Communicating

Communicate to your employees, in a non-threatening and non-judgmental way, your organization's WEP and how it will benefit them.

Ideally, employee participation in basic skills training will be voluntary.  When employees want to participate in training, the impact of the WEP will likely be more effective than if they are forced to participate.  A positive attitude towards learning will benefit both learner and company.

There are numerous benefits for both employer and employee when you introduce a WEP into your company.  Details on the benefits to employer and employee are described in other sections of this site.  Let your employees know that taking part in basic skills training will benefit them in many ways, including the way they perform tasks in their current jobs, as well as with their overall career development. 

Show your employees that you value their input by involving them in the WEP design and development process. As your employees become more involved with the WEP, their commitment to its success is likely to grow.

Also, by involving the participants of the WEP in the development stages, you will likely increase the usefulness of the training program to their jobs.  Employees may have insights into their own personal training needs that management may not be aware of.

InSight Educational Services specializes in reasonably priced evaluations of employee basic skills that can be easily accessed and are non-threatening.  Evaluations give the employers and employee usable information regarding reading and writing levels, mathematics capabilities and learning styles.
    URL: http://www.correctionseducation.com/WBSE

Training Assessment Kit
Information kit for assessors and workplace trainers on incorporating language, literacy and numeracy skills into Training Packages.
   URL: http://www.anta.gov.au/PUBS/LITERACY/pdfscreen.htm  
    (click on "A New Assessment Tool")

Stanford's International and Cross-Cultural Education Program offers teaching materials on cultural differences, cultural awareness, ethnic studies, international studies, and multicultural education. Interdisciplinary lessons and tools include cooperative group activities.
     URL: http://spice.stanford.edu/

MEGASKILLS^® provide adults with unique, easy to use strategies for adult education and learning, lifelong learning, continuing education, career education, self-help and personal development. Megaskills are the attitudes, behaviors, and habits needed for learning and success in school and on the job.
    URL: http://www.MegaSkillsHSI.org/

The World Learning and the School for International Training provides language and cross-cultural training to help participants work more effectively in multicultural environments at the community level or on a national scale.
     URL: http://www.worldlearning.org/

An article on an unusual corporate philosophy, social leveling, shows how Yarde Metals gets rid of the tension between labor and management, and has everyone working together toward one purpose.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/section/11/article/23/38/72.html

This article discusses why it is important to connect e-learning initiatives with defined business needs. E-learning can be a flexible and cost-effective alternative to classroom training, but it can also be a colossal waste of time and money if not implemented correctly.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/section/11/feature/23/41/49/index.html

Sometimes managers resist training for their departments. This article illustrates how to work with reluctant managers and show them the benefits of offering tailored training programs to their staff.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/article/22/13/89.php

Basic Skills Training 101 - This article offers employers ideas on what makes a successful workplace literacy program. Examples include tying the curriculum to workers’ skills and their work, encouraging employees to transfer their new skills to their work, and tips on keeping training costs low. 
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/17/40/223394.php

This article shares guidelines for using employee education and training as a means to business results. Start by letting the business strategy, culture and outcomes determine learning needs, and then create learning opportunities that make sense for employees.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/23/06/223892.php

Creating a 'culture of work' by incorporating soft skills into training can yield great returns in the workplace. This article how examines how four groups have incorporated soft skills training - such as courtesy and team work - into hard skills training curricula.
http://www.astd.org/virtual_community/research/What_Works/action/top_10.html

Several teachers share what they believe other teachers need to know in order to teach in the workplace in this article. The changing workplace, educational philosophy, program design, teaching practices, and the context of the workplace are discussed.
     URL: http://literacytech.worlded.org/docs/reflects.htm

This 12-question quiz by Gallup can start employers off on identifying and measuring levels of employee engagement with their organization. Survey research shows a strong correlation between high scores and superior job performance.
    URL: http://www.workforce.com/section/09/article/23/53/40.html

Coaching an executive requires an understanding of the executive work world, psyche and leaders' language. Effective executive coaches recognize these seven coaching issues and use them to design and implement appropriate strategies. 
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/23/57/45/index.php

Creating a training program that doesn’t alienate employees, and actually works as well, is no easy task. These training tips, including asking employees about their work-related challenges, can help employers create training programs that employees really like.  
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/23/35/28/233530.php

Informative guide and articles about the preparing for the GED exam and obtaining a high school diploma are available from this site. Learn how to earn a real high school diploma from home.
     URL: http://diplomaguide.com

Senior Service America provides a guide for organizations that assist immigrant seniors entering or re-entering the workforce. Practical advice for working with seniors from culturally diverse backgrounds and on facilitating interactions between immigrant seniors and other staff are included.
     URL: http://www.seniorserviceamerica.org/

WE LEARN promotes women's literacy as a tool for personal growth and social change through networking, education, action, and resource development.
     URL: http://www.litwomen.org/welearn.html

The Bernard Kleiman JobLink Learning Center in East Chicago, Indiana serves unionized steel mill workers. The Center's research findings explore how to increase participation through improved knowledge of workers' goals and motivations for taking part in training.
     URL: http://www.ncsall.net/?id=217

The findings of the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) assessment of adult English literacy skills in the U.S. discuss the relationship between literacy and employment status, occupation, weekly wage or salary, job training, and participation in public assistance programs.
     URL: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007480

A new report by the Migration Policy Institute identifies English acquisition as a serious challenge for both legal and illegal immigrants. Businesses are encouraged to invest more on English instruction as a way of improving workforce capacity.            http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/NCIIP_English_Instruction073107.pdf

Profiting from Experience is a new research report that explores how governments and employers in the U.S. and other countries are responding to aging workforce issues.
     URL: http://www.aarp.org/research/work/issues/intl_older_worker.html

Strengthening State Adult Education Policies for Low-Skilled Workers is a brief report outlining state adult education policies and programs. It recommends improvements for better job advancement opportunities for lower-skilled adults and older youth.
 URL: http://www.clasp.org/publications/policy_brief_-_adult_education_2_.pdf

Working Mathematics for the 21st Century is a UK report that examines the changing mathematical demands of the workplace, employee skill levels, employer views and the costs and benefits to employers and individuals relating to maths teaching and learning.
     URL: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=119

WelfareAtWork shares ideas and information on how to encourage employees to take part in training and development opportunities.
     URL: http://www.welfareatwork.co.uk/accessing-training-and-development-at-work.html

Dyslexia at Work: Realising Your Employees' Potential is an article that answers key questions on dyslexia and provides advice to employers on the best ways to create a dyslexia-friendly workplace and to ensure you are meeting key disability legislation.
     URL: http://www.hrzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=184367

Invisible No Longer is a report that explores a wide variety of workforce development practices that address skills shortages in health care. The report focuses on emerging lessons and investment pay-offs of workforce development efforts aimed at entry-level health care workers.
     URL: http://www.jobs2careers.org/pdf/Invisible.pdf

For problems or questions regarding this web site contact campbell@conferenceboard.ca.
Last updated: November 28, 2008.