Research: What's the biggest barrier you face when trying to achieve learning success at work?

[Jonathan Kettleborough]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm doing some research into identifying the main barriers to successful workplace learning. 

 

I would like to know what you feel are the biggest barriers to success that you face?  Is it that the IT department aren't helpful, that managers don't support learning or that your budget is squeezed etc.

 

I'd really like you to list all the barries that you come across.  People often talk about money being a real barrier, but is it?  If you had all the money you wanted, would people still give learning the focus you want it to have?

 

Many thanks in advance for all your comments.

 

Jonathan.

[Philip Richards]

Hi Jonathan

I did my MSc dissertation on this last year. Though it was in a specific geographical (South Africa) and occupational (accounting industry) context, I did a general review of the global (mainly Euro and US-centric) literature in this area. One of the more recent surveys of the literature around transfer of training in the last 10 years was done by Burke and Hutchins (2007) and I have attached an amended version of presentation I did to the ASTD conference in SA in 2009 which includes a slide with references. The summary of some of the findings in the literature are my own and is not necessarily the view of the original authors.
Hope this is helpful.
Cheers, Phil

[Jonathan Kettleborough]

Thanks for your reply Phil, and for the slides - really useful information.

From your experience, what do you see as the main thing that stops learning being a success within organisations? From other groups I've asked it would seem that either the L&D people don't sell the benefits or the business doesn't understand the value of learning (both of which are connected).

I'd really welcome your thoughts.

Thanks.

Jonathan.

[Philip Richards]

Hi, both of those but also I find that "work environment" factors matter a great deal and this is borne out in the research literature e.g managers providing the learner with opportunities and support/encouragement to use the training, being sent on the wrong course at the wrong time, lack of accountability on the learner's part to implement learning.

[Jonathan Kettleborough]

Thanks again Phil. Clearly there are both primary and secondary barriers. . . . Primary - the business doesn't see the point and Secondary, the business sees the point but the managers, supervisors and individuals don't.

Best wishes.

Jonathan.