Chapter 8 Training and Developing Employees

Objectives
Describe the basic training process Describe and illustrate how you would go about identifying training requirements. Explain how to distinguish between problems you can fix with training and those you cant. Explain how to use five training techniques

Orienting Employees
Employee Orientation

A procedure for providing new employees with basic background information about the firm

Purpose of Orientation
New employees should feel welcome and at ease Should understand the organization in broad sense (its past, present culture and vision) Key facts such as policies and procedures Should have begun socializing into the firms ways of acting and doing things

Orienting Employees
The Orientation Processes
Ranges from 10 minutes to week- long programs HR specialist performs the first part of the orientationworking hours, benefits and vacations Rest is done by the supervisor- organization of the department, introduction etc. Employee hand book. Disclaimers Employers now using technology based orientation e.g. personal digital assistants etc. Not all employees react to orientation in the same way Supervisors should be vigilant and encourage new employees to become productive as soon as possible.

The Training Process

Training

The process of teaching new employees the basic skills they need to perform their jobs.

Trainings strategic context

Sitting down with the management and help them identify strategic goals and objectives and the skills and knowledge needed to achieve them. Identifying whether the staff has the skills and knowledge? Training programs must make sense in terms of companys strategic goals

Performance management
Taking an integrated, goal oriented approach to assigning, training, assessing and rewarding employees performance Spend around $826 per employee. Fairly impressive record. Work place learning and performance instead of training to underscore dual aims.

The Training Process

The five Step training and development process
Need analysis Instructional design
Decide, compile and produce the training program content. Work books, activities and exercises Techniques like OJT, computer based learning

Validation step
Removing bugs

Implement Evaluation
Programs successes or failures

Training materials

The Training Process

Motivation principles for trainers
as much realistic practice as possible Immediately reinforce correct responses to maximize learning Let trainees pace themselves Create a perceived training need in trainees minds Schedule the training
Provide

The learning curve goes down late in the day  Full day training is not as effective as half the day


The Training Process

Negligent Training
A situation where an employer fails to train adequately and the employee subsequently harms a third party

Analyzing Training Needs

Depends whether the employee is new or current For new ones

Determine what the job entails  Breakdown each into sub tasks


For current employees

Training need is more complex- is training the solution?  Other reasons for not performing e.g. lack of motivation, standards not clear  Usage of special soft wares to diagnose performance gaps


The Training Process

Task analysis: assessing new employees training needs
A detailed study of a job to identify the specific skills required is called task analysis Task analysis is used to determine the training needs of particularly lower level in experienced employees Employers supplement JD and JS with Task Analysis as it is specially helpful in determining training needs

The Training Process

Performance Analysis: assessing current employees training needs

Verifying that there is a performance deficiency and determining whether that deficiency should be corrected through training or through some other means (such as transferring the employee) Performance appraisals Job related performance data Observations by supervisors or other specialists Interviews with the employees or his supervisor Test of things like job knowledge, skills and attendance Attitude surveys Employees daily diaries Assessment center results

Methods to identify training needs

The Training Process

Cant Do/ Wont Do
It

is futile to spend time training an employee with insufficient motivation First determine whether it is a Cant Do problem If yes, find out specific causes
whether employees do not know what to do  Or what are your standards  Obstacles in the system?  Non availability of job aids  Hired employees do not have skills  Lack of training


The Training Process

Cant Do/ Wont Do
the other hand it could be a Wont Do problem Here employees could do a good job if they wanted The biggest trap that trainers would fall into is developing a training program that training will not fix A change in Reward System? If training is the answer, develop objectives to be accomplished after training e.g. .
On

Competency Models
Generic

competency models for jobs or closely related group of jobs

Training Methods
On-the-job Training
The

most popular training method Training a person to learn a job while working on it Every employee from mail room clerk to CEO gets OJT when he joins the company

Types of On-the job training

Coaching

or understudy method Job rotation Special assignments

Training Methods
Advantages
Relatively in-expensive Facilitates learning by actually doing and Getting quick feedback on performance

Guidelines
Do not take the success of OJT as granted Carefully train the trainers themselves Provide necessary training materials Trainers should know the principles of motivating trainers Low expectation from trainers may lead to poor performance by the trainee- the golem effect

