Impact of Trainer-Trainee Interaction on Trainee Learning in a Work-Related Training Context

Abstract

In order to sustain a competitive advantage, organizations invest their time, effort, and resources to develop their workforce through training. It is argued that training leads to the learning of the workforce and thus, contributes to the human capital of the organization. The literature on learning during training has focused mostly on either the trainees’ characteristics or the trainer’s characteristics. For example, prior research demonstrated that trainees’ ability and motivation are crucial for the effectiveness of training. On the other hand, trainers’ ability was found to facilitate trainees’ learning. Though studies have noted that the characteristics of both the trainee and the trainer are important predictors of trainees’ learning, studies linking the characteristics of both the trainer and the trainee on trainees’ learning are relatively scarce. This is important as training is a dyadic process. The present study is based on the ‘Ability Motivation Opportunity’ framework, the ‘Attribution Model of Training’ which highlighted the importance of ability, and motivation in ensuring training effectiveness. In the present study, we examined the influence of ability, and motivation of both the trainer and the trainee on trainees’ learning in a training program. The study was conducted among the employees of a large public sector organization that is spread across the country and is in the process of transformation from an age-old traditional organization to a technologically advanced organization. For the success of this digital transformation, training of its employees on technological skills assumes a very crucial role. 1458 trainees (village branch heads) and 94 trainers participated in our study. We captured respondents’ ability, and motivation as our main study variables, and personality traits, beliefs, degree of choice, degree of familiarity, peer-interaction, and demographics as control variables. The findings of the study supported our hypotheses. Implications of the study were discussed.