Industrial and Organizational PsychologyTraining Employees

“Training is a process that develops and improves skills related to performance.”

M.L. BlumJ.C. Naylor

- Effective training programs can result in increased production, reduced labor turnover and greater employee satisfaction.

Training In Organizations Organizations spend money on training their employees  Training can be very valuable by

– Increasing employee competence and performance– Increasing employee motivation– Increasing employee adjustment and well-being

 Not always effective because training– is for the wrong thing– given to the wrong people– uses the wrong methods

 Characteristics of organizational training– 1. Field dominated by non psychologists practitioners.– 2. Much training crisis motivated.– 3. Much training playful no particular goal.– 4. Many fads & fashions.– 5. No theoretical. Few principles are applied.

Main I/O Training Activities

Main I/O Training Activities

Need assessment  Design  Evaluation  Delivery of training usually (but not always) done by non-

psychologist trainers

Needs Assessment

Determining what training should be done Major methods

– Job analysis: KSAO's necessary for the job– Critical incidents: E.g., hospital incident reports– Performance appraisal: Can be part of a performance management

system – Employee surveys(KSAOs refer to the knowledge, skill, ability, and other personal

characteristics required for good job performance on a specific job.)

Training Program Design Principles Goal: Transfer of training to job Principles

– Feedback necessary for learning– General principles: Cover the basic principles involved in the

training.– Identical elements: Between training and job situation– Whole vs. part (depends on complexity)– Ability– Motivation– Supportive environment increases motivation– Anxiety (Nervousness)

Kinds of training: Over the years a number of different types of training have

emerged in industrial situations. For example, Tiffin and McCormick (1958) classify training into the following seven categories:

1. Orientation training: To acquaint new employees with the company.2. Vestibule training:

A vestibule is a large entrance or reception room or area. Vestibule Training is a term for near-the-job training, as it offers access to something new (learning).In the early 1800s, factory schools were created, due to the industrial revolution, in which workers were trained in classrooms within the factory walls.

Ref: Industrial psychology book byM.L. Blum and J.C. Naylor(page: 251)

3. On-the job training: actual practice on the job.4. Apprentice training: formal apprenticeship for a craft.5. Technical training: training in technical aspects of job6. Supervisory training: training in management7. Other training: any unusual situation not included in the above.

A more meaningful system might be to classify training experiences in terms of 1) Purpose 2) Location 3) trainee and techniques. Such a classification is given below:

Training methods and techniques1. lecture2. Audio visual aids: such as motion pictures, slides,

filmstrips and television.3. simulators and training aids: example- to extremely

complex simulators such as those used by the military services for training aircraft pilots.

4. conference methods: In the training context the conference method provides the opportunity for the participants to pool ideas, to discuss ideas and facts, to test assumptions and draw implications and conclusions.

Reference: Industrial psychology book, by Tiffin and McCormick (1958) page: 253

5. human relations laboratory training: T- group and training laboratory are designed to facilitate such learning by providing the following conditions of learning:- exposure of one’s own behavior to others-feedback from others about one’s own behavior to others-a supportive climate or atmosphere (which reduces defensiveness)-knowledge as a “map” (to provide for growth and change)

- experimentation and practice-application (how to maintain changed behavior back on the job)-learning how to learn

6. case method: the case method is one in which an actual or hypothetical problem is presented to a training group-usually consisting of supervisors or management personnel for discussion and solution.

7. role playing: in role playing each participant plays the “part” (role) of someone in a simulated situation.8. management games: in these games, the trainees (who are often executives) make the same kinds of operating and policy decisions as are required in real life.9.programmed instruction: in programmed instruction the material to be learned is presented in series of steps of units that generally progress from simple to complex.10. computer assisted instruction:

System Approach to Training

Page : 252

The evaluation of training It is probable that most organizations assume that their

training programs are achieving their intended objectives. Such faith, however, may sometimes be unwarranted. If an organization really wants to know whether its training program is accomplishing its purposes, it must go through a systematic evaluation process.

Basic evaluation of training: In 1959, Donal Kirkpatrick wrote four articles describing the four levels for evaluating training programs.

– Reaction– Learning– Behavior– results

Training Outcomes: Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Framework of Evaluation Criteria

LevelLevel CriteriaCriteria FocusFocus1 Reactions Trainee satisfaction

2 Learning Acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, behavior

3 Behavior Improvement of behavior on the job

4 Results Business results achieved by trainees

Kirkpatrick: Evaluating Training Programs

“What is quality training?”

“How do you measure it?”

“How do you improve it?”

Evaluating

“The reason for evaluating is to determine the effectiveness of a training program.” (Kirkpatrick, 1994, pg. 3)

The Ten Factors of Developing a Training Program

1. Determine needs2. Set objectives3. Determine subject content4. Select qualified applicants5. Determine the best schedule

The Ten Factors of Developing a Training Program6. Select appropriate facilities7. Select qualified instructors8. Select and prepare audiovisual

aids9. Co-ordinate the program10. Evaluate the program

Reasons for Evaluating

Kirkpatrick gives three reasons ‘why’ there is a need to evaluate training:

1.“To justify the existence of the training department by showing how it contributes to the organizations’ objectives and goals.”

Reasons for Evaluating

2. “To decide whether to continue or discontinue training programs.”

3. “To gain information on how to improve future training programs.”

(Kirkpatrick, 1994, pg. 18)

The Four Levels

Reaction Learning Behavior Results

“The Four Levels represent a sequence of ways to evaluate (training) programs….As you move from one level to the next, the process becomes more difficult and time-consuming, but it also provides more valuable information.” (Kirkpatrick, 1994, pg. 21)

Reaction:

is the measuring of the reaction of the participants in the training program.

is “a measure of customer satisfaction.” (Kirkpatrick, 1994, pg. 21)

Learning:

is the change in the participants’ attitudes, or an increase in knowledge, or greater skills received, as a result of the participation of the program.

Learning The measuring of learning in any training

program is the determination of at least one of these measuring parameters:

Did the attitudes change positively? Is the knowledge acquired related and

helpful to the task? Is the skill acquired related and helpful to

the task?

Behavior

Level 3 attempts to evaluate how much transfer of knowledge, skills, and attitude occurs after the training.

The four conditions Kirkpatrick identifies for changes to occur:

Desire to change Knowledge of what to do and how to do it Work in the right climate Reward for (positive) change

When all conditions are met, the employee must:

Realize an opportunity to use the behavioral changes.

Make the decision to use the behavioral changes.

Decide whether or not to continue using the behavioral changes.

When evaluating change in behavior, decide:

When to evaluate How often to evaluate How to evaluate

Guidelines for evaluating behavior: Use a control group Allow time for change to occur Evaluate before and after Survey/interview observers Get 100% response or sampling Repeat evaluation, as appropriate Consider cost versus benefits

Results

Level 4 is the most important and difficult of all - determining final results after training.

Evaluation Questions:

Increased production? Improved quality? Decreased costs? Improved safety numbers? Increased sales? Reduced turnover? Higher profits?

Guidelines for evaluating results: Use a control group. Allow time for results to be achieved. Measure before and after the program. Repeat the measurements, as needed. Consider cost versus benefits. Be satisfied with evidence if proof is not

possible.