PART THREE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER
T Eight
Training and Developing
Employees
8
Lecture Outline
Strategic Overview
Orienting Employees
The Training Process
The Strategic Context of Training
The Five-Step Training and Development Process
Training, Learning and Motivation
Motivate the Learner
Analyzing Training Needs
Task Analysis: Assessing New Employees’ Training Needs
Performance Analysis: Assessing Current Employees’ Training Needs
Training Methods
On-the-Job Training
Apprenticeship Training
Informal Learning
Job Instruction Training
Lectures
Programmed Learning
Literacy Training Techniques
Audiovisual Based Training
Simulated Training
Computer-Based Training
Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS)
Distance and Internet-Based Training
What is Management Development?
Managerial-on-the-job Training
Off-the-Job Management Training and Development
Managing Organizational Change and Development
What to Change
Overcoming Resistance to Change: Lewin’s Change Process
How to Lead the Change: A 10 Step Change Process
Using Organizational Development
Evaluating the Training Effort
Designing the Study
Training Effects to Measure
In Brief: This chapter is devoted to the issue of ongoing training and development of employees. Needs analysis, techniques, purposes, and evaluation are all covered. Additionally, the chapter points out the importance of new employee orientation and lists some of the important things to cover during that process.
Interesting Issues: New employee orientation has been shown to have measurable and positive effects on employee retention and satisfaction. In spite of this, many organizations do not have a formalized orientation process and each employee gets a different orientation to the organization. For those students who have been employed, it may be useful to discuss their experiences and frustrations or satisfaction with orientations.
ANNOTATED OUTLINE
I.
Orienting Employees
Employee orientation programs provide new employees with the basic background information required to perform their jobs satisfactorily. Orientation programs today are moving away from routine discussion of company rules to emphasizing the company’s mission and the employee’s role in that mission, onboarding them early as a key member of the team.
II.
The Training Process
A. The Strategic Context of Training – Training refers to the methods used to give new or present employees the skills they need to perform their jobs. Training today plays a key role in the performance management process, which is a key process for employers to ensure employees are working toward organizational goals. Overall, training has a fairly impressive record of influencing organizational effectiveness, scoring higher than appraisal and feedback, and just below goal setting in its effect on productivity.
B.
The Five Step Training and Development Process – 1) needs analysis; 2) instructional design; 3) validation; 4) implement the program; and 5) evaluation and follow-up.
C.
Training, Learning, and Motivation
1.
Make Learning Meaningful – Material that is meaningful is usually easier for trainees to understand and remember.
2.
Make Skills Transfer Easy – Make skills and behaviors easy to transfer from the training site to the job site.
3.
Motivate the Learner - Provide as much realistic practice as possible; reinforce
correct responses immediately; letting trainees pace themselves; creating a perceived
training need in the trainees’ minds; and scheduling effectively.
Know Your Employment Law: Training and the Law – Trainers need to be knowledgeable of how various laws apply to training related decisions, particularly with respect to discrimination, negligent training, and overtime pay.
D. Analyzing Training Needs – Two main ways to identify training needs are: task analysis (an analysis of the job’s requirements) and performance analysis (an analysis to verify if there is a performance deficiency).
E.
Task Analysis: Assessing New Employees’ Training Needs – A task analysis
can be use to determine the training needs of new employees. A task
analysis record form can also be used. It contains the following information:
task list; when and how often performed; quantity, quality performance
standards; conditions under which performed; skills or knowledge required;
and where best learned.
F.
Performance Analysis: Assessing Current Employees’ Training Needs - There are several methods that can be used to identify an employee’s training needs, including: supervisor, peer, self, and 360-degree performance reviews; job-related performance data; observation by supervisors or other specialists; interviews with the employee or his/her supervisor; tests of things like job knowledge, skills, and attendance; attitude surveys; individual employee daily diaries; and assessment centers.
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III.
Training Methods
A.
On-the-Job Training (OJT) – means having a person learn a job by actually doing it, and involves the following: preparing the learner; presenting the operation; doing a tryout; and follow-up.
