Employee Development

Human Resource ManagementHuman Resource Management

Employee Training: Trends

Four economic and demographic trendsFour economic and demographic trends Unskilled and undereducated youthUnskilled and undereducated youth Sophisticated technology increasingSophisticated technology increasing Currently underutilized groups Currently underutilized groups International competitionInternational competition

Effective Training Practices

Training is tied to business strategy and the Training is tied to business strategy and the bottom linebottom line

Top management is committed Top management is committed Commitment to invest resourcesCommitment to invest resources

Time Time MoneyMoney

Comprehensive and systematicComprehensive and systematic

Legal Issues in Training

If training is necessary for job entry:If training is necessary for job entry: Can all groups equally pass the training course?Can all groups equally pass the training course? Training must be valid predictor of Training must be valid predictor of

performanceperformance Entry into training programsEntry into training programs

Do all groups have equal access into training Do all groups have equal access into training programs?programs?

Legal Issues in Training

Training process itselfTraining process itself Does design of program and/or equipment Does design of program and/or equipment

make some groups unable to perform well?make some groups unable to perform well? Are career decisions made on basis of Are career decisions made on basis of

measures collected during training?measures collected during training? Affirmative action plans can specify that Affirmative action plans can specify that

protected classes be trainedprotected classes be trained

Trainability

May be an appropriate “KSAO”May be an appropriate “KSAO” Largest cost of training is paying employees Largest cost of training is paying employees

during trainingduring training Trainable employees may be the most cost-Trainable employees may be the most cost-

effective people to traineffective people to train Trainability may be able to be assessedTrainability may be able to be assessed

Ability to learnAbility to learn Motivation to learnMotivation to learn

Three Phases in Training

Assessing training needsAssessing training needs OrganizationalOrganizational OperationalOperational IndividualIndividual

Designing and implementing training Designing and implementing training program(s)program(s)

Evaluating trainingEvaluating training

Assessing Training Needs

Organization analysisOrganization analysis Begins by consulting strategic plan and Begins by consulting strategic plan and

reviewing organizational objectivesreviewing organizational objectives Analyze external and internal environments Analyze external and internal environments Where within the organization is training Where within the organization is training

needed?needed?

Assessing Training Needs

Operation analysisOperation analysis What training content is neededWhat training content is needed Heavily based on job analysisHeavily based on job analysis Systematic data collection about how jobs are Systematic data collection about how jobs are

donedone Standards of performance for jobsStandards of performance for jobs How tasks should be performed to meet standardsHow tasks should be performed to meet standards KSAOs necessary to perform the tasksKSAOs necessary to perform the tasks

Assessing Training Needs

Individual analysisIndividual analysis What does an individual employee need to What does an individual employee need to

improve job performance?improve job performance? Difference between actual and desired Difference between actual and desired

performanceperformance Data can be gathered from performance Data can be gathered from performance

appraisals, interviews, attitude surveys, testsappraisals, interviews, attitude surveys, tests

Training Itself

Learning skillsLearning skills Goal settingGoal setting Behavior modelingBehavior modeling PracticePractice FeedbackFeedback

Learning knowledgeLearning knowledge Goal settingGoal setting Meaningfulness of the Meaningfulness of the

materialmaterial PracticePractice FeedbackFeedback

Training Itself: Knowledge & Skills Acquisition Goal SettingGoal Setting

Clear and specific goals at the outset of the Clear and specific goals at the outset of the trainingtraining

Challenging and difficult but attainableChallenging and difficult but attainable Subtests, work-sample tests, periodic quizzes Subtests, work-sample tests, periodic quizzes

should be given in order to increase trainee should be given in order to increase trainee confidenceconfidence

Expectations of trainer will affect trainer Expectations of trainer will affect trainer perceptionsperceptions

Training Itself: Knowledge & Skills Acquisition Behavior modelingBehavior modeling

Model should be similar to Model should be similar to trainer in race, age, sextrainer in race, age, sex

Behaviors desired should be Behaviors desired should be portrayed clearly and in portrayed clearly and in detaildetail

Rank the behaviors in order Rank the behaviors in order from least to most difficultfrom least to most difficult

Several models should be Several models should be usedused

Meaningfulness of the Meaningfulness of the materialmaterial Present the overall picture Present the overall picture

of the material at the of the material at the beginningbeginning

Use examples, terms and Use examples, terms and concepts that are familiarconcepts that are familiar

Ensure simpler concepts are Ensure simpler concepts are mastered before moving on mastered before moving on to harder, more complex to harder, more complex onesones

Training Itself: Knowledge & Skills Acquisition PracticePractice

Increases length of time learning will be Increases length of time learning will be retainedretained

Active practice: Trainer directly oversees Active practice: Trainer directly oversees trainee in order to correct behaviorstrainee in order to correct behaviors

Overlearning: Task becomes “second nature”Overlearning: Task becomes “second nature” Length of session: For most tasks, practice Length of session: For most tasks, practice

should be distributed rather than massedshould be distributed rather than massed

Training Itself: Knowledge & Skills Acquisition FeedbackFeedback

Information regarding when and how the Information regarding when and how the behavior was desirablebehavior was desirable

Essential for learning and motivationEssential for learning and motivation Leads to setting specific goals for maintaining Leads to setting specific goals for maintaining

good performancegood performance Should be provided as soon as possibleShould be provided as soon as possible

Evaluating Training Programs

Questions that should be answered in the Questions that should be answered in the evaluation processevaluation process Did change occur?Did change occur? Is the change due to training?Is the change due to training? Is change positively related to achieving Is change positively related to achieving

organizational goals?organizational goals? Will new participants in training experience Will new participants in training experience

similar changes?similar changes?

Four Levels of Change Measurements ReactionReaction

How do participants feel about the training?How do participants feel about the training? LearningLearning

Have participants learned what was taught?Have participants learned what was taught? BehaviorBehavior

Have on-the-job changes occurred?Have on-the-job changes occurred? ResultsResults

Have bottom line outcomes resulted?Have bottom line outcomes resulted?