How to Improve Programme at Plan-Net Plc - Case Study Example

CIPD CERTIFICATE IN PERSONNEL PRACTICE HOW TO IMPROVE SELF-STUDY PROGRAMME AT PLAN-NET PLC Student name Agnieszka Kowal-Fuchs CIPD membership number Hand in date 06.11.2009 Word count 3532 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Employee training is a necessity in today’s rapidly changing business environment. In this report, the effectiveness of a self-study programme for employee training that has recently been implemented at Plan-Net plc will be analyzed. Plan-Net plc is one of UK’s leading providers of IT skills and services. All technical support staff, when not deployed, are asked to undertake self-study within the Head Office as this is considered to be an opportunity to increase individual skills, thereby benefiting the individual, Plan-Net and subsequent customers to which the staff are deployed. However, there have been some complaints from employees about the effectiveness of the training programme. A study involving employee and line manager interviews was conducted to identify the reasons why staff who are not deployed to client sites are not happy with self-study programme. Based on the feedback, the self-study programme is analyzed for its effectiveness. Recommendations are made to improve the programme. CONTENTS Topic Page no. I. Introduction 04 II. Research Methodology 08 III. Research Findings 09 IV. Conclusion 13 V. Recommendations 14 Appendix A: Staff Questionnaire Appendix B: Open ended questions for employees Appendix C: List of open ended questions for line managers Appendix D: Implementation Plan. Appendix E: Estimated costs for DVD based learning INTRODUCTION Workplaces today are changing very rapidly and it is important for organizations to keep pace with these changes to be competitive. (Bassanini, et al., 2005) This means ensuring that all employees also keep up with changes. The only way this can be achieved is by ensuring systematic training of all employees. Organizations employ various methods for training their employees. No matter what method is chosen, it is important for organizations to check the effectiveness of training. Such measurements help in making the necessary improvements to get the desired outcome from training programmes and also to set benchmarks for performance (Lechner et al., 2006). In this report, the focus, in particular, will be on the benefits of self study as a methodology for employee training. This methodology is being used at my organization Plan-Net plc. Using primary and secondary research tools, the aim will be to review the satisfaction levels of staff that are not deployed to client sites with their self-study programme. The objectives of this research are: 1. To identify the reasons why the non-deployed staff are not t happy with self-study programme. 2. To establish how self-study programme can be linked to business goals and objectives 3. To analyze current self-study programme in place. 4. To determine recommendations for self-study programmes. Plan-Net plc was founded in 1990 and has gone on to become one of the UK’s leading providers of IT skills and services. The mission of the company is to transform IT operations into high-performance, cost-efficient platforms for business success. The solutions help in meeting demands for a reduction in IT spending while still maintaining high levels of service clients of all sizes. Plan-Net plc employs approximately 150 staff, managing more than 500 clients across London and the surrounding areas. The employees are spread across multiple sites, making it even more challenging to implement training programmes. Since January 2009, the Company implemented a self-study programme. All technical support staff, when not deployed, are asked to undertake self-study within the Head Office as an opportunity to increase individual skills, benefit the individual, Plan-Net and subsequent customers. The average period spent on the self-study is one week. However, there have been some employees who have not been deployed for around a month and have hence had to do the self-study for a month. As it can be seen at the graph and average period of self- study is 1 week. Therefore, 1 week is enough time to design, plan and organize a proper training. Table 1: Number of days for self-study for 22/90 employees since January 2008. Summary of the results of 22 employees out of the 90 technical employees in the company who undertake the self study. As significant amount of the Company's work is carried out at client's sites, all technical employees are required to work at any client site either temporarily or permanently. When the contract with client comes to an end for any reason, they are deployed to another site as Plan-Nets employees. Whilst looking for other site to deploy them, they are required to do the self-study. When an employee comes to the Head Office he/she is given a book to study. Plan-Net has a library of technical training manuals and books predominantly aimed at Microsoft certifications such as MCDST, MCSA and MCSE. They use Microsoft Press books as their training material since they cover every aspect the employees needs to pass their certification exams. The employee needs to loan the required manuals from the in-house library for a period of 3 months at the end of which it is assumed the employee is ready to be examined. Main advantages of enabling their employees get external accreditation is to increase their self-esteem, allowing them to feel more loyal because of the investment made in them. (Hackett, 2003) Whilst self-study is the preferred training option, they also have certain courses that employees can attend. These are limited to training that is part of the remit for the employees’ role or that is requested specifically by the client. However, in the last 3 months, Plan-Net has received 5 grievances from staff that are not deployed to client sites, related to the self-study programme. Among the grievances the workers said that the content taught was too complex for them to comprehend alone. They also complained that they did not get any assistance they required while taking the study since their line managers were not concerned. Relevance of the study to profession was another issue that concerned the workers undertaking the study. The workers viewed the study to have no consequence