B.
Apprenticeship Training – is a structured process by which people become skilled workers through a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training.
C.
Informal Learning – involves learning through day-to-day unplanned interactions between the new worker and his/her colleagues.
D.
Job Instruction Training – refers to teaching a new employee the logical sequence of steps in a job step-by-step.
E.
Lectures – quick and simple way to provide knowledge to large groups.
F.
Programmed Learning – is a step-by-step self-learning method: 1) presenting questions, facts, or problems to the learner; 2) allowing the person to respond; and 3) providing feedback on the accuracy of the answers.
G.
Literacy Training Techniques – Companies are responding the functional illiteracy by testing job candidates’ basic skills, and setting up basic skills and literacy programs.
The New Workplace: Diversity Training Program – Diversity training aims to create better cross-cultural sensitivity, with the aim of fostering more harmonious working relationships among a firm’s employees.
H.
Audiovisual Based Training – Tools include: films, PowerPoint presentations, video conferencing, audiotapes, and videotapes.
I.
Simulated Training – is a method in which trainees learn on the actual or simulated equipment they will use on the job, but are actually trained off-the job.
J.
Computer-Based Training – is where the trainee uses computer-based and/or DVD systems to increase his/her knowledge or skills. CBT programs have real
advantages including reducing learning time, cost effectiveness once designed
and produced, instructional consistency, mastery of learning, increased retention,
and increased trainee motivation.
K.
Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) – are sets of computerized tools and displays that effectively automate and integrate training, documentation, and phone support, thus enabling individuals to provide support that’s faster, cheaper, and more effective than the traditional methods.
L. Distance and Internet-Based Training – Distance learning methods include traditional paper-and-pencil correspondence courses, as well as teletraining, videoconferencing, and Internet-based classes.
1.
Teletraining – where a trainer in a central location teaches groups of employees at remote locations via television hookups.
2.
Videoconferencing – allows people in one location to communicate live via a combination of audio and visual equipment with people in different locations–another city or country or with groups in several cities.
3.
Training via the Internet – Internet based learning programs are increasingly popular. Some companies simply let their employees take online courses offered by online course providers while others use their intranets to facilitate computer-based training.
Improving Productivity Through HRIS: Learning Portals and Beyond. Learning Portals, also called Enterprise Information Portals (EIPs), like Yahoo! And other windows to the Internet, are enabling some categories of a firm’s employees to access all the corporate applications they need, like industry news and competitive data, or tools to analyze data. There are also business to consumer (B2C) portals and business-to-business (B2B) portals.
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IV.
What Is Management Development?
Management Development is any attempt to improve managerial performance by imparting knowledge, changing attitudes, or increasing skills. The general management development process consists of (1) assessing the company’s strategic needs (2) appraising the managers’ current performance and (3) developing the managers. Succession planning is part of this process, and is the process through which a company plans for and fills senior level openings.
A. Managerial On-The-Job Training methods include: job rotation; coaching/ understudy approach; and action learning.
1.
Job Rotation – moving management trainees from department to department to broaden their understanding of all parts of the business.
2.
Coaching/Understudy Approach – where a trainee works directly with a senior manager or with the person he/she is to replace, and the latter is responsible for coaching the trainee.
3.
Action Learning – programs give managers and others released time to work full-time on projects to analyze and solve problems in departments other than their own.
Research Insight – Some research suggest that in addition to shattering the glass ceiling for women for equity sake, women may make better managers than men these days.
B.
Off-the-Job Management Training and Development Techniques
1.
The Case Study Method – presents a trainee with a written description of an organizational problem.
2.
Management Games – computerized management games allow for the trainees to be involved.
3.
Outside Seminars – offered by many companies and universities.
4.
University-Related Programs provide executive education and continuing education programs in leadership, supervision, and the like.
5.
Role Playing is aimed at creating a realistic situation and then having the trainee assume the parts (roles) of specific persons in that situation.
6.
Behavior Modeling involves showing the trainee the correct way to do something, letting the trainee practice the correct way, and giving the trainee feedback on his/her performance.
