A Practical Guide to Learning in the Workplace

Citation

Malone, S.A. (2006), "A Practical Guide to Learning in the Workplace", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 20 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/dlo.2006.08120fae.001

A Practical Guide to Learning in the Workplace

A round-up of some of the best book reviews recently published by Emerald.A Practical Guide to Learning in the Workplace

Samuel A. Malone,The Liffey Press, Dublin, 2005

The author is a qualified chartered management accountant with an MEd in Training and Development and many years’ experience as a training consultant, training manager and lecturer. Previous books include Mind Skills for Managers, Success Skills for Managers, and How to Set up and Manage a Corporate Learning Centre.

The Preface asserts the book to be “an invaluable resource for those responsible for workplace learning initiatives including human resource development professionals and line managers”. It also suggests that employees can use the book as a guide to learn more effectively at work.

Being a practical guide, it aims to distil a rich mix of theories around:

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  how adults learn;

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  brain-based learning;

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  employee induction;

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  workplace learning;

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  learning from mistakes;

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  the learning organisation;

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  action learning;

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  mentoring;

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  coaching;

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  learning centres;

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  corporate universities;

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  assessment and development centres;

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  emotional intelligence; and

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  creativity in the workplace.

The book also aims to provide practical strategies for superior corporate performance and profitability.

Chapters are introduced and summarised clearly, allowing them to stand independently for those who want to dip in and out of the book. However, when read in this manner there is little to indicate how some aspects might link together. Conversely, there are inevitable overlaps when read cover to cover, making the content seem repetitive on occasion, with some sentences/paragraphs being repeated almost word for word. Bulleted lists are used extensively throughout the book, which, while adding clarity in some areas, interrupted the flow in others and amplified the repetition. Typographical errors added to these frustrations. On a more positive note, mind maps are used very effectively at the end of each chapter to provide an overview of key aspects and their relationships.

To some readers, the practical style of writing could be an asset of the book, while others may be frustrated by the lack of deeper theory or attribution provided for well-known and used models. Some statements, for example “e-learning helps employees do their job more efficiently”, were provided with little or no evidence to substantiate them. Nevertheless, each chapter ended with references and a more extensive list of suggested further reading; both included relevant and up-to-date titles.

Case studies help to illustrate the practical application of areas discussed and activities are suggested throughout the book to encourage reflection and action planning.

The book brings together a wide range of workplace learning concepts within the one title and readers will undoubtedly find something of interest to stimulate reflection and use within their organisation. However, those who are not training professionals should be aware that the book often details the ideal circumstances for optimum performance and profitability. In doing so it lists ways in which they might fail, but with few hints as to the complexity of how these ideals are achieved, or indeed how to avoid failure.

This review by Ruth Whitfield was published in Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 38 Number 4, 2006.