I - Introduction

Canadian promoters of workplace basic skills programs are commonly asked for evidence about the impact of programs on the workplace. Even with mounting information on the need for a more literate workforce,(1) program promotion has become more difficult. Companies are increasingly focused on bottom line considerations: "What," they ask, "is the payback for us?"

Though there is a substantial body of literature about workplace literacy, virtually none is Canadian, and very little is in a form that would be useful for promoting programs to sceptical workplaces. For example, many formal studies focus either on cognitive outcomes like increases in test scores among participants, or on the relationship between education and occupational attainment of individual workers. Employers, focused on the particulars of their workplaces, are unlikely to be swayed by this type of research.

Further, much of the existing research is descriptive and anecdotal where claims about the links between the programs and workplace impacts are assumed rather than demonstrated. Frustratingly, studies which do attempt more quantitative measures are often questionable because they are unable to separate effectively such factors as internal restructuring and external market forces.(2) The most common type of research is in. the form of case studies which, by definition, are hard to compare and quantify for presentational purposes.

In considering how it might contribute to the field of promotion, ABC CANADA initially thought of conducting a rigorous case study of one workplace. Although such an endeavour would be valuable, it was thought that a broad-based, national overview study would most effectively equip Canadian program promoters who work in a broad range of contexts. A unique strength of the current study is that it includes a large number of workplaces (53) and a large range of stakeholders. Because a volume of workplaces were studied using identical measures, the results can be readily (and fairly) reported in quantitative form.

When stakeholders in a workplace are not yet convinced of the benefits of basic skills programs, they tend to ask for "hard measures." Ironically, it may not be hard measures that convince people. In fact, if stakeholders are uncertain about spending resources and time on a basic skills program, they are not very likely to be convinced by a narrowly defined, quantitative measure from one company (e.g., there was a 5% reduction of the scrap metal heap at the end of the program). They are far more likely to be convinced by large numbers of their peers saying, "We know it's been worth it. We can't measure it exactly, but we know the program works. Our company has benefited."

ABC CANADA hopes that the current study will provide information for effective, peer-based promotional strategies that will be useful in a broad range of contexts.