to them or their level of expertise. In addition, the time duration they were being subjected to the study before deployment got them concerned. They were worried the study was just a means to keep them occupied and did not have any significance to them. The workers tried to appeal to the management but their grievances were not resolved successfully. The Company’s responded that it was reasonable to request them to do self-study since it was an opportunity to increase individual skills, thereby benefiting. The company did not consider their comments about material or manner in which the programme is conducted. In order to conclude if the programme is effective or not, it is important to understand the reasons for the dissatisfaction through basic research. The result of this project will be a new self-study programme that will help to motivate and develop the support staff enabling them to fully contribute to the organizations goals. The main benefits will be: better qualified staff, increased employee motivation, client satisfaction and increased productivity. As the aim for the company is to maintain a long-term business relationship with its clients, better qualified and motivated staff will produce higher quality work that will increase client satisfaction. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The preferred method for primary research will be the creation and administration of 22 questionnaires to all staff that were not deployed to client sites and undertook self study to understand why they are unhappy. Interviews will be conducted with Operations Managers and Service Delivery Managers to understand how the self-study programme is designed and conducted. A total of seven line managers will be interviewed, selected on basis of availability and fact that they have supervised at least two people undertaking the self-study programme. These interviews will be conducted with pre-prepared open-ended questions to solicit opinions and ideas regarding how the current system can be improved. Benchmarking is also going to be used to aid in assessing the efficiency of the programme. The questionnaire and interviews will collate information related to the following: Reasons for staff dissatisfaction Training and development plans, business goals and objectives Link of the self-study programme to business objectives and goals How Line Managers ensure staff and business training needs are met Other options for training which could be implemented as a part of self-study programme and its cost (online learning, virtual learning and CD based training) An important part of the secondary research will be to collate the information gained from staff questionnaires analyze it and come up with a better programme. Rationale for methodology Designing and using staff questionnaire is the best way to approach all staff that were not deployed to client sites and undertook self-study in order to understand why they are unhappy with the current self-study programme. This is because the method is cost effective and less time consuming than conducting a personal interview with each staff member. Benchmarking will also be done comparing the company with other companies undertaking the same programmes. The companies involved in the benchmarking were weavex and linetex IT consulting firms. The benchmarking included; Process; the companies will compare the different approaches used by the employees to carry out the self-study. This will major on study material, program flexibility and depth of coverage. Performance benchmarking will asses the trained employees output, this will be done through assessing their performance reports. Another parameter for bench marking will be to assess the efficiency and cost benefit for the methods used by the companies and draw conclusion on the best approach. Holding interviews with line managers will help to find out the weaknesses of the training methodology and to understand their views about development programmes for staff. It will also help understand future business plans and objectives. As all line managers are based at the Head Office, the information can be obtained easily and quickly. Although this is a costly method, it is the line managers who have to ensure that staffs are happy and motivated and their skills and knowledge can be used to meet client requirements. RESEARCH FINDINGS Literature search For training to add the desired value to business, it is important for training programmes to be aligned with business needs. (Pont, 2003) Organizations are constantly looking to train their employees by using tools that are both cost and time effective. Tools such as e-learning/self-study programmes offer several benefits such as lesser coordination, standardized delivery format, reduced travel costs, reduction in employee time away from the job etc. (Strother, 2002) Employee training and education can be considered the most important tools that companies can use to maintain an edge over their competition. Dearden et al. (2000) found that a 5% increase in the percentage of trained employees in an industry resulted in 4% increase in value added hourly. Barrett and O’Connell (2001) found that a 1% increase in the number of training days per employee resulted in a 3% increase in productivity. Many companies thus have decided to invest in training their workers specifically to improve their productivity since general training has been seen to be less productive (Barrett et al 2001). Currently, companies have opted to use programmes that increase both the efficiency of the employee by increasing their skill through time. An example of this is the self-study programme that helps increase the employees self esteem and efficiency to the company (Hackett, 2003). The Self-study is a form of study in which the learner is the one majorly responsible for his own instructions. This kind of study is often related to the non-traditionally educated kind of study but it is different since in the latter study, the instructions are dictated by the teacher not the student. According to Hackett, (2003) user interactive programmes are employed where the learner is able to advance through the stages at his own pace and level of understanding. Self-study programmes have been made easy with the current technology; learning can be done through use of interactive audio/visual media, online interactive programmes and also through use of e-books. The programmes provide the learners with real time examinations providing them with measure to evaluate themselves. Employee survey The results of the conducted survey among employees revealed the reasons for some grievances. Out of the 22 questionnaires issued only 16 were analyze, this was because some had conflicting and also incomplete data. The survey revealed that 80% of them were not happy with the training programme. 