A major factor in whether classroom learning leads to improved workplace performance is whether your organization's culture, policies and systems support or conflict with participants’ efforts to apply what they’ve learned. If aspects of the work environment discourage the application of new skills, there's little chance that learners will persist through the difficult period of reinforcement.

An organizational system that supports learning and performance improvement will provide the following:

• Direct managers who coach effectively, hold direct reports accountable, set a good example, help them learn from on-the-job experiences, and give feedback and encouragement
  
  
• Job responsibilities and performance goals/objectives that require participants to apply the skills
  
  
• Assignments or tasks that provide opportunities to apply the skills
  
  
• Performance reviews that evaluate how well they’re using the skills
  
  
• Rewards and incentives that motivate them to use the skills
  
  
• Learning resources (programs, videos, books, etc.) that reinforce best practices
  
  
• Opportunities to learn from others, to talk with co-workers, program participants or mentors about “lessons learned” related to using the skills on the job
  
  
• Clearly stated expectations that skills will be used in the workplace
  
  
• Feedback surveys that measure improvements in performance

In order for managers to correct any shortfalls or barriers that exist in the workplace environment, they have to locate them. This isn’t an easy task, because problem policies and practices actually serve an important purpose and usually have been in place for a long time. Training professionals are especially attuned to deficiencies of this nature and should regularly report them to management for action.

Perhaps the best and easiest way to identify these issues is to get feedback from the participants themselves after they’ve tried to apply their skills on the job. The 20/20 Insight GOLD Survey Library has a survey called “Organizational Support for Performance Improvement” that gathers this kind of feedback. It should be administered to program participants 30-60 days after they return to the workplace. The survey solicits ratings and comments about the most important aspects of organizational support for performance improvement. Feedback can be consolidated and studied, and policies and practices can be modified accordingly.

For an immediate answer to any question about Train-to-Ingrain, email Meredith Bell, president of Performance Support Systems, or call: Toll-free: 1-800-488-6463, ext. 201 Toll phone: 757-873-3700, ext. 201 Fax: 757-873-3288