Audit of a Workplace as a Learning Environment - Literature review Example

AUDIT OF A WORKPLACE AS A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 1. INTRODUCTION The workplace selected for this audit as a learning environment is the operation department of a small company employing more than a hundred people. The main business of the company is delivering food and other supply for both cargo and passenger ships. The operation manager directs the daily activities of the department while his field coordinators manage transactions between the company and the shipping lines. The office contains about 10 people, 1 operations manager, 2 field coordinators, 2 supply officers, 1 accounting officer, and 4 clerks. The 2 field coordinators have the responsibility to ensure that supplies required by the shipping companies are accounted and delivered on time. The supply officers on the other hand take care of purchasing and coordination with various food companies. Office works such as document processing, record filing, and others are being done by the four clerks while the accounting officer takes care of accounting and other financial matters. The type of learning required in this workplace environment will be analysed and discuss in the following section while discussions on how this workplace supports or discourages this type of learning will be presented in section 3. In section 4, the workplace learning practices will be compared to the 11 characteristics of a learning company as presented by Pedler et al. (1991) in their book ‘The Learning Company”. Finally, a general assessment of strength and weaknesses of the company as a learning environment will be presented in the concluding section. 2. TYPES OF LEARNING The type of learning that occurs in a workplace is largely dependent on the learning focus of the organization thus it may be technical, interpretative, and strategic (Gray et al. 2004, p.5). Learning in an organization may be incidental, formal or informal (Marsick & Watkins 1990, p.9), and it may come from routine or non-routine activities (Billet 2001, p.22-29). The type of learning required for this type of workplace environment may be indentified by the way the office functions and the type of business transactions they have. For instance, the main task of the operation department is to acquire and deliver the supplies required by the shipping lines and therefore involves identification, categorization, and quantification of each requirement particularly in terms of quality and cost. According to Gray (2004, p.5), acquiring specific skills is considered a technical approach and common in most organization. This is because most training policies are focus on skills acquisition rather than allowing an employee to learn on its own or by experience. Unlike an often flexible interpretative approach, compulsory training forces knowledge to employees. More complex than the other two, a strategic approach to learning often involves exchange of ideas and evaluation of values, assumptions, and beliefs. For the operation department, it may be best to adopt a formal or a technical approach because it is more applicable to operational levels of an organization. Moreover, this department often requires knowledge of technical issues and quality of goods being acquired and delivered. A king of formal learning that provides employees with resources that are valuable for both group and individual in the department (Rainbird et al. 2004, p.41). Acquiring or learning through routine activities may not be applicable since it often involves learning from costly mistakes. For example, after a few months of working with operations department, one of the supply officer finally learn that certain of brand of milk with same or better quality is more cheaper than those he usually acquire. The times it takes for the supply officer to learn cost more than acquiring knowledge through training immediately after he was hired. Employees actively seek learning on its own particularly in routine jobs (Rainbird et al. 2004, p.41) but the problem with learning from routine activities or incidental learning is that it allows individual to assign meaning to organizational policies, procedures, and others. Consequently, when this meaning suddenly becomes distorted the individual will likely act against the true intent of the policy or the expected result of a procedure (Marsick & Watkins 1990, p.187). As some studies suggest, informal learning such as those knowledge encountered by accident often “occurs as individuals problematize” (Wang 2009, p.697) thus not a good learning alternative for a department with critical activities. Moreover, not all individuals can learn this way as people vary widely in their ability to learn (Smith & Densch 2009, p.575). Although, formal learning is commonly goal oriented with boundaries firmly set by the organization which in the long run may not address all the learning needs, informal learning is still not applicable to all levels (Jacobs 2003, p.47). For example, clerical workers of the operation department may not significantly affect the outcome of the operation while they informally learn new things whenever they make errors in filing and recording transactions. However, the errors of supply or accounting officers may be significant in terms of money and quality of service. The learning requirements of the workplace