Workers’ literacy may not be top-of-mind in most organizations, but it should be
Think of the term “literacy.” What comes to mind? The most common response is that literacy relates to the ability to read or write. In the narrowest sense this is true. Yet workplace literacy covers much broader — and equally critical — turf.
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada defines nine essential skills, or workplace literacy skills, needed to succeed in a fast-paced and evolving business environment. Those skills stretch far and beyond mere reading and writing. They also encompass document use, numeracy, oral communication, teamwork, thinking skills, computer use and continuous learning.
A lack of these skills means that companies struggle with productivity issues. According to Statistics Canada, 47 per cent of Canadian workers do not possess adequate skills in the three areas essential for workplace safety and productivity: reading text, document use and numeracy.
What this translates to in the workplace is the potential for dangerous situations, lost revenue, low employee morale and eroded competitive advantage. A diamond mine employee may incorrectly interpret posted signs of hazardous situations; a desk clerk may repeatedly enter incorrect numbers in purchase order forms; or a key project team member may avoid meetings due to discomfort in expressing herself in a group environment.
Unfortunately workplace literacy is just not top-of-mind for many Canadian organizations. There are numerous assumptions about the type of skills that people have when they hit the workplace. Many small and medium enterprises don’t employ dedicated HR staff, let alone training specialists. And there is no national strategy that provides a framework or model for dealing with these issues. So when the reality sinks in that employees are not passing apprenticeship exams or cannot apply training skills to the workplace, management types get perplexed and frustrated.
A recent survey by ABC Canada Literacy Foundation indicated key drivers that lead Canadian chief executive officers to adopt workplace literacy as a solution:
•traditional one-on-one mentoring is no longer sufficient;
•many workers have not stepped foot in a classroom for 20 years;
•there are numerous cultural and social barriers to be overcome;
•remote locations of companies may limit the potential pool of educated workers; and
•workers are reluctant to ask for help.
There is a glimmer of hope on the workplace literacy horizon. Some companies are beginning to understand how critical workplace literacy is to the bottom line. And they’re taking action to alleviate the problems.
Hamilton-based Dofasco, the steel company whose famous motto claims that people are their strength, recently suffered several years of financial losses and was forced to slash the workforce by half. According to Kim Brooks, human resources development at Dofasco, a detailed needs assessment was conducted. It pointed to the need to boost employee literacy, numeracy and e-literacy skills. Grassroots input was solicited to ensure employees were engaged from the start.
Armed with the results of the needs assessment, Dofasco designed a suite of custom courses, all of which were voluntary to take. The company anteed up the cost for half of each course and the employee was responsible for the other half.
Dofasco also ensured management buy-in. Senior management shows up at workplace team meetings and training sessions. They make it easy for shift workers to attend classes. And they encourage interactions between workers in different areas of the company which helps initiate cross-pollination of ideas and employee networking for future job promotions.
Dofasco’s literacy program also includes instructors hired from local boards of education and colleges. This helps employees build connections to the outside community and opens the door for continuing education opportunities. During the past seven years about 600 Dofasco employees have participated in the literacy program. It is a rousing success.
Granted, not every company has the resources of a Dofasco. Yet some have conjured up creative solutions to the workplace literacy conundrum. With no national strategy on which to hang their literacy hat, some companies are forming business and labour consortia to promote awareness and understanding of the value of workplace literacy programs.
Brigid Hayes, interim director, labour for the Canadian Labour and Business Centre, points to the fact that some provinces have formed business and labour consortia to promote understanding of the value of workplace literacy. Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have teamed up to provide networking and support on the issue of workplace literacy. Labour unions are also weighing in to support employees. Some unions now provide apprenticeship training financed with government grants. Others are in the throes of negotiating the establishment of training centres to sustain the learning.
As Hayes points out, workplace literacy stakeholders need to turn a holistic eye to the current situation. Workplace literacy is not about one-off training events cloaked in traditional “tell-and-test” delivery modes. Nor is it about implementing a simple training add-on or an “off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all” solution. It is about recognizing the unique culture of a company and the diverse needs of its employees, and then weaving a solution into the very fabric of the company.
It takes dedication and a hefty investment of management elbow grease to realize results. Yet with corporate and personal benefits to be reaped, attention to workplace literacy sounds like a no-brainer.
