performance objectives
• Post training initiatives
• After Action Reviews
• Surveys/Evaluations
• Goal Setting
• Feedback & Reflection
Sessions
• Conducted a different time
intervals post training

10. FINDINGS FROM MY 2015 RESEARCH
Overall
importance of
line manager
behavior vs
peer behavior
Peer behaviors
post-
training/learning
Line manager
behaviors post-
training/learning
event
Line manager
behaviors pre-
training/learning
event

11. PRE-LEARNING EVENT
Line manager discusses with staff in advance
how they are meant to apply learning to their job
Line manager explains to staff in advance why
they have been identified for a learning initiative
Line manager informs staff in advance of the
support they will have (resources & people) post
event to transfer learning to their job
POST-LEARNING EVENT
Line manager shows an interest in what their
staff have learned
Line managers set goals and objectives that
require staff to apply learning to their job
Line manager works with staff on problems staff
is experiencing applying learning to their job
Line manager sets a good example for using new
learning and applying it to the job
MOST IMPORTANT LINE MANAGER
SUPPORT BEHAVIORS

12. POST LEARNING EVENT
Peers show an interest in what their colleagues
learn
Peers are patient with their colleagues when
testing and applying new learning to their job
 Peers work with their colleagues on problems
they have applying new learning to their job
LINE MANAGER VS PEER SUPPORT
MOST IMPORTANT PEER SUPPORT
BEHAVIORS
Line
Manager
54%
14%
Peer
Equal
32%
Overall which type of support is more important
in the learning transfer process?
Line Manager Support
Peer Support
Both are equal

13. THANK YOU
Faye Ekong
fekong@actionagainsthunger.org
www.actionagainsthunger.org