7.
Corporate Universities and In-House Development Centers are being established by many companies to expose prospective managers to realistic exercises to develop improved management skills.
8.
Executive Coaches are being used by firms to improve their top managers’ effectiveness. An executive coach is an outside consultant who questions the executive’s boss, peers, subordinates, and sometimes, family, in order to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to counsel the executive so he or she can capitalize on those strengths and overcome the weaknesses.
When You’re On Your Own, HR for Line Managers and Entrepreneurs: Creating Your Own Training Program – several options are explored for different avenues for training and development such as outsourced learning and prepackaged training solutions.
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Managing Organizational Change and Development
What to Change – When organizations are faced with the need to manage change, there are five different aspects that can be targeted including strategy, culture, structure, technologies and attitudes and skills.
Overcoming Resistance to Change: Lewin’s Change Process – The most difficult part o implementing an organizational change is overcoming employees’ resistance to it. Psychologist Kurt Lewin formulated a classic explanation of how to implement change in the face of resistance. His change process consists of three steps: 1) unfreezing; 2) moving; 3) refreezing.
How to Lead the Change: A 10 Step Change Process – The ten steps outlined here are 1) establish a sense of urgency; 2) mobilize commitment through joint diagnosis of problem 3) Create a guiding coalition; 4) develop a shared vision; 5) communicate the vision; 6) help employees make the change; 7) generate short term wins; 8) consolidate gains and produce more change 9) anchor the new ways of doing things in the company culture; 10) monitor progress and adjust the vision as required.
Using Organizational Development – Organizational Development is a special approach to organizational change in which the employees themselves formulate the change that required and implement it, often with the assistance of a trained consultant. OD has several distinguishing characteristics, including action research; applied behavioral science knowledge to improve the organization’s effectiveness; its ability to change attitudes, values and beliefs of employees so that they can implement the technical, procedural, or structural changes needed; and it changes the organization in a particular direction
1.
Human Process Applications
2.
Technostructural Interventions
3.
Human Resource Management Applications
4.
Strategic OD Applications
The HR Scorecard Strategy and Results: The New Training Program – In this discussion box, the continuing case study of Hotel Paris is used to show how a training program was designed to impact employee capability and behavior metrics, which in turn, would drive improvements in customer and organizational outcomes as well as financial performance.
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VI.
Evaluating the Training Effort
A. Designing the Study – The evaluation process of choice is controlled experimentation, which uses both a training group and a control group (that receives no training) to assess their before and after performance in order to determine the extent to which performance in the training group resulted from the training itself rather than some organization-wide change.
B.
Training Effects to Measure – Four basic categories of training outcomes can be measured: 1) Reaction; 2) Learning; 3) Behavior, and 4) Results.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.
"A well-thought-out orientation program is essential for all new employees, whether they have experience or not." Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement. New employees can suffer from a significant amount of anxiety during the first few days on the job as they find themselves in an environment and culture that they are not familiar with. Those with little job experience may find it especially difficult without an orientation since they have little other experience on which to base their expectations. A well-developed orientation program will socialize new employees into important organizational values, whereby their chances of easing smoothly into the organization are improved.
2.
Explain how you would apply our principles of learning in developing a lecture, say, on orientation and training. Student answers should reflect the issues identified in the guidelines in the section on lectures. As an exercise, you might have students develop and deliver a lecture (perhaps on one section of this chapter). Then ask the students to critique each other based on the guidelines summarized in the section on lectures.
3.
John Santos is an undergraduate business student majoring in accounting. He has just failed the first accounting course, Accounting 101, and is understandably upset. Explain how you would use performance analysis to identify what, if any, are John's training needs. The first thing that needs to be determined is if this is a "can't do" or a "won't do" situation. It is possible that as a first-year student, John has spent more time socializing and not enough time studying. This would indicate a need for training on studying skills and prioritization. It is also possible that John really does not have the necessary basic skills that he needs in order to be successful in this course. This could be determined through some testing to see if he has the prerequisite knowledge and skills. If it is a problem, remedial training or courses would be appropriate. A third possibility is that John simply does not really have the interest or natural inclinations that would make him successful in the accounting area. This could be determined through some testing and career interest surveys. If this is the case, training is not appropriate, but rather John should be counseled to change majors.
