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Increasing workplace training transfer

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Increasing workplace training transfer

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Increasing Workplace Training Transfer

By

Johnathan Williams

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

December 2020

Copyright 2020 Johnathan Williams

ii

Dedication

To my partner, Stephen Da Silva, words cannot express my gratitude for your unconditional love
and support.
To my mother, Nancy Bennett, and sister, Nicole Williams Schofield, not a day goes by where
you are not in my thoughts. Your pride in my accomplishments means everything to me.
A special nod to my late grandmother, Mary, and father, Michael, who made me believe that I
could be whomever I wanted and in the importance of the pursuit of higher education.

iii

Acknowledgments

I am deeply indebted to the members of my dissertation committee. Dr. Kalim Rayburn
provided strong motivation early on in the program to foster innovation and creativity and to be
an agent of change. Dr. Jennifer Phillips provided an equally strong motivation to conclude my
study through her invaluable guidance. Last but most definitely not least, Dr. Helena Seli, as the
chair of my committee, held me to the highest academic standard in the pursuit of excellence,
and for that, I am very grateful. She also kept me on track with both infinite wisdom and timely
feedback every step of the way. I am grateful to all of the Rossier faculty I had the privilege of
learning from during this outstanding program and whose instruction informed my research.
The educational journey toward attaining this degree has been filled with many people
who have both inspired and encouraged me along the way. Thank you for helping me be open to
the world of possibilities to my friends from CSU Chico! To my dear friends from Hawaii
Pacific University, mahalo for instilling in me a deep sense of love and respect for learning and
for showing me the true meaning of ohana, and to my classmates from Jonkoping International
Business School (JIBS) in Sweden, thank you for always encouraging me to think bigger and
broader. That brings me to my USC tribe; I owe you an exceptional thank you for your amazing
support, encouragement and occasional “gentle nudges” when necessary to push onward and
upward and to accept nothing but the best – you know who you are. I am also grateful for the
incredibly talented and diverse professionals who populated Cohort 11 and immensely enriched
my learning experience.
Last, I must acknowledge my partner Stephen. His unwavering support and love allowed
me to realize the dream I have had my entire adult life of obtaining a doctoral degree – from one
of the best universities in the world, no less! #FightOn

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Table of Contents
Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... iii
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1
Introduction of the Problem of Practice .......................................................................................... 1
Organizational Context and Mission .............................................................................................. 2
Organizational Performance Goal ................................................................................................... 3
Importance of Addressing the Problem .......................................................................................... 4
Description of Stakeholder Groups ................................................................................................. 5
Stakeholder Group for the Study .................................................................................................... 6
Purpose of the Project and Questions ............................................................................................. 7
Conceptual and Methodological Framework .................................................................................. 8
Definitions....................................................................................................................................... 9
Organization of the Study ............................................................................................................... 9
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................ 10
Related Literature.......................................................................................................................... 10
Training Transfer .......................................................................................................................... 10
Influences on Training Transfer.................................................................................................... 12
Training Design ........................................................................................................................ 12
Motivation of Training Participants .......................................................................................... 14
Post-Training Interventions ...................................................................................................... 15
Clark and Estes (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences Framework ...... 16
Operations Team Managers’ Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences ................ 17
Knowledge Influences .............................................................................................................. 17
OTMs’ Knowledge of Consistently Supporting the Implementation of Training Transfer
Initiatives by Their Employees in Their Daily Activities ....................................................... 18
OTMs’ Knowledge of How to Improve Training Impact through Effective Follow-Up ....... 19
OTMs’ Knowledge of How to Facilitate Job-Related Information Exchange and
Collaborative Effort between their Teams............................................................................. 19
OTMs’ Reflection on Their Own Abilities to Increase Training Transfer Rates................... 20
Motivational Influences ............................................................................................................ 21
Self-Efficacy ........................................................................................................................... 22

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Value Orientation .................................................................................................................. 23
Organizational Influences ......................................................................................................... 25
CCECU’s Support of the Practice of Ensuring Training Transfer ....................................... 25
CCECU’s Provision of Materials after the Training is completed to further the OTMs’
Competency in Training Transfer.......................................................................................... 27
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Motivation and
Organizational Influences ............................................................................................................. 28
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 30
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS ................................................................................................. 31
Participating Stakeholders ............................................................................................................ 31
Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale............................................................................... 32
The following criterion guided interview sampling. The CCECU operations team managers
(OTMs) were both branch managers and assistant branch managers. ................................ 32
Interview Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale ...................................................... 32
Document Analysis Sampling Criteria and Rationale .............................................................. 32
The following criteria guided document analysis.................................................................. 32
Criterion 1 ............................................................................................................................. 32
Criterion 2 ............................................................................................................................. 32
Document Analysis Strategy and Rationale ............................................................................. 33
Data Collection and Instrumentation ............................................................................................ 33
Interviews .................................................................................................................................. 34
Interview Protocol ................................................................................................................. 34
Interview Procedures ............................................................................................................. 35
Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 35
Credibility and Trustworthiness .................................................................................................... 36
Ethics............................................................................................................................................. 36
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND FINDINGS................................................................................. 38
Participating Stakeholders ............................................................................................................ 38
Research Question One: What is the OTMs’ Knowledge and Motivation Related to Reinforcing
Desired Employee Behaviors in the Workplace Following Training? ......................................... 39
Knowledge Findings ................................................................................................................. 40
Finding 1: OTMs’ Clear and Precise Knowledge of How to Prepare Their Employees for
Training ................................................................................................................................. 41
Finding 2: OTMs’ Limited Knowledge Related to Providing Consistent Support after
Training ................................................................................................................................. 42
Finding 3: OTMs’ Lack of Knowledge of the Impact of Follow-up on Training .................. 43

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Finding 4: OTMs’ Varied Levels of Knowledge to Facilitate Training-Related Information
Exchange ............................................................................................................................... 45
Finding 5: OTMs’ Varied Levels of Implementing Training-Related Collaborative Efforts
with Other CCECU Managers .............................................................................................. 47
Finding 6: OTMs’ Frequent Reflection on Increasing Training Transfer ............................ 49
Motivation Findings .................................................................................................................. 49
Finding 7: OTMs’ High Level of Confidence in Their Ability to Deliver Pre- and Post-
Training Initiatives for Their Employees ............................................................................... 50
Finding 8: OTMs’ Deep Sense of Value and Pride for Ensuring Training Transfer ............ 51
Research Question Two: What is the Interaction between Organizational Culture and Context
and OTMs’ Knowledge and Motivation Related to Reinforcing Desired Employee Behaviors in
the Workplace Following Training? ............................................................................................. 53
Organizational Findings ............................................................................................................ 53
Finding 9: CCECU’s Lack of Consistent Support in Ensuring Training Transfer ............... 53
Finding 10: CCECU Provides Insufficient Post-Training Materials .................................... 55
Summary of Influences ................................................................................................................. 57
CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................................................... 59
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences ................................................... 60
Increase OTMs’ Declarative Knowledge about After-Training Support and Impact through
Effective Follow-Up ............................................................................................................... 61
Increase OTMs’ Procedural Knowledge to Facilitate Training-Related Information
Exchange and Collaborative Effort between Their Teams .................................................... 63
Organization Recommendations ............................................................................................... 63
Support Organization-Wide Value for the Practice of Ensuring Training Transfer ............. 65
Available Effective Post-Training Materials for OTMs’ Use ................................................ 67
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan ........................................................................... 68
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations ..................................................................... 68
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators ................................................................................... 69
Level 3: Behavior ...................................................................................................................... 70
Required Drivers ................................................................................................................... 71
Organizational Support ......................................................................................................... 73
Level 2: Learning ...................................................................................................................... 74
Program ................................................................................................................................. 74
Evaluation of the Components of Learning ........................................................................... 75
Level 1: Reaction ...................................................................................................................... 76
Evaluation Tools ....................................................................................................................... 77

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Immediately Following the Program Implementation ........................................................... 77
Delayed for a Period after the Program Implementation ..................................................... 78
Data Analysis and Reporting .................................................................................................... 78
Summary ................................................................................................................................... 80
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach ................................................................................. 81
Limitations and Delimitations ....................................................................................................... 82
Future Research ............................................................................................................................ 83
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 84
References ..................................................................................................................................... 87
Appendix A ................................................................................................................................... 94
Appendix B ................................................................................................................................... 97
Appendix C ................................................................................................................................... 99
Appendix D ................................................................................................................................. 101

viii

List of Tables

Table 1: Organizational Mission, Global Goal and Stakeholder Performance Goal 7
Table 2: Knowledge Influences and Types 21
Table 3: Motivational Influences and Motivational Assessments 25
Table 4: Organizational Cultural Models, Settings and Influences 28
Table 5: Organizational Mission, Global Goal and Stakeholder Performance Goal 39

Table 6: Lack of Knowledge of the Impact of Follow-up on Training

Table 7: Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
45
57
Table 8: Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations 60
Table 9: Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations 64
Table 10: Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 69
Table 11: Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation 71
Table 12: Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors 72
Table 13: Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program 76

Table 14: Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 77
Table 15: Extract of Proposed Reporting After the Second Training 80

ix

List of Figures

Figure 1. Conceptual framework. 29
Figure 2. Extract of proposed reporting following initial training session 79

x

Abstract

This study applies the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework to an initiative at a not-
for-profit financial services organization operating in the Western United States. This study
aimed to ascertain the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences affecting managers
charged with reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training. Interview data collected
from the managers were analyzed and coded to surface the assets and gaps bearing on the
managers’ ability to successfully perform the task. Analysis of the company’s pre- and post-
training documents served to corroborate the interview data. Findings from this study indicate
that OTMs need to close knowledge gaps around their engagement, including declarative
knowledge of how to support training transfer through effective follow-up, procedural
knowledge of how to share training-related information, and metacognitive knowledge how to
reflect on their own abilities to increase training transfer rates. This is followed closely by the
need to close the organizational influence gaps of supporting the practice of ensuring training
transfer and the provision of materials after training is completed to further a manager’s
competence in training transfer. Evidence-based recommendations were advanced to address
these gaps. The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) was used to
translate the recommendations into an implementation and evaluation program. This study
provides a template for organizations to follow when working with their managers to reinforce
desired employee behaviors following training.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Introduction of the Problem of Practice
Credit unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives that offer deposit, credit,
payment, and insurance services. They are designed to cater to unserved and underserved
populations and meet the demand for financial services that banks generally do not. In contrast to
banks that generate profit for outside investors and do not give customers voice, credit unions
have a democratic governance structure and a mission to provide quality services to their
members. According to Lesambo (2020), although credit unions in the United States have more
than 103 million account holders across the country, they are under increasing pressure to adapt
quickly to changing demands from members. The growing competition requires credit unions to
deliver excellent member service.
According to Pavlovskaya, Borowiak, Safri, Healy, and Eletto (2019), one of the key
elements of member service success is front-line staff’s ability to educate members by focusing
on what is best for the member and cross-selling additional products and services using a
consultative approach. One way member service can be measured is through the use of the Net
Promoter Score (NPS), which is a metric based on a likelihood to recommend question asked in
member surveys with a score ranging from one to 10, with one being not likely to recommend
and 10 being very likely to recommend. As reported by Keiningham, Aksoy, Cooil, Andreassen,
and Williams (2008), an NPS of less than 10 can be an early warning to examine potential
member satisfaction and loyalty issues. In keeping with Shen and Tang (2018), member
satisfaction and a high NPS are directly influenced by the mediation of training transfer. This
study’s findings is used to address the cost of poor training transfer, which can result in a lack of
member satisfaction, evidenced by a low Net Promoter Score (NPS).

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Pursuant to Velada, Michel, Lyons, and Kavanagh (2007), in general, only about 10% of
the materials covered in training are actually transferred to the workplace. According to Salas,
Tannenbaum, Kraiger, and Smith-Jentsch (2012), many financial institutions make an effort to
increase training transfer rates to improve the NPS. Salas et al., (2012) further stated that as the
increased use of technology continues to influence the financial services landscape, fewer
workers possess the motivation, cultural competence, interpersonal skills, and technical
proficiency necessary to excel within their roles. In addition, Liebermann and Hoffman (2008)
surveyed 213 bank employees who attended a training program focused on improving member
satisfaction. The survey found that a lack of post-training supervisor support and perceived
relevance of the training negatively impacted training transfer and member satisfaction. It is
important to address the problem of lack of training transferring into employee professional
practice. Although credit unions invest a significant amount in training every year, many trained
competencies such as accurately completing work, expanding the member base, and deepening
relationships with members reportedly fail to transfer to the workplace (Hutchins & Burke,
2007).
Organizational Context and Mission

City and County Employees Credit Union (CCECU) is a nonprofit financial services firm
located in the Western United States. The credit union is chartered in seven counties with nine
“brick and mortar” branch locations serving just under 62,000 members. The credit union has an
asset size of $1.1 billion and over 150 employees. The mission statement of CCECU is to
provide easy, quick, and pleasant service to its members. The operations staff at CCECU employ
a consultative approach to banking that encourages members to sit down with them to chat about
saving and managing their money. They also provide one-on-one help with online banking,

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mobile banking, and ATM’s. CCECU also provides an active presence in the community by
facilitating hundreds of hours of youth financial literacy programs throughout the year.
Structurally, CCECU has four authority levels concerning organizational outline and
separation of authority: the board of directors, the supervisory committee, central administration,
and the National Credit Union Association (NCUA). The board of directors is composed of city
and county workers, most of whom are retired. The eight-member board is comprised of the
chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, and four directors. The board of directors has two
primary focus areas: the first is to establish and monitor the yearly strategic initiatives, and the
second is to generate the balanced scorecard priorities. The supervisory committee is composed
of the chairman, secretary, and three other committee members. The supervisory committee’s
focus is to randomly review various departments throughout the year for efficacy and help
maintain a strong community image. Central administration is composed of the CEO, five chief
officers, 13 vice presidents, three directors, and several department managers and supervisors,
including 18 Operations Team Managers (OTMs). The central administration’s role is to manage
both the short and long-term goals of the credit union in the most efficient and cost-effective way
possible. The NCUA ensures that the credit union operates within established federal guidelines
and conducts both randomized and annual audits. Although typical in financial services
organizations, the four authority levels create many challenges in the establishment of nominal
and proficient accountability practices.
Organizational Performance Goal

CCECU’s organizational goal is to increase member satisfaction surveys (Net Promoter
Score) from 8.75 to 9.25 by May 2021. The performance at the time of the study of less than 9.0
on the Net Promoter Score indicates that member satisfaction is a problem which impacts the
achievement of its mission to provide easy, quick, and pleasant service to its members. The goal

4

was established to measure and drive increases in service levels set by the Vice President (VP)
and Chief of Operations. The standard was benchmarked after gathering member satisfaction
data over several months. CCECU is impacted by the larger problem of finding ways to increase
training transfer success in order to improve member service. To meet this goal, the organization
is leveraging additional training initiatives, including cross-selling remote services, driving the
increased use of products and services, and conducting financial transactions with accuracy.
Importance of Addressing the Problem

Member satisfaction plays a key role in the ability of CCECU to accomplish its mission
and goals. It is essential for improving loyalty rates, reducing costs, and retaining members. Poor
member satisfaction has negative side effects in all areas of business, including losing members
to other institutions. Not only are members lost, but CCECU runs the risk of losing its best
employees. In alignment with Owen (2019), the Net Promoter Score is a management tool used
to gauge the level of member satisfaction at CCECU. Proponents of the Net Promoter Score
claim the score can motivate an organization to become more focused on improving member
service. Criticism of the Net Promoter Score is that it lacks predictive power for loyalty
behaviors, which may be an area for future studies. Member service is the provision of service to
members before, during, and after an interaction and is directly influenced by training. In this
sense, if CCECU values good member service, they should focus on training employees to
increase member satisfaction surveys (Net Promoter Score) from 8.75 to 9.25 by May 2021. It is
important to have maximum training output (training transfer) measured by increases in the Net
Promoter Score.
Effective training is one way to address the issue of training transfer success. In fact,
Hutchins and Burke (2007) concluded that the percentage of training transfer success is around
10%. Additionally, according to Awais and Kaur (2010), the lack of training transfer must also

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be solved because studies have shown that higher success rates of training transfer can lead to an
approximately 10% increase in on-the-job performance and an improved Net Promoter Score.
The study by Chiaburu, Van Dam, and Hutchins (2010) concluded that “training transfer
continues to be a problem for organizations seeking to maximize training effectiveness” (p. 196).
As such, the substantial resources required to provide training to staff make it critically important
to increase training transfer rates and increase the overall Net Promoter Score.
Description of Stakeholder Groups

CCECU has several stakeholder groups in the context of the organizational goal of
increasing member satisfaction surveys (Net Promoter Score) from 8.75 to 9.25; these include
the financial services industry and employees. Each group interacts with CCECU in different
ways and has different priorities compared to other groups. Additionally, each group uniquely
contributes to the success of the organizational goal and have a vested interest in the
performance of CCECU.
The financial services industry contains many credit unions with different specialties
based on their field of membership. According to Lesambo (2020), there are approximately
5,757 credit unions in the United States with 103 million members comprising 45 percent of the
economically active population. The credit union industry also contributes to the success of
CCECU in accomplishing its organizational goal in several ways. Whether providing trade
association services, such as lobbying, regulatory advocacy, professional development, or
professional services management, the credit union industry actively contributes too many of
CCECU’s organizational goals.
Though not the largest of the stakeholder groups, employees include all persons
employed by CCECU. CCECU directly employs an estimated 150 persons in various career
fields including operations managers, IT specialists, digital services, call center representatives,

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staff development and administrative personnel. Each employee contributes to the organizational
goal’s success by providing technical expertise and support, administrative or analytical skills, or
providing leadership for the organization. Operations team managers (OTMs) often serve a dual
purpose. Not only are OTMs responsible for providing day to day management of employees
under their charge, but many are responsible for making decisions affecting the accomplishment
of organizational goals. Some decisions affecting the success of organizational goals include
decisions related to member satisfaction.
Stakeholder Group for the Study

The stakeholders of focus for this study are CCECU OTMs. The stakeholders’ goal,
supported by the Chief Operations Officer, is to consistently reinforce desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training. An example of one training initiative for CCECU
OTMs is to teach employees how to consult with members to uncover needs and establish new
products or services, which they should be doing with each member. Generally, employees are
promoted to OTMs from within CCECU based on exceptional performance as a technician, such
as consistently performing a broad range of transactions accurately and proficiently. However,
being an exceptional technician does not necessarily mean that the employee has an effective
coaching skill set. CCECU does not currently provide OTMs any specific training about
supporting training transfer. Failure to implement training into practice may result in a loss of
capital and risk for poor member service and possible fines. This adversely impacts the
organization’s ability to provide supports and interventions to its team members and the
organization’s overall goal to increase the Net Promoter Score. Table 1 outlines the
organizational mission, global goal, and stakeholder performance goal.

