|
Literacy Skills Essential for Effective Job Performance Many Workers Overrate Their Own Proficiency
October, 2008
| |
|
|
|
LITERACY LEVELS OF CANADIANS AGED 16 TO 65
Level 1 - 14.6% of Canadians
This level comprises persons with very poor skills. Individuals may, for example, be unable to determine the correct amount of medicine to give a child from information printed on a label.
Level 2 - 27.3% of Canadians
Persons at this level can deal only with material that is simple and clearly laid out, and where the tasks involved are not too complex. These people can read, but test poorly. Their lack of skill may be less obvious than that at level 1 since they may have developed coping skills to manage everyday literacy demands. However, their low level of proficiency makes it difficult for them to face novel demands such as learning new job skills.
Level 3 - 38.6% of Canadians
Level 3 is considered a suitable minimum for coping with the demands of everyday life and work in a complex, advanced society. It approximates the skill level required for successful secondary school completion or college entry. Like higher levels, it requires the ability to integrate several sources of information and solve more complex problems.
Levels 4 and 5 - 19.5% of Canadians
These levels describe people who demonstrate command of higher-order information processing skills.
Source: OECD and Statistics Canada
|
| |
|
By Alison Campbell
Faced with evermore complex technologies, higher quality standards and intensifying global competition, Canadian employers need to ensure that their workers have the literacy skills they need to perform their jobs well. Literacy skills are essential for a multitude of specific job tasks (e.g. writing memos and reports), communicating with others (e.g. coworkers, supervisors and customers) and understanding job expectations (e.g. deadlines and quality standards).
In addition, literacy skill forms the foundation for other workplace training. Employees cannot be expected to succeed in advanced training if they are not able to read, calculate or write to the level required by the training program.
Some jobs demand higher literacy skills than others for effective performance. Correspondingly, many potentially dangerous jobs require a minimum level of literacy skills for safe performance. These include jobs involving complex machinery and tools or hazardous substances and processes. The stage is set for injuries and illness when these jobs are performed by workers with low literacy skills.
Despite years of effort and initiatives to raise the literacy levels of Canadians, not much has changed. Too many adults lack the literacy skills needed to perform their jobs well. Forty-two percent of working age population has literacy skills at the lowest two levels defined by the International Adult Literacy Survey. (See sidebar)
Both employers and employees remain largely unaware of the extent of the literacy skills issue and of the consequences to businesses and individuals. The relative stagnation in literacy skills in recent years, combined with a general lack of awareness of the issue, acts as a one-two punch to Canada. Low literacy skills hinder economic growth and the ability to compete and be productive. Unless it is acknowledged, the problem of low literacy skills will remain unresolved.
The tendency to ignore literacy skills issues in the workplace is compounded by the overall scarcity of research in the area. Many employers that have undertaken literacy skills development initiatives will acknowledge their positive impact on workplace health and safety. However, the evidence remains largely anecdotal. Other employers who are not yet involved in literacy programs will require concrete evidence of the benefits before deciding to invest.
EMPLOYEE ATTITUDES
The overconfidence of some adults with low literacy skills poses a barrier to raising skill levels. Almost 60% of adults at the lowest literacy level on the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) rate their own reading skills as good or excellent. Furthermore, almost 90% of adults at IALS level 2 rate their own reading skills as good or excellent. The findings indicate that these individuals are content with their literacy skills and are not likely to be aware of the personal economic and social disadvantages of low literacy skills.
The IALS also show that almost 60% of adults at level 1 and more than 80% of adults at level 2 feel that their reading skills do not limit their opportunities at work in any way. Since they are satisfied with their literacy skills, these individuals are unlikely to volunteer to participate in workplace or other literacy skills improvement initiatives.
Employees who overrate their own literacy skills are not likely to care about their employers' views on low literacy skills and the harmful impacts on their businesses. In a 2003 Conference Board survey of employers, respondents reported gaps between the importance of workplace literacy skills and their confidence that their employees possessed such skills.
Communications issues - including reading, using numbers, and data and comprehension skills - were at the forefront of employers' concerns. In addition, improving productivity, communications and health and safety were cited as top reasons for making use of workplace literacy programs. If employees knew the extent to which many employers valued literacy and basic skills, they might be more eager to improve their skills and take advantage of offered programming.
EMPLOYER ATTITUDES
On the other hand, many employers are oblivious to the need for literacy skills upgrading in their organizations. Yet, simply persuading employers that a literacy issue exists in their organizations is not enough. Employers may not know how to begin addressing literacy issues even if they see value in improving workers' literacy skills.
They need information on a variety of fronts, including information on how to:
* access literacy skills needs;
* develop appropriate programming;
* find expert help;
* establish budgets and resource programming; and
* schedule training alongside workplace activities.
Literacy skills development is often a new area of training for employers. The time and effort required to develop and deliver a program are daunting, especially for smaller businesses with limited resources.
They do not have the in-house expertise to assess the literacy skills needs of employees; design, develop and deliver a program; budget and resource the program; or evaluate the results. As a result, organizations tend to focus resources on their core business and put off making long-term investments in unfamiliar territory such as literacy skills development.
If employers are to appreciate the significance of literacy skills issues, they must understand the negative consequences of failing to act. Tying literacy skills to workplace health and safety issues is one way to spark employers' interest in the subject. Employers who work to improve health and safety in the workplace by addressing low literacy skills can avoid the serious risks and consequences of failing to act - and generate benefits for their businesses.
The preceding is an excerpt from All Signs Point to Yes: Literacy's Impact on Workplace Health and Safety, a report from The Conference Board of Canada. For more information, see the web site at www.conferenceboard.ca and register for the Board's e-library.
|
|