Sandra Mingail is a Toronto-based instructional designer and learning strategist with Humansense.com Inc. She is a member of the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD).
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada defines nine essential skills, or workplace literacy skills, needed to succeed in a fast-paced and evolving business environment. Those skills stretch far and beyond mere reading and writing. They also encompass document use, numeracy, oral communication, teamwork, thinking skills, computer use and continuous learning.
A lack of these skills means that companies struggle with productivity issues. According to Statistics Canada, 47 per cent of Canadian workers do not possess adequate skills in the three areas essential for workplace safety and productivity: reading text, document use and numeracy.
What this translates to in the workplace is the potential for dangerous situations, lost revenue, low employee morale and eroded competitive advantage. A diamond mine employee may incorrectly interpret posted signs of hazardous situations; a desk clerk may repeatedly enter incorrect numbers in purchase order forms; or a key project team member may avoid meetings due to discomfort in expressing herself in a group environment.
Unfortunately workplace literacy is just not top-of-mind for many Canadian organizations. There are numerous assumptions about the type of skills that people have when they hit the workplace. Many small and medium enterprises don’t employ dedicated HR staff, let alone training specialists. And there is no national strategy that provides a framework or model for dealing with these issues. So when the reality sinks in that employees are not passing apprenticeship exams or cannot apply training skills to the workplace, management types get perplexed and frustrated.
A recent survey by ABC Canada Literacy Foundation indicated key drivers that lead Canadian chief executive officers to adopt workplace literacy as a solution:
•traditional one-on-one mentoring is no longer sufficient;
•many workers have not stepped foot in a classroom for 20 years;
•there are numerous cultural and social barriers to be overcome;
•remote locations of companies may limit the potential pool of educated workers; and
•workers are reluctant to ask for help.
There is a glimmer of hope on the workplace literacy horizon. Some companies are beginning to understand how critical workplace literacy is to the bottom line. And they’re taking action to alleviate the problems.
Hamilton-based Dofasco, the steel company whose famous motto claims that people are their strength, recently suffered several years of financial losses and was forced to slash the workforce by half. According to Kim Brooks, human resources development at Dofasco, a detailed needs assessment was conducted. It pointed to the need to boost employee literacy, numeracy and e-literacy skills. Grassroots input was solicited to ensure employees were engaged from the start.
Armed with the results of the needs assessment, Dofasco designed a suite of custom courses, all of which were voluntary to take. The company anteed up the cost for half of each course and the employee was responsible for the other half.
Dofasco also ensured management buy-in. Senior management shows up at workplace team meetings and training sessions. They make it easy for shift workers to attend classes. And they encourage interactions between workers in different areas of the company which helps initiate cross-pollination of ideas and employee networking for future job promotions.
Dofasco’s literacy program also includes instructors hired from local boards of education and colleges. This helps employees build connections to the outside community and opens the door for continuing education opportunities. During the past seven years about 600 Dofasco employees have participated in the literacy program. It is a rousing success.
Granted, not every company has the resources of a Dofasco. Yet some have conjured up creative solutions to the workplace literacy conundrum. With no national strategy on which to hang their literacy hat, some companies are forming business and labour consortia to promote awareness and understanding of the value of workplace literacy programs.
Brigid Hayes, interim director, labour for the Canadian Labour and Business Centre, points to the fact that some provinces have formed business and labour consortia to promote understanding of the value of workplace literacy. Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have teamed up to provide networking and support on the issue of workplace literacy. Labour unions are also weighing in to support employees. Some unions now provide apprenticeship training financed with government grants. Others are in the throes of negotiating the establishment of training centres to sustain the learning.
As Hayes points out, workplace literacy stakeholders need to turn a holistic eye to the current situation. Workplace literacy is not about one-off training events cloaked in traditional “tell-and-test” delivery modes. Nor is it about implementing a simple training add-on or an “off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all” solution. It is about recognizing the unique culture of a company and the diverse needs of its employees, and then weaving a solution into the very fabric of the company.
It takes dedication and a hefty investment of management elbow grease to realize results. Yet with corporate and personal benefits to be reaped, attention to workplace literacy sounds like a no-brainer.
Sandra Mingail is a Toronto-based instructional designer and learning strategist with Humansense.com Inc. She is a member of the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD).
