The impact of soft skills training and development using time space learning on work performance / Rosli Ibrahim

Rosli, Ibrahim (2017) The impact of soft skills training and development using time space learning on work performance / Rosli Ibrahim. PhD thesis, University of Malaya.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is two-fold with regard to testing of soft skills acquisition among learners or employees toward their work performance enhancement. First, is to examine the soft skills competencies acquired from the soft skills training and their influence on employee work performance. Second, by examining the influence of both training methodology - ‘time space learning’ and trainer’s effectiveness on soft skills acquisition after trainees attended the training program which will directly affect their work performance. The study used a survey research questionnaire to study the competencies of various Malaysian-based organizations’ employees at manager, executive and supervisory level who had undergone the training program over a few months using ‘time space learning’ – training methodology; that is program not run consecutively but run with a break or ‘time space’ in between each session, in order to investigate the ‘spacing effect’ of the learning. The findings revealed that soft skills acquisition significantly influence employee work performance by 79%; training methodology positively impact on soft skills acquisition by 51%; and trainer’s effectiveness positively influences soft skills acquisition by 24%; thus, confirmed hypothesis 1, 2, and 4. As for the indirect effect, the findings showed that soft skills have a mediating effect between training methodology and work performance, but no mediating effect between trainers’ effectiveness and work performance, in which hypothesis 3 was accepted but hypothesis 5 rejected. The findings contribute to the literature by filling the gap in terms of studies examining the training methodology in soft skills acquisition; and make a significant contribution to learning theory, particularly, ‘time space learning’ training methodology. The findings highlighted the urgency of identifying the most effective training methodology to be incorporated for soft skills training of employees in an organization, in order to get the best return on investment.

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