4.
What are some typical on-the-job training techniques? What do you think are some of the main drawbacks of relying on informal on-the-job training for breaking new employees into their jobs? The most common is the understudy or coaching technique. Others include apprenticeship training and job rotation. There are several possible drawbacks to OJT: (1) not every employee will get the same basic information, in fact, some may not get basic, fundamental information; (2) the quality of the training is highly dependent on the training skills of the employee who supervises the OJT...and that person's skills and training are usually not in the area of training; (3) the new employee may get false information or detrimental inculturation depending on the employees that conduct their OJT.
5.
One reason for implementing global training programs is the need to avoid lost business ". . . due to cultural insensitivity." What sort of cultural insensitivity do you think is referred to, and how might that translate into lost business? The cultural insensitivities would include cross-cultural values, assumptions concerning communication, identity issues, etiquette, lifestyles, style of dress, etc. Any of these can result in unintentional insults or offending people that can easily make those people reluctant to do business with you.
What sort of training program would you recommend to avoid such cultural insensitivity? There are a wide variety of programs and consultants that specialize in these areas. It is important to have someone who is knowledgeable in these areas conduct the training to assure that the correct information and guidance is given.
6.
Describe the pros and cons of five management development methods. Job rotation: broadens experience and helps the candidate find what he or she prefers. Coaching/Understudy: works directly with the person he or she will replace, helps assure trained managers are ready to assume key positions. Action Learning: allows special projects to be handled. Case Study Method: classroom oriented, gives real-life situations, allows analysis and reflection. Management Games: learn by getting involved, competition, emphasizes the need for planning, problem-solving skills, teamwork. Outside Seminars: CEUs, developed by experts, time away from pressures of work. University-Related Programs: certifications and degrees, theoretical knowledge, sharing with students from other industries. Role Playing: opportunity to work through probable situations, negative views of role-playing. Behavior Modeling: effective, learning and skill development, reinforces decisions immediately. In-House Development Centers: tailored to the needs of the company, expensive. Students should be able to come up with additional pros and cons for each method.
7.
Do you think job rotation is a good method to use for developing management trainees? Why or why not? Most students will probably support job rotation for management trainees. It gives the trainee the opportunity to experience several areas and to develop cross-departmental skills and cooperation. It also gives the trainee the chance to experience different areas to see what he or she likes.
DESSLER COMPANION WEB SITE
We invite you to visit the Dessler homepage ( on the Prentice Hall Web site for the best online business support available. This site provides professors with a customized course Web site, including new communication tools, one-click navigation of chapter content, and great resources, such as Internet Resources, an HRCI Exam Prep Guide, assessment exercises, and more.
INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACTIVITIES
1. You’re the supervisor of a group of employees whose task is to assemble disk drives that go into computers. You find that quality is not what it should be and that many of your group’s devices have to be brought back and reworked; your boss says that “You’d better start doing a better job of training your workers.” A) What are some of the “staffing factors” that could be contributing to this problem? B) Explain how you would go about assessing whether it is in fact a training problem. Have students brainstorm the potential factors other than training that could be the root cause of this problem. Make the point that often, people will immediately point to training as the issue, when in fact there are other factors at play that are impacting performance.
2. Pick out some task with which you are familiar – mowing the lawn, tuning a car – and develop a job instruction training sheet for it. There is an example of a job instruction training sheet for operating a large motorized paper cutter in Table . Students should be able to put the task they select into the format given.
3.
Working individually or in groups, you are to develop a short programmed learning program on the subject “Guidelines for Giving a More Effective Lecture.” Students should use the guidelines listed in the programmed learning section of the chapter, but should not forget that this assignment is not just listing guidelines. They are to develop a programmed learning that 1) presents questions, facts, or problems to the learner, 2) allows the person to respond, and 3) provides feedback to the learner on the accuracy of his or her answers.
