Chapter 7 Training and Developing Employees

Outline 7-1 Gaining Competitive Advantage 7-2 HRM Issues and Practices 7-3 The Manager’s Guide

7-1 Gaining Competitive Advantage Training Focuses on current jobs Development Prepares employees for future jobs Training & Development contribute to competitive advantage by: Enhancing recruitment Building worker competence Reducing the likelihood of unwanted turnover

Increasing The Competence of New Employees Three types of training Technical Orientation Literacy

Increasing The Competence of Current Workers Current employees may require certain types of training or retraining, classified as: Remedial Implemented when workers are deficient in some skills Change-related Used to keep up-to-date with various changed including technology, laws or procedures, or the organization’s strategic plan Developmental instruction Provide employees with the appropriate skills needed for higher level positions

7-2 HRM Issues and Practices The Instructional Process Step 1: Deciding What to Teach Step 2: Deciding How to Maximize Participant Learning Step 3: Choosing the Appropriate Training Method Step 4: Ensuring That Training Is Used On-The-Job Step 5: Determining Whether Training Programs Are Effective

Step 1: Deciding What to Teach Assessing training needs Determining training objectives

Assessing Training Needs A training need exists when: Employees’ job behavior is somehow inappropriate, or Their level of knowledge or skill is less than that required by the job, and Such problems can be corrected through training Training needs are prioritized based on these criteria: The number of employees experiencing a deficiency in a particular skill The severity of the deficiency The importance of the skill for meeting organizational goals The extent to which skill improvement can be achieved through training

Determining Training Objectives Training objectives describe what the trainee should be able to do as a result of the training Helps determine content of training program

Step 2: Deciding How to Maximize Participant Learning To maximize learning, the program should be presented in a way that: Gains and maintains the trainees’ attention Provides the trainees with an opportunity to practice the skills being taught Provides the trainees with feedback on their performance

Learner Attention Gaining trainees’ attention Relay the importance and relevance of the training Demonstrate how the content of the program relates to their jobs How attendance will benefit the trainee Maintaining trainees’ attention Varying the pace and kind of material presented Present program in short segments Involve frequent opportunities for audience participation

Practice Essential to effective learning because it strengthens the stimulus—response bond Distributed practice Dividing the practice into segments or sessions Prefers—leads to better long-term retention Massed practice Providing all the practice in one longer session “Whole method” When the material is simple “Part method” When the material is more complex Divides material into parts

Feedback Give positive feedback to trainees whenever they perform the task correctly Such feedback can be very encouraging to the trainee and thus serve as a motivator When trainees perform incorrectly, they need corrective feedback Such feedback should provide information regarding what the trainee is doing wrong and how this behavior can be corrected

Step 3: Choosing Appropriate Instructional Methods On-the-job training Job Instruction training Lecture Case method Role playing Behavior modeling Computer-based instruction Video training Interactive video training

On-the-Job Training Program List all the information/skills the trainees need to learn Set learning objectives Trainee has an opportunity to observe a competent worker perform each important task of the job The worker should explain the “hows” and “whys” of a task to the trainee Give the trainee an opportunity to perform each of the important tasks of the job Provide sufficient opportunity to practice the task Give necessary feedback

Job Instruction Training Program Starts with a job breakdown (step-by-step listing of how the job should be performed) Key points that will help workers perform the task effectively and safely should address the following questions: Is there anything in the step that will make or break the job? Are there any potential dangers in the step? Are there any pointers for making the task easier to perform? Trainer explains and demonstrates the task Allows the trainee to perform it, one step at a time Corrective feedback is given, when necessary

Lecture Method Most appropriate for situations where simple acquisition of knowledge is the goal Example—describing company history during an orientation training session for new employees

Case Method Requires trainees to analyze cases depicting realistic job situations Aims of the case method: To teach critical thinking/problem-solving skills To teach trainees how to identify potential problems and recommend realistic actions At the end of the case trainees are to analyze the situation and recommend a solution

Role-Playing Presents some problem involving human interaction Role players are given feedback by the trainer and the rest of the group on their performance Issues addressed during feedback typically revolve around these type of questions: What was correct about the participant’s behavior? What was incorrect about the participant’s behavior? How did the participant’s behavior make the other participants feel? How could the trainee have handled the situation more effectively?

Behavior Modeling Based on the idea that workers learn best when they see how a task should be performed and then practice the task with feedback until they are competent Behavior modeling program steps: Present an overview of the material Describe the procedural steps Model or demonstrate the procedural steps Allow guided practice Become very popular in recent years because it successfully incorporates each of the learning principles

Computer-Based Instruction Uses a computer to instruct students through: Drills Games Computer simulations Several positive features: Interactivity Self-paced learning Provide step-by-step walk-through of procedures Can be done without the cost and risks associated with training done on actual equipment

Video Training May be used to present prerecorded content to demonstrate a point Video may be used to record and play back trainees’ performance during the program

Interactive Video Training Combines computer and video technology Trainees interact with the screen through a keyboard or voice command system Trainees watch a video segment and respond to the questions on the screen Works especially well when human error has grave consequences Example—used in medical schools for teaching diagnostic skills

Step 4: Ensuring That Training Is Used on the Job Overlearning Matching course content to the job Action plans Multiphase programming Performance aids Post-training follow-up procedures Building a supportive work environment

Step 5: Determining Whether Training Programs Are Effective What to evaluate Trainee reactions Testing Performance appraisal Records of organizational performance

Evaluation Design Pretest Post-test Control Group Show the trainees’ base or pre-training level of knowledge, skill, or performance Post-test Show the trainees’ post-training level of knowledge, skill, or performance Control Group Identical in makeup to the group trained, except they have not received the training

Management Development Developing a Succession Planning Program Designing the Instructional Program: Timing and Content Designing the Instructional Program: Instructional Methods

Developing a Succession Planning Program Tying management development to HR planning Defining managerial requirements Assessing management potential Identifying career paths Developing replacement charts

Instructional Program: Timing and Content May be given before or after the candidate has been selected and placed on the job Content Should bridge gaps in what individuals already know and what they need to know for their new positions

Instructional Program: Instructional Methods Classroom instruction Career resource centers Job rotation Mentoring Special projects

7-3 The Manager’s Guide Training & Development—The Manager’s Job Training & Development—The HR Department

Training & Development—The Manager’s Job Providing employee orientation training Assessing training needs and planning developmental strategies Providing on-the-job training Ensuring transfer of training

Training & Development—The HR Department Providing employee orientation training Contributing to management development programs Providing training and development Evaluating training

Performing a Performance Analysis Step 1: Examine the job requirements to determine what is expected or desired of the individual Step 2: Assess the individual’s performance in relation to expectations Step 3: Analyze any discrepancy between the two and determine whether it is caused by knowledge deficiency or execution deficiency Step 4: Implement changes for improving performance