| • |
Eighty-seven percent of
respondents believe that basic skills programs exert an independent, and
positive influence on participants' ability to problem-solve. |
| • |
Ninety percent of respondents
indicate that employees who take basic skills programs have an increased
ability to work independently. |
| • |
Eighty-seven percent of
respondents say that programs impact positively on participants' ability to use
workplace-based technology. |
| • |
Eighty-five percent of respondents
report that basic skills programs enhance participants' ability to work within
a team-based model. |
| • |
Eighty-two percent of respondents
link increased health and safety with their workplace's basic skills
program. |
| • |
Close to 90% percent of
respondents indicate that employees are more promotable as a result of basic
skills programs. |
| • |
Sixty-three percent of respondents
report that basic skills programs help workplaces to retain employees over
time. |
| • |
Ninety-three percent of
respondents report that basic skills programs help to increase employee morale.
Program participants feel better about their workplace, and about the unions
that represent them. |
| • |
Many respondents stated that basic
skills programs help remove barriers in the workplace based on age, sex, race
and language. |
| • |
Eighty-five percent of company and
employee representatives concur that basic skills programs have improved labour
relations in their workplaces. Improved labour relations are particularly
pronounced in large urban centres. |
| • |
Close to 80% of the respondents
report that their workplaces have seen increased productivity because of the
basic skills programs. |
| • |
Two-thirds of respondents have
seen reduced error rates in people's work. |
| • |
Eighty-five percent of respondents
have seen increases in the quality of people's work. |
| • |
Seventy-three percent of
respondents have seen increases in work effort. |
| • |
All respondents agree that
workplace basic skills programs are a good training investment and would
recommend them to other workplaces. |
| • |
Central among the barriers to
workplaces starting basic skills programs are perceived cost; lack of awareness
of the need for a program; literacy needs being hidden by employees; companies
not feeling responsible; lack of understanding about the outcome of programs;
and mistrust between labour and management. |