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Purpose of the Project and Questions

The purpose of this study is to explore the capacity of OTMs to support employee
training transfer and the impact on the overall success rate of the organization. This can be
measured by the organizational performance goal to increase member satisfaction surveys (Net
Promoter Score) from 8.75 to 9.25 by May, 2021. While a complete needs analysis would focus
on all stakeholders, for practical purposes, the stakeholder to be focused on in this analysis is
CCECU’s OTMs. The questions that guide this study are the following:
1. What is the OTMs’ knowledge and motivation related to reinforcing desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and OTMs’
knowledge and motivation related to reinforcing desired employee behaviors in the
workplace following training?
Table 1

Organizational Mission, Global Goal, and Stakeholder Performance Goal

Organizational Mission
To provide easy, quick, and pleasant service to its members
Organizational Performance Goal
By May 2021, increase member satisfaction surveys (Net Promoter Score) from 8.75 to 9.25.
Stakeholder Goal
By December 2020, 100% of CCECU OTMs will consistently reinforce desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training.

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3. What are the recommended knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
solutions related to OTMs reinforcing desired employee behaviors in the workplace
following training?
Conceptual and Methodological Framework

This study used a modified version of the Gap Analysis by Clark and Estes (2008) that
looks at knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences on organizational and stakeholder
performance. In line with Clark and Estes (2008), the purpose of a gap analysis is to identify
whether an organization’s employees have the appropriate amount of knowledge, motivation,
and organizational support to achieve work goals. There are three influences that were explored:
(1) knowledge of the OTMs to help support training transfer, (2) motivation of the OTMs to help
support training transfer, and (3) the direct role CCECU plays in providing resources and an
organizational culture that promotes the OTMs’ proficiency in the practice of ensuring training
transfer.
The methodological framework used for this study was qualitative. Specifically, data was
gathered via interviews and document analysis. The interview protocol followed a semi-
structured format. A pre-determined set of interview questions were asked of participants, and
additional information was collected during the interview process that was not initially conceived
by the researcher. The document analysis includes the pre- and post-training checklist and
evaluation to gain a sense of the OTMs’ pre- and post-training employee support expectations
and provide clarity during the interview.

9

Definitions

Net Promoter Score (NPS): A management survey tool with a scale of zero to 10 that is used to
gauge the loyalty of member relationships. NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of
members who are detractors from the percentage of members who are promoters.
Training Transfer: Refers to the effect that knowledge or abilities acquired in one area have on
problem-solving or knowledge acquisition in other areas.
Organization of the Study

This study is organized into five chapters. Chapter one presented the problem of practice,
the organization of focus, the stakeholder group, the research questions, and the general and
methodological framework. Chapter two is a review of the literature that is relevant to this study.
This review of the literature covers three topic areas that emerged. These topic areas are the
motivational forces of training participants, training design, and post-training interventions.
Although the literature presented here has been applied to various problems, this review focuses
primarily on the literature related to the problem of low training transfer success. This chapter
also focused on manager’s knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences in their impact
on training transfer. Chapter three provides the methodology used in this study, including the
research design, the population and sampling measures, a discussion on the instrument selection
and development process, a review of the credibility and trustworthiness aspects of the methods,
and the data collection and data analysis procedures. Chapter four presents the analysis of the
data collected. Chapter five concludes with a discussion of results and recommendations for
future research.

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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Related Literature

This review of the related literature covers three topic areas that materialized during the
research process. These topic areas are the motivational forces of training participants, training
design, and post-training interventions. Although the literature presented here has been applied to
various problems, this review focuses primarily on the literature related to the problem of the low
training transfer success rate.
The larger problem of the practice of increasing training transfer success is important to
address because organizations at the local, national, and international levels are making
significant investments in training initiatives each year. In general, only about 10% of the
materials covered in training are actually transferred to the workplace (Velada, Michel, Lyons, &
Kavanagh, 2007). In this chapter, I first review the problem of practice influences, including
motivational forces, training design, and post-training interventions. Next, I present the
knowledge, motivational and organizational framework. Finally, I turn my attention to the
OTMs’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences and complete the chapter by
presenting the conceptual framework
Training Transfer

Training transfer refers to the effect that knowledge or abilities acquired in one area have
on problem-solving or knowledge acquisition in other areas. According to Kraiger (2014),
training transfer is based on the theory of transfer of learning. The theory was originally
introduced by Thorndike and Woodworth (1901) as transfer of practice and explored how
improvement in one mental function could influence a related one. The theory also implied that
transfer of learning depended on how similar the learning task and transfer tasks were (Cormier
& Hagman, 2014). In line with Kraiger (2014), the argument was also made that training transfer

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was not distinct from learning, as people did not encounter situations as empty slates. According
to Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016), training programs are not impactful unless the training is
perceived as meaningful to the participants, and there is an opportunity for it to be implemented
on the job. This was often called the transfer of learning in behavior. The deliberate
implementation of a model would actually help increase the degree of on the job application and
the overall impact to the organizational goal. If what was learned translated into improved job
performance, it was possible for better organizational results. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016)
also indicated that over-reliance on training events puts learning and development professionals
in danger of being replaced by technology. Special emphasis must be put into training transfer
success to demonstrate value to the organization’s executives.
Awais and Kaur (2010) suggested that training program planning was important for its
total success, including training transfer. They further suggested that the goals and the extent of
training, the training methods, and means, as well as the training place and equipment, were
important factors related to training program planning. These factors were identified as helping
employees transfer training to the workplace. The authors also argued that to successfully
accomplish training initiatives, training transfer needs to be transformed into measurable and
immediate operating objectives supported with clear responsibilities and accountability for
execution (Cromwell & Kolb, 2004). Mayer (2011) emphasized that this process of linking post-
training initiatives with short-term objectives and actions is a critical challenge for managers.
Highlighting the significant influence management has on the overall performance of an
organization, Nikendei et al. (2005) concluded that it is the role of the manager to convert
training initiatives into tangible actions and objectives to facilitate execution. Training strategies
do not exist in a vacuum. They are impacted by changes in an organization’s environment, which

12

may force managers to stray from a once sensible course of action and adjust to new training
initiative realities (Alvarez, Salas & Garofano, 2004).
Influences on Training Transfer

Managers need to understand the factors influencing training transfer in order to
maximize training outcomes. The relevance of training design, the motivation of training
participants, and post-training interventions such as support from employees, managers, and the
organization is key to successful training transfer (Grossman & Salas, 2011). This section will
explore these influences in more detail.
Training Design

One of the most popular training design processes is the ADDIE model because it
includes analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. According to Noe and
Kadwani (2018), regardless of the specific instructional system approach, they all share the
following assumptions: (a) training design is effective only if it helps employees reach
instructional or training goals and objectives, (b) measurable learning objectives should be
identified before the training program begins, (c) evaluation plays an important part in planning
and choosing a training method, monitoring the training program, and suggesting changes to the
training design process. An ineffective training design is linked to a trainee’s inability to obtain
maximal training transfer. According to Saks and Belcourt (2006), basic learning principles such
as participation, repetition, relevance, transference, and feedback are the cornerstones to
effective training design. In line with Morrison, Ross, Morrison, and Kalman (2019), solid
training design should include the opportunity to do the following: 1) model desired behaviors,
2) provide participants with the opportunities to practice, and 3) provide feedback. What has
been lacking is post-training design interventions such as self-management concerning training
material, relapse prevention and manager training-related goal setting for employees. The

13

authors reported that the training design systems model had been the backbone for the design of
training programs for decades. A key part of the model is the incorporation of various
instructional events during training. Awais and Kaur (2010) performed literature review,
revealing that training design factors including learning objectives, design needs, and evaluation
factors improve employee performance. They also indicated that post-training organizational
support works as a link between training material strength and transfer motivation.
In addition, the work environment was one of the main factors that influenced the transfer
of learning; for instance, trainee opportunity to practice new skills, incentives to transfer
learning, support from supervisors, and social support from peers. Bhatti, Battour, Sundram, and
Othman (2013) conducted a study that tested learner readiness. Based on 503 bank employees’
responses, they concluded that training design assists in optimizing training transfer at the
workplace. The results also revealed that training design should include implementing learning
principles, effective sequencing of training content and learning retention strategies such as
storytelling, brainstorming and opportunities for interaction.
Finally, in a landmark study, Riding and Sadler-Smith (1997) argued that conventional
training design methodologies lack the theoretical and empirical basis to acknowledge the
important role of individuals in thinking, perceiving and remembering information. The authors
concluded that balanced training designs should include text, pictures (videos), and diagrams
along with flexibility in the design’s structure to allow learners the opportunity to explore new
information in their own distinctive ways. Addressing the importance of adequate training design
may improve training transfer success and increase the overall NPS. In addition to considering
the training design of participant materials, it is also important to examine the training program’s
post-training interventions’ component.

14

Motivation of Training Participants

According to Awais, Ali, Mohd, and Mohamed (2014), one of the important factors
among training participant characteristics was transfer motivation, which is defined as the
trainees’ desire to use the knowledge and skills learned in training on the job. To achieve
maximum training transfer, the learner should have high transfer motivation, which is one of the
underlying causes. Furthermore, transfer motivation mediates the relationship between the
training material and successful training transfer. Chiaburu and Marinova (2005) surveyed 186
employees from an industrial organization on individual dimensions such as goal orientation,
training self-efficacy, and contextual factors such as supervisor and peer support. The results
revealed that pre-training motivation was related to skill transfer. Similarly, Lim and Morris
(2006) gathered data from 181 employees working in finance, accounting, or planning and found
that job satisfaction seemed to have a positive influence on employees’ motivation to transfer
learning. Finally, Brown and McCracken (2009) examined survey data from 137 employees,
mostly from the public sector, where respondents completed a short transfer of training
questionnaire three months after a one-day managerial training program. In this study, open-
ended questions investigating training barriers were analyzed. The results revealed substantial
overlap between the motivation of participants and transfer barriers, with the most common
barriers being linked to a lack of time to practice newly trained behaviors and an unsupportive
culture.
Improved job satisfaction has also been linked to decreased employee turnover. De Grip
and Sauermann (2013) indicated that successful training transfer could increase workers’ income
by as much as 12%. The authors concluded that organizations appeared to recover the training
costs within weeks after a successful training initiative. In addition, workers who participated in
a job-related training course and successfully applied the content were significantly more likely

15

to have received increases in their performance ratings. Addressing the importance of adequate
training participant motivational forces may help improve training transfer success and increase
overall NPS.
Post-Training Interventions

Post-training interventions such as organizational and managerial support play a major
role in increasing training transfer success. According to Chauhan, Ghosh, Rai, and Kapoor
(2017), a well-designed training program should be coupled with post-training supervisor
support to ensure the effective transfer of training. The influence of training design on the
transfer of training is likely to be more effective if the post-training supervisor is supportive.
Grossman and Salas (2011) conducted a literature review based on Baldwin and Ford’s transfer
model in which results revealed that the post-training work environment, including the transfer
climate, supervisor support and opportunity to perform, were amongst the strongest predictors of
post-training transfer. Similarly, Eby et al. (2019) conducted a comprehensive qualitative review
of 67 published studies that examined mindfulness-based post-training interventions conducted
with employees. Results revealed that colleagues, managers, and the organizational context play
a role in enhancing the post-training transfer of knowledge, skills, and abilities to the workplace.
Furthermore, they reported that obstacles such as situational constraints and aspects of the
organizational culture may reduce the likelihood that individuals will engage in daily
implementation of practices shared in training. Finally, Chiaburu, Van Dam, and Hutchins
(2010) conducted a longitudinal study of 111 participants in a large organization in the United
States Mid-Atlantic region. The study revealed that supervisory and organizational support were
positively related to training self-efficacy and motivation to learn, suggesting that influences on
these individual factors could stem from either support source. Addressing the importance of
post-training interventions may help increase training transfer success and the overall NPS. In

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addition to considering motivational forces, transfer design and post-training interventions, it is
also essential to examine the problem’s implications.
Clark and Estes (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences Framework
Clark and Estes (2008) knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences framework
was used to explore the degree to which CCECU Operations Team Managers (OTMs) have the
capacity to consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in
their daily activities. Knowledge and skills identified are divided into four types, according to
Krathwohl (2002): (a) declarative; (b) conceptual; (c) procedural; and (d) metacognitive
knowledge. These knowledge types were explored in the context of CCECU OTMs’ ability to
consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in their daily
activities. Motivation includes the choice to consider goal achievement, work towards the goal,
and the mental effort to accomplish the goal (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). Variables such
as self-efficacy, attributions, values, and goals can be considered when analyzing motivation
(Rueda, 2011). Finally, organizational influences on CCECU’s OTMs’ performance include
work processes, resources, and workplace culture.
Each of the elements of Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis is addressed below in terms
of the CCECU OTMs’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational needs to consistently support
the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in their daily activities. The first
section discusses assumed influences on the stakeholder performance goal in the context of
knowledge and skills. Next, assumed influences on attaining CCECU operations team
management goal from the perspective of motivation were considered. Finally, assumed
organizational influences on the achievement of the CCECU operations team management goal
was explored.

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Operations Team Managers’ Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences

Clark and Estes (2008) referred to three critical managerial influences that must be
examined during the analysis process. The first influence category is the OTMs knowledge and
skills which includes that they need to know (a) how to consistently support the implementation
of training transfer initiatives by their employees in their daily activities, (b) how to facilitate job
related information exchange and collaborative effort between their teams, (c) how to reflect on
their own abilities to increase training transfer rates, and (d) how to improve training impact
through effective follow-up. The second influence category is their motivation, which includes
that the OTMs (a) need to feel confident in their ability to engage in post-training initiatives,
persist at team members and invest effort, and (b) they need to see the value of ensuring training
transfer among their employees. Finally, organizational influences include that (a) CCECU needs
to support the practice of ensuring training transfer and (b) CCECU needs to provide materials
after the training is completed to further the training participant’s competency in training
transfer. The purpose of the gap analysis is to identify whether employees have satisfactory
knowledge, motivation, and organizational support to reach key work goals. All three of these
factors must be brought into line with each other for successful goal achievement.
Knowledge Influences

For CCECU OTMs to consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by
their employees in their daily activities, they need different types of knowledge. According to
Krathwohl (2002), there are four different types of knowledge: (a) declarative, (b) conceptual, (c)
procedural, and (d) metacognitive. The first type of knowledge is declarative knowledge, which
consists of the basic elements people should know to be familiar with a discipline and should be
included in training initiatives. It includes knowledge of terminology and specific facts. Knowing
the common language and practicalities is a prerequisite for individuals to perform or solve

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problems within a given context (Cromwell & Kolb, 2004). Conceptual knowledge is the second
knowledge type and consists of the interrelations among the basic elements within a larger
structure than enable them to function together. It includes knowledge of categories, principles,
and models relevant to a particular area. Procedural knowledge is how to do things, and
essentially, how to apply conceptual knowledge, primarily (Laker & Powell, 2011).
Metacognitive knowledge, or “thinking about thinking,” is the fourth and final type of
knowledge. It includes knowledge of self (Alvarez, Salas & Garofano, 2004).
The following sections address three knowledge influences critical for CCECU OTMs to
support employee training transfer and categorize them into one of the knowledge types
reviewed above. Exploring the different knowledge types is important to understand operations’
team managers’ knowledge comprehensively.
OTMs’ Knowledge of Consistently Supporting the Implementation of Training Transfer
Initiatives by Their Employees in Their Daily Activities
Studies indicated that there are three key strategies that OTMs should implement in order
to consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in their daily
activities. The first strategy is for OTMs to provide supervisory support. Cromwell and Kolb
(2004) also found that education and training gain the most traction within highly visible
organizational change and development efforts championed by senior leaders. The next strategy
is to explore whether or not the OTMs conduct a pre-training expectations’ discussion and an
after-training follow-up discussion. Beer, Finnstrom, and Schrader (2016) reported significantly
higher training implementation and a more positive perception regarding the forces that
encourage the transfer of training in the work environment among the trainees who received
backing from their managers. Finally, the exchange of information and the support provided by
group networks are important for maximum transfer of training (Cromwell & Kolb, 2004).

