Training and Development in human resource

 

CHAPTER FIVE

HUMAN RESOURCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Human Resource Development (HRD) is a planned and continuous effort or initiative by management to enhance employee competency levels and elevate organizational performance through training, education, and development program.

Concepts of Training and Development

Training: is a program designed to improve skills and knowledge that help employees to effectively perform their current job. The purpose is helping employees to do their present job.

Development: is a program designed to improve the overall effectiveness of managers for their present as well as future positions. The purpose is mainly to help managers handle future responsibilities.

Major purposes of training are:

·         Establish sound relationship between the worker and his/ her job

·         Upgrade skills and prevent skills obsolescence

·         Develop healthy and constructive attitude (Improves organizational climate)

·         Increase productivity and quality of work

·         Improve labor-management relations

·         Minimize operational error ( wastage, spoilage of materials and

·         unnecessary repetitions, reduce hazards and accident)

·         Enhance employees moral and confidence

·         Reduce employees turn over, absenteeism and job dissatisfaction

Major purposes of development are to:

·         Improve managerial decision making skills

·         Stimulate managers use more creative problem solving approach

·         Provide managers with latest information on theory and practice of management

·         Prevent managerial obsolescence

·         Give managers the opportunity to discuss with other people

The Basic Process of Training and Development

1.      Step 1. Determine Training Needs (Need Assessment)

·         Need assessment is refers to a systematic identification of training and development needs.

·         Training need is the gap between skills needed for a job and the present skill level of employees. It should be properly determined as follows:

·         Training and development need= job performance standard - actual performance

·         If the actual performance is below the job standards it indicates performance deficiencies

The need assessment occur at three stages (levels)

A.    Organizational level need analysis refers to shortcomings within the organization as a whole.

Training or development needs at organizational level can be created by:

·         Projected growth and development

·         Changes in environment, objectives, & structure

·         Changes in products and services

·         High absenteeism, turnover, reject rate and accidents

B.     Task level (job analysis)

The focal point of task-level needs analysis revolves around the duties, responsibilities, as well as the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to execute them for a particular job.

Training or development needs at task level can be created by:

·         Job redesign

·         Task relocation

·         Changes in work methods and procedures, and

·         Upgrading of job functions.

C.     Individual Level (person analysis) this refers to assessing present deficiencies in specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes on the part of individual employee.

Training or development needs at individual level can be created by:

·         Job descriptions and job specifications, and Skill deficiencies on the job

2.      Step 2. Establishing training and development objectives

·         Training objectives are desired outcomes that the training is intended to achieve

·         Objectives define the performance standards that the trainee should be able to exhibit after training.

E.g. after training the secretary is expected to type 80 words per minute purpose of establishing objectives are to:

·         Evaluate the training and development outcome

·         Choose appropriate training methods

3.      Step 3.Selecting Instructional Methods and Medias

·         Instructional methods and Medias represent the medium of instruction needed to teach specific skills, knowledge and influence attitudes.

Ø  Information presentation methods: Used to teach facts, skills and concepts without requiring the trainee to practice the materials thought.

These methods further classified in to:

o   Lecture

o   Conference

o   Programmed instructions

Ø  Simulation Methods: This method presents trainees with artificial representations of an actual situation and require them to react as though the situation were real.

Some of these methods are:

o   Case study

o   Role playing

o   In basket exercise

4.      Step 4. Select Trainees and Trainers

·         Right kind of trainees and effective trainers should be selected

5.      Step5:Develop Budget

·         Costing should be done for each training program

6.      Step 6: Conduct Training

·         The training program should be delivered to the trainees as per schedule

7.      Step 7: Evaluate the Training and Development Programs

·         It is a means to verify the success or failure of the program.

·         Evaluation results provide feedback to improve current activities and plan-future training programs.

Criteria for evaluation

§  Reaction: how happy is the trainee?

§  Learning criteria: did the participant learn what was intended?

§  Job behavior: did the learning transferred to job?

§  Organizational impact: Has the training contributed to organizational performance?

§  Ultimate value: Has the training influenced the overall well-being of the organization?

Types of Human Resource Training

Major types of Human Resource Training programs are:

1.      On the Job Training: conducted in the place where the employee is actually working.

In this program the employee is placed in to real work situations and show how experienced worker or supervisor performs the job.

The most common methods are:

A.    Job Rotation: it involves shifting managers from position to position. It is generally horizontal or lateral job transfer.

·         Planned Rotation: Managers spend two or three months on a job and are then moved on.

·         Situational Rotation: Shifting is done to meet work schedules or to make the job challenging to the manager.

·         Line and staff Rotation: managers can be shifted between line and staff positions.

B.     Coaching It is actively guiding managers by their immediate supervisors. The coach gives the guidance through direction, advice, criticism, and suggestions.

C.     Development positions involve organizations temporarily assigning less experienced administrators to work as assistants to more experienced administrators.

D.    Internship refers to a temporary, hands-on work experience provided to individuals, often students or recent graduates, to gain practical exposure to a particular industry or field

E.     Apprenticeship is a formal training program that combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Apprenticeship programs involve a formal agreement, often required for skilled trades

2.      Off the Job Training: takes place outside the work situation. The trainees removed from the stresses and demands of workplace to focus on learning experience.

The methods used for off-the-job training are Lecture/ conference, Seminar, workshops Simulation exercises and Programmed Instruction

3.      Vestibule Training: Trainees learn their jobs on the equipment they will be using on the job. The training is conducted away from the actual work environment.

 E.g. Language laboratories, computer centers etc.

4.      On-Site, but Not On the Job Training" occurs at the workplace but outside of regular working hours. It is suitable for mandatory or voluntary programs, allowing employees to update skills without disrupting daily tasks. This approach maintains contact with work units, avoids distractions, and is useful when on-the-job training could be harmful.

Career Development

Ø  A career is a series of positions, jobs, or occupations that an individual participates in throughout their working life.

Ø  Career goals: involves defining the future position that one wants to reach.

Ø  Career planning; is the process by which one select career goals the path and the means of achieving the goals.

Ø  Career management is the process through which organizations select, assess and develop employees skills to provide a pool of qualified people to meet future needs.

Ø  Career development is a personnel activity that aids individuals in planning their future careers within the organization, aiming to assist the organization in achieving its goals.

N.B. Career development should not rely solely on individual effort, but involve the assistance of managers and human resource department.

Values of Career Development

·         Aligns strategy and internal staffing requirements

·         Develops promotable employees

·         Reduce turn over

·         Tap employees potential

·         Further personal growth

·         Satisfies employee needs

Based on staffing need, organization can facilitate the career planning process and help answer employees’ questions about career progress within the organization.