Factors inluencing intention to transfer soft skills training conducts amongst clerical employees in a Malaysian government-linked company / Shaliza Shafie

After spending a substantial budget to up skill and re-skill the employees, employers expect them to apply the newly acquired knowledge, skills and abilities to improve their job performance. However, employers are dissatisfied with the current transfer of soft skills training conducts by their employees. This situation has created an issue where employers are disappointed and demanded justification for human capital development investment. The issue is caused by the low transfer of training rate problem which has been a concern in the transfer process for many years. Thus, this study aims to determine the factors that could influence the intention to transfer soft skills training conducts among st employees. To accomplish the purpose, Baldwin and Ford’s Transfer of Training Model (1988), Burke and Hutchins’ Model of Transfer (2008) and Holton’s HRD Evaluation Research and Measurement Model (1996) were selected as the underpinning theories, while Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 2019) was employed to explain the findings. Ten variables from transfer of training domains, namely Participant Factors (personal intentions and personal expectations), Training Design Factors (training awareness, training contents, training delivery, post-training interventions, and trainer’s quality) and Workplace Factors (HOD’s support, workplace support and workplace climate) were investigated to determine the relationship and the extent of influence on the transfer of training conduct (self-efficacy and self-motivation). A correlational research design with a quantitative method was utilized where the target population of the study was clerical employees in a Malaysian Government-Linked Company. To generate 1,000 samples, a set of criteria and a simple random technique were used. To ascertain factors that influence the intention of clerical employees to apply the lessons learned into the workplace, a new instrument was developed to collect their feedback. Modified Delphi Method and Rasch analysis were employed to confirm the instrument was suitable to collect data. Subsequently, the data collected were analysed with PLS-SEM analysis which involved measurement model and structural model. Thereafter, the study was able to identify the factors that could influence the intention to transfer soft skills training conduct, whereby five factors were found to have a relationship and an extent of influence on self-efficacy and self-motivation. Workplace Climate and Personal Expectations factors were determined to have the most influence on Self-Efficacy and Self-Motivation, respectively. Whereas Personal Intentions factors was ascertained to have an extent of influence on both Self-Efficacy and Self-Motivation. The findings could be utilized for the improvement of soft skills training transfer conducts amongst clerical employees to apply the lessons learned after training. The study also suggested five implications that could be strategized for implementation including implication for theory, employer, Human Resource Department, training practitioner, and clerical employee. Additionally, the study offered seven recommendations for future research to expand the search for factors influencing intention to transfer soft skills training conduct that could add to the body of knowledge on the transfer process. Determining the influencing factors on the intention to transfer soft skills training conducts amongst clerical employees can contribute to the improvement in the application of the lessons learned in the workplace. This improvement can then facilitate them in managing the challenges of the Industry Revolution 4.0