6.5 Explain the importance of recognising progress achieved through a learning or development activity

This guide will help you answer 6.5 Explain the importance of recognising progress achieved through a learning or development activity.

Recognising progress means identifying and acknowledging the achievements someone has made during or after a learning or development activity. This applies to both formal training and informal on-the-job learning. It is about seeing the changes, big or small, that have come about as a result of the activity and making that progress visible to the learner and others.

In health and social care, recognising progress is important for both staff and service users. It supports motivation, builds confidence, and helps guide further learning. When we focus on recognising progress, we make learning outcomes more meaningful and encourage continued professional growth.

Supporting Motivation

Seeing progress keeps a person motivated to continue learning.
If progress is ignored, the learner may feel their efforts are wasted or unnoticed. This can lead to a drop in engagement.

For example:
A care worker attending moving and handling training may feel more confident using hoists after practical exercises. If the supervisor comments on this improvement, the worker feels driven to keep developing their skills.

Recognising progress motivates staff by:

• Showing that their efforts are making a difference
• Encouraging them to keep aiming for the next goal
• Creating a sense of achievement and pride

Motivation in turn improves performance, which benefits service users and the organisation.

Building Confidence

When someone can see their own improvement, their confidence grows. This is important in health and social care, where decisions and actions can affect people’s health, dignity and safety.

For instance:
A support worker learning new communication techniques with non-verbal service users may start by using picture cards. Over time, they become better at interpreting gestures and facial expressions. Pointing out this progress boosts their confidence to try more advanced methods.

Confidence from recognised progress means staff:

• Take more initiative in their role
• Trust their own judgement
• Handle challenging situations more comfortably

Encouraging Reflection

Recognising progress prompts the learner to think about their own development. Reflection is the process of looking back at experiences and considering what went well and what could be improved.

When assessing progress, you can ask the learner to:

• Describe what is easier for them now than before
• Give examples of skills they have gained
• Suggest areas they still want to work on

This reflection makes learning more effective. It helps the learner take ownership of their professional growth.

Supporting Professional Development Plans

Professional development plans set out a person’s learning goals and steps to reach them. Recognising progress confirms that those steps are being completed.

In supervision meetings, managers can record improvements and adjust plans to reflect new strengths or changing needs.

Example:
A care assistant aims to improve dementia care skills. After taking part in specialist training, their ability to respond calmly to distressed residents is observed and praised. This progress can be added to their record, and their plan can move on to the next learning goal.

By recording progress:

• Evidence is available for appraisals
• Gaps in skills can be spotted quickly
• Learning supports career development and progression

Improving Service Quality

Recognising staff progress is not just about the worker. It also affects the quality of care service users receive.

When a care worker demonstrates improved patient handling, the result is safer transfers for residents. When a support worker develops their safeguarding knowledge, service users benefit from quicker and better responses to concerns.

Tracking progress helps the organisation:

• Measure the impact of training on practice
• Maintain safety and compliance with regulations
• Keep improving service delivery over time

Strengthening Organisational Culture

An organisation that recognises progress sends a clear message: improvement is valued. This creates a workplace culture where learning is seen as part of everyday work.

When staff see that progress is noticed by managers and colleagues, they are more likely to:

• Share new skills with others
• Support team members in their own learning
• Take part in further development activities

In this way, recognising progress not only benefits individuals but also raises standards across the team.

Providing Evidence for Competence

In health and social care, many roles require proof of competence to meet legal and professional standards. Recognising progress produces evidence that a person’s knowledge and skills have developed.

Methods can include:

• Observation of practice by a supervisor
• Feedback from colleagues or service users
• Written reflections and learning logs
• Certificates from completed training

This evidence can be used for:

• Meeting Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements
• Demonstrating learning during audits
• Updating qualifications and accreditations

Increasing Engagement With Learning

If progress is regularly acknowledged, learners are more likely to engage fully in learning activities. They see that the process is worthwhile and that they are developing in a way that benefits them.

This can improve attendance at training sessions, participation in group learning and willingness to try new work methods.

Example:
A care team takes part in a new medication administration training programme. Staff who get feedback on their improved accuracy and record-keeping are more likely to follow procedures consistently, as they feel the training has made a real difference.

Encouraging Continued Learning

Recognising progress sets the stage for continuous development. When learners see how their skills have grown, they are more willing to take on new challenges.

This keeps practice fresh and up to date, which is important in a sector where policies, technology and care approaches can change over time.

Examples of ongoing progress:

• A care worker who improves basic life support skills may then seek advanced first aid training
• An administrator who becomes more confident with a care management system may take on tasks in data reporting or analysis

Supporting Positive Feedback

Recognising progress is a form of positive feedback. Positive feedback reinforces good practice and encourages the repetition of effective behaviours.

Ways to provide feedback on progress include:

• Verbal praise in supervision or at team meetings
• Written notes in learning logs or appraisals
• Recognition awards or certificates

Positive feedback should be specific rather than general. For example, “Your skill in de-escalating challenging behaviour has improved and is helping to keep both staff and residents calm” is more effective than “You are doing well.”

Helping to Measure Learning Outcomes

Learning activities should be linked to clear outcomes. Recognising progress helps measure whether those outcomes have been reached.

If a goal was to reduce medication errors through training, progress can be measured by reviewing incident reports before and after training.

By linking progress to outcomes:

• Training effectiveness can be judged
• Areas needing further improvement can be identified
• Resources can be targeted to where they make the most impact

Encouraging Peer Learning

When progress is recognised publicly within a team, it can encourage others to learn. Staff may be curious about how a colleague achieved their advancement and decide to take similar actions.

Example:
A team member recognised for improvements in dementia care may be asked by peers to share tips and experiences. This spreads knowledge without formal training and supports team skill growth.

Reducing Staff Turnover

Recognising progress tells staff they are valued. Workers who feel appreciated are more likely to remain with the organisation.

In a sector that often experiences high turnover, maintaining experienced staff is important for continuity of care and reducing recruitment costs.

Staff who regularly receive acknowledgement for progress are more likely to:

• Feel invested in their workplace
• Build long-term relationships with service users
• Contribute to a stable and experienced workforce

Applying to Service Users

Progress recognition is not only for staff. Service users taking part in learning or therapeutic activities also benefit from having their progress recognised.

For example:
An older person learning to use mobility aids in a rehabilitation programme can become more confident and independent when their small achievements are noticed and praised.

Recognising service user progress:

• Provides motivation during recovery or skill-building
• Builds self-esteem and independence
• Encourages continued participation in therapy or activity programmes

Making Recognition a Routine Practice

To make sure progress is recognised consistently, managers and workers can:

• Include progress review in regular supervision
• Keep written records of observations and achievements
• Give timely feedback soon after progress is seen
• Keep recognition specific and linked to actual improvements

By doing this, recognition becomes part of day-to-day practice rather than a rare event.

Final Thoughts

Recognising progress achieved through a learning or development activity carries many benefits. It supports motivation, builds confidence, encourages reflection, strengthens workplace culture, improves service quality, provides evidence of competence, and keeps both staff and service users engaged in personal growth.

It also helps organisations meet professional standards, maintain compliance, and retain skilled staff.

Making progress recognition an active part of learning evaluation ensures that improvements are noticed, valued, and built upon, creating a positive cycle of development in health and social care settings.