Supporting transfer of training : effects of the supervisor

One of the best-known and most widely used ways to improve employee performance in organisations is the use of corporate training. As a consequence, the effects of training are of major interest to both scholars and scientists in the field of human resource development. The results of research indicate, however, that the actual levels of transfer of training programmes to the workplace often do not match those intended. An important part of research on transfer has been carried out on the influence of trainees’ work environment, with one of the main assumptions being that support from supervisors significantly affects trainees’ transfer outcomes. Little evidence-based knowledge exists, however, about the relationship between supervisor support and transfer outcomes. In order to gain a deeper empirical insight into the relationship between supervisor support at the workplace and subordinate trainees’ transfer outcomes, it was decided to carry out this study. The main question of the study therefore is: What is the effect of supervisor support on transfer of training?