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Before managers can act to align with the initiative to develop a well-qualified staff, they need to
implement training transfer behaviors into their daily activities and have a basic understand how
training transfer works since it directly impacts member satisfaction and the resulting NPS.
OTMs’ Knowledge of How to Improve Training Impact through Effective Follow-Up
According to Martin (2010), the following five key items should be used to extend
procedural learning and derive more value from an organization’s investment in training and
development. The first one was action plans, which were written documents completed by the
trainee during or right after training, that specify how the trainee planned to implement the skills
on the job. The second one was performance assessment, which included activities that were
undertaken to measure or observe the behavior of trainees in the work environment following
instruction. The third one was peer meetings, which were periodic meetings usually facilitated by
a professional staff member. The fourth one was supervisory consultations, which were designed
to put the trainee’s immediate supervisor into the role of a coach or mentor to encourage skill
application. Finally, the fifth one was technical support, which involved a variety of mechanisms
established to provide information and assistance to participants following a training program. It
is important to improve training impact in order to provide a return on investment for training
initiatives initiated by CCECU in order to improve the NPS. One way to do this is through
effective post-training follow-up.
OTMs’ Knowledge of How to Facilitate Job-Related Information Exchange and Collaborative
Effort between their Teams
According to Clark and Estes (2008), the purpose of procedure-related information
exchange and collaborative effort is to share skills with the group being trained, and enable those
individuals to then pass those skills on to even more individuals. Rueda (2011) discussed that
organizations often focus on internal communication and choose to share information down the

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organizational ladder rather than to educate the diverse management layers on a new approach.
However, research shows that simply telling people about a strategy does not necessarily mean
that they understand it or can take appropriate actions to implement it (Rueda, 2011).
In keeping with Lather and Sharma (2009), planning for training includes setting both
narrow and broad objectives, identification of training tools such as the use of a learning
management system (LMS) or video editing software, and the design and selection of training
materials such as leader and participant guides and job aids. It is also important to identify post-
training evaluation factors during pre-training to keep the training effort’s focus on the
attainment of organizational objectives. Therefore, having a basic understanding of CCECU’s
overall strategy, including its main components, assumptions, and objectives, is not only an
instinctual but a serious precondition for CCECU OTMs to consistently reinforce desired
employee behaviors in the workplace following training.
OTMs’ Reflection on Their Own Abilities to Increase Training Transfer Rates
To consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by their employees,
CCECU OTMs benefit from reflecting on their ability to increase training transfer rates in their
daily activities and adjust their efforts as appropriate. More precisely, OTMs benefit from using
metacognition to plan, monitor, and assess their understanding and performance. Companies
often focus on a top-down organizational strategy to train and educate their employees (Clark &
Estes, 2008). However, the intended recipients do not always receive an all-inclusive picture of
the training strategy, including the different motivations and expectations that led to its creation
(Cromwell & Kolb, 2004). According to Beer, Finnstrom, and Schrader (2016), choosing not to
review the post-training expectations may be considered an acceptable decision by the top
leadership team. However, it limits the ability of lower-level managers to learn and develop a
deep understanding of what is guiding the organization’s long-term direction. Therefore, the

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CCECU OTMs need to assess their ability to consistently support the implementation of training
initiatives by their employees in their daily activities.
Table 2

Knowledge Influences and Types
Motivational Influences

Motivational influences are the second element necessary to explore for CCECU OTMs
to consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in their daily
activities. While the previous section on knowledge focused on the operations team knowing
procedures and processes, this section examines if the team has the motivation to support
employee training transfer. Rueda (2011) pointed out that knowledge and motivation are often
looked at in isolation, but stressed that both are critical for accomplishing a task and directly
affect each other. The impact of motivation on people’s performance is essential, and Clark and
Estes (2008) affirmed that many organizational performance gaps are due to motivational causes.
The authors also emphasized that increasing motivation helps address performance shortcomings
and produces positive organizational outcomes even if there is no obvious training gap. This
correlation is particularly relevant in the case of CCECU, as the study’s objective is to evaluate
the operations team managers’ progress toward reducing the gap between training and on-the-job
performance.
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type
OTMs’ knowledge of consistently supporting the implementation of
training transfer initiatives by their employees in their daily activities
Declarative
(factual,
conceptual)
OTMs’ knowledge of how to improve training impact through effective
follow-up
Declarative
(factual,
conceptual)
OTMs’ knowledge of how to facilitate job related information exchange
and collaborative effort between their teams
Procedural
OTMs’ reflection on their own abilities to increase training transfer
rates
Metacognitive

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Motivation makes individuals select a goal and work toward its achievement (Cromwell
& Kolb, 2004). Clark and Estes (2008) explored the topic of motivation further and emphasized
that it consists of three primary indicators: (a) active choice, (b) persistence, and (c) mental
effort. Active choice is characterized by action rather than contemplation or speculation;
persistence refers to a person’s continued efforts to work on the goal despite difficulties or
opposition; mental effort addresses how hard a person tries to actively process presented
information (Clark & Estes, 2008). Pintrich (2003) highlighted the following motivational
variables that impact motivation: (a) self-efficacy, (b) attributions, (c) interest, (d) value, and (e)
goals. The following sections focus on self-efficacy and values. Both are critical to evaluating
CCECU’s operations team managers’ motivation to consistently support the implementation of
training initiatives by their employees in their daily activities.
Self-Efficacy
According to Bandura (2010), self-efficacy refers to a person’s belief in their capacity to
execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Self-efficacy reflects
confidence in the ability of the OTMs to exert control over their own motivation, behavior, and
social environment. These cognitive self-evaluations influence all manner of human experience,
including the goals for which people strive, the amount of energy expended toward goal
achievement, and the likelihood of attaining particular behavioral performance (Pajares, 2006).
Perceived self-efficacy focuses on people's beliefs in their ability to impact their surrounding
environment. This principle belief is the foundation of human motivation, performance
accomplishments, and emotional wellbeing. Unless people believe they can have an impact, they
have little motivation to take on tasks or to persist when faced with challenges. Whatever other
influences that may be serving as guides and motivators, they are rooted in the core belief that
their actions can make a difference (Bandura, 2010). Therefore, the motivational construct of

23

self-efficacy is a useful tool to consider when exploring the degree to which OTMs have the
capacity to consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in
their daily activities.
OTMs’ Confidence in Their Ability to Deliver Pre- and Post-Training Initiatives for
Their Employees. Awais and Kaur (2010) indicated that to achieve the desired training
alignment and create positive associations, managers may need to act as ambassadors, link
different organizational layers and entities, and engage in the process of sense-making to
understand, interpret, and refine outcomes. Therefore, to consistently support the implementation
of training initiatives by their employees in their daily activities, CCECU OTMs need high self-
efficacy because it predicts their ability to engage in both pre- and post-training initiatives,
persist at their team members, and invest effort. Higher self-efficacy levels resulting from
positive associations lead to higher assurance and post-training performance (Gegenfurtner,
2011).
Value Orientation
Value orientation refers to intrinsic, extrinsic, attainment, and cost value (Eccles, 2006).
Intrinsic points to the interest and enjoyment that people experience when engaging in an
activity. Extrinsic concerns what people get out of their work, rather than what they put into it.
Attainment is the action of achieving a goal toward which one has worked. Finally, cost value is
the amount of effort put into work versus the benefit of the outcome. Cost value increases when
the benefit exceeds the effort. Eccles (2006) indicates that value orientation is based on the
guiding principle that individuals do things for different reasons. Understanding value orientation
helps to explore how leaders behave in business.
OTMs’ Extrinsic and Utility Value for Ensuring Training Transfer. Expectancy-
value theory suggests that expectancies and values interact to predict important training transfer

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outcomes such as engagement, continuing interest, and job performance (Gegenfurtner, 2011).
The OTMs face a variety of competing priorities throughout the workday. Therefore, they must
perceive value in dedicating time and energy to learn about the practice of ensuring training
transfer. Gegenfurtner (2011) also found a positive relationship for training participants who
have reported having utility value for a task and the overall commitment to the task. This
relationship is critical for the OTMs as they work towards demonstrating competency to ensuring
training transfer. In line with expectancy-value motivational theory, training participants
recognize the value of a task under four separate areas: anticipated enjoyment; achievement
value, which expresses alignment in the value one feels in finishing the task; the value that is
perceived in accomplishing the task as related to the individual’s future goals; and the possible
costs associated with finishing the task (Eccles, 2006). Utility value is an important factor in
examining the motivation of the OTMs. In this case, utility value refers to how important the
managers see engaging in strategies that ensure transfer – versus hoping that training itself
translates into practice, without support (Grossman & Burke-Smalley, 2018). The literature
indicates that there is a relationship between positive utility value and job interest. Training
participants who report utility value for a job demonstrate a corresponding commitment to the
job, leading to positive performance (Gegenfertner, 2011). If the OTMs do not see the value in
ensuring training transfer practices in relation to improved performance, it is unlikely that they
demonstrate a committed and consistent effort to ensuring training transfer. If the OTMs’
develop an interest in the concept of ensuring training transfer, they are more likely to persist
with the consistent practice. Table 3 shows the motivational influences and methods to assess
them.

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Table 3
Motivational Influences and Motivational Assessments
Organizational Influences

According to the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework, organizational
influences impact performance. To better understand the organizational influences needed for the
OTMs’ to consistently support the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in
their daily activities, this section explores the direct role CCECU plays in providing resources
and ensuring an organizational culture that promotes the OTMs’ proficiency in the practice of
ensuring training transfer. Employees must be provided with concrete resources to achieve the
stated organizational goals, as there needs to be alignment between the organizational culture and
behavior (Clark & Estes, 2008). The OTMs’ consist of nine branch managers and nine assistant
branch managers. Continued support from the OTMs’ includes providing material resources for
the training participants regarding post-training expectations after the training has occurred and
creating an organizational culture that supports OTM competency and engagement in the
practice of ensuring training transfer.
CCECU’s Support of the Practice of Ensuring Training Transfer
CCECU will ensure training transfer success by dedicating the necessary time and
resources for the OTMs to coach their teams on new processes, provide tools such as a robust
learning management system, invest in training systems technology, and offer easily accessible
policy and procedure resources. As defined by Northouse (2019), leadership entails focused
Assumed Motivation Influences Motivational Influence Assessment

OTMs’ confidence in their ability to deliver pre-
and post-training initiatives for their employees
Interview to assess how confident the
OTMs feel about their ability to support
training transfer
OTMs’ extrinsic and utility value for ensuring
training transfer
Interview to assess how OTMs value the
process of supporting training transfer

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attention on achieving common goals within an organization. The CCECU OTMs have
previously announced a commitment to ensure training transfer within the organization’s
framework. For this study’s purpose, the organizational culture impacts how the training
participants respond to the educational resources provided regarding the practice of training
transfer and how that influences the OTMs’ ability to consistently support the implementation of
training initiatives by their employees in their daily activities. In line with Northouse (2019),
organizational culture can be defined as a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs,
which govern how people behave in organizations. These shared values impact the employees at
CCECU and dictate how they dress, act, and perform their jobs. For the OTMs to demonstrate
competency in the practice of ensuring training transfer, CCECU needs to engage in learning
about the construct of training transfer collectively, and the practice needs to be embedded
within the culture. Under ideal circumstances, this means that CCECU ensures that new
behaviors are expected of employees post-training, and this is consistent across the entire
organization. Each department and leader inspects for the new behaviors on a consistent basis,
and there are rewards for on-target performance and consequences for lack of performance.
CCECU must show its value for mindful practice and integrate the practice within the
organizational norms. Organizational culture focuses on values, beliefs, and assumptions held by
the OTMs. These can either positively impact how learning is viewed within the organization or,
conversely impede how it is accepted (Gegenfurtner, 2011). For CCECU, embedding
mindfulness within the organizational culture favorably contributes to the OTMs being able to
consistently support the implementation of training transfer initiatives by their employees in their
daily activities. This can be achieved directly through the actions, values, and attitudes exhibited
by CCECU. As Northouse (2019) indicated, organizational culture comprises norms that are
accepted within an organization. CCECU must demonstrate the value of mindfulness and create

27

a culture where demonstrating competency and consistent engagement in ensuring training
transfer becomes part of the organizational fabric and is perceived as a norm within the
organization.
CCECU’s Provision of Materials after the Training is completed to further the OTMs’
Competency in Training Transfer
To support the OTMs in their practice of ensuring excellent member service, CCECU
needs to facilitate the availability and distribution of training materials that are focused on
ensuring training transfer, such as job aids and quick reference guides. Once training transfer is
achieved and can be verified by a measurable increase in the NPS, CCECU needs to certify that
there is a shared understanding of the new process or procedure. The OTMs function within a
team-based organizational framework; collectively, the OTMs must have confidence that each
member of the organization can individually contribute to the organizational goal. Organizational
learning occurs when training participant learning becomes part of a larger organizational
construct; the knowledge leads to embedded actions in the organization and is supported by its
culture (Awais & Kaur, 2010). Organizational learning configuration can be broken down into
the following sub processes: information gaining, dispersal, understanding, integration, and
organizational memory, which is basically how information is stored for retrieval such as a
knowledge base (Gegenfurtner, 2011). The OTMs are responsible for driving the organizational
learning process regarding the practice of ensuring training transfer. Creating a physical presence
of the materials aids in creating a culture of competency (Gegenfurtner, 2011). Therefore,
CCECU must ensure that it is providing the resources necessary, such as an adequate budget so
that the material aids can be provided to or easily accessed by training participants.

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Table 4
Organizational Cultural Models, Settings and Influences
Organizational Influence
Cultural Model Influence 1

CCECU’s support of the practice of
ensuring training transfer
Cultural Setting Influence 1

CCECU’s provision of materials after
the training is completed to further the
OTMs’ competency in training transfer

Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Motivation and
Organizational Influences
A conceptual framework’s critical feature is that it is primarily a conception or model of
what is being studied, and a tentative theory of the phenomena that is being investigated
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Although each of the influences above was presented independent of
each other, they do not remain isolated. In the following paragraphs, I provide examples of how I
believe they interact with each other, essentially my theory of the way they work in this
particular context.
The conceptual framework figure above includes three blue circles, one short blue arrow,
and a blue rectangle. The big blue circle contains the organization being studied (CCECU) and
the organizational (cultural model influence). The blue interconnected semicircle that sits on the
bottom right contains the stakeholder group (Operations team managers) along with their
knowledge (declarative, procedural, and metacognitive) influences and overlaps with the blue
interconnected semicircle that sits on the bottom right that contains the stakeholder group
motivation (self-efficacy and utility value) influences. The blue arrow represents how the large
blue circle relies on the two semicircles, to result in the OTMs’ ability to attain CCECU’s goal of
increasing the NPS from 8.75 to 9.25 by May 2021.

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Figure 1
Conceptual Framework

Stakeholder Motivation
Motivation (Self-Efficacy)
– OTMs’ Confidence in
Their Ability to Deliver Pre
and Post-Training
Initiatives for Their
Employees
Motivation (Extrinsic and
Utility Value) – OTMs’
Extrinsic and Utility Value
for Ensuring Training
Transfer
Stakeholder Knowledge
Knowledge (Declarative) –
OTMs’ Knowledge of
Consistently Supporting the
Implementation of Training
Transfer Initiatives by Their
Employees in Their Daily
Activities
Knowledge (Procedural) -
OTMs’ Knowledge of How
to Improve Training Impact
Through Effective Follow-up
Knowledge (Procedural) -
OTMs’ Knowledge of How
to Facilitate Job Related
Information Exchange and
Collaborative Effort Between
their Teams
Knowledge (Metacognitive)
– OTMs’ Reflection on Their
Own Abilities to Increase
Training Transfer Rates
By May 2021, CCECU’s member
satisfaction survey (NPS) will
increase from 8.75 to 9.25
Organization
City and County Employees Credit Union (CCECU)
Organizational
(Cultural Model Influence 1)
CCECU’s Support of the Practice of Ensuring Training
Transfer

30

Summary
This literature review discussed the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences
critical for OTMs to ensure training transfer at CCECU. The review began with general research
on the importance of training transfer to the workplace. This was followed by an overview of the
literature on motivational forces that affect participant drive and training transfer. The review
presented an in-depth discussion on how ineffective training design is linked to a trainee’s ability
to obtain a maximal transfer. This section included current research on post-training
interventions such as organizational and managerial support that play a major role in training
transfer success rates. Following the general research literature, the review turned to the Clark
and Estes Gap Analytic Conceptual Framework and, specifically, knowledge (K), motivation
(M), and organizational (O) influences on the gap between training and on-the-job performance
at CCECU. The literature suggests that post-training organizational support has one of the
biggest impacts on training transfer success rates (Bhatti, Battour, and Sundram, 2013; Brown &
McCracken, 2009; Riding & Sadler-Smith, 1997). The research has been informed by certain
approaches and is discussed further in Chapter 3, Methodology.

