National Adult Literacy Database

Series: Bridging Employer and Employee Needs in BC's Capital Region

Authors: Victoria READ Society

The READ Society’s Workplace Learning project, Phase 1, sought to explore and understand the issues that employers in British Columbia's Capital Region were having regarding hiring, retaining and promoting employees with lower literacy skills.

Using a community-based, appreciative inquiry approach, researchers interviewed 15 employers and 15 employees from five sectors that were experiencing labour shortages: accommodation, construction, retail sales, food service; and health care.

At the time of the interviews, most employers agreed that literacy is important for business success. When they noticed employees having difficulty with basic skills, they often made adaptations to their work, provided extra coaching or offered to pay for off-site classes. They realized that employees rarely disclose basic skills gaps to managers; they would therefore like more information about tools to assess basic skill levels. If there is concrete evidence of need, they would consider implementing workplace literacy programs, especially if financial and technical assistance can be
provided. Detailed guidelines for employers who wish to implement programs are given in the full report.

Added: 2009-06-26

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Series: Bridging Employer and Employee Needs in BC's Capital Region

Authors: Victoria READ Society

The study explored ways to help employers recruit and retain workers by providing basic skills training in the workplace.

As part of the research project, this literature review was conducted to identify best practices in workplace literacy and essential skills training. The objective was to uncover human resource options that are suitable for Greater Victoria’s small business climate. In particular, the focus was on practical, feasible solutions of immediate relevance to employers who wish to implement workplace basic skills education programs.

Many aspects were considered, including:
- varied definitions and theoretical approaches to workplace literacy, based on the perspectives of employers, unions, workers, service providers, researchers, policy-makers and community groups
- best practice guidelines for workplace literacy programs

Added: 2010-01-27

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Series: Bridging Employer and Employee Needs in BC's Capital Region

Authors: Victoria READ Society

This report focuses on the second phase of the Victoria READ Society’s Workplace Learning Project, which was launched in response to ongoing concerns of area businesses about managing change and recruiting and retaining promising employees.
During the fall of 2009, READ staff worked with four businesses from the grocery and hospitality sectors to field test an Organizational Needs Assessment (ONA) process. All participating employers offered a variety of employee training, but none of them provided training in English as a Second Language, reading or writing.

In addition to providing an outline and analysis of the initiatives undertaken as part of this project, this report provides a composite list of recommendations made to the four participating employers in areas related to six basic skills – reading, writing, document use, oral communication, thinking and problem-solving, and numeracy – and two additional areas of interest – computer use and training plan preferences.

Added: 2010-06-07

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