Literacy Basics - Community Literacy of Ontario

Training and Development Plan Strategies

The following list of strategies and techniques have been adapted from the Canada Public Service Agency website at www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/chro-dprh/index-eng.asp and can be used to help develop a Candidate Training and Development Plan. Use the information as a guideline for possible techniques and strategies to help a potential candidate identify or acquire the necessary proficiencies. Review it with the candidate and keep it in his/her personnel file. Revisit the plan at scheduled intervals to evaluate progress and additional needs or supports.

Sample Strategies and Techniques

• Stretch assignments allow employees to stretch beyond their current abilities. Some examples include chairing a committee or meetings, leading a special project, or being assigned a challenging new task.
• Acting assignments can be a good opportunity for employees to get experience at a more senior level by temporarily taking over another employee's responsibilities while they are absent from their post.
• Job rotations give employees the opportunity to work in different areas of the organization and acquire experience in different disciplines or functions. The employee remains in his or her substantive position but is exposed to different streams or domains of work.
• Mentoring and/or coaching provide opportunities for employees to obtain ongoing guidance and support from more experienced employees. These arrangements can be formal or informal.
• Formal training may include classroom training, web courses, and the pursuit of higher education and training.

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What are various strategies for knowledge transfer?

Explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge are different and they require different strategies. Explicit knowledge can be tracked and codified in manuals, directories, and procedures. On the other hand, tacit knowledge, which makes up eighty to eighty-five per cent of an organization's knowledge assets, is much more difficult to codify because it encompasses people's insight, judgment, and know-how. It requires strategies that rely more on interpersonal interactions such as coaching, mentoring, and job shadowing. Consider incorporating strategies that track and retain both kinds of knowledge.

Many of the previously mentioned learning strategies also facilitate the transfer of knowledge. In addition to those, the following may be used to transfer knowledge.

Documentation of critical knowledge/job diaries: This is a record that contains key knowledge, including contacts, networks, resources, learning, best practices, answers to frequently asked questions, etc.

Exit interviews: Employees who are leaving the organization voluntarily complete an interview and/or questionnaire, which can capture critical information. To access Literacy Link South Central’s, Tip Sheet on Conducting an Exit Interview, please visit: www.llsc.on.ca/node/108.

Communities of practice: These are groups of people who share a common purpose or concern and who exchange ideas. (e.g., participation in the Literacy Community Planning Committee)

Transition Leaves: An employee who is leaving may want to reduce their work week. This may be used as a retention strategy, thereby allowing more time for knowledge transfer. To access Literacy Link South Central’s Tip Sheet on Transition Issues, please visit: www.llsc.on.ca/node/108.

In order to encourage knowledge transfer, management must consider giving the person whose knowledge is being tapped the time to share it. For example, reduce that person’s workload so he or she can mentor, coach, train, or otherwise share information.

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