4.
Working individually or in groups, use the phone or the web to contact a provider of management development seminars such as the American Management Association. Obtain copies of their recent listings of seminar offerings. At what levels of managers do they aim their seminar offerings? What seems to be the most popular types of development programs? Why do you think that’s the case? Depending on the provider contacted, the results of this exercise will vary. It would be a good idea to assign different groups or individuals to different providers to assure that you get a variety of responses. It may be useful to have a class discussion about the differences that they found.
5.
Working individually or in groups, develop several examples to illustrate how a professor teaching human resource management could use at least four of the techniques described in this chapter in teaching his or her HR course. Student results will again vary. Look for examples to be well thought out and to represent the guidelines given in the appropriate sections on traditional training techniques.
6. Working individually or in groups, develop an orientation program for high school graduates entering your university as freshmen. The students should refer to the section on why orientation is important in the chapter. They should also create an orientation checklist similar to Figure
7.
The HRCI “Test Specifications” appendix at the end of this book lists the knowledge someone studying for the HRCI certification exam needs to know in each area of human resource mangement (such as in Strategic Management, Workforce Planning, and Human Resource Development). In groups of 4-5 students, do four things: (1) review that appendix now; (2) identify the materila in this chater that relates to the required knowledge the appendix lists; (3) write four multiple choice exam questions on this material that you believe would be suitable for inclusion in the HRCI exam; and (4) if time permits, have someone from your team post your team’s questions in front of the class, so the students in other teams can take each other’s exam questions. Material covered in this chapter relevant to the HRCI exam would include succession lanning, needs analysis, development, implementation and evaluation of training programs, development, raining methods, programs and techniques, instructional methods and program delivery, implementation and evaluation of prorams to assess employees’ potential for growth and development in the organization, change management programs and activites, organizational development theories and aplications,employee involvement strategies.
Some Examples of multiple choice questions:
1.
One of the legal implications of training related deicions include:
a. discrimination
b. negligent training
c. overtime pay
d. all of the above
e. a & b only
Answer: d
2.
The method of analyzing training needs by verifying that there is a performance deficiency is called:
a. task analysis
b. performance analysis
c . on-the-job training
d. job instruction training
Answer: b
3.
The managerial on-the-job training technique which involves the trainee working on a project, analyzing and solving problems in departments other than their own is called:
a. Job Rotation
b. Action Learning
c. Coaching/Understudy approach
d. Role Playing
Answer: b
4.
The Model of Overcoming Resistance to Change which includes the three steps of Unfreezing, Moving and Refreezing was developed by:
a. Andrea Jung
b. Kurt Lewin
c. Dessler
d. The Department of Labor
Answer: b
8. By mid-2003, the .-led coalition in Iraq was sending hundreds of trainers to that country to train new cadres of Iraqi workers, from teachers to police officers. Perhaps no training task was more pressing that that involved in creating the country’s new police force. These were the people who were to help the coalition bring security to Iraq. However, many had no experience in police work. There were language barriers between trainers and trainees. And some trainees found themselves quickly under fire from insurgents when they went as trainees out into the field. Based on what you learned about training from this chapter, list the five most important things you would tell the officer in charge of training (a former . big city police chief) to keep in mind as he prepares the training program.
Lead a discussion with students to identify concepts learned in this chapter that apply to this example. Have them identify how each recommendation address the unique issues in this scenario. Suggest that students do Internet research to discover how, in fact, training was conducted, and have them critique the approach, techniques and methods used based on the material in the text.
EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES & CASES
Experiential Exercise: Developing a Training Program
This exercise will give students the opportunity to experience the activities involved in creating a training program. As with any exercise, students may rush through and brush aside details, or they might painstakingly address all the details needed. Look for quality and for those that take the time to deal with the details that make a program a success.
