Knowledge Transfer vs Training: Which Improves Employee Performance?

Are your employees making frequent mistakes? Do your new hires finish onboarding and still aren’t able to perform their jobs?

Most likely, if you are in one of these situations, you feel like you have a learning problem. You may be looking for ideas on how to better train your employees.

But employee training might not be your issue. You may have a knowledge transfer problem.

Working for ScreenSteps — a knowledge ops solution — I’ve learned that better training isn’t always the answer. Sometimes you need to reframe the problem.

To do that, you can look at how training and knowledge transfer compare.

In this blog post, I’ll share the differences between employee training and knowledge transfer. This will help you identify which problem you have and the full solution you need to correct the challenge.

Quick overview table

Don’t have time to read the whole article? Never fear! Here is a quick summary comparing training and knowledge transfer.

For more detailed information, read further in the article.

Employee training

Employee training refers to a program that helps your employees learn specific information and skills. This knowledge helps them do their jobs.

The purpose of training is to help employees do their jobs. However, the main focus in traditional training is teaching employees so they KNOW information. With training, you are assuming learners will remember everything you tell them.

It is a sub-set of knowledge transfer, meaning training is just one method for transferring knowledge.

Often, companies approach training as a “sage on the stage.” They have a trainer present long lectures that employees are supposed to memorize everything the trainer shares.

Employee training approaches

There are a variety of different approaches to training. Some of the more traditional training methods include:

• Lengthy lectures
• PowerPoint presentations
• One-on-one coaching
• Shadowing
• On-demand courses (like a learning management system)

What business problem does training solve?

When you create or update your training curriculum, you are assuming you have a learning problem. You believe that your employees just aren’t picking up what they are being taught.

Knowledge transfer

Knowledge transfer is the practice of passing knowledge from your experts to other employees. The purpose of knowledge transfer (or knowledge sharing) is to help employees handle tasks confidently and independently.

Ultimately, the focus of knowledge transfer is to share information with employees so that they can DO something.

As mentioned above, employee training is just one aspect of knowledge transfer.

Knowledge transfer approaches

Since employee training is a sub-set of knowledge transfer, knowledge transfer approaches include all of the training approaches.

Additionally, knowledge transfer can involve:

• Digital guides
• Other employee support resources

What business problem does knowledge transfer solve?

When you adopt a new knowledge transfer strategy, you are looking to solve a knowledge transfer problem or a tribal knowledge problem. That means you don’t see your problem as your employees’ inability to learn.

Instead, you are looking for a way to meet your employees where they at both mentally and physically. Then you focus on providing the skills that will help them complete tasks without needing to memorize everything.

A knowledge transfer problem is when employees can’t handle tasks independently without asking supervisors questions or making mistakes.

Example #1: Disneyland

Think about training in the real-life scenario of going to an amusement park, like Disneyland. What if Disney required guests to memorize a map of all the attractions before coming to the park? That would be a training approach. (And an unrealistic expectation.)

Instead, Disney takes a knowledge transfer approach. How do they do that?

Before going to Disneyland, you can download an app. The app has a map of the park to show you where every ride, shop, and restaurant is. Then the park puts up signs pointing you to where different attractions are.

Example #2: Call center

Now, let’s look at a more business-specific approach. Say you run a call center for an internet company. At this time, your agents keep making mistakes with scheduling installation appointments.

If you thought you had a learning problem (meaning the agents weren’t remembering or understanding the steps in the right order), then you would create a training course to help your employees.

However, if you looked at the same situation as a knowledge transfer problem, then you would take a look at your call flows or digital guides. Are the instructions clear? Are they difficult to follow on a call? Are they outdated?

Then you would update those guides so the right knowledge would be transferred to the employees as they were doing the job.

Which solution does your business need?

When it comes to deciding if you need a new training curriculum or a better knowledge transfer strategy, it doesn’t need to be an either-or situation.

What you really need to look at is what is your problem. If you have a learning problem, you need an improved training curriculum.

If you have a knowledge transfer problem, then you need a knowledge transfer strategy.

Help employees work more independently and efficiently

Do you need a way to transfer knowledge more effectively in your business?

At ScreenSteps, we developed the Find & Follow Framework. The framework is a knowledge transfer solution. It attacks the knowledge transfer problem from two angles:

1. It helps you develop a training curriculum that is faster and more efficient.

2. It helps you create digital guides to support employees on their jobs.

Companies that have adopted Find & Follow have trained employees up to 85% faster and improved employee performance metrics.

Want to see how Find & Follow works? Download our free Find & Follow eBook. This free guide will help you develop your own Find & Follow program for your company and start transferring knowledge more effectively.