in the study may be viewed in another way. Knowing the difference between declarative, procedural, and dispositional knowledge may help indentify the kind of learning suitable for the operations department. For instance, declarative knowledge is more general than procedural as the former is commonly identified with knowing things rather than knowing how to do things around us (Silber & Foshay 2009, p.14). For example, if the operation department will conduct computer efficiency training for its clerks, the training should include procedural knowledge that can help them enter and retrieve transaction details correctly. Declarative knowledge such as knowing the type of documents that must be process, the type of data to enter, or the kind of software to use is not enough to ensure productivity. Both type of knowledge must exist and during training, trainers should bear in mind declarative knowledge should be complemented with procedural knowledge (Silber & Foshay 2009, p.14). A good leader of an organization is not a person who can only act in a certain situation but rather a person who recognizes a certain situation and act accordingly when it comes along (Zack 1999, p.262). Dispositional knowledge can help people effectively confront critical real-time situations and it is often acquire through experience and practice (Zack 1999, p.262). For this perspective, the operation department may require a type of learning that is supportive of these types of type of knowledge. For example, training provided for officers and clerical workers should support both declarative and procedural knowledge to ensure that all workers understand how things are and how to use them. A clerk may be knowledgeable in identifying which document belongs to a certain client but he or she may not be well-informed how to properly organize them. In the same way, he or she may encounter difficultly in a non-routine situation and not capable of confronting a certain situation due to lack of dispositional knowledge. The operations manager may also suffer from this deficiency as there may be times when he needs to decide on unfamiliar situation such as problems arising from non-delivery of products due to strike or unforeseen calamity. The type of learning should support these types of knowledge otherwise learning may not occur at all. Since there are many ways to learn in the workplace, selecting the appropriate type of learning for the operations department is critical as it could significantly affect the outcome of the business operation. The operations department is not just an ordinary section of the organization as it is in the forefront of the business operation. Unlike the HR Department that usually deals with internal affairs, the operation department deals with clients and often require maximum efficiency. A slight mistake or miscalculation of this department can severely affect the organization and in extreme case may destroy reputation and financial stability. For members of the operation department to their job effectively, they may need a type of learning that is formal, accurate, and support all three type of knowledge. They should avoid the type that promotes train and error or learning by experimentation as the nature of their work is critical to the survival of the company. 3. WORKPLACE SUPPORT FOR LEARNING In analyzing how learning occurs in the operations department, the kind of people working in this departments seems adequately knowledgeable with their trade and functions. For instance, the operations manager is well-experienced with over 10 years of actual management from different catering and supply companies with clients ranging from luxury ships to several well-known airline companies in Europe. However, this may not be enough to guarantee his efficiency since his present organization has a different set of strategies. During his first year in the organization he had underwent some external training and was sent twice in the United States for quality of service training. The supply officers on the other hand are required to attend a quarterly in-house training and occasional supplier sponsored seminar. The accounting officer who is under the company’s Senior Accountant attends a monthly meeting where new accounting techniques are being discussed. Every six months or whenever software update is being release, the accounting officer along with the clerks attends free courses sponsored by an accounting software company. The company generally offers a mentoring system for newly hired employees during their first few months and those in the operations department had underwent such training. For example, the four operation department’s clerks were mentored by more senior clerks assigned in the company’s accounting department. Mentoring is the process of giving guidance to a new employee (Clifford & Thorpe p.60) and the company believes that the most appropriate person to give this advice are those people with similar position but with greater experience. Similarly, the company also provides coaching which is intended for workplace performance improvement. As mentioned earlier, the company requires almost all staff to attend some form of training and short courses sponsored by manufacturers and suppliers. According to Biech (2008, p.371), coaching is gradually becoming an important strategy for employees’ performance improvement as it is goal-directed