Training and Development key to Organizational Success

Training and Development key to Organizational Success

1.     Introduction

This blog intends to identify the training and development concepts and definitions, which are needed for training and development, identification of training needs, training and transfer training, training policy, performance appraisal, training techniques used, evaluation of training and development and benefits to the organization.

1.1   Concepts and definitions

Well trained set of employees would be an asset to the organization. It is proved that the employees who have received extensive training and development are those who are the most productive. They are also referred to as the “cream of the crop”. When employees are selected, very precisely at the interviews, there is no guarantee how they would be totally acceptable to perform in the organization (Dessler, 2008). However much the employee has the knowledge, it cannot be guaranteed that the maximum knowledge would be given if proper training is not given. This is the main reason an employee who starts new, receives an orientation. Human Resource factor is the most important in an organization (Cole, 2004). Therefore considerable attention needs to be given.

The training and development in an organization depends on the policies of the organization. Systematic training is referred to as well organize training. At the selection process, job description is considered to be inevitable. Therefore after the recruitment a job description would be given and later an appraisal would be carried out.

1.2 Definition for Training

A learning experience where a relatively permanent change in an individual will improve his ability to perform on the job (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2000). The training should be designed in a manner that will either change or enhance the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and social behavior. This enhancement or the change of the skills, knowledge, attitude and the social behavior would change what the employee know how he carries in his work, and interaction with others. Training consist of planned programs which are designed to improve performance of the individual, group or the organizations level (Cascio, 1992). Activities carried out to enhance the primary purpose of helping the employees of the organization to inherit and to apply knowledge, skill, abilities and attitudes which are required by the organization (Monappa & Saiyadain,2008). Training is long term investment in the employees. It also can be identified as the means of giving new or current employees the skills which they require to carry out their tasks (Dessler, 2008). Training has the ability to influence the organizations effectiveness. Human resource factor is the most dynamic resource therefore human resource needs to be given the attention from the management to obtain the full potential to the work carried out (Cole, 2004). In order to carry this out management should enhance motivation, leadership, communication, work restructuring, payment systems and training and development. Training is the attempt to improve current or future performance of the workers which are relevant to both new and existing employees (Ivancevich, 2010). Training also can be identified as a process of altering the behavior of employees to achieve the organizational goals (Clifton & Fink, 2005). Training is carried out for the existing job skills. It would help the employee to master what he is carrying out at the moment.

There are three types of leaning activities to employees of the organization. Which are education, training and development. All the above promote on the job learning. Training and development can be identified in two areas. Which is performance and competency.

Performance: this is the effort done by the employee. This can be measured in terms of input and output. Therefore performance can be identified as employee’s productivity.

Competency : this is not a physical resource, but is a acquired characteristic of a person which has facilitated for effective or superior performance. A person can possess a motive, value, knowledge, skill, attribute or personality. Competency can be in three forms. Which is as below

Technical Competency – this is the job knowledge or the skill. It is related to the particular job carried out, because it is specific for the job or the position and technical competency differ from job to job.

Personality Competency – this is the knowledge, skill, traits or the attributes which relate to a particular individual. The person will carry his or her competency with him or her when they shift the jobs.

Managerial Competency – this is the knowledge or the skill of the key function of the management. Management function is referred to as decision making, organizing, communication, motivating and controlling.

An organization would look forward to deliver an outcome from training and development given to the employees. Without the correct competency motivation will not make an employee perform.

1.2    Need for training for the Organization

Well trained set of employees would be an asset to the organization as well as to themselves. With the changing and the challenging environment, the organizations would have to bring systems and programs which would bring the efforts, attention, creativity and general innovations of the employees (Asare Bediako, 2008). Human resource training is mainly required to train the employees to be competent on their job and to perform effectively. Therefore the training and the development should aim at providing the employees technical, managerial and personality competencies in order for them to obtain high performance levels. Training can have the impact on the ability of the employees and the motivation level. Therefore training can heighten the skill and the ability of the worker, which would help to increase their motivation level. They will have sense of commitment and would be encouraged. Training is a powerful tool, since it has an impact on both productivity and the morale and should be used properly. Young employees value training and development more than pay and perks (Thompson, 2002). Every manager should have the responsibility to train himself as well as the employees under him and should identify, define an assess competitiveness.

Jobs change as the technology grows. Technical training is a must for organizations to perform well. Since most organizations have flatten their structure and have moved to teams, employees perform wider variety of tasks. Training in general improves the job skills. Training is growing important since most multinationals have moved to other countries (Moorhead & Griffin, 1998). The need for training also grows due to demographical and economic trends, because all type of labor is attracted towards organizations. Human resource training plays a vital role in all parts of the organization.

1.3    Organizations objective and the aim for Training and Development

Any organizations effectiveness completely lies on the ability to accomplish the below objectives. (Argyris, 2005).

1.      Achieving the Goals

2.      Maintenance of itself internationally

3.      Adoption to the environment

There are also three factors which makes training and development a necessity in an organization. (B.M Bass, 2000)

1.       To keep a good space with the industrialization for the organizations survival

2.       To train and then to retain the higher level executives

3.       Training of the inhuman relations, which is necessary to identify human problems and for industrial relations.

The company should be able to identify the most suited method and the area where training and development is needed and should be addressed.

1.4    Identifying the Organizations training needs

There are many methods to identify the organizations need for training and development (Monappa & Saiuadain, 2008). The below methods were identified (Sinha, 1974)

1. Line Managers ideas

2. Appraisal of the proposals

3. Development ideas of the organization

4. Training Managers ideas

5. Identification of the job description and problem identification

The above were later summarized under three areas. (Thayer and McGhee, 2008 )

1. Organizational analysis

2. Task analysis 

3. Man analysis.

There are three level of analysis which were identified (Thayer &  McGhee, 2008). Which is Organizational, Operational and Individual.

