Social support at the workplace, motivation to transfer and training transfer: a multilevel indirect effects model

Abstract

Supervisor support, peer support and transfer motivation have been identified as important predictors of training transfer. Transfer motivation is thought to mediate the supporttraining transfer relationship. Especially after team training interventions that include all team members (i.e. whole-team training), individual perception of these factors might be shared among team members. However, an integration of the team level in the training transfer process is rare, yet still needed. Analyzing 194 employees from 34 teams in the context of whole-team training interventions, we found similar relationships and processes at both levels of analysis: social support enhances transfer motivation at the individual and team levels. Furthermore, motivation to transfer increases training transfer and serves as a connecting mechanism in the social support-training transfer link. The results underline the importance of: (1) considering multiple levels in theories and research about the training transfer process; and (2) ensuring the practice of individual-directed support and a shared, supportive climate within teams.

Never Too Early: Learning Transfer System Factors Affecting Motivation to Transfer Before and After Training Programs

“…Initial research results have confirmed motivation to transfer as a mediating factor between factors in the work environment as well as in the training design and training transfer. For example, supervisor support and peer support were found to influence training transfer indirectly, mediated through motivation to transfer (Massenberg & Kauffeld, ; Massenberg et al, ; Nijman & Gelissen, ; van den Bossche et al, ). Moreover, Grohmann et al () found motivation to transfer to act as a mediator between training design and training transfer.…”

“…Compared to studies that have analyzed the influence of the learning transfer system before the training, many more studies have assessed the system and its influence on motivation to transfer after the training program (for an overview, see Gegenfurtner, Veermans, et al, 2009). Empirical results have shown that motivation to transfer is influenced by training‐specific as well as general factors related to the work environment (e.g., Axtell et al, ; Bates & Holton, ; Chiaburu, van Dam, & Hutchins, ; Foxon, ; Massenberg et al., ; Nijman & Gelissen, ; Seyler et al, ; van den Bossche et al, ), to the training design (e.g., Grohmann et al, ; Kauffeld et al, ; Ruona, Leimbach, Holton, & Bates, ), and to the trainee (e.g., Chiaburu et al, ; Naquin & Holton, ; Seyler et al, ). Table gives an overview of empirical results regarding the influencing factors in the learning transfer system on motivation to transfer after training programs.…”

“…Motivation to transfer was found to be essential for training transfer (i.e., for the application of gained skills to the practice; e.g., Axtell, Maitlis, & Yearta, ; Burke & Hutchins, ; Devos, Dumay, Bonami, Bates, & Holton, ; Gegenfurtner, Festner, Gallenberger, Lehtinen & Gruber, 2009; Kauffeld, Bates, Holton, & Müller, ). Prior research has theoretically suggested (Gegenfurtner, Veermans, et al, 2009) and empirically begun to confirm the mediating function of motivation to transfer between factors in the learning transfer system and training transfer (Grohmann, Beller, & Kauffeld, ; Massenberg, Spurk, & Kauffeld, ; Nijman & Gelissen, ; van den Bossche, Segers, & Jansen, ). Therefore, if organizations know the antecedents of motivation to transfer, they have the chance to facilitate the training transfer (e.g., Gegenfurtner, Veermans, et al, 2009) and to optimize the benefit of training programs for both trainees and organizations (Laker & Powell, ).…”

How individual needs influence motivation effects: a neuroscientific study on McClelland’s need theory

“…Motivated employees are more engaged in their work (Rich 2006), their performance is of higher quality (Cerasoli et al 2014) and they profit more from occupational training (Massenberg et al 2015). Additionally, they are more strongly committed to their work, work longer hours, pick more challenging goals to achieve , and are more willing to share knowledge at the workplace (Lin 2007).…”

Linking positive affect and motivation to transfer within training: a multilevel study

“…Past research has identified factors which influence the successful transfer of training (Bates et al ., ; Kauffeld et al ., ). For successful transfer of training, trainees’ motivation to transfer is a critical link (Gegenfurtner et al ., ; Grohmann et al ., ; Massenberg et al ., ). Motivation to transfer in turn is affected by several factors (for an overview, see Gegenfurtner et al ., ), including individual characteristics, organizational factors and training‐related characteristics.…”