and motivational. The strength of the workplace support for learning particularly with the operations department of this organization lies within the increasing proficiencies of each individual working in the department. For example, training and seminars provided for the supply officers can make them more aware of the nature of the work. They will be more smart and can make well-informed decisions most of the time. Moreover, their good performance contributes to enhancement of company reputation as well as significant financial gain for the organization. The clerks will be more accurate and with newly learned techniques, they can provide faster processing resulting to enhance services and fewer problems for the department. The manager on the other hand may benefit from his employees learning as it would be easier to manage a more efficient workforce. In addition, his own learning can help him develop a more agreeable working environment for his department while keeping customers pleased with services rendered. However, one noticeable weakness of learning support provided is that it had never involved the whole operations department in a particular training. For example, each level of employees working in the operations department attend their own training and short courses occasionally but never did they underwent these trainings as a department or a team working hand in hand in actual operation. According to Ashton & Sung (2002, p.95), the intention of learning in an organization is enable the team as a whole organize their processes on their own so that sharing of experience and skills can occur. Although as individual, employees working in the operations department are well-informed, well-trained, and learning supported throughout their stay in the company, the reality that their internal coordination and working relationship as a team is weak could result to departmental performance issues in the future. For example, the supply officer may misunderstood how his clerks are doing their work as he is not aware of any new process or technique they learned for training or seminar. Similarly, the clerks may not accurately follow the new instructions being given to them by the officers because they do not how to deal with it. As informal learning strategy is not applicable to all levels, decentralized learning is detrimental as well since its placing learning away from actual production. “Training must be directly integrated into the production process” (Ashton & Sung 2002, p.95) thus absence of such support to learning in the workplace may result to unnecessary consequences. Some of the problems that may affect learning, retention, and commitment are support and feedback and apparently, this is not possible in a workplace without good working relationship. According to Hall et al. (2008, p.56), feedback works well when provided by members of the team and in workplaces where there is mutual support. The absence of departmental training may prevent such feedback to occur since each level of employees has been acquiring different knowledge that is only known to them. Clearly, an employee from another level cannot give his feedback because he is not familiar with the work of other team members. Similarly, he will never get any helpful opinion from his colleagues for the same reason. Enhancing workplace learning involves opportunities for consultation or by working closely with your team (Hall et al. 2008, p.56) and this is not possible for as long as learning is being decentralized. 4. THE WORKPLACE AS A LEARNING ORGANIZATION There are 11 characteristics of a learning company according Pedler, Burgoyne and Boydell and each one can be use as criteria for workplace in this study. 4.1 Adopt a Learning Approach to Strategy The workplace in this study as mentioned earlier have an existing policy and it is clear that they are interested in implementing and evaluating conscious learning process as evidenced by a number of learning strategies set for different types of employees. 4.2 Participative Policy Making As discussed earlier, the company made it a point to involve higher level employees in meetings and provide opportunity to learn strategies and participate in various performance enhancing activities. However, it is not clear if these participations include sharing policy formulation. In analysing the organization’s approach, there may be participations where such policy-forming processes are included particularly at the managerial level. The operations manager was allowed to take courses in quality of service thus this would automatically make him a resource person of the organization. 4.3 Informating (Information Systems) There is no doubt that the organization in this study is informatting or allowing information readily available for employees. The organization as discussed provides training for this type of learning and allowing employees to get to know the technology direct from the manufacturer’s training and short courses programmes. 4.4 Formative Accounting The operations department’s accounting officer from the first day of entry to the organization was given this type of orientation and from that onward he is regularly attending seminars on accounting issues and development. For this reason, his application of knowledge to his department involves a reporting system to assist learning. 