85% of those interviewed stated that they did not believe the training was given any importance in the organization. It seemed as if this is the only way for managers to justify the use of time when not deployed to client sites. Around 95% believed that there is no planning involved in implementing the programme. The programme has no objectives set, no planned implementation with target dates, and no review of progress. None of the employees are aware of the objectives of the training programme. One employee stated ‘no one really cares about what progress the employee has made or on target with the reading’. With regard to the content of the study guides, 90% believe that it is sufficient in terms of volume of information required for the certification. However, 97% of them stated that the information was too complex to digest on their own. They had no access to additional online materials and there was no e-learning process in place. They did not know whom they could consult incase of doubt. None of them believed that the self-study programme helped them acquire necessary technical knowledge and skills. Additionally, none believed that content of the training is useful because they simply do not understand it. With regard to the time allotted, most felt that it was not possible for them to comment since they were not able to digest all the information and often skipped chunks of materials that were hard to understand. With regard to the concept of self study, the employees mentioned that reading all day (8 hours) is not a useful way to study and develop skills. They do not think it is an appropriate method of learning because it is very boring. They also felt that this particular mode has been selected without giving it any thought and is used only to ensure that they are occupied before their deployment. One employee stated, ‘we only come to the Head Office and get a book to read. That’s why we complain!’ Survey findings related to the line managers and their involvement in the training brought to light some very interesting findings. It is important for manager to be involved in the training of their team members and provide them with the necessary support. This not only ensures returns on investment in the training but also ensures that employees stay motivated. About 95% of the employees did not think that their line managers take interest and spend time with staff to track their progress. They said that the line manager is never available to clarify any doubts regarding the content of the self study programme. Most of them felt like it were some kind of punishment. However, the company ensured there were certification awards at the end of the training. The study also showed some of the off-job trainings that the workers went through; these included computer languages, leadership, management courses, communication skills, team building and customer service. It was companies’ policy that whenever a worker was waiting deployment, had/she has to take the self-study and the results were retained by the management. There was no system to determine employee training needs and employees did not participate in determining the training needed. Employees did not understand the need for them to go through this programme and there is absolutely no review during or after the training. Thus, the current self-study programme actually does not work and the whole process is not well managed. Table 1: Summary of the employees’ response Response % Yes %No %Maybe Happy with the training programme 10 80 - Believe that training was important to organization 10 85 5 Planning was involved in implementing the programme 4 95 1 Information was too complex to digest 97 3 - Think that their line manager take interest in their progress 3 95 2 Programme helped them acquire necessary skills 10 83 7 Line manager interviews With regard to the business objectives of the organization, the aim of the Company is to get their staff better qualified and ultimately transform into valuable business. Having certified staff makes them more competitive and better than others. This allows them to charge higher premium. It was found that 50% of the un-deployed staff was taken off client sites due to the client’s dissatisfaction with their performance. The rest 50% remained to the end of the contract. There are newer opportunities available for better qualified employees, it is more likely they can be sent to another site much quicker, resulting in no additional cost to the Company. In keeping with the business objectives, the focus has always been on hiring individuals with the desired skills. Plan-Net has never really been a training focused organization. None of the line managers were actually involved in the design of the training programme and were unsure of what exactly was needed. Most of the line managers viewed the self-study programme as a good utilization of employee time while not deployed. They were also happy because from their perspective, the programme required minimal involvement. Since there were un-deployed employees always, it would be difficult for training managers to be involved in training regularly while managing other functions. Some of the line managers stated that they did not really think that the programme was effective in ensuring that employees acquired the required skills. All agreed that some change was required. One manager stated that it was important to have a performance development plan for every employee to determine training needs. This would help in creating the link between performance and training. The managers also indicated that the assessment composed of workers assessment; responses from the clients worked for and also work performance reports. As of now, most employees training happen on the job. The current self-study programme is linked to business objectives in