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CHAPTER THREE: METHODS
The purpose of this project is to create an in-depth study that analyzes and seeks to
explore the capacity of Operations Team Managers (OTMs) to support employee training
transfer and the impact on the overall success rate of the organization. This research study draws
from Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis framework. It focuses on the knowledge and skill,
motivation, and organizational influences that either support or impede the ability of CCECU to
meet their performance goals. The qualitative research study concludes with practice
recommendations. The questions that guide this study are the following:
1. What is the OTMs’ knowledge and motivation related to reinforcing desired
employee behaviors in the workplace following training?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and the OTMs’
knowledge and motivation related to reinforcing desired employee behaviors in the
workplace following training?
3. What are the recommended knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
solutions related to reinforcing desired employee behaviors in the workplace
following training?
Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholder population of focus are the 18 CCECU OTMs: nine branch managers
and nine assistant branch managers. The criteria associated with CCECU’s operations team
managers’ participation in the study are that they held leadership roles and were responsible for
the training transfer success of operations staff post-training.

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Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale
The following criterion guided interview sampling. The CCECU operations team
managers (OTMs) were both branch managers and assistant branch managers.
Interview Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
A total of 18 participants were invited to interview, which included the nine branch
managers and nine assistant branch managers. The goal was to complete eight to 10 interviews.
A proxy was used to conduct the interviews to minimize potential bias based on my role in
overseeing the instructor-led training for the OTMs. Nine OTMs volunteered to be interviewed,
availability sampling was used, and they were all interviewed by the proxy in the order received.
CCECU OTMs received an invitation from a proxy that informed about the study’s purpose,
their rights as human participants and invited them to participate in the study. The invitation
included an explanation of how they were in an ideal situation to provide valuable firsthand
experience, the approximate length of the interview and that their identity would be kept
confidential but the data themes would be reported out and a proxy would perform the
interviews. The Branch Manager Interviews were conducted via Zoom, based on the COVID-19
response recommendations.
Document Analysis Sampling Criteria and Rationale

The following criteria guided document analysis.
Criterion 1
The document is created by CCECU.

Criterion 2
The document is directly related to training.

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Document Analysis Strategy and Rationale

The document analysis portion of this study was used to inform the interview component
of the study. The document types included are the NPS score history, the pre-training agenda, the
post-training employee evaluation, and the post-training checklist. The employee evaluation and
checklist are forwarded to the OTMs for post-training review. The documents were obtained by
gaining consent from the senior vice president of human resources and staff development. Since
the documents tend to be modified over time, they were gathered over a ninety-day period from
May 2020 to July 2020. The documents are tied to the conceptual framework and helped to
answer the first research question regarding the OTMs’ knowledge and motivation related to
consistently supporting the implementation of training initiatives by their employees in their
daily activities.
Data Collection and Instrumentation

The data collection methods included interviews and document analysis. Five branch
managers and four assistant branch managers volunteered and were interviewed by the proxy
using convenience sampling. I used these methods to help triangulate my results by collecting
data from a diverse range of individuals and settings using various methods. This helped to
reduce the risk of chance associations and systematic biases (Maxwell, 2013). The purpose of the
interviews was to examine the operations team managers’ (OTMs) knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences related to their capacity to consistently reinforce desired employee
behaviors following training. Finally, the documents similarly offered stability since the
investigator’s presence does not alter what is being studied (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

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Interviews

Interview Protocol
I used a semi-structured interview protocol that was more flexible than a structured
interview protocol and allowed for a mix of structured and unstructured questions and changes to
the question order if necessary. This allowed the proxy to be organized and appear competent
during the interviews. It also permitted her to follow topical trajectories that strayed from the
planned routine questioning strategy to capture more rich data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I used
a general interview guide approach since the interview was based on broad topical areas defined
before the interview. The guide serves as a checklist to ensure all topics are covered with each
respondent (Patton, 2002). The types of questions that were asked cover the knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences that were assumed to impact the OTMs in their ability
to consistently reinforce desired employee behaviors following training. The knowledge
influences included questions that explored the OTMs’ interactions with stakeholders and how
they impact the ability of OTMs to consistently reinforce desired employee behaviors following
training, what daily activities include after they have been trained on a new policy or procedure
and the types of accountability mechanisms to ensure the implementation of training initiatives
post-training. These questions are linked to the conceptual framework that guides the exploration
of the OTMs’ capacity to support training initiatives. While reading the interview transcripts, I
looked for technical knowledge and conceptual understanding. These questions are associated
with the conceptual framework since the interviews probed into the knowledge and skills related
to training transfer. The operational influences encompass questions that dove into the tools and
resources available to help OTMs consistently support the implementation of training initiatives
by their employees in their daily activities and the result or consequence of not implementing
training initiatives.

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Interview Procedures
Interviews were conducted after approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) had
been received. The interview time frame was during August of 2020. The interviews took place
after the document analysis had been completed. I made this choice in timing since the best
primary document sources are those recorded closest in time and place to the phenomenon
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The proxy conducted nine interviews, which consisted of five branch
managers and four assistant branch managers. The one-time interviews lasted approximately
thirty minutes each for a total of four hours and thirty minutes across all of the participants. This
is due to the fact that the interviews were generally conducted during work hours. The interviews
were held online via Zoom, based on the COVID-19 response recommendations. The data was
captured via notes and audio recordings.
Data Analysis

Data analysis is a dynamic process and one that provides meaning to the data that was
previously collected (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). For the study, I utilized qualitative data
analysis. The results linked my research findings to the research aim and objectives.
For interviews, data analysis began during data collection. Interviews were conducted
and transcribed by the proxy and then coded by me. I wrote analytic memos after each interview
transcript that I received. I documented my thoughts, concerns, and initial conclusions about the
data in relation to my conceptual framework and research questions. In the first phase of
analysis, I used open coding, looking for empirical codes and applying a priori codes from the
conceptual framework. A second phase of analysis was conducted as a pivotal link between data
collection and explaining the meaning of the data where empirical and a prior codes are
aggregated into analytic and axial codes in order to search for and identify concepts and find
relationships between them. In the third phase of data analysis, I identified pattern codes and

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themes that emerged in relation to the conceptual framework and study questions. I analyzed
documents and artifacts for evidence consistent with the concepts in the conceptual framework.
Credibility and Trustworthiness

Credibility is the most important component in establishing trustworthiness (Robinson &
Firth, 2019). I used specific strategies such as triangulation, saturation, and member checking to
ensure the credibility of my findings. I used interviews and documents to triangulate a more
complete understanding of the OTMs’ goal to consistently reinforce desired employee behaviors
following training. I also used member checking to increase credibility, in which their own data
interpretation was shared with them throughout the interview. This allowed them to clarify what
their intentions were, correct errors, and provide additional information is necessary. Finally, I
used reflexivity since my background and position have affected what I have chosen to
investigate and that my perspective had the potential to have shaped my research. I accomplished
this by briefly reporting in my study how my preconceptions, beliefs, values, assumptions, and
position may have come into play during the research process (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016;
Maxwell, 2013).
Ethics

According to Glesne (2016), selecting a topic, design, and methodology are all ethical
considerations as they reflect the researcher’s philosophical and ethical stand on research. One of
my primary responsibilities as a researcher was to ensure that the study was designed so that
participants were aware of what is involved and that they could withdraw at any time without
penalty. It was also important for them to know that I would protect their safety, dignity, and
privacy while discussing, referring to or engaging in the topic. To do this, the methodology
included that each participant receives an Information Sheet before initiating the study. The
Information Sheet explained that participation was entirely voluntary, would not impact their

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employment and that they could stop participation at any time and did not have to answer any
questions they chose not to. As an added layer of security, the data was also codified once it was
collected. Codifying the data removed the individual participant identifying characteristics.
As the Director of Staff Development at CCECU, I am interested in studying what causes
training initiatives not to be consistently implemented within the operations management team’s
daily activities. As the Director, I oversee the design, development, and implementation of
instructor-led and web-based training for CCECU. In my role, I have no direct supervisory
responsibilities over the study participants. Participants may have felt that a decision not to
participate would have affected their working relationship with my department. I ensured that
participants’ understanding that I would be using a proxy to conduct the interviews and that my
role as an investigator was merely to collect and interpret data that was used to improve the
training transfer process and therefore, they may have been able to benefit from it (Rubin &
Rubin, 2012).
Although training design emerged as an influence on training transfer success, it was not
discussed due to my role as a leader within the training department. This perspective was
accounted for by my interview questions and the responses recorded for data collection, analysis,
and reporting. I also may have made certain assumptions or generalizations about respondents. I
addressed these potential biases by codifying the data before analyzing it.

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CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND FINDINGS
The purpose of the research study was to explore and analyze CCECU’s performance related
to a larger problem of practice of lack of training transfer into practice. The analysis focused on
the knowledge and motivation of the Operations Team Managers (OTMs) and the organizational
influences of CCECU. While a complete study would include all stakeholders, for practical
purposes, the stakeholder group on which this analysis focused was the CCECU OTMs. As such,
the following research questions guide this study:
1. What is the OTMs’ knowledge and motivation related to reinforcing desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and OTMs’
knowledge and motivation related to reinforcing desired employee behaviors in the
workplace following training?
3. What are the recommended knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
solutions related to OTMs reinforcing desired employee behaviors in the workplace
following training?
Participating Stakeholders
The research study’s OTM population consisted of nine branch managers and nine
assistant branch managers with a time in position range between one and ten years. Out of nine
branch managers, five volunteered, and out of nine assistant managers, four volunteered and
were included in the sample. The interviews were conducted by proxy for qualitative analysis.
An incentive of a $25 gift card was provided for all OTMs who agreed to participate in the
interview process. There were nineteen questions for each interview; additional follow-up
questions were asked when deemed appropriate by the interviewer. The interviews were
conducted remotely via Zoom to minimize direct human contact based on USC IRB

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requirements in the context of the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic that began in March of 2020.
The OTMs’ responses were reported out with no identifiers. Responses to the questions were
recorded and transcribed by the proxy. The results have been placed in a secure location and
have not been shared with any external parties. The responses were analyzed for the qualitative
findings of the study. Table 5 identifies the participants and management type using gender-
neutral pseudonyms.
Table 5
Demographic Information of Participants
ID Management Type
Avery Branch Manager
Riley Branch Manager
Jordan Branch Manager
Parker Branch Manager
Sawyer Branch Manager
Peyton Assistant Branch Manager
Quinn Assistant Branch Manager
Blake Assistant Branch Manager
Taylor Assistant Branch Manager

Research Question One: What is the OTMs’ Knowledge and Motivation Related to
Reinforcing Desired Employee Behaviors in the Workplace Following Training?
An analysis of the interview findings of the OTMs established three themes. The themes
related specifically to the OTMs’ knowledge and motivation related to reinforcing desired
employee behaviors following training. As the stakeholder performance goal was that 100% of

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CCECU OTMs would consistently reinforce desired employee behaviors following training, it
was critical to explore how the OTMs were positioned to reach that goal. Considering the
knowledge construct of the research study, the qualitative interviews demonstrated that while the
OTMs could clearly articulate their knowledge of how to prepare their employees for training,
there was still a knowledge gap in regard to providing consistent supervisory support after
training. The second theme that was explored focused on the OTMs’ motivation to reinforce
desired employee behaviors following training. Motivation is a complex construct, and the
research study explored specifically the motivational influences of self-efficacy and utility value.
The OTMs demonstrated a high level of self-efficacy in regard to their ability to deliver pre- and
post-training initiatives for their employees. The OTMs also demonstrated value and pride for
ensuring training transfer, as they could articulate benefits of engagement, continuing interest,
and job performance.
Knowledge Findings
One of the key research questions for this study was to analyze whether the OTMs had
adequate knowledge in understanding the practice of reinforcing desired employee behaviors
following training. Knowledge is a construct with three distinct cognitive dimensions:
declarative, procedural, and metacognitive (Rueda, 2011). For the research study, the knowledge
constructs of all three types were explored to determine knowledge gaps as related to the
research questions. There were originally four knowledge influences identified in chapter two of
this study. The interviews resulted in the discovery of two additional findings, all of which are
discussed below. If more than 50% of participants indicated a high level of declarative,
procedural or metacognitive knowledge, the influence was determined to be an asset.

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Finding 1: OTMs’ Clear and Precise Knowledge of How to Prepare Their Employees for
Training
For the OTMs to demonstrate competency in preparing their employees for training, a
baseline of foundational knowledge is needed. As part of the qualitative interviews, the OTMs
were specifically asked if they prepare their employees for training beforehand. All nine (100%)
interviewees said that they can offer some type of pre-training support for their employees; in
analyzing the results, a theme emerged that the OTMs have a shared meaning or common
language to describe pre-training.
When asked to describe their relationship to their employees’ training experience, Quinn,
noted that “It would be pre-training, it would be something where I am preparing them for
what’s coming next.” Another OTM, Peyton, said, “I like to bring it to life; I give them an
overview, so they know what to expect” as part of pre-training. Five (55%) of the OTMs offered
a more specific explanation of pre-training. Quinn said, “I have them shadow me prior to
training.” Sawyer said, “Prior to training, I explain to them that their scope of work is to be able
to be universal.” Blake stated that pre-training is “A little overview of what the training material
is going to cover.”
The idea of providing training-related information such as key terms or concepts before
their employees attend a training class was a theme that was referenced by the OTMs. Six of the
nine (67%) OTMs interviewed specifically referenced the importance of having a clear
understanding of what the training will cover. Taylor said, “We set a lot of time aside each
month to prepare employees for training.” Riley stated, “There are always job tools to support
training, so that way all of the staff, before they attend the training, they have a clear
understanding of what kind of material will be covered.”

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Pre-training is defined as training that takes place prior to another activity (Cromwell &
Kolb, 2004). With a focus on preparing for a role, pre-training focuses on what is done before
training and provides an opportunity to identify where employees lack particular knowledge,
skills, and abilities that are essential for the role (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). From the
interviews with the OTMs, it was clear that there was no declarative knowledge gap regarding
pre-training. All of the nine OTMs were able to provide clear and precise knowledge of how to
prepare their employees for training.
Finding 2: OTMs’ Limited Knowledge Related to Providing Consistent Support after Training
For the OTMs to provide consistent support after training, a baseline of foundational
knowledge about the training covered is needed. As part of the qualitative interviews, the OTMs
were specifically asked if they follow-up with their employees after they have been trained on a
new policy or procedure. All nine (100%) interviewees said that they were able to offer some
type of after-training support for their employees. In analyzing the results, a theme emerged that
the OTMs have different ways to describe the meaning of after-training support. Avery stated,
“Normally I follow-up with an email and then have a group discussion or a one-on-one
discussion to make sure they fully understand the new material.” Jordan commented, “I will
touch base with them periodically to see like how they are doing and if they still have questions.
There is a few-step process to make sure that they are actually complying and also retaining the
information.”
When asked whether it was important to understand how to support employees after
training, Jordan commented, “Once in a while I think we may feel like, oh, why do my
employees and I have to attend this training, we already know how to do this?” Sawyer said, “I
definitely think yes, you have to understand how to support them after training because usually
there is no use of training, if they just go to training and do not understand or buy it.” Seven of

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the nine (78%) OTMs offered a limited understanding of after training support. Sawyer stated
that after-training support is that “sometimes we send them back to the same training, maybe one
year was not enough for them, and we need to send them out the next year.”
Additionally, five of the nine (55%) OTMs interviewed could not explain how they
provided their employee’s consistent support following training. Riley stated, “Um, the tendency
is to have them read over a new policy, and the follow-up would be to ask what questions they
have.” Quinn said, “Any questions, any doubts, anything that we do not understand, we share it.”
Avery commented, “The intent is there, we just do not have time for it.” Blake stated, “It is hard
to remember everything, but you know we just try to, we have a morning huddle every morning
just to remind each other.”
After-training support is defined as job aids, equipment, and on-the-job training to
facilitate the operation or maintenance of a process or system (Martin, 2010). With a focus on
performance, after-training support focuses on what occurs after training. It provides an
opportunity to provide support for employees who may be lacking particular knowledge, skills,
or abilities that are essential for the role (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). From the interviews
with the OTMs, it was clear that there was a declarative knowledge gap regarding after training
support. Six of the nine OTMs were unable to provide knowledge related to providing consistent
support after training.
Finding 3: OTMs’ Lack of Knowledge of the Impact of Follow-up on Training
OTMs demonstrated a lack of conceptual knowledge of the impact of follow-up on
training. Contributing to the lack of conceptual knowledge is that most OTMs did not see the
follow-up on training as important. Eight of the nine (89%) OTMs indicated they had been asked
to participate in the development of follow-up activities such as conducting branch meetings
with role-playing, building action plans, conducting bi-annual performance assessments, and

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assisting with technical support. Despite this participation, only two (25%) OTMs indicated that
they consistently applied these skills in their own practice as a follow-up to training.
Though most OTMs participated in developing training follow-up with their employees,
none of the OTMs could explain why it was important. Despite the lack of conceptual
knowledge, nearly all OTMs indicated identifying their employees’ needs as the first step in
developing of a training follow-up process regardless of existing processes. Riley said, “Any
additional training if they need it, I can answer their questions at the same time I am following
up with them.” However, the evidence suggests challenges documenting follow-up requirements
for the OTMs. Describing the follow-up process, Jordan stated, “When employees go to the
training, I think it is important that they start implementing that training right away because they
may kind of forget certain things if they do not start utilizing it right away, so I help them with
that.” OTMs described the importance of accurately documenting the follow-up process on
action plans and performance reviews but could not describe the follow-up impact on employees.
Quinn said, “I attach a goal to them and put a timeline on it to see what the progression level will
be and not just leave it up to them.”
The assumed influence that OTMs need to know the impact of the follow-up on training
was determined to be a gap through the interviews and document analysis. While two (22%)
interview participants were reasonably articulate about the importance of the follow-up on
training, the other seven (78%) were only able to speak in general terms or point to technology
about the importance of the follow-up process. Moreover, the post-training employee evaluation
and checklist did not provide evidence that the OTMs possess clear and concise knowledge of
the impact of the follow-up on training. Accordingly, this conceptual knowledge influence is
determined to be a gap. Table 6 provides quotes from the OTMs’ during the interviews that
further indicate their lack of knowledge of the impact of the follow-up on training.