4.5 Internal Exchange (Client-Server Relationships) A learning organization based on this characteristic develops internal units that will act in accordance with client-server relationship. The workplace in this study as discussed in this study pride itself with this type of relationship. For example, senior officers are mentoring and coaching the newly hired people and ready to guide existing employees when new procedures are to be implemented. The organization encourages cooperation, dialogue, and information exchange 4.6 Reward Flexibility It is not clear whether employee involvement in enhancing performance at the workplace are being given due recognition by the organization. However, it may be possible that there is an existing pay-performance relationship as evidenced by the flexibility being given to employees who wants to improve their skills through free short courses offered by external organisations. 4.7 Roles and Flexible, matrix structures This characteristic of a learning company is present in this workplace considering the amount of time and resources being devoted to personal growth of each employee. The company is flexible and the role of each people working in this organization is clearly identified as evidenced by separate responsibilities being given to each employee. 4.8 Boundary Workers as Intelligence Agents Since this study is limited to the operations department’s activates, it is not clear whether other departments are involved in intelligence gathering operations. However, even in the operation department, there was no evidence that they being use to support this type of activity. 4.9 Company-to-company learning This characteristic of a learning company is evident in this organization. It has been coordinating and participating in mutual learning companies with client as well as supporting companies. Employees are encouraged to attend training programmes provided by external stakeholders. 4.10 Learning Climate Although it appears that the company is more focus in learning through technical approaches, the learning climate appears to be open and it was never mentioned that it discourages learning by experience and continuous improvement. Similarly, it never discourages learning by actions as evidenced by it support for individual improvement within a department. 4.11 Self-Development opportunities for all Like most characteristics of a learning company, this characteristic is very evident in this organization as it seems to provide opportunities for all regardless of levels. Resources and facilities being provided by the company are no doubt supporting self-development and growth. The short courses, seminars, coaching, mentoring, time given for external study, and self-learning materials that are being provided are just a few example of the continuing learning processes in the company. 5. CONCLUSION The result of the analysis presented in this study reveals that the workplace provides several supporting activities that can enhance learning at work. It’s learning strategies such as external training, seminars, in-house training, monthly meetings, short course, mentoring, and coaching can undoubtedly help enhance learning in the workplace However, although these may considered a strong workplace support for learning, decentralizing learning and ignoring the importance considering the operations department as a team may not work well in the long run. In general, the audit of the operations department of this medium-sized company as a learning environment is satisfactory as it appears to support learning at work in various ways. Although, there may be a noticeable weakness that can affect the organization in the near future, there is still time to reconsider and improve. 6. REFERENCE LIST Ashton D. & Sung J. (2002), Supporting workplace learning for high performance working, UK: International Labour Organization Biech E. (2008), ASTD Handbook for Workplace Learning Professionals, US: American Society for Training and Development Billet S. (2001), Learning in the Workplace: Strategies for Effective Practice, Australia: Allen & Unwin Brown Clifford J. & Thorpe S. (2007), Workplace learning & development: delivering competitive advantage for your organization, INDIA: Kogan Page Publishers Gray D., Cundell S., Hay D., & O’Neill J. (2004), Learning Through the Workplace: A guide to work-based learning, UK: Nelson Thornes Hall K., Murphy P., Soler J. (2008), Pedagogy and Practice: Culture and Identities, UK: SAGE Publications Ltd Jacobs R. (2003), Structured on-the-job training: unleashing employee expertise in the workplace, US: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Marsick V. & Watkins K. (1990), Informal and incidental learning in the workplace, UK: Taylor & Francis Pedler, M. (1991). The learning company: a strategy for sustainable development. London: McGraw Hill. Rainbird H., Fuller A. & Munro A. (2004) Workplace learning in context, UK: Routledge Silber K., & Foshay W. (2009), Handbook of Improving Performance in the Workplace: Instructional Design and Training Delivery, US: John Wiley and Sons Smith M., & Densch N. (2009), Handbook of research on adult learning and development. UK: Taylor & Francis Wang V. (2009), Handbook of Research on E-Learning Applications for Career and Technical Education: Technologies for Vocational Training, UK: Idea Group Inc (IGI) Zack M. (1999), Knowledge and strategy, US: Butterworth-Heinemann Read More