Application Case: Reinventing the Wheel at Apex Door Company
What do you think of Apex’s training process? Could it help to explain why employees “do things their way” and if so, how? There is a weak accountability system. The person assigned to perform training is likely to have very low motivation (a departing employee). With no formal descriptions the trainer will teach “their way” of accomplishing tasks. There is no training documentation. One receives training in “how to train.” There are no outcome measures to determine if the training was successful.
What role do job descriptions play in training? Job descriptions set the boundaries of jobs in terms of required knowledge and skills. By understanding the job description, a trainer can define the learning requirements for a new or transitioning employee.
Explain in detail what you would do to improve the training process at Apex. Make sure to provide specific suggestions, please. Every position would have a formal (written) description. Training procedures would be documented for each position. Supervisors would be formally accountable for training.
Running Case: Carter Cleaning Company; The New Training Program
1.
Specifically, what should the Carters cover in their new employee orientation program, and how should we convey this information? The students should refer to the orientation checklist in Figure and the section on orienting employees in the chapter.
2.
In the HR management course Jennifer took, the book suggested using a task analysis record form to identify tasks performed by an employee. Should we use a form like this for the counterperson’s job, and if so what would the filled-in form look like? The students should refer to the section on the training needs of new employees. This section discusses a task analysis form, which includes: task analysis record form can also be used. It contains the following information: task list; when and how often performed; quantity, quality performance standards; conditions under which performed; skills or knowledge required; and where best learned (refer them to Table 8-1).
3.
Which specific training techniques should Jennifer use to train her pressers, her cleaner-spotters, her managers, and her counterpeople, and why? The students should review the training techniques discussed in chapter and conduct research on the Internet to review the various training resources offered for each of these positions.
KEY TERMS
employee orientation
A procedure for providing new employees with basic background information about the firm.
training
The process of teaching new employees the basic skills they need to perform their jobs.
performance management
The process employers use to make sure employees are working toward organizational goals.
negligent training
A situation where an employer fails to train adequately, and the employee subsequently harms a third party.
task analysis
A detailed study of a job to identify the skills required.
performance analysis
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).
on-the-job training (OJT)
Training a person to learn a job while working at it.
apprenticeship training
A structured process by which people become skilled worker through a combination of classroom instruction and on the job training.
job instruction training
Listing of each job's basic tasks, along with key points in order
(JIT)
to provide step-by-step training for employees.
programmed learning
A systematic method for teaching job skills involving presenting questions or facts, allowing the person to respond, and giving the learner immediate feedback on the accuracy of his or her answers.
simulated training
Training employees on special off-the-job equipment, as in airplane pilot training, whereby training costs and hazards can be reduced.
job aid
A set of instructions, diagrams, or similar methods available at the job site to guide workers.
electronic performance
Sets of computerized tools and displays that automate training,
support systems (EPSS)
documentation, and phone support, integrate this automation into applications, and provide support that’s faster, cheaper, and more effective than traditional methods.
management
Any attempt to improve current or future management
development
performance by
imparting knowledge, changing attitudes, or increasing skills.
succession planning
A process through which senior-level openings are planned for and eventually filled.
job rotation
A management training technique that involves moving a trainee from department to department to broaden his or her experience and identify strong and weak points.
action learning
A training technique by which management trainees are allowed to work full time analyzing and solving problems in other departments.
case study method
A development method in which the manager is presented with a written description of an organizational problem to diagnose and solve.
management game
A development technique in which teams of managers compete with one another by making computerized decisions regarding realistic but simulated companies.
role playing
A training technique in which trainees act out the parts of people in a realistic management situation.
behavior modeling
A training technique in which trainees are first shown good management techniques in a film, are then asked to play roles in a simulated situation, and are then given feedback and praise by their supervisor.
in-house development
A company-based method for exposing prospective managers
center
to realistic exercises to develop improved management skills.
outsourced learning
The outsourcing of companies’ learning functions to consulting firms.
organizational development
A special approach to organizational change in which employees themselves formulate and implement the change that is required.
controlled
experimentation
Formal methods for testing the effectiveness of a training program, preferably with before-and-after tests and a control group.
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