that the certification exams that the staffs take after the self-study programme are requirements of some of the accreditations that the organization has. The certification that staff receives add to the credentials of the organization. The unique selling proposition (USP) of the organization is having trained and experienced IT professionals to meet client requirements. Given that the self-study programme allows staff to prepare for the certification exams, it is directly linked to the company being able to maintain its USP. Most managers felt that the first thing to do to improve the training programme was to have an appropriate training agenda in place. It is also important for HR, staff, and managers to be involved in the development of the training programme. In addition, setting of appropriate training goals for employees and getting their feedback after the training is completed. Graph2: Summary of the Managers Response During this study, the companies that were involved in the benchmarking process reported similar problems in some areas like engaging managers regularly and while implementing this programme. Other firms were found to have least of problems in executing the programme since; (1) they used online learning programs (audio/visual), that were more interactive with the learners than using books-based program. (2) Had tutors who were always present in the study to help and guide the learners incase there is need. (3) Used CD-based programs e.g. MCSE, MSCA, MCDST, for those who wanted to access the tutorials without internet and to carry. They also collected results and returned the feedback after the training so that the learners can give a feed back on any problem that they might have encountered. It was found out that use of the online/user interactive programs was the most cost-effective approach since the materials used compared to books were cheap and easily accessible. It was also found that employees, who used interactive programs for study, understood the study better and also performed better in work since they were able to apply the lessons better. These employees always got better customer response for their work than the rest. However, it was discovered that the output from the Plan-net programme was low since it was not well monitored and executed to ensure maximum delivery. CONCLUSIONS Based on this research it can be concluded that Plan-Net employees are not satisfied with the current self study programme because the study includes complex content that is difficult to understand without any external guidance and absence of training objectives. The training can be beneficial to both the employees and to the organization if it is revamped. This would be possible if the programme is re-designed according to the goals of the organization. It can be effective when there is a mechanism in place to track the progress and effectiveness of participants to justify their returns on investments. It can also be concluded that use of more interactive/online study programs is more efficient and effective both to the learners and the company. The current self-study programme has not had adequate positive effect on the company nor the trainees. This is because it was designed without taking into consideration any stakeholder requirements and the goals or objectives of the organization. RECOMMENDATIONS All recommendations have to help the company achieve the objective of acquiring more qualified staff, which was the reason the programme was started. Staff should receive at least a day of classroom training during the self-study period which will involve getting a line manager to summarize the contents of the programme and do a question and answer session with them. Line managers will first need to be trained. This can be conducted in batches. The involvement of the line managers will help to provide directions of study through design of a personal development plan. They will also help ensure company objectives are met by the employees during training (Appendix D). HR should collect and monitor post training feedback to help them monitor how the changes in the training programme are being perceived. Completion of the feedback form should be compulsory. Data should be analyzed and reviewed regularly. This can be done by generating an online survey using survey tool e.g. “Survey monkey.” Plan-Net should implement some form of e-learning in the medium term. The cost for this will depend on the extent of the material that will need to go into the learning module and also the budget that Plan- Net is willing to allocate to this activity. It is recommended that instead of the book-based self-study option, Plan-Net should switch to the online and CD based training programmes for the MSCE, MSCA and MCDST certifications. The CD training format allows for instructor-led sessions with full motion audio/video features. It has several relevant demonstrations and hands-on interactive lab exercises. Additionally, practice exams and test simulators ensure that the staff has sufficient practice before the actual exam. Free upgrades are also provided as and when courseware is upgraded. Estimated costs have been provided in Appendix E. The company should introduce a Personal Development Plan. The training and development process is most effective if employees take responsibility for their own development and focus on achieving their objectives with the support of their managers and Plan Net. The PDP form will be used to record employees’ objectives in line with their personal development and progress they are making with them. The Line Manager will discuss with an employee any assistance required for his development such as books, courses, and study days. The (PDP) will be monitored monthly 121’s and progress made towards employee’s objectives recorded. The company should introduce awards to recognize the efforts and achievements of the employees. Employees that perform well in their training should be recognized even using souvenirs and certification even in monetary terms. Set standards of employee rating would act as an incentive and a criterion to use on the different types of awards to be given to the best performers. Advanced programs that increase the skills of the employees should be introduced. High performing employees should get different ratings and be subjected to advanced personal developing programs. BIBLIGRAPHY Barrett, A. and O'Connell P. (2001) Does training generally work? The returns to in-company training. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 54 (3), pp. 647-662. Bassanini, A., Booth, A., Brunello, G., De Paola, M. and Leuven, E. (2000) Workplace Training in Europe. Available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=756405 [Accessed 26 September 2009] CIPD (2007). The value of learning: A new model of value and evaluation. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.’ [online] Available at: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/evaluation [Accessed 30 October 2009] CIPD (2009) ‘Evaluating learning and development.’ [online] Available at http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/evaluation/evatrain.htm [Accessed 30 October 2009] Dearden, L., Reed H. and Van Reenen J. (2000). Who gains when workers train? Lechner M and Wunsch C, (2006). Are Training Programmes More Effective when Unemployment is High?, University of St.Gallen Training and corporate productivity in a panel of British industries. Centre for Economic Policy Research Discussion, Paper No. 2486. Plan-Net (2009) ‘Transforming your IT’ [online] available at: http://www.plan-net.co.uk/ Pont, T. (2003) Developing Effective Training Skills, London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Strother, J. (2002) An Assessment of the effectiveness of e-learning in corporate training programmes. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning: 3(1). Appendix A: Staff Questionnaire Cover letter for questionnaire Dear Plan-Net employee, I am conducting a survey of the satisfaction level with the self study programme conducted by our organization. I am asking employees who have undertaken the self study programme to answer questions concerning their opinions about the duration, content, etc of the programme, involvement of line managers in the programme and suggestions for improvement. The information gathered will be analyzed and presented to Plan-Net with suggestions for improvement. What You Need To Do Complete the questionnaire and return it to me. Be sure to limit your responses to the information requested. If you have any questions about this letter, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your cooperation. Sincerely, S. NO. QUESTION NOT AT ALL TRUE A LiTTLE TRUE SOME WHAT TRUE TRUE TO A GREAT EXTENT VERY TRUE 1. Training is given adequate importance in your organization. 2. The self study is well-planned. 3. The time assigned for self study is of sufficient duration 4. The objectives of the self study programme are clearly explained 5. The content of the study guides and books is sufficient 6. Line manager takes interest and spends time with staff to track progress of the self study programme 7. Line manager is available to clarify any doubts regarding the content of the self study programme 8. Feedback is collated at the end of the programme 9. The content of the training is useful. 10. Employees in the organization participate in determining the training they need. Appendix B: Open ended questions for employees: 1) What are your views about self-study as a mode of employee training? 2) Do you have an suggestions for improvement of the self study programme 3) Provide additional comments if any Appendix C: List of open-ended questions for line managers 1) What are your organizations business objectives? 2) Tell us about the training and development plans of your organization 3) How do you ensure that staff and business training needs are met? 4) How is the self-study programme linked to business objectives and goals? 5) How do you rate the current self study programme? 6) Do you think the self study programme is effective in providing you with staff that are trained to meet client requirements? 7) Are there any changes planned for the current self study programme? 8) Do you have any suggestions for the improvement of the current self study programme? Appendix D: Implementation Plan. ACTIVITY FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS (COSTS) TARGET DATES FOR REVIEW AND COMPLETION Line managers’ training Direct cost of training - £1500 for 10 line managers Indirect cost of training – cost of line managers’ time - £2000* TOTAL : £3500 Proposal to the Managing Director/CEO - 28 November 2009 Approval from the Managing Director/CEO - 3 December 2009 Training Date - 10 December 2009 Evaluation of training – 25 December 2009 Staff classroom training Direct cost of training - £1000 for 10 employees Indirect cost of training – cost of employees time - £96/employee** TOTAL : £196/employee Proposal to the Managing Director/CEO - 28 November 2009 Approval from the Managing Director/CEO - 3 December 2009 Training start month - December Training Date - 2nd Friday of every month Evaluation of training – Within 15 days after training completion HR executives time for collating feedback on training effectiveness and satisfaction with training Direct cost of using survey monkey – No direct costs since the free version will suffice Indirect cost of training – cost of HR executives time: £1200.00*** TOTAL : £1200.00 Proposal to the Managing Director/CEO - 28 November 2009 Approval from the Managing Director/CEO - 28 November 2009 Training start month - December Training Date - 2nd Friday of every month Evaluation of training satisfaction– Within 3 days after training completion Evaluation of training effectiveness: one ad 3 months after training completion * Based on the following calculation: 8 Hours of training £25/hour cost (an average hourly rate) 10 participants ** Based on the following calculation: 8 Hours of training £ 12/hour cost *** Based on the following assumptions: - 50 employees every year 2 h each for average feedback collation £12 /hour cost (12*2) x 50 = £1200 Appendix E: Estimated costs for CD based learning Course: MCSE 2003 Training Training duration: 380 hours Cost: £1147 /CD Total no of CDs to be purchased: 2 Total Cost: £2294 Course: MSCA 2003 Training Training duration: 160 hours Cost: £840 Total no of CDs to be purchased: 2 Total Cost: £1680 Course: MCDST Training Training duration: 35 hours Cost: £792 Total no of CDs to be purchased: 2 Total Cost: £1584 I declare that this assignment is my own work. 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