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Table 6
Lack of Knowledge of the Impact of Follow-up on Training
Manager Lack of knowledge of the impact of follow-up
on training – short quotes
Riley “Yeah, [regarding training] do not forget there
has been an update – again on the fly.”

Jordan “It does not matter how you do it, as long as
you do it right.”

Quinn “Sometimes, training takes a back seat to
operational stuff, which is more important.”

Taylor “Why do I have to follow-up on this training?
We are already doing it as part of our jobs; it
is just not that important.”

Parker “A lot of the time, I just do not have time to
follow-up on training stuff. Other things are
more important.”

Finding 4: OTMs’ Varied Levels of Knowledge to Facilitate Training-Related Information
Exchange
Training-related information exchange refers to how some employees receive training
and are expected to train others on policies or procedures such as how to process a transaction or
cash a check accurately. OTMs demonstrated declarative knowledge of facilitating training-
related information exchange between their teams; however, OTMs did not demonstrate
procedural skills related to facilitating training-related information exchange between their
teams. Contributing to the lack of procedural knowledge is that most OTMs have a diverse set of
training-related knowledge, such as how to process specific transactions and which resources to
use when they have a question. Several OTMs indicated they had participated in developing
ways for their staff to share new training-related policies and procedures. These ways include
drafting email templates, initiating conference calls with their teams, using a chat feature to

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communicate with staff engaged with a member, creating audit checklists, organizing branch
meetings and one-on-ones to share updates, and scenario role-playing.
Though most OTMs participated in developing training-related information exchange
procedures within their teams, none of the OTMs described training-related information
exchange procedures consistently enough to demonstrate full comprehension of the skill. Despite
the lack of a consistent process, seven of the nine (78%) OTMs indicated the need to set both
narrow and broad training-related information exchange goals. Sawyer, in explaining how they
ensure that their team has the most up-to-date training-related information, said:
We have a weekly and monthly planner. So we have like this plan to plan ahead to the
week of that training and what coaching we want to do for the week. So me and my
assistant manager, we kind of brainstorm things that we want to kind of present with the
team or even plan out one-on-one discussions. And so we have it kind of laid out for the
week.
However, the evidence suggests challenges in documenting consistent procedures for training-
related information exchange. Describing the training-related information exchange process,
such as how new policies and procedures are implemented on-the-job, Peyton stated, “Usually I
will talk about it if somebody just went to training.” OTMs described the importance of having
accurate training-related information exchange learning tools such as job aids and the learning
management system (LMS) as tools. However, they were unable to describe how they used them
to facilitate information exchange on a consistent basis. In explaining how they used a tool to
coach their team on policies and procedures, Jordan said:
We do have something called “Knowledge Base.” It has a lot of articles, policies,
procedures, things that people can go and read up on ahead of time and it has like

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screenshots, things like that, that shows you what to do on the system itself. So those are
always available to use as a coaching tool.
The assumed influence that OTMs need to know how to facilitate training-related
information exchange between their teams was determined to be a gap through the interviews
and document analysis. While four (44%) interview participants articulated the procedures they
implement for training-related information exchange, the other five (55%) were only able to
speak in general terms or point to technology about the information exchange process. While the
post-training employee evaluation and checklist did provide some consistent training-related
information exchange regarding new hires between Staff Development and the OTMs, they did
not provide evidence that the OTMs possess in-depth skills related to facilitating consistent
training-related information exchange. Accordingly, this procedural knowledge influence is
determined to be a gap.
Finding 5: OTMs’ Varied Levels of Implementing Training-Related Collaborative Efforts with
Other CCECU Managers
Training-related collaborative effort refers to how OTMs work with other CCECU
managers to share best practices to reduce fraud or increase operational efficiencies. OTMs
demonstrated declarative knowledge of training-related collaborative effort with other CCECU
managers; however, OTMs did not demonstrate that they had skills in how to share information
with each other consistently. According to Clark and Estes (2008), the purpose of collaborative
effort is to share skills with the group being trained and to enable those individuals to then pass
those skills on to even more individuals. Rueda (2011) discussed that organizations often focus
on internal communication and choose to share information with senior managers rather than to
have everyone attend training. Contributing to the lack of procedural knowledge is that most
OTMs have infrequent contact with managers outside of their branches.

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Though most OTMs participated in the developing training-related collaborative effort
within their teams, seven of the nine (78%) OTMs could not describe training-related
collaborative effort with other CCECU managers consistently enough to demonstrate full
comprehension of the skill. Riley said, “There are open discussions over the phone. I can give
them a call, or we can reach out to the other departments with questions.” Peyton commented,
“Sometimes we go to other branches to help support them and join forces that way.” Quinn
stated, “Sometimes upper management will come out and get together with us.” Jordan, in
explaining how they collaborate with other managers regarding training, said:
First and foremost, they [upper management] will send us an [training-related] email
where they will be direct to the branch managers or assistant managers. So what we do is
we forward that email to the rest of the staff who is not a branch manager or, you know, a
support department manager, and kind of explain what the policy is, what the key
changes to it are, then what we will do is that we will tell them to retain that information.
We will actually sit in with them and have a group session where we will kind of go over
it.
The assumed influence that OTMs need to know how to facilitate training-related collaborative
effort with other CCECU managers was determined to be a gap through the interviews and
document analysis. While three (33%) of the OTMs articulated the procedures they implement
for training-related collaborative effort with other CCECU managers, the other six (67%) were
only able to speak in general terms or point to technology about how they facilitated a training-
related collaborative effort with other CCECU managers. While the post-training employee
evaluation and checklist did point to some consistent training-related collaborative effort with
other CCECU managers regarding new hires between Staff Development and the OTMs, they
did not provide evidence that the OTMs possess in-depth skills related to facilitating consistent

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training-related collaborative effort with other CCECU managers. Accordingly, this procedural
knowledge influence is determined to be a gap.
Finding 6: OTMs’ Frequent Reflection on Increasing Training Transfer
Metacognition refers to the knowledge needed to understand and control one’s own
cognitive states (Gegenfurtner, 2011). Time and ability to focus presented themselves as key
components in considering the metacognitive engagement needed for the OTMs. While the
OTMs were asked to reflect on their own abilities to increase training transfer, only two (22%)
articulated the issue of lack of time and ability to focus due to competing priorities as getting in
the way of their own abilities to increase training transfer. The other seven of nine (78%) only
indicated strengths rather than challenges.
When asked about the importance of reinforcing what happens after training, Peyton said,
“I think just following up with them after training is really important because it kind of sets the
guidelines on what I need to do on my part and this is something that I am really good at.”
Sawyer said, “I started as a part-time teller and worked my way up so I am excellent at
reinforcing training, being I kind of know what is going on in the training.” Avery commented,
“My role is, basically, to supplement their training in the branch and I think that I am pretty good
at it.” In asking the managers to reflect about their ability to ensure transfer of training, they did
not identify any challenges and what challenges they did indicate where related to lack of time
and ability to focus rather than a lack of skills in a specific area. In fact, seven of the nine (78%)
OTMs indicated that they are able to reflect on their ability to increase training transfer
frequently.
Motivation Findings
Motivation plays a critical role in the OTMs’ ability to reinforce desired employee
behaviors following training. Motivation is measured with three different indexes, including

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active choice, persistence, and mental effort. Individuals must first choose to engage in an
activity, then persist with the activity despite external distractions, and finally, demonstrate a
level of mental effort in the activity (Clark & Estes, 2008). In order for training transfer to occur,
there needs to be a commitment by the OTMs to practice reinforcing desired employee
behaviors; they must make an active choice to pursue understanding the practice and integrating
the practice into their daily lives. Following choice, the OTMs must persist with the activity and
ultimately demonstrate mental effort to achieve competency reinforcing desired employee
behaviors and consistently integrating the behavior. Understanding the OTMs’ motivation
related to demonstrating competency in reinforcing desired employee behaviors following
training was critical for exploring and analyzing. If more than 50% of participants expressed a
high level of efficacy or value, the influence was determined to be an asset.
Finding 7: OTMs’ High Level of Confidence in Their Ability to Deliver Pre- and Post-
Training Initiatives for Their Employees
Self-efficacy represents an important motivational influence, as the OTMs need to
believe they are can demonstrate confidence in their ability to deliver training initiatives for their
employees. To achieve the desired training alignment and create positive associations, OTMs
may need to act as ambassadors, link different organizational layers and entities, and engage in
the process of sense-making to understand, interpret, and refine outcomes (Awais & Kaur, 2010).
The OTMs must feel efficacious about their ability to deliver pre- and post-training initiatives for
their employees; if they do not, they will be unlikely to pursue the practice. In analyzing the
interview results, eight of the nine (89%) OTMs consistently expressed feelings of high efficacy
in delivering training initiatives.
When asked about their ability to familiarize themselves with what happens in their
employees’ training, Peyton stated, “I feel confident. I would see where my employee’s comfort

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level is, and then depending on the comfort level, that is when I actually implement, you know,
having them be more exposed to those topics.” Taylor stated their feelings of high self-efficacy
were influenced by their roles daily demands and commented, “I like to help. Most of the time it
comes up when there is a member situation…it can be hard, because we are one of the busiest
branches.” Quinn stated that they felt they were confident in delivering pre- and post-training
initiatives to their employees, but then added, “We have bases that have to be covered if one is
missing, then it is tough and we go through that quite often.” Avery commented, “I feel self-
confident making sure that they know certain terminology and what type of systems they will be
working on before training.” Out of the nine interviews, eight (89%) OTMs demonstrated
feelings of high efficacy in terms of being able to deliver both pre- and post-training initiatives
for their employees.
Given the qualitative findings, the influence of self-efficacy did not emerge as a gap for
the OTMs. While the OTMs acknowledged in the interviews that there might be external factors
which impede their ability to deliver pre- and post-training initiatives such as system or policy
changes, in general, the OTMs demonstrated that they have a high level of confidence in their
ability to deliver pre- and post-training initiatives for their employees.
Finding 8: OTMs’ Deep Sense of Value and Pride for Ensuring Training Transfer
Value refers to the importance one sees in a particular task or activity (Rueda, 2011).
OTMs need to see the value of demonstrating competency in ensuring training transfer and the
benefit of providing support after training. Learning and motivation are enhanced if the
individual sees value in the task (Eccles, 2006), therefore the OTMs must see the practice of
ensuring training transfer as something that will enhance employee outcomes such as
engagement, continuing interest, and overall job performance. If they do not see any value in

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ensuring training transfer via pre- and post-training support, they are not likely to provide pre-
and post-training support and will rather rely on the training alone to produce the desired results.
It was evident that all nine (100%) interview participants attached significant value to
reinforcing desired employee’s behaviors following training. Each OTM expressed a deep sense
of pride in ensuring the transfer of learning. For example, Riley stated, “Sometimes I hear the
Service Specialists talk to each other and piggyback knowledge from training. It makes me feel
proud, and they learn a lot from each other.” Quinn expressed a similar view by saying, “Well, I
would say the personal impact to me is that employees know that we are always going to be here
supporting them.” Riley expressed pride and excitement for helping employees learn new skills
stating, “It just helps us do better as team.” Peyton said, “I value the support, the materials,
everything I am provided so I can ensure my employees implement training.” Jordan
commented, “The value of the training after staff attends is ongoing; it is empowerment to do a
better job at their skill level.”
The assumed influence that OTMs need to see value in ensuring learning transfer was
determined to be an asset through the interviews and document analysis. The interview
participants’ amount of pride suggests very high levels of motivation – motivation that is steeped
with the extrinsic and utility value the OTMs attribute to ensuring training transfer. The
completion of the pre-training agenda and post-training evaluation and checklist documents by
the OTMs are also illustrative of the value the OTMs attach to ensuring training transfer.
Accordingly, the motivational influence of OTMs extrinsic and utility value is determined to be
an asset.

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Research Question Two: What is the Interaction between Organizational Culture and
Context and OTMs’ Knowledge and Motivation Related to Reinforcing Desired Employee
Behaviors in the Workplace Following Training?
The second research question focused on the interaction between the organizational
culture of CCECU and the OTMs’ knowledge and motivation in regard to demonstrating
competency in reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training. The OTMs noted
support from CCECU. However, analysis of the interview responses demonstrated a gap in the
OTM’s ability to reinforce desired employee behaviors following training. While CCECU
clearly supports the OTMs’ quest to reinforce desired employee behaviors following training,
more direct action, including providing consistent support in ensuring training transfer and
adequate post-training materials is needed to reach the OTMs goal of reinforcing desired
employee behaviors following training.
Organizational Findings
Organizational culture impacts the performance of an organization (Clark & Estes, 2008).
An organization’s culture speaks to the beliefs and values systems within an organization and
provides a foundation of expected norms and behaviors that individuals might follow. From the
lens of the research questions, the concept of organizational culture is considerable because it
promotes employee performance, productivity, and engagement. Therefore, it was critical to
explore the extent to which the culture at CCECU influences the OTMs ability to reinforce the
desired employee behaviors following training. If more than 50% of participants indicated a
positive experience with the organization, the influence was determined to be an asset.
Finding 9: CCECU’s Lack of Consistent Support in Ensuring Training Transfer
The OTMs were asked to reflect on the degree to which they felt CCECU supported the
achievement of after-training goals for their employees, such as implementing the sales and

54

service roadmap and the use of a permission statement. Six of the nine (67%) OTMs reported
that, CCECU did not fully support their practice in their experience. Sawyer and Peyton
responded that their employees lacked support from CCECU due to competing priorities such as
having to conduct transactions and open new memberships. In explaining how CCECU as a
whole supported training transfer, Parker noted, “We have BVS (LMS) you can go onto and look
at the different on-demand training for support.” When asked about how CCECU supports the
achievement of after-training goals, Riley said, “I wish there were something for management to
supplement when they come back [from training], versus us trying to figure out how we can
supplement them. If there is like a specific guide for us that would be great.” When referring to
CCECU’s Staff Development department, Jordan said:
One of the things that they [Staff Development] do is every time one of them goes to
training; they have them do a self-assessment on them, which is kind of like a breakdown
of the topics that they went over on that training. Moreover, it is an area where they can
say they still need a little bit of support or they fully understand and then what they do is
they send us that checklist, to the manager.
The statements from the OTMs reinforce that CCECU does not consistently support the OTMs
and their efforts to be competent in reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training
and integrating the practice into their daily activities.
It is evident through the OTMs’ responses that the leadership team is not providing a
consistent positive cultural setting concerning reinforcing desired employee behaviors following
training. The OTMs framed the lack of support specifically through the actions of CCECU in
their inconsistent support in ensuring training transfer and insufficient provision of post-training
materials and resources. While there were limited specific responses regarding the individual
OTMs modeling the desired behaviors following training themselves, the majority of the OTMs

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did not see reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training as part of CCECU’s
culture, and as an accepted practice within the organizational setting.
Finding 10: CCECU Provides Insufficient Post-Training Materials
The final finding explores the cultural setting found within CCECU in regard to the
provision of post-training materials. Looking within the framework of an organization, cultural
settings help shape how an organization is structured, including the values, practices, policies,
and reward structures (Rueda, 2011). As the leadership team at CCECU seeks to reinforce
desired employee behaviors following training, it was critical to see how the cultural settings
within CCECU are supporting the practice.
From the interview responses, there was a clear theme that the OTMs saw the value of
providing post-training materials but struggled to name what they were. When asked to reflect on
whether resources had been provided by CCECU, which have helped their own practice of
reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training, six out of the nine (67%) OTMs
could not cite specific resources. Blake noted, “We do have something called Knowledge Base,
it has a lot of articles, policies and procedures that people can go and read up on.” Taylor
commented, “I like the post-training evaluation and the checklist, it would be helpful if it was not
just a one-time thing.”
When asked if there were any post-training materials that they wished were provided to
them by the leadership team at CCECU, four of the nine (44%) OTMs had additional suggestions
that they thought would be helpful. Parker stated, “More job aids and quick reference guides
would be helpful.” Peyton commented, “A tool that shares progress towards our goals that is
shared with the whole organization would be helpful.” Jordan said, “I have a general idea about
how to reinforce general after training behaviors that I am looking for, but if there were more
coaching tools, I would sure take them.”