Training Methods
Steps for OJT success

Prepare the learner

     

Put the learner at ease Explain why is he being taught Create interest, find out what he knows before hand Explain the whole job and relate with he already knows Place the learner as close to the normal working position Familiarize the worker with equipment, materials, tools etc. Explain quality and quantity requirements Go through the job at normal work pace Go through the job at lower pace to explain each step Again go through the job at low pace several times Have the learner explain the steps as you go through

Present the operation

    

Training Methods
Steps for OJT success

Do a try out
   

Have the learner go through job several times, slowly, explaining each step to you. Correct mistakes and do the difficult ones few times. Run the job at normal pace. Have the learner do the job, gradually building up skill and speed As soon as the learner demonstrates ability to do the job, let him do but do not abandon him. Designate to whom the learner should go for help Gradually decrease supervision Correct faulty work patterns before they become habit Compliment good work

Follow up
   

Training Methods
Apprenticeship Training
A structured process by which people become skilled workers through a combination of class room instruction and on-the-job training Study under the tutelage of a craftsperson e.g. Dofasco Government apprentice centers

Informal Learning
Research findings- 80% of learning takes place informally including doing on-the-job training with colleagues Informal learning techniques

Training Methods
Job Instruction Training (JIT)

Listing each jobs basic tasks, along with key points, in order to provide step-by-step training to employees Advantages
Quick and simple way to present knowledge  Studies and experience show that lectures can be effective


Lectures

Guidelines for presenting a lecture

Do not start on the wrong foot  Give your learners signals  Be alert to your audience- fidgeting, crossed arms  Make sure every one in the room can hear you. Repeat questions before answering


Training Methods
Control your hands  Talk from notes rather than script  Break a long talk into a series of five-minute talks, research findings  Practice. If possible rehearse in the similar settings..


Programmed Learning

Step-by-step, self learning method that consists of three parts

Presenting questions or facts,  Allowing the person to respond,  And giving the learner immediate feed back on the accuracy of his or her answers  Intelligent tutoring systems are basically computerized supercharged programmed instruction programs


Training Methods
Advantages

It reduces training time  Facilitates trainee by letting him learn at his own pace  Provides immediate feedback  Reduces the learners risk of error


Disadvantages


Trainees do not learn as much as they learn from traditional learning methods

Trade

of between quicker but not much improved learning

Training Methods
Simulated Training (Vestibule)

Training employees on special off-the-job equipment, as in airplane pilot training, so that training costs and hazards can be reduced Used when its too costly or dangerous to train employees on the job
 

Putting new assembly line workers right to work can slow down production When safety is a concern

Simulated training may take place with the same equipment, the employee will use on job. However, it involves simulators


For example flight simulators

Computerized and internet based tools have revolutionized training process

Training Methods
Computer based training

Use of interactive computer based DVD systems CBT is becoming increasingly realistic
 

Interactive multimedia training integrates use of text, video, graphics, animation, photos and sound to produce a complex training environment Virtual reality training takes the realism t the next step Reduction in learning time by 50% Cost effective once designed and produced Instructional consistency Mastery in learning (trainee can not go to the next step until completion) Increased retention and increased motivation ( due to responsive feedback)

Effectiveness
    

Training Methods
Electronic performance support systems (EPSS)

People do not learn everything they learn Sets of computerized tools and displays that
  

Automate training, documentation and phone support, Integrates this automation into applications, And provides support hat is faster, cheaper and more effective than traditional methods (Dell)

PS Systems are modern job aids A job aid is a set of instructions, diagrams, or similar methods available at the job site to guide the worker Job aids work well in complex jobs that require multiple steps or Where it is dangerous to forget a step


GMs electromotive division gives workers job aids in the form of diagrams

Training Methods
Distance and Internet based training

Teletraining


A trainer in a central location teaches groups of employees at remote locations via television hook ups Allows people in one location to communicate live via a combination of audio and visual equipment with people in another city or country.

Videoconferencing


Internet Based learning

Effectiveness
 

Varying effectiveness E-learning I s booming A learning environment that uses soft wares to enable multiple users to participate in a video or audio discussion

The virtual class room



Training Methods
Improving productivity through HRIS: Learning Portals Literacy training techniques