Training

Training Adult Learners

By Chris Kilbourne Jul 29, 2010 Training

Updated: Jul 29, 2010

More and more employees these days understand that to succeed in the workplace, they need to be lifelong learners. But as adults, they may learn differently than when they were students in school. Brain function and life circumstances change. For your part, to be an effective trainer, you need to be aware of the particular needs of adult learners.

Use the four elements of adult learning as you train your employees:

Motivation. To motivate adult learners, set a friendly or open tone at each session, create a feeling of concern, and set an appropriate level of difficulty. Other motivators for adult learners include:
Personal achievement—including attaining higher job status or keeping up with and/or surpassing competitors
Social well-being—including opportunities for community work
External expectations—such as meeting the expectations of someone with formal authority
Social relationships—including opportunities for making new friends that satisfy people’s desire for association
Stimulation—breaks the routine of work and provides contrast in employees’ lives
Interest in learning—gives employees knowledge for the sake of knowledge and satisfies curious minds

Try a demo of BLR’s remarkable new Employee Training Center at no cost or obligation.

Reinforcement. To be successful in training adult learners, use both positive and negative reinforcement. Frequently use positive reinforcement, such as verbal praise, when teaching new skills to encourage progress and reward good results. Use negative reinforcement, such as constructive criticism, to stop bad habits or poor performance.
Retention. Adults must retain what they’ve learned in order to realize benefits on both the personal and companywide levels. Achieve great retention rates by having trainees practice their newly acquired skills again and again until they are comfortable enough with them to ensure long-term success.
Transference. Adults want to bring what they learn in training directly to the workplace. Positive transference occurs when adults are able to apply learned skills to their jobs. Negative transference occurs when learners can’t—or don’t—apply skills to the workplace.

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You can teach old dogs new tricks—as long as you know how adults learn. Apply the above principles to your training program to keep your employees safe and efficient on the job.

Why It Matters

OSHA says that a good safety program—that includes effective training—is essential for providing a safe workplace, which is essential to meeting business objectives.
It also protects the organization’s reputation.
And it also is key to attracting and retaining high-potential employees.