Skills transfer

Skills transfer refers to the process of sharing knowledge, expertise and abilities with employees in an organisation. This term is frequently used in reference to training of new employees. It is vital to underline that this is the employee who is at the centre of this process. Many researchers acknowledged this fact, calling employees "a blood stream of any business" and stressing that "the accomplishment or disaster of the firm depends on its employee performance" (Elnaga, 2013, p. 137).

Companies operate in unstable and changing environments and as a result of this they need to adopt quickly to new trends on the market. In order to meet all of these challenges, companies are willing to invest in training programmes that would boost efficiency of their workers (Elnaga, 2013, p. 137). The transfer of skills which is organised and well-planned can help company gain the advantage over its competitors.

Effective transfer of skills

Skills transfer needs to be properly organised and planned as some abilities develop slowly over time. The same refers to the understanding of key concepts and processes. As mentioned by Elnaga, effective skills transfer should help workers manage their frustration and fears related to a new task or a position (2013, p. 139). In order to realise their full potential, employees need to feel comfortable while discussing new ideas and, above all, should be encouraged to ask questions. What is more, by questioning the status quo employees can yield improvements in old projects or processes. This explains why organisations should make efforts to facilitate the understanding in employees, otherwise workers may decide to leave them and join different companies (Elnaga, 2013, p. 139).

Elnaga lists five integral parts of effective transfer of skills (2013, p. 140):

• planning, which means establishing goals and steps that will help to achieve a given target. It is important to ensure that goals are realistic and attainable over a specified period of time. While preparing a plan of the training, goals should be divided into short-term and long-term ones
• monitoring, including feedback, the control of the employees’ understanding and comparing it with the established standards. The feedback should be constructive and informative. It shouldn't trigger frustration and discouragement
• developing, which describes the period when employees improve their skills and learn from mistakes made in the monitoring phase. This part should be clearly defined in time
• rating, which is the assessment of the employees’ performance
• rewarding.

As indicated by Shelton, without these elements skills transfer "reverts back to being simply training" (2001, p. 11).

Due to a widespread development of technology, transferring skills to employees does not have to be limited to traditional, face-to-face interaction but can be realised by means of educational platforms and applications (Shelton, 2001, p. 11). The importance of Internet-based knowledge sharing becomes even more pronounced nowadays given the growing flexibility of businesses and the need for instant accessibility of information (Shelton, 2001, p. 11). Shelton points out that skills transfer should resemble studying, not passive processing of the information provided by a peer (Shelton, 2001, p. 12). This is realised through effective knowledge management within the structure of an organisation.

In addition, "since companies can no longer guarantee employees promotions to the top, it is important that they help employees with career planning and skills development" (Shelton, 2001, p. 13). The skills transfer can be thus perceived as a motivational tool in the hands of the employers, who can use it to encourage employees to stay loyal to the company and create added value to its business activities.

The employees should take active part in the training preparation process. Machin (2002, p. 7) suggests that workers should be given the chance to decide on the type of training they are to attend, as well as specify the time and place of the training session that would be comfortable for them. In addition, they should be encouraged to set down requirements for the course and choose the manner they want to participate in it (Machin, 2002, p. 7).

Examples of Skills transfer

• On-the-job training: On-the-job training is an effective way of transfer skills to employees. This involves providing employees with the necessary knowledge and resources to perform their job roles and tasks. It involves providing employees with the necessary tools, guidance and instruction to help them become more proficient in their job role.
• Coaching: Coaching is another effective way to transfer skills to employees. This involves providing employees with direct feedback and guidance in order to help them learn new skills or improve existing ones. This can involve individual or group coaching sessions, and can be done through formal or informal methods.
• Cross-training: Cross-training is another way to transfer skills to employees. This involves providing employees with the opportunity to learn new skills from other departments or organizations. This can involve shadowing an employee from another department or organization, or attending workshops or seminars in order to learn new skills.
• Mentoring: Mentoring is an effective way to transfer skills to employees. This involves providing an experienced and knowledgeable mentor who can provide employees with guidance and support in order to help them develop new skills or improve existing ones. This can involve one-on-one conversations or group sessions, and can be done both formally and informally.