Organizational Analysis – the focus is to identify the need for training within the organization, which would be assessed with the organizations strategies and the objectives. This would eliminate the waste of use of resources which are used to train the employees of what they already possess. The PEST and the SWOT would also be considered.

Operational Analysis – this is the collection of data on operational and the need for training and development. A clear analysis would be carried out before the training process.

Individual Analysis – A clear understanding of the job holder, and how the work is performed is explained.

There would always be a gap in training and development. The gap between what is expected and what is received. The identification and the analysis of the training can be divided into two areas (Dessler, 2008)

●        New employees: to identify the areas to be taught and breaking up of the areas into sub tasks.

●        Current employee: training needs of the current staff is more complex. The HRD and the managers would have to decide areas for training and how the performance gap to be filled.

Another way to identify the needs for training is through interview. HRD heads can carry out behavioral interviews with the job performers and then benchmark the needs. This would help to understand the competencies. Training needs assessments identification can be carried out using interviews, surveys, reviews of records, observations and discussions with the management and subject experts. (Ivancevich, 2010). This type of information gathering would give and be carried out and whether training is the answer to the differences identified.
 

1.5    Training Transfer

Most employees would find it difficult to apply what is learnt at the training to the job performed in the organization (Moorhead & Griffin, 1998). When a new skill is learnt at the training rather than applying at the work the employee would feel comfortable to apply the previous old method used. This would result in the waste of resources used by the company for the training. Training and training transfer is the knowledge, skills and the abilities learnt at the training to be used at the job performed in the organization (Casico, 1992). The training results can take three forms.

1. Increase job performance – Positive

2. Reduce job performance – Negative and

3. No effect – Neutral

Training on reduced job performance or no effect is a cost to the organization. The cost can be in two forms. Which would be training cost and the reduced job performance cost. Therefore the need for training should be carried out very precisely. Before a training is carried out the organization should make sure that the structure is in place, ensure positive transfer, learned knowledge and skills

A training program to be productive, it should always be at the closer, should make sure that the employees is taking positive thoughts to do the job differently. Trainer should be able to follow up with the manager or head of the division or even with the supervisor. Training and training transfer should be facilitated using collaborative effort by the trainer, and the trainee should be able to take action before doing the job after the training program.

1.6    Policy for Training and Development

Policies should be formulated by the organization for training and development. The policies should be set up after consideration of the marketing, finance, operations as well as the HRD. All major policies should be formatted in written format in manuals. Which would facilitate the managers, supervisors, union/association executives to be familiarized with the system. The policy document should comprise of broad objectives of the management ( Mullins, 2007). Following would be the essential elements that should be included in the policy document for training and development.
1. View of continues training
2. Assumption that training will be a life long process
3. Identification to update existing skills and to replace outdated skills and train for new skills, and performance of multiskills.

1.7    Training Methods and techniques

Training and Development consist of five steps (Dessler, 2008)

Step 1 : Need Analysis – identification of the training requirement is carried out

Step 2 : Instruction design – the trainer would decide on documents compile and produce of the training content among the participants.

Step 3 : Validation – this is the identification of the forum for the training

Step 4: Implementation – where the training is carried out

Step 5: Evaluation –identifying whether the training program was a success.

Before the identification of the training the learning outcome should be identified. Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge, understanding and the skills and the values in order to adopt to the environment. The below mentioned would be four essential ingredients that needs to be present for training to be effective.

1. Goal Setting
2. Behavior Model
3. Practice
4. Feedback.

There are different trainings that could be carried out in an organization, which can be identified as below.

1. On-the-job
2. Off-the-job
3. Apprenticeship
4. Job Rotation
5. Lectures

1.8    Benefits to the organization from Training and Development

The purpose of training and development is to improve knowledge and the skills by changing the trainee attitude. The following benefits can be outlined as below

●       To increase the confidence and the commitment of the employees

●       More recognition which would enhance the increase of pay and promotion.

●       Promotions based on the appraisal

●       Career progression opportunities

●       Increases the availability, skill and quality of the employees

1.9   Example for Training and Development at ABC Private Limited

The training and development at ABC Private Limited is considered necessary and adds value to the individual performing the duties entrusted. At present there is a Training and Development Manual which is maintained by the organization. The training manual would be the guide to facilitate the training for the whole annum, with the recognized trainings and developments fulfilment. Since the organization is in the industry of Apparel manufacturing the processes need constant training with the changing technological advancement. The training is given to the employees regarding new technology development, motivation, sales objectives of the company etc. The training for example on technology would help the employee to understand the present introduction of the new technology and it should be applied to the organization when performing the duties. The training would have a chance to be applied, where the employee would get application knowhow as well.

Therefore these type of trainings are very important for the organization to move forward and reach the organizational objectives.

2.     Conclusion

An organization would facilitate growth and enhancement of the employees, on the job to create more awareness of the employee towards what is carried out. Employees are connected to the organizations goals and objectives. A training would reduce supervision and empower the employee to take decisions on his own and help the organization to achieve the objectives.

Considering the above highlights, that training and development is a key element for organizational success. Since it would enhance the individual performance and the level of competency which would finally lead to organizational success.

3.     References

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Armstrong, M. & Stephen, and T. (2005) A handbook of Management and Leadership: A guide to managing for results. Kogan Page ltd.

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Asare-Bediako, K. 2008. Professional Skills in Human Resource Management 2nd ed. Asare-Bediako 7 Associate Limited, 277 Windy Hills.

Bass, B. M. & Vaughan, J. A. (2005). Training in Industry: The Management of Learning. London: Tavistock Publications

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Moorhead, G. & Griffin, W. R. (2000). Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations 5th ed. Boston New York

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