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Five (55%) of the OTMs were unable to provide specific items that they believed would
add to their understanding of reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training. Sawyer
noted that they would have liked additional handouts and exercises about how to follow-up on
training. Peyton said that “more printed material would be great” and expressed that they wished
more resources were focused on training transfer. Quinn highlighted the need for post-training
materials that model the practice of reinforcing employee behaviors following training. Quinn
also believed that seeing other OTMs and how they are integrating the reinforcement of desired
employee behaviors following training would be helpful and commented, “We could relate more
to people that are in our positions, performing the desired behaviors, and telling us what is
working and what is not.”
The interviews’ findings demonstrate the need for additional post-training materials for
the OTMs to integrate the practice of reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training.
Several OTMs did not have clear responses when asked about what post-training materials they
used to reinforce training. The lack of consistent responses indicates a gap in CCECU’s
provision of post-training materials. This also supports the knowledge gaps previously discussed
in the chapter.
The qualitative interviews’ findings demonstrate that there are organizational gaps in the
context of the OTMs’ ability to reinforce desired employee behaviors following training. While
CCECU has demonstrated limited support for the practice of reinforcing desired employee
behaviors following training, additional support in ensuring training transfer and the adequate
provision of training materials is needed for the OTMs to effectively integrate the practice of
reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training.

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Summary of Influences
Table 7 shows the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences for this study and
their determination as a gap or asset.
Table 7

Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Findings of Gaps and Assets

Category

Finding Gap Asset
Knowledge Declarative OTMs’ Clear and
Precise Knowledge
of How to Prepare
Their Employees for
Training

X
Declarative OTMs’ Limited
Knowledge Related
to Providing
Consistent Support
After Training

X
Declarative OTMs’ Lack of
Knowledge of the
Impact of Follow-up
on Training

X
Procedural OTMs’ Varied
Levels of Training-
Related Information
Exchange

X
Procedural OTMs’ Varied
Levels of Training-
Related Collaborative
Effort with Other
Managers

X
Metacognitive OTMs’ Frequent
Reflection on
Increasing Training
Transfer

X
Motivation Self-Efficacy OTMs’ High Level
of Confidence in
Their Ability to
X

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Deliver Pre and Post-
Training Initiatives
for Their Employees

Utility and Extrinsic
Value
OTMs’ Deep Sense
of Value and Pride
for Ensuring Training
Transfer

X
Organizational Cultural Setting CCECU’s Lack of
Consistent Support in
Ensuring Training
Transfer

X
Cultural Setting CCECU’s Provision
of Insufficient Post-
Training Materials
X

Chapter 5 presents research-based recommendations that support the OTM’s goal of
reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training. The recommendations are organized
around the knowledge, motivation, and organization needs and assets identified in this chapter.
After the recommendations are defined, a robust implementation and evaluation plan is described
leveraging the prescriptions of the New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2016).

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CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS
This study has explored the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences affecting
the Operations Team Manager’s (OTMs) ability to implement a new on-the-job training program
to reinforce desired employee behaviors in the workplace following training. Chapter Four
summarized the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences determined to be gaps or
assets through this study’s approach to data collection and analysis. This chapter turns to
evidence-based recommendations to address the influence gaps. There will be no
recommendations for the motivational influences since they were both determined to be assets.
In particular, for each of the assumed knowledge and organization influence gaps,
recommendations relevant to City and County Employee Credit Union’s (CCECU’s) context are
derived from principles anchored to research literature. The recommendations are then translated
into a proposed implementation and evaluation program following the methodical and rigorous
approach of the New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). The assets
and needs revealed through the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework, in conjunction
with the implementation discipline inherent in the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick model (2016),
coalesce in this chapter to increase the likelihood that the OTMs will meet their goal of being
able to reinforce desired employee behaviors in the workplace following training. Before turning
to recommendations, implementation, and evaluation, this chapter revisits CCECU’s context,
mission, and performance goal. Also, it revisits the OTMs as the stakeholder group of this study
and this stakeholder group’s performance goal. Last, it provides a reminder of this study’s
purpose and the research questions that guided it. Revisiting these components upfront facilitates
the assimilation of the recommendations and implementation plan that follows.

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Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences

The knowledge influences in Table 8 represent the complete list of knowledge influences,
whether they were determined to be an asset or a need and whether the influence was a priority
to address for the Operations Team Managers (OTMs) to consistently reinforce desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training. The knowledge influence that has the most impact
on the OTMs is that pertaining to procedural knowledge. Specifically, the data suggest that
OTMs do not know how to improve training impact through effective follow-up. While the
OTMs can explain training transfer initiatives to their employees, they are unable to specify what
steps are required for training transfer to occur.
As indicated in Table 8, these influences have a high priority for OTMs to consistently
reinforce desired employee behaviors following training. The table also shows the
recommendations for these influences based on theoretical principles. There were four
knowledge gaps identified in chapter 4. The two declarative knowledge gaps were combined into
the first Table 8 influence. The following abbreviations indicate knowledge types: (D)eclarative;
(P)rocedural; (M)etacognitive.
Table 8
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Knowledge
Influence

Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
OTMs need to know
how to provide
consistent support after
training and sustain
value (D)
To develop mastery,
individuals must acquire
component skills, practice
integrating them, and know
when to apply what they have
learned (Schraw, McCrudden,
Lehman & Hoffman, 2011).

Break down complex tasks (e.g.,
open a new membership or put an
extended hold on a check) and
encourage OTMs to think about
content in strategic ways by
providing job aids and integrating
visuals.

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Integrating visual information
maximizes working memory
capacity (Mayer, 2011).

OTMs need to know
how to improve
training impact
through effective
follow-up (D)
Modeled behavior is more
likely to be
adopted if the model is
credible, similar (e.g.,
gender, culturally
appropriate), and the
behavior has functional value
(Denler et al.,
2014).

Effective observational
learning is achieved
by first organizing and
rehearsing modeled
behaviors, then enacting them
overtly
(Mayer, 2011).

Provide OTMs training and a job
aid on how to effectively coach
their employees by modeling
desired behaviors during role play
scenarios with feedback and
practice.
OTMs need to know
how to facilitate
training-related
information exchange
and collaborative
effort between their
teams (P)
Facilitating transfer promotes
learning
(Mayer, 2011).

Information learned
meaningfully and connected
with prior knowledge is stored
more quickly and remembered
more accurately because it is
elaborated with prior learning
(Schraw, McCrudden,
Lehman & Hoffman, 2011).

Help OTMs connect new
knowledge to prior knowledge and
to construct meaning by providing
job aids.

Increase OTMs’ Declarative Knowledge about After-Training Support and Impact through
Effective Follow-Up
This study’s findings indicated that the OTMs, though they understand elements of how

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to improve training impact through follow-up with their employees, needed to gain declarative
knowledge on how to bring these elements together to do it more effectively. Specifically, the
analysis showed that 100% of the OTMs needed to have this declarative knowledge. A
recommendation was selected to address this declarative knowledge gap informed by Denlar et
al. (2009), who indicated that modeled behavior is more likely to be adopted if the model is
sound, similar (e.g., gender, culturally appropriate), and the behavior has purposeful value.
Similarly, Mayer (2011) indicated that effective observational learning is achieved by first
organizing and rehearsing modeled behaviors, then enacting them overtly. The recommendation
is to provide OTMs training and a job aid on how to effectively coach their employees by
modeling desired behaviors during role-play scenarios with feedback and practice.
Martin (2010) found that the following several key items were used to extend learning
and develop more value from an organization’s investment in training and development. Action
plans which are written documents that can be completed by the trainee during or right after
training that specify how the trainee plans to implement the skills on the job. Additionally,
performance assessment activities can be implemented to measure or observe the behavior of
trainees in the work environment following instruction. Peer meetings can also be used to extend
learning, which are periodic meetings usually facilitated by a professional staff member.
Supervisory consultations can also be designed to put the trainee’s immediate supervisor into a
coach or mentor’s role to encourage skill application. Finally, technical support that involves
various mechanisms established to provide information and assistance to participants following a
training program can be used (Martin, 2010).

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Increase OTMs’ Procedural Knowledge to Facilitate Training-Related Information Exchange
and Collaborative Effort between Their Teams
Analysis of the data reveals that OTMs need to know how to reinforce desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training. Specifically, the analysis showed that 100% of the
OTMs need to have this procedural knowledge. A recommendation was selected to address this
procedural knowledge gap that was informed by information processing system theory.
Specifically, Schraw, McCrudden, Lehman, and Hoffman (2011) recommend that individuals
must acquire component skills, practice integrating them, and know when to apply what they
have learned. Further, integrating the use of visual information maximized working memory
capacity (Mayer, 2011), as it can help learners understand how and when to use new information
and reinforce that knowledge with opportunities to practice and apply it (Schraw et al., 2011).
The recommendation then is to break down complex tasks (e.g., open a new membership or put
an extended hold on a check) and encourage OTMs to think about content in strategic ways by
providing job aids and integrating visuals.
Cromwell and Kolb (2004) also found that education and training gain the most traction
within highly visible organizational change and development efforts championed by senior
leaders. In addition, Beer, Finnstrom, and Schrader (2016) reported significantly higher training
implementation and a more positive perception regarding the forces that encourage the transfer
of training in the work environment among the trainees who received backing from their
managers. Finally, the exchange of information and the support provided by group networks are
important for maximum transfer of training (Cromwell & Kolb, 2004).
Organization Recommendations

Table 9 represents the organizational influence gaps and their context-specific
recommendations based on those most frequently mentioned for the Operations Team Managers

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(OTMs) to consistently reinforce desired employee behaviors in the workplace following
training. The organizational influences were determined during informal interviews and
supported by the literature review, including Clark and Estes (2008), who suggested that culture
is a powerful force in performance and a difficult characteristic to identify and influence.
Gallimore and Goldenberg’s (2001) archetype of cultural models and cultural settings provides a
framework for assessing an organization’s culture. Cultural models are the shared values and
beliefs commonly observed in an organization that impacts how an employee views the way
things should be and how people should behave. Cultural settings are the observable
manifestations of the cultural models. Through the data collected in this study, it became clear
that the cultural model that CCECU needs to support the practice of ensuring training transfer
and the cultural setting that CCECU needs to provide materials after the training is completed to
further the training participant’s competency in training transfer are both gaps. Table 9
summarizes these organizational influences and presents recommendations tied to theoretical
principles of organizational change, leadership, and communication.
Table 9
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Organization
Influence*

Principle and Citation

Context-Specific Recommendation
CCECU needs to
support the practice
of ensuring training
transfer (Cultural
Model)
Organizational effectiveness
increases when leaders
identify, articulate, and focus
the organization’s effort on
and reinforce the
organization’s vision; they
lead from the why (Kurland,
Peretz & Hertz-Lazarowitz,
2010).

Provide routine opportunities for the
OTMs to align all CCECU training
activity toward furthering the
organization’s vision, mission and
goals.

Ask the entire organization,
including the OTMs, how each
training decision furthers the
mission via a survey; redirect the
scope and focus of training activity

65

when it does not further the mission,
vision, or goals.

CCECU needs to
provide materials
after the training is
completed to further
the OTMs’
competency in
training transfer
(Cultural Setting)
Organizational effectiveness
increases when leaders
facilitate creative and
collaborative problem-solving
(Huang, Kahai & Jestice
2010).

Establish a routine communication
process between CCECU’s
executive team and the entire
organization including the OTMs
after training is completed that
solicits training needs based on
participant competencies and
establishes priorities for allocating
training resources.

Support Organization-Wide Value for the Practice of Ensuring Training Transfer
The study revealed that 100% of the OTMs found a need for ensuring training transfer
and that current support is limited due to a lack of alignment between OTMs values and the
organization’s culture. As a result, though there was a desire to engage more regularly in
communicating training needs with stakeholders and ensuring training transfer, such activity was
not regularly taking place. Recommendations grounded in organizational leadership theory has
been selected to close this gap. Kurland, Peretz and, Hertz-Lazarowitz (2010) posited that
organizational effectiveness increases when leaders identify, articulate, and focus the
organization’s effort on and reinforce the organization’s vision; they lead from the why. This
suggests that the OTMs need to clearly see how the practice of ensuring training transfer will
directly impact the organization’s training efforts and put in place practices that align leaders’
espoused values with the organizational culture. The recommendation, therefore, is to provide
routine opportunities for the OTMs to align all CCECU training activity toward furthering the
vision, mission, and goals of the organization by asking OTMs how each decision furthers the
mission via a survey and redirect the scope and focus of training activity when it does not further
the mission, vision or goals.

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Strong empirical research exists showing the connection between an organization's
commitment to supporting training transfer and a reciprocal commitment to increased
performance outcomes. Schein (2004) defines leaders whose espoused values (vision and
mission) are not in sync with the organization’s culture will have difficulty leading. The CCECU
OTMs have previously announced a commitment to ensure training transfer within the
organization’s framework. For the OTMs to demonstrate competency in the practice of ensuring
training transfer, CCECU needs to engage in learning about the construct of training transfer
collectively, and the practice needs to be embedded within the culture. Under ideal
circumstances, this will mean that CCECU will ensure that new behaviors are expected of
employees post-training, and this must be consistent across the entire organization. Each
department and leader will inspect for the new behaviors consistently, and there will be rewards
for on target performance and consequences for lack of performance. CCECU must show its
value for mindful practice and integrate the practice within the organizational norms.
Organizational culture focuses on values, beliefs, and assumptions held by the OTMs. These can
positively impact how learning is viewed within the organization or contrariwise, obstructing
how it is accepted (Gegenfurtner, 2011). For CCECU, embedding the practice of mindfulness
within the organizational culture favorably contributes to the OTMs being able to consistently
support the implementation of training transfer initiatives by their employees in their daily
activities. This can be achieved directly through the actions, values, and attitudes exhibited by
CCECU. As Northouse (2019) indicated, organizational culture comprises norms that are
accepted within an organization. CCECU must demonstrate the value of mindfulness and create
a culture where demonstrating competency and consistent engagement in ensuring training
transfer becomes part of the organizational construct and is perceived as a standard within the
organization.

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Available Effective Post-Training Materials for OTMs’ Use
Each OTM indicated that the organization did not ask them about training needs, nor did
the company allocate adequate training resources to allow for the purchase of training materials
such as checklists and job aids after training was completed to further training participant
competency in training transfer. A recommendation that draws upon leadership theory has been
selected to close this organizational gap. According to Huang, Kahai, and Jestice (2010),
organizational effectiveness increases when leaders facilitate creative and collaborative problem-
solving. Therefore, the recommendation is to establish a routine communication process between
CCECU’s executive team and the OTMs after training is completed that solicits training needs
based on participant competencies and establishes priorities for allocating post-training materials
for the OTM’s to us.
Park, Kang, and Kim (2018) collected and analyzed 216 survey responses from
educational organizations in the USA to examine the relationships among supervisor support,
awareness of employees’ developmental needs, motivation to learn, training readiness,
motivation to learn, and job performance. The authors concluded that ensuring staff’s resource
needs are being met by their supervisors, such as providing job aids after training, is correlated
with increased learning outcomes. Additionally, in an analysis of training transfer behaviors
within organizations, Eisenberger, Malone, and Presson (2016) also found that engaging
organizational leadership in the conversation about the need for and allocating training resources
deepened the commitment toward achieving training goals and objectives. Therefore, based on
the research, there is reason to conclude that providing training materials such as job aids and
training checklists to participants after training is completed will ensure greater competency in
training transfer.

