Chapter 7: Training and Development

The Scope of Training

- Training vs. Development

- Training: More specific, more targets, a particular skills/knowledge
o Tends to be more narrowly focused and oriented toward shot-term performance concerns
o Needs to be linked to the strategic goals of the company
- Development: effort that is oriented more toward broadening an individual’s skills for future
responsibilities

A Strategic Approach to Training

- Investment in people increase the bottom-line

- Training employees can be a retention tool
- Before training, the company needs to understand what the strategic goals are and use training to meet
those goals.
- Companies should spend 5% of profits into training

Strategic Model of Training

- Needs assessment
- Design
- Implementation
- Evaluation

Phase 1: Conducting the Needs Assessment

- Organizational analysis:
o Examine the environment strategies and resources the firm face to determine what training it
should emphasize (new products new skills, too many workplace injuries, lack of customer
service excellence)
o What’s affecting the firm overall
- Task analysis:
o The tasks performed in a job, the steps within each, and the knowledge, skills, abilities, required
o Sometimes use behavioral competencies
- Person analysis:
o Which employees need training; and their individual learning needs (areas of development)

Phase 2: Designing the Training Program

- Instructional objectives
o Represent the desired outcomes of a training program
o Should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable ,realistic, time bound
 Example our case?
o After completing training, participants should be able to:
 Accurately describe the features of all phones that we support
 Follow the standard telephone script, without error
 Use active listening techniques to respond to a customer inquiry
 Successfully resolve a basic customer inquiry within 2 minutes

Principles of Learning
 - Andragogy adult learning principle

Phase 3: Implementing the Training Programming

- Choosing the instructional method

o Nature of training
o Type of trainees
o Organization extent of training
o Importance of training outcomes
- Training method for non managerial employees
o On the job training
o Apprenticeship Training
o Cooperative Training, Internships
o Classroom instruction (can be at a university)
o Programmed Instruction (self-directed learning)
o Audio-visual methods
o Simulation method
o E-learning

Methods for Management Development

- On the job experiences:

o Coaching, job rotation, understudy assignments, special projects
- Seminars and Conferences
- Case Studies
o Analytical, problem-solving and critical thinking skills are most important; teamwork
- Management games and simulation
- Role-playing
- Behaviour modeling: 1) outline learning points 2) modeling; 3) practice and role play; 4) feedback and
reinforcement

Criteria for Evaluating Training

- Reactions
- Learning
- Behavioral
- Results

Criterion 4: Results or Return on Investments

- Measuring the utility of training programs

o Calculating the benefits derived from training
o ROI = results/training costs
o If the ROI > 1 the training exceed cost
o If ROI < 1 the cost exceed training
- Benchmarking
o The process of measuring one’s own service and practices against those of recognized leaders to
identify areas of improvement

Additional Topics in Training and Development

Organization wide training programs

 - Orientation training
o A formal process of familiarizing new employees with the organization, their jobs and their work
units
- On-Boarding
o The process of systematically socializing new employees to help them go “on board” with an
organization
- Basic skills training
o Basic skills have become essential occupational qualifications
- Typical Basic skills
o Reading, writing, computing, speaking, listening, problem solving, managing oneself, knowing
how to learn, working as part of a team, leading others
- Team and cross training
o Team building is a difficult and comprehensive process
o Team development is not always a linear sequence of forming storming, forming, and performing
- Ethics training
o Requires top management support
o Should be a part of new employee orientation
o Should be regularly available to al employees
- Chief ethics officers
o A high-ranking manager directly responsible for fostering the ethical climate within the firm

TEXTBOOK NOTES

PHASE 1: CONDUCTING THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Chief learning officer: A high-ranking manager directly responsible for fostering employee learning and
development within the organization

Organization analysis: Examination of the environment, strategies, and resources of the organization to determine
where training emphasis should be placed
Task analysis: The process of determining what the content of a training program should be on the basis of a study
of the tasks and duties involved in the job

Competency assessment: Analysis of the sets of skills and knowledge needed for decision- oriented and
knowledge-intensive jobs

Person analysis: Determination of the specific individuals who need training

PHASE 2: DESIGNING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

Instructional objectives: Desired outcomes of a training program

Trainee readiness: refers to whether or not the experience of trainees has made them receptive to the training that
they will receive.

Behavior modification: A technique that operates on the principle that behaviour that is rewarded, or positively
reinforced, will be exhibited more frequently in the future, whereas behaviour that is penalized or unrewarded will
decrease in frequency

Spot rewards: Programs that award employees “on the spot” when they do something particularly well during
training or on the job

PHASE 3: IMPLEMENTING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

On-the-job training (OJT): A method by which employees are given hands-on experience with instructions from
their supervisor or other trainer

Apprenticeship training: A system of training in which a worker entering the skilled trades is given thorough
instruction and experience, both on and off the job, in the practical and theoretical aspects of the work
Cooperative training: Training program that combines practical on-the-job experience with formal educational
classes

Internship programs: Programs jointly sponsored by colleges, universities, and other organizations that offer
students the opportunity to gain real-life experience while allowing them to find out how they will perform in work
organizations

Blended learning: The use of multiple training methods to achieve optimal learning on the part of trainees

E-learning: Learning that takes place via electronic media

Just-in-time training: Training delivered to trainees when and where they need it to do their jobs, usually via
computer or the Internet

Learning management system (LMS): On-line system that provides a variety of assessment, communication,
teaching, and learning opportunities

Behavior modeling: An approach that demonstrates desired behaviour and gives trainees the chance to practise
and role-play those behaviours and receive feedback

PHASE 4: EVALUATING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

CRITERION 1: REACTIONS

CRITERION 2: LEARNING

CRITERION 3: BEHAVIOUR

Transfer of training: Effective application of principles learned to what is required on the job

CRITERION 4: RESULTS, OR RETURN ON INVESTMENT (RoI)

Benchmarking: The process of measuring one’s own services and practices against those of recognized leaders to
identify areas for improvement

Orientation: The formal process of familiarizing new employees with the organization, their jobs, and their work
units

Onboarding: The process of systematically socializing new employees to help them go “on board” with an
organization

BASIC SKILLS TRAINING: A list of typical basic skills employees need includes the following: • Reading • Writing •
Computing • Speaking • Listening •Problem solving •Managing oneself/self-discipline • Knowing how to learn
•Working as part of a team • Leading others

TEAM TRAINING AND CROSS-TRAINING

Cross-training: The process of training employees to do multiple jobs within an organization

ETHICS TRAINING:

Chief ethics officer: A high-ranking manager directly responsible for fostering the ethical climate within the firm