Advantages of Skills transfer

One of the biggest advantages of skills transfer is the overall improvement of employee performance. This is achieved through the sharing of knowledge and expertise with existing staff, which can help them to become more effective and efficient in their roles. Other advantages include:

• Improved communication - Transferring of skills encourages employees to communicate better with each other, leading to improved collaboration and understanding.
• Increased job satisfaction - Research suggests that employees who receive training and have opportunities to learn new skills are more likely to be satisfied with their job and have higher job retention rates.
• Higher productivity - By providing employees with the skills they need to do their job, it can increase the rate of productivity. This can result in cost savings and improved overall efficiency.
• Greater engagement - When employees learn new skills, they become more engaged in their job, which leads to a better working environment and improved productivity.
• Improved morale - As employees are learning new skills, they become more confident in their abilities and this can lead to increased morale throughout the organisation.

Limitations of Skills transfer

Skills transfer is an essential part of any organization’s growth and success, however, it is not without its limitations. These include:

• Time constraints - Transferring knowledge and skills from the more experienced members of the team to the new recruits, or those with lesser experience can take a significant amount of time, which may not be feasible in certain situations.
• Language barriers - Even within the same organisation, language can be a barrier in the transfer of knowledge and skills. This can be especially true when recruiting from abroad or when dealing with different cultures and backgrounds.
• Lack of resources - Transferring knowledge and skills requires dedicated resources, such as training materials, which may not always be available.
• Poor communication - Effective communication is key to successful knowledge and skills transfer, yet this can be difficult to achieve when dealing with large volumes of information.
• Resistance to change - Change can be a difficult concept for some people to grasp, and resistance to change may lead to difficulties in the transfer of knowledge and skills.

Overall, skills transfer can bring many benefits to an organization, but it is important to consider these limitations in order to ensure a successful process.

Other approaches related to Skills transfer

One other approach related to Skills transfer is training and development. Training and development involve the provision of resources and guidance to employees in order to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively carry out their roles. Training and development involve activities such as on-the-job training, coaching, mentoring, job rotation and formal training programs.

• Performance appraisal is also an important approach related to Skills transfer. Performance appraisal is a systematic process of evaluating an individual’s performance in relation to set objectives and standards. It involves setting goals, providing feedback, assessing performance and establishing areas for improvement.
• Career development is another approach to Skills transfer. Career development activities help employees to identify, develop and refine their skills in order to become more professionally competent. It includes activities such as career planning and counselling, job shadowing and mentoring, job rotation and skill-building activities.
• Knowledge management is also an important approach related to Skills transfer. Knowledge management involves the collection, organization and dissemination of knowledge within an organization. It includes activities such as knowledge sharing, collaboration, document management and training.

In conclusion, Skills transfer is the process of sharing knowledge, expertise and abilities with employees in an organisation. Other approaches related to Skills transfer include training and development, performance appraisal, career development and knowledge management. All of these approaches are important in helping employees to develop their skills and become more professionally competent.

Skills transfer — recommended articles

Career pathing — Skills development — Training and development — Job scope — Corporate innovation — Adaptation of workers — Strategic human resource management — Employee selection — Promotion policy

References

• Elnaga, A., (2013), The Effect of Training on Employee Performance, "European Journal of Business and Management", p. 137, 139, 140
• Machin, A., (2002), Planning, managing, and optimizing transfer of traininghttps://eprints.usq.edu.au/2284/1/Machin,_2002.PDF, "Creating, implementing, and managing effective training and development", p. 7
• Shelton, K., (2001), The Effects of Employee Development Programs on Job Satisfaction and Employee Retention, p. 11, 12, 13

Author: Małgorzata Goryl