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Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan

The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016), which was built
on the original Kirkpatrick Four-Level Model of Evaluation of training programs (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2006) informed the design of this integrated implementation and evaluation plan.
This model suggests starting with measuring the desired outcome, Level 4 (results and leading
indicators), and then moves through the original model’s remaining three levels in reverse: Level
3 (critical behaviors including required drivers and on-the-job learning), Level 2 (learning
including knowledge and skill, attitude, confidence, and commitment) and Level 1 (reaction
including customer satisfaction, engagement, and relevance). Levels 3 and 4 provide the data
needed to assess training effectiveness. These levels measure on-the-job performance and the
business that results due to training and reinforcement. Training effectiveness data is critical to
establishing the value that the training has added to the organization and is usually the type of
data that stakeholders find important. Levels 1 and 2 of the model provide information associated
to effective training. These levels quantify the significance of the training and the degree to
which it resulted in knowledge and skills that can be applied on the job. These measurements
help to internally measure the quality of the training programs that are designed and delivered.
The implementation and evaluation plan created is grounded in a direct relationship with the
organizational goal to foster a sense of value and buy-in among training participants (Kirkpatrick
and Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations

The mission of CCECU is to provide easy, quick, and pleasant service to its members.
CCECU’s organizational goal is to increase member satisfaction surveys (Net Promoter Score)
from 8.75 to 9.25 by May 2021. This study aims to explore the capacity of OTMs to support
employee training transfer and the impact on the organization’s overall success rate. The

69

stakeholders’ goal, supported by the Chief Operations Officer, is to consistently reinforce desired
employee behaviors in the workplace following training. An example of one training initiative
for CCECU OTMs is to teach employees how to consult with members to uncover needs and
establish new products or services that they should be doing with each member. Failure to
implement training into practice may result in a loss of capital and risk for poor member service
and possible fines, which adversely impacts the organization’s ability to provide support and
interventions to its team members and its overall goal to increase the Net Promoter Score. The
recommendations put forth in the project consist of a comprehensive training program and
associated supports designed to close any gaps and enable CCECU to activate its leadership in
support of its mission.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators

Table 10 shows the external and internal outcomes, metrics, and methods for the
proposed Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators for CCECU. If the training and organizational
supports result in the expected internal outcomes, then the expected external outcomes should
also result.
Table 10

Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes

Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
Increased perception of
CCECU as an
employer of choice
Percentage of
positive ratings on
influential social
media sites
Monthly reporting from Marketing -
Communications Manager of “Recommend
to a friend” and CEO approval ratings on
Glassdoor.com

Monthly report from
Marketing/Communications Manager on
increases in the number of followers of
CCECU on LinkedIn

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Increased interest in
gaining employment
with CCECU
Number of external
applications per
posted branch
operations job
requisition
Monthly reporting from HR
Internal Outcomes
Improved CCECU
branch operations team
on-the-job performance
following training
Audit exceptions
Loss reports
Services per new
individual (SPNI)
Closed accounts
Balancing report
Monthly reports
Monthly reports
Monthly reports

Monthly reports
Weekly reports
Improved net promoter
scores for CCECU
Net Promoter Score Monthly reports
Improved relationships
among OTMs, their
employees, and
CCECU senior
leadership
Number of
complaints
Monthly reports from HR
Feedback during staff meetings
Improved retention of
branch operations staff
Number of
employees retained
Monthly reports from HR
Level 3: Behavior
Level three is the degree to which participants apply what they learned during training
when they are back on the job. Alignment of what is learned during training with critical
behaviors and the desired leading indicators is the key to building training programs that provide
value to the organization. There are four critical behaviors the OTMs will need to demonstrate
for the development and implementation of the on-the-job training program. First, OTMs provide
consistent on-the-job coaching for their employees after training. Second, OTMs model the on-
the-job behaviors that they are looking for from their employees after training. Third, OTMs use
Net Promoter Score training-related feedback to train their employees in improving the member
experience. Last, the OTMs recognize and reward desired employee behaviors in the workplace
following training. Table 11 describes the metrics, measurement methods, and timing that would
evidence whether the critical behaviors are enacted.

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Table 11

Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s)
Method(s)
Timing
1) OTMs provide consistent
on-the-job coaching for their
employees after training

List of employees
coached and on
what behaviors
After training on-the-job
coaching checklist
submitted to VP and
Director of Branch
Operations
Monthly
2) OTMs model the on-the-job
behaviors that they are looking
for from their employees after
training
Completed
agreement signed
by OTMs
Agreement submitted to
VP and Director of Branch
Operations
Annually
3) OTMs use Net Promoter
Score training-related feedback
to train their employees in
improving the member
experience
List of identified
training
opportunities
Net Promoter Score
survey results submitted to
OTMs
Monthly

Required Drivers
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) contend that a bundle of drivers is necessary to ensure
the desired outcome’s critical behaviors are adopted and continuous. In particular, they
recommend implementing mechanisms and approaches that reinforce, encourage, reward, and
monitor critical behaviors. Table 12 lists an array of drivers that will bolster the critical behaviors
the OTMs must demonstrate to consistently reinforce desired employee behaviors in the
workplace following training. Reinforces include providing an after training on-the-job coaching
checklist to the OTMs, supplying a job aid on how to complete the on-the-job coaching checklist
to the OTMs, providing opportunities for OTMs to discuss problems completing the on-the-job
coaching checklist, and providing opportunities for OTMs to discuss the process for determining
training needs from NPS survey results. Methods of encouragement include OTMs meeting
monthly to discuss success in reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training and
then using the internal employee communications website called Community (intranet) to share
their training success stories and best practices regularly. A reward that would resonate with the

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OTMs would be the regular public expression of appreciation by the Chief Operations Officer
(COO) regarding progress towards OTMs consistently reinforcing desired employee behaviors
following training during staff and leadership meetings. Last, monitoring mechanisms include
OTMs reporting training needs based on their employee competencies and the added alignment
of all CCECU training activity toward furthering the vision, mission, and goals to the strategic
initiatives and balanced scorecard for the OTMs.
Table 12
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical
Behaviors
Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing

VP and Director of Branch Operations provides an after
training on-the-job coaching checklist to the OTMs
Ongoing 1,2
Staff Development supplies a job aid on how to
complete the on-the-job coaching checklist to the
OTMs
Ongoing 1,2
OTMs meet with VP and Director of Branch
Operations to discuss problems completing the on-the-
job coaching checklist
Monthly 1,2
OTMs meet with VP and Director of Branch
Operations to discuss the process for determining
training needs from NPS survey results
Monthly 1,2,3
Encouraging

OTMs meet together to discuss success in reinforcing
desired employee behaviors following training
Monthly 1,2,3,4
OTMs Community (Intranet) posts Ongoing 1,2,3,4
Rewarding

COO publicly acknowledges progress towards 100% of
OTMs consistently reinforcing desired employee
behaviors following training that is reflected in the NPS
score.
Ex. “NPS was at 8.75 now it is at 9”
Monthly staff
meetings,
Monthly
executive
committee
meetings,
Quarterly
leadership
meetings
1,2,3,4

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OTMs recognize and reward desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training
Monthly staff
meetings
1,2,3,4
Monitoring

OTMs report training needs based on their employee
competencies during quarterly CCECU leadership
meetings
Quarterly 1,2,3,4
Add alignment of all CCECU training activity toward
furthering the vision, mission, and goals to the strategic
initiatives and balanced scorecard for the OTMs
Annually, tracked
monthly
1,2,3,4
Organizational Support
Implicit in the key drivers listed in Table 12 is the extent to which the senior-most leaders
at CCECU must champion the goal of the OTMs being able to consistently reinforce desired
employee behaviors in the workplace following training. The importance of senior stakeholder
sponsorship and involvement in major organizational initiatives is well chronicled in the change
management literature (Kotter, 2007; Sirkin, Keenan, & Jackson, 2005). The complexity and
significance of the OTMs training goal require that the CCECU executive team heed the precepts
of change management literature and fully embrace their role as a champion. Engaging in active
reviews as the program is constructed and allocating resources for training and development are
prime examples of how the executive leadership team will foster accountability for the critical
behaviors the OTMs must exhibit to consistently reinforce their employees’ desired behaviors
following training. More specifically, the executive leadership team should create a standing
item on their monthly executive committee meeting agendas to review the status of the
program’s development and implementation with the OTMs. The executive leadership team
members should take the insights gained through these monthly reviews to reinforce the
importance of reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training with their respective
management teams. Inviting OTMs to their management team meetings to review progress and
metrics would deepen accountability for the critical behaviors the OTMs need to enact and
encourage managers across the organization to support the program’s objectives.

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Level 2: Learning

The list that follows comprises the learning goals essential for the OTMs to master to
enact the critical behaviors outlined in Table 12. The goals listed below are aligned with closing
the gaps that were validated through this study and described in Chapter 4. Following the
completion of the program described in the next section,
OTMs will be able to:
1. Articulate desired employee behaviors in the workplace following training
(K-declarative)
2. Implement training initiatives through effective follow-up (K-procedural)
3. Apply job-related information exchange and collaborative effort between their teams (K-
procedural)
4. Reflect on their own abilities to increase training transfer rates (K-metacognitive).
5. Express confidence in their ability to engage in post-training initiatives, persist at team
members and invest effort (M-self-efficacy)
6. Explain the value they personally attach to ensuring training transfer among their
employees (M-expectancy and utility value)
Program
To close the declarative and procedural knowledge gaps identified in this study, a training
program for the OTMs is recommended. CCECU has an in-house training team with deep
expertise in organizational design and development. Moreover, CCECU has implemented
successful training programs for employees to both build and enhance their skill sets.
Accordingly, CCECU should work with the in-house training team to implement a training
program that would sustain value and ground OTMs on how to understand desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training, implement training initiatives through effective

75

follow-up and apply job related information exchange and collaborative effort between their
teams. The training should be facilitated by the in-house training team. Leading up to the initial
day-long training session, the OTMs should codify their collective knowledge of training
initiatives in a job aid, which could be reviewed and validated during the training session. The
initial day-long session would focus on the leading practices to reinforce desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training, and cover how best to target training initiatives.
The session would include role-playing with an opportunity for the OTMs to receive feedback on
their understanding of desired behaviors following training. A second day-long “action learning”
session should be held within eight weeks of the initial training session and should focus on the
experiences of the OTMs to date. In particular, OTMs would get feedback and coaching from the
in-house training team on the key components of the On-The-Job Coaching Program they have
implemented to date, including ways to reinforce desired behaviors of their employees after
training. Moreover, the training team would provide their feedback on the OTMs efforts to
remove on-the-job training obstacles and sustain value.
In addition to training provided for current employees, onboarding new employees must
also include on-the-job coaching to increase the employee’s knowledge and motivation and
decrease time to productivity. Structured on-the-job coaching also provides an opportunity for
the manager to make a positive first impression with their new employee. The onboarding
process should include frequent training-related check-ins and feedback sessions.
Evaluation of the Components of Learning
Not only is it important to evaluate whether the OTMs can apply the skills they are being
taught but it is also important to evaluate whether they have grown in both the confidence in
doing so (in this case collectively), as well as their value of it as being important as it relates to

76

their role in the organization. As such, Table 13 lists the evaluation methods and timing for these
components of learning.
Table 13
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”

Review of the OTMs after training on-the-job checklist During and after
Knowledge checks during training During
Group discussion During and after
Pre-test and post-tests Before, during, and at the end
of the workshop
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”

Demonstration of the ability to effectively coach their
employees with feedback and practice
During
Checklist of observation During
Scenarios in which procedural knowledge is demonstrated in
the solution
During and after
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”

Discussions about the value and rationale of
investing time and resources in reinforcing desired
employee behaviors
During and after
Discussion of any issues During
Classroom observation of OTMs Before, during, after

Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”

Discussions involving practice and feedback During and after
Mentorship, coaching, or peer check-ins After
Surveys using scale about their abilities During and after
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”

Discussions following practice and feedback During and after
Create an individual action plan During
Self-reports of the progress After
Individual action plans of how to implement new skills After
Level 1: Reaction

Table 14 below lists the methods that will be used to determine how the participants react
to the learning events, and the timing of when those methods would be delivered. For the OTMs,
it will be important to gauge their personal reactions about the On-The-Job Coaching

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Program. Table 14 lists the methods used to determine how the OTMs react to the learning
events.
Table 14

Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement

Observations of learner interaction and responses During
Attendance records During
Completion of practice scenarios After workshop
Asking meaningful questions During the workshop
Relevance

Brief pulse-check with participants via discussion (ongoing) During and after
Anonymous survey End of the workshop
Customer Satisfaction

Brief pulse-check with participants via discussion (ongoing) During and after
Anonymous survey After each training session
Evaluation Tools
Immediately Following the Program Implementation
A formal evaluation of Level 2 Learning will be conducted during the training program’s
role play portion. OTMs will be observing other OTMs reactions and taking notes during role-
plays about what steps they plan to take and the value and rationale of investing time and
resources in reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training as they reflect and
verbalize their individual action plans. For Level 1, during the training, the Chief Operations
Officer will do brief pulse-checks by asking the participants about the relevance of the content to
their work and the organization, delivery, and learning environment.
Immediately following each meeting, questions will be asked of the group for both Level
1 Learning (to assess engagement) and Level 2 Learning (to assess skill). Questions will be
delivered in an open forum, and comments noted through a consensus conversation. A summary

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of the blended observation and interview question tool is included in Appendix C. Appendix D
contains the actual blended evaluation instrument.
Delayed for a Period after the Program Implementation
Approximately eight weeks after the implementation of the training, and then again at 12
weeks, the VP of Operations and the Director of Operations will conduct a brief pulse check of
learning by way of interview questions delivered in person or through email as well as
observations of OTMs actions in alignment with the critical behaviors of providing consistent
modeling and on-the-job coaching for their employees after training. This Blended Evaluation
approach will measure OTMs perception of relevance and approval of the training (Level 1),
confidence and value of applying their training (Level 2), application of the training to the
stakeholder goal of consistently reinforcing desired employee behaviors following training
(Level 3), and achievement of desired outcomes (Level 4). Appendix C contains a summary of
the delayed evaluation tools, and Appendix D contains the actual delayed blended evaluation
instrument.
Data Analysis and Reporting

CCECU’s executive leadership will have a high level of interest in the OTMs’ progress in
developing the program and an even more impactful interest in evaluating early outcomes. In this
regard, presenting clear and compelling data on the OTMs progress and results becomes
important. In line with Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2016) guidance on data analysis, CCECU
executives will want to know whether the on-the-job training program meets expectations and
why or why not. To help satisfy the desire of CCECU’s executives for insights on the OTMs
progress, analysis and reporting will occur after each of the surveys has been administered
following the training’s completion. The goal will be to provide an insightful summary of OTM

79

proficiency and outcome self-assessments. Early analysis of the member satisfaction surveys (net
promoter score) will supplement the OTMs self-reporting.
After the initial training session, the analysis will focus on OTM self-assessment of
knowledge, confidence, and commitment to develop and implement the on-the-job training
program before and after the training. Following the second training session, the emphasis will
shift to OTM self-assessment across all four Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) levels and will
include actual early results to supplement the self-reporting. Figure 2 provides a sample of the
reporting that will be generated upon completion of the training session using fictitious data.
Table 15 provides an additional sample generated eight weeks later. One of the key strengths of
the reporting reflected in Table 15 is the ability to cross-reference OTM self-assessment with the
program’s preliminary results. Both reports will be shared with CCECU executive stakeholders
with accompanying presentations that will provide insight into the question of whether
expectations of the program are being met and the reasons as to why or why not.
Figure 2

Extract of Proposed Reporting Following Initial Training

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Note. This graph illustrates the impact of the training session on OTM knowledge, confidence, and
commitment using fictitious data.
Table 15
Extract of Proposed Reporting After the Second Training
OTM Self-Assessment Results Since On-The-Job Program Launch
Average OTM
Member Assessment
(1=strongly disagree;
5=strongly agree)
Percentage
We have been able to improve
training impact through effective
follow-up with our employees
4.5 Percentage decrease in operational
errors for branch operations team
employees
30%
We have been able to consistently
model the on-the-job behaviors that
we are looking for from our
employees
4.0 Percentage decrease in operational
errors for OTMs
25%
We have seen an increase in member
satisfaction
4.5 Percentage increase in member
satisfaction over the last two months
member satisfaction survey results
(net promoter score)
10%, 15%
Summary

The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) was used as the
framework for considering the implementation and evaluation of the research-based
recommendations supporting the OTMs goal of consistently reinforcing desired employee
behaviors in the workplace following training. Level 4, internal and external outcomes, and
metrics were spelled out to provide leading indicators of the OTMs progress against its goal.
Level 3 made clear the need for OTMs to exhibit three critical behaviors centered on providing
consistent on-the-job coaching for their employees, modeling the behaviors that they are looking
for, and using Net Promoter Score training-related feedback to train their employees in

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improving the member experience. It also gave rise to a package of required drivers to reinforce,
encourage, reward, and monitor these behaviors. At Level 2, learning goals were defined that are
essential for the OTMs to achieve if they are to demonstrate the critical behaviors defined at
Level 3. In addition, a training program was described that would enable OTMs to meet the
learning goals and exhibit the required level of knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and
commitment in the process. Finally, at Level 1, measures were defined to assess OTMs’
engagement in and satisfaction with the training program, in addition to the relevance they attach
to it. By blending the strength of the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis model with the power
of the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) framework, evidence-based recommendations are
accompanied by an arsenal of actions that support the likelihood of their successful
implementation. In the context of this study, the knowledge, motivation, and organization
recommendations supporting the OTMs to build and install the on-the-job training program are
combined with a robust implementation and evaluation plan, thus providing CCECU with a
comprehensive solution to its objective of ensuring 100% of OTMs consistently reinforce desired
employee behaviors in the workplace following training.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach
The Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis approach coupled with the Kirkpatrick and
Kirkpatrick (2016) New World Kirkpatrick model offered a comprehensive approach for
solutions, recommendations, implementation, and evaluation. The gap is derived from what
resides within the organizational goals’ current actuality and the desired goals. The gap exists
between reality and the goal. The causes that exist between the goal and current reality are
defined as influences. This methodology was effective for this evaluative study because it
divided the influences into three dimensions: knowledge, motivation, and organization factors.
These influences are then taken into causes, assets, or needs, dependent upon the type of study.

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In this study, the influences combined with a literature review contributed to the root causes and
context-specific recommendations. The structure of the gap analysis model was effective for this
study. With this in mind, other types of root cause analyses could have been employed. They
could have proved to be equally effective such as a driver diagram, logic model, theory of action
or implementation, or other root cause analyses. This study benefited from the gap analysis
model as the influences lent themselves to proposed gaps in understanding, motivation, and
organizational elements for CCECU and the OTMs.
The Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) model effectively met the study’s needs as an
approach towards evaluation through intentional planning of the three major dimensions of the
model including planning, execution, and demonstration of value. This model integrates well
with the gap analysis because it takes identified gaps and designs interventions using blended
evaluation tools essential to further determine the needs of training initiatives. The only potential
limitation that would be considered when implementing the program outlined in this study would
include considering the resources required to effectively approach this work. There would need
to be a very concerted effort to ensure that resources, including time, monetary, and human-
related, are considered when designing interventions. The recommendations would require all
three to be implemented with fidelity. This would take a commitment from all stakeholders
involved to return investment as outlined by Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016). Often, in the
non-profit sector, these three resources are limited and require buy-in from all parties involved,
including policymakers.
Limitations and Delimitations

There are several limitations and delimitations associated with this study. First, the small
sample size, born out of the stakeholder group of focus, prevents broad generalizations about the
findings. The issue of generalizability is compounded by the fact that the research is taking place

83

within a single not-for-profit financial services organization. The small sample size also
prevented the need for other forms of data collection, such as surveys, that could have yielded
additional insights into this practice problem. Second, the time available to complete the study
shortened the ultimate validation of the assumed influences, along with resulting stakeholder
assets and needs, in addition to the recommendations, implementation, and evaluation program.
To be sure, testing this study’s premises through the actual launch of and experience with the on-
the-job coaching program would serve to support whether the identified knowledge, motivation,
and organization gaps and assets of the OTMs were accurate and whether the recommended
implementation and evaluation program was successful. A delimitation pertains to limiting the
scope of stakeholder participants to the OTMs. This decision was made based upon the
demographic trends nationally in regards to member-facing staff and their impact on the Net
Promoter Score, and as a means to target training transfer focused on the knowledge and
motivation of the OTMs’. The foregoing limitations and delimitations point to worthwhile areas
for future research.
Future Research

To expand the generalizability of this study’s findings, future research should analyze
other teams in multiple organizations and in different industries to validate whether the assumed
influences on teams charged with reinforcing desired employee behaviors hold across multiple
contexts. Expanding the population size would allow for the use of more comprehensive data
collection instruments – including potentially quantitative data – yielding richer insights on the
knowledge, motivation, and organization influences affecting management teams. The efficacy
and generalizability of the proposed solution set in this study are another area for future research.
Irrespective of how well-conceived this study’s implementation and evaluation plan is following
the precepts of the New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016), the success

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of CCECU’s OTMs remains to be seen. A follow-up evaluation study would add credibility to
the recommendations, as would implementing and assessing the recommendations in other
organizations.
As suggested above, future research should contemplate other stakeholders beyond the
OTMs charged with increasing training transfer. The importance of whole company leadership
as a stakeholder group cannot be overstated. This group is key in shaping the enabling (or
disabling) cultural models and settings. With respect to models, supporting the practice of
ensuring training transfer. With respect to settings, provision of materials after the training is
completed to further competency in training transfer. Accordingly, additional studies examining
the influences affecting leadership support of reinforcing desired employee behaviors following
training would provide a meaningful contribution to this body of knowledge.
Conclusion

Member satisfaction plays a key role in the ability of CCECU to accomplish its mission
and goals and is essential for improving loyalty rate, reducing costs, and retaining members.
Poor member satisfaction has negative side effects in all areas of business, including losing
members to other institutions. Not only are members lost, but CCECU runs the risk of losing its
best employees. In alignment with Owen (2019), Net Promoter Score is a management tool used
to gauge the level of member satisfaction at CCECU.
Effective training is one way to address the issue of training transfer success. In fact,
Hutchins and Burke (2007) concluded that the percentage of training transfer success is around
10%. Additionally, according to Awais and Kaur (2010), the problem of lack of training transfer
must also be solved because studies have shown that higher success rates of training transfer can
lead to an approximately 10% increase in on-the-job performance and an improved Net Promoter

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Score. The study by Chiaburu, Van Dam, and Hutchins (2010) concluded that “training transfer
continues to be a problem for organizations seeking to maximize training effectiveness” (p. 196).
As such, the substantial resources required to provide training to staff make it critically important
to increase training transfer rates and increase the overall Net Promoter Score.
The Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis model was the organizing framework of this
study. This model centers on the notion that performance deficits can be distilled into
stakeholder knowledge, motivation, or organization (KMO) problems. By way of related
literature and personal experience, assumed KMO influences were derived through interviews
with the OTMs and analysis of CCECU’s pre-training agenda, the post-training evaluation, and
the post-training checklist. This study’s data collection and analysis process surfaced four
influences as needs to be addressed in support of the OTM’s goal of consistently reinforcing
desired employee behaviors following training. First, OTMs need to know how to provide
consistent support after training and sustain value. Second, OTMs need to know how to improve
training impact through effective follow-up. Third, OTMs need to know how to facilitate
training-related information exchange and collaborative effort between their teams. Fourth, two
cultural models at CCECU represent encumbrances to the OTM’s goal:
(a) CCECU needs to support the practice of ensuring training transfer; (b) and CCECU needs to
provide materials after the training is completed to further the OTMs’ competency in training
transfer.
Recommendations anchored to empirical research were advanced to address these needs
and sustain the influences that were determined to be assets. In turn, the New World Kirkpatrick
Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) was used as the framework to translate these
recommendations into an implementation and evaluation program. Through the New World
Kirkpatrick Model: (a) internal and external indicators of the OTM’s progress against its

86

mandate were articulated (Level 4); (b) OTM critical behaviors were defined (Level 3); (c)
learning goals for the OTMs’ to enact the critical behaviors were identified, and a training
program for OTMs to learn these critical behaviors was outlined (Level 2); (d) and measures to
gauge OTM satisfaction with the training program were described (Level 1). Taken collectively,
the expository strength of the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis model with the prescriptive
power of the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) framework yielded a solution for CCECU to
achieve its goal of increasing member satisfaction (Net Promoter Score).
Training transfer success remains around 10% field wide. The literature reveals that many
organizations make an effort to reinforce desired employee behaviors following training. One of
the most important aspects of post-training is active engagement from the employees’ manager.
The level of engagement from managers is influenced by their declarative knowledge of how to
support training transfer through effective follow-up, procedural knowledge of how to share
training-related information and metacognitive knowledge of how to reflect on their own abilities
to increase training transfer rates. This is followed closely by the need to close the organizational
influence gaps of supporting the practice of ensuring training transfer and the provision of
materials after training is completed to further a manager’s competence in training transfer. This
study contributes to the body of knowledge that helps organizations break through the existing
training transfer success rate by exploring these influences in detail. It is important to address the
problem of lack of training transferring into employee professional practice. Although
organizations invest a significant amount in training every year, many trained competencies such
as accurately completing work, expanding the customer base, and deepening relationships with
customers reportedly fail to transfer to the workplace. While future evaluation studies should
seek to substantiate these assertions, organizations should act now, and this study provides them
with a template to do so.

87

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Appendix A

Proxy Interview Protocol
My name is Jessica Barr, and I am a research representative at USC. Johnathan wanted
me to thank you for taking time out of your schedule to meet with me and agreeing to participate
in his study by answering some questions. This interview will take about thirty minutes, although
we have allocated forty-five minutes if we need extra time.

Johnathan is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at USC. He is conducting a study
on your experiences as managers in working with employees to implement training in their daily
practices. I am not here as an employee of this organization or to make a professional assessment
or judgment of your performance as a leader. I want to emphasize that I am only here as a
researcher collecting data for Johnathan’s study. The information you share with me will be
placed into his study as part of the data collection. This interview is completely confidential, and
your name will not be disclosed to anyone or anywhere outside the scope of this study. It will be
known only to me specifically for this data collection. While Johnathan may use a direct quote
from you in his study, I will not provide your name specifically. I will make the best effort
possible to remove any potentially identifying information. Upon completion of his study,
Johnathan will share an executive summary with all participants.

Your participation is entirely voluntary. You may skip any questions you do not want to
answer, and you may stop this interview at any time. During the interview, I will be using a
recording device to capture all of your responses accurately and completely. This recording will
not be shared with Johnathan. If you would like me to stop recording at any point, I will do so.
The recording will be transcribed for Johnathan; thus he will not identify the respondents through
their voices. Before Johnathan views the transcript, I will remove any potential identifiers to
ensure that he will not identify you individually. The recording will be transferred to my
password-protected files on a cloud file storage account and deleted from the recording device
immediately upon transfer. I will be using a third party to transcribe the recording, and all files
will be returned to me upon finalizing the transcription. The recording and all other data will
then be destroyed three years from the date his dissertation defense is approved.

With that, do you have any questions about the study before we get started? If not, please
review and keep the information sheet.

I would like your permission to begin the interview. May I also have your permission to
record this conversation? Thank you.
1. How would you describe your typical day as a branch manager at 1st United CU?
2. Tell me about the types of training your employees have attended in the last few
months. What is your relationship to their training experiences?
1. Do you attend the training as well? If not, how do you familiarize yourself with
what happens in training?

95

3. Describe if you prepare your employees for the training before they attend a training
class at all.
1. What are some things you do before your employees attend a training class?
2. Do you review reasons for the training or provide training-related information
such as key terms or concepts before they attend a training class?
3. Are there generally tools such as job aids provided to you ahead of a scheduled
training to help support your employees?
4. Tell me about the types of pre-work assignments you receive prior to a training
class to help support your employees, if at all.
4. I’d like to now specifically focus on what happens after employees have attended
training. Some might say that attending a training workshop should prepare employees
to apply the new skills when they get back to work and that it is not critical to support
employees after training. What would you say to that?
1. How do you feel 1st United CU as a whole sees the value of supporting what
happens after training in relation to the implementation of the new knowledge
and skills employees have learned?
5. Describe how you follow-up with your team after they have been trained on a new
policy or procedure.
1. Are there any incentives you use at all to encourage employees to apply what
they learned in training? Alternatively, are there consequences you use if
training is not being implemented?
2. Tell me how you look for opportunities for your employees to apply what they
have learned, if at all.

96

3. Discuss how you identify gaps in your employees’ knowledge of a new policy
or procedure, if at all.
4. Tell me how you establish post-training learning goals, if at all.
5. Describe how you ensure that your employees share job-related information
with each other.
6. Tell me how your team works together to implement training initiatives, if at
all.
6. How do you feel about your ability to support the implementation of new knowledge
and skills with your employees after they come back from training?
7. Tell me about how 1st United CU supports the achievement of after training goals
related to the implementation of new knowledge and skills. For example, are there
any types of resources provided by 1st United CU to managers after their employees
have been trained on a new process or procedure?
Thank you for your time today; this concludes our interview. I wanted to thank you for
your time. I also wanted to remind you that this interview was confidential. What questions do
you have, if any? If you do not have any questions at the moment, please feel free to reach out
anytime.

97

Appendix B

Document Analysis Protocol
Items:
Net Promoter Score (NPS) History – Average monthly member service score for the
branch operations team
Phase 1 Pre-training Agenda – List of topics to be covered during new hire training
Phase 1 Post-training Checklist – Participant acknowledgment and self-assessment of
topics covered during Phase 1 (first week) of new hire training
Phase 1 Trainer Evaluation – Trainers’ assessment of new hire performance during
instructor-led training
Phase 2 Post-training Checklist – Manager’s evaluation of transaction performance
including new memberships and loan applications
Phase 2 Trainer Evaluation – Trainers’ assessment of new hire performance during
instructor-led training
Prompts:
1. Where are the NPS score history, pre-training agenda, and post-training checklists
and evaluations located?
2. When were the NPS score history, pre-training agenda, and post-training checklists
and evaluations created or published?
3. What is the stated purpose of the NPS score history, pre-training agenda, and post-
training checklists and evaluations?
4. What specific guidance, if any, does the NPS score history, pre-training agenda, and
post-training checklists and evaluations give OTMs on how to support training
initiatives?

98

5. Does the NPS score history, pre-training agenda and post-training checklists and
evaluations provide definitions of terms to ensure there is an understanding of the
language used to support training transfer?
6. What does the NPS score history, pre-training agenda and post-training checklist and
evaluation indicate about the participants’ in-class performance in relation to their
ability to perform job duties such as accurately processing transactions?
7. Are there elements of the NPS score history, pre-training agenda, and post-training
checklist and evaluation that reflect the department’s goal of increasing training
transfer?
8. What is the tone (e.g., supportive or not supportive) of the NPS score history, pre-
training agenda and post-training checklist, and evaluation pertaining to training
transfer?

99

Appendix C

Survey to Administer Immediately Following Initial Training Session
(Level 1 and 2 Assessment)
Please place an X in the box to indicate the degree to which you agree with each statement:

Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neither
Disagree
nor Agree
Agree Strongly
Agree
1. The training held my interest

2. I found value in the training I
received

3. The presentation style of the
facilitators held my interest

4. The information in today’s
session applies to my role in helping
to consistently support my
employees in the workplace
following training

5. I would recommend this training
session to others

For questions 6-10, please use the following rating scale:

1.
None or very low level
2.
Low level
3.
Moderate level
4.
High level
5.
Very high level

Please circle the appropriate rating before the training and now (after the training). Please
provide comments to explain your ratings.

Before the training
session

After the training
session
1 2 3 4 5 6. Knowledge of how to identify the skills and
motivations of your employees in the workplace
following training
1 2 3 4 5

100

Comments:
1 2 3 4 5 7. Knowledge of how to identify training
opportunities for your employees
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
1 2 3 4 5 8. Knowledge of how to implement training
initiatives for your employees
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
1 2 3 4 5 9. Confidence to support your employees in the
workplace following training
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
1 2 3 4 5 10. Commitment to support your employees in the
workplace following training
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
Note: Survey administered in a classroom setting

11. What part of the training was most helpful?
12. What part of the training was the least effective?
13. What key elements of the training will you use to build a game plan to support your
employees in the workplace following training?
14. Please share any additional feedback you may have about today’s training session.

101

Appendix D

Survey to Administer After Second Training Session
(Level 1 to 4 Assessment)
Please place an X in the box to indicate the degree to which you agree with each statement:

Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neither
Disagree nor
Agree
Agree Strongly
Agree
1. We have been successful at
providing on the job coaching
following training

2. We have been successful at
modeling the behaviors that we are
looking for

3. We have identified training
opportunities from the NPS

4. We have been able to effectively
utilize the on-the-job coaching
checklist

5. We have been able to recognize
and reward desired employee
behaviors

6. We have been able to meet with
other OTMs to discuss success in
reinforcing desired behaviors

7. We have seen a decrease in the
number of member complaints

8. We are beginning to see a
decrease in operational errors

9. We are starting to see an
increase in the NPS

11. I am confident in discussions
involving practice and feedback

12. I personally see the value and
rationale of investing time and

102

resources in reinforcing desired
employee behaviors

13. How has the on-the-job coaching checklist impacted your ability to reinforce desired
employee behaviors following training?
14. What additional training or support would help you to consistently reinforce desired
employee behaviors following training?

Abstract (if available)

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Asset Metadata

Creator Williams, Johnathan Shane (author)

Core Title Increasing workplace training transfer

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 11/21/2020

Defense Date 10/26/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag banking,credit unions,cultural model,cultural setting,declarative,design,finance,Financial institutions,Knowledge,metacognitive,Motivation,net promoter score,NPS,OAI-PMH Harvest,organizational influence,post-training,pre-training,procedural,self-efficacy,Training,transfer,Value

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Seli, Helena (committee chair), Phillips, Jennifer (committee member), Rayburn, Kalim (committee member)

Creator Email johnathw@usc.edu,williamscompany@hotmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-398220

Unique identifier UC11666626

Identifier etd-WilliamsJo-9140.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-398220 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-WilliamsJo-9140.pdf

Dmrecord 398220

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Williams, Johnathan Shane

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA