Employee Training and Development - Term Paper Example

?Training and Development Evaluation in Human Resource Management Human Resource Management (HRM) involves management of the workforce. It also includes selecting, training, mentoring and rewarding the employees. HRM comprise motivating the leadership qualities of the individuals in the organisation and maintaining a fair and healthy work culture. Human Resource Management is an important activity in every organisation and its impact on the organisations has been supported by numerous theories and approaches. It plays a significant role in the achievement of the company by incorporating the interest of the organisation and the human resource (Randhawa, 2007, p. 2-3; Dransfield, 2000, p. 4-5). In HRM, training and development is meant to boost the performance of the workforce. The employees are put through a learning process that would assist them to acquire valuable knowledge, help them to improve their skills, rules, and concepts, by changing their attitude and their behaviour to work in the organisation. It is also called human resource development, learning and development or training and development (Rao, 2009, p. 8-11; Talwar, 2006, p. 1-3). In Human Resource management there are various different aspects, but this study aims at evaluating only training and development function of HRM and its significance in the organisation. The motive is mainly to study the magnitude of training and development and the various theories which different authors have stated to explain them. This will assist in capturing different point of view regarding training and development in the organisation. The study would also include the different types of training methods which organisations generally utilise to coach their employees. This would assist in understanding the real life usage of the theories stated by the authors. Training assists in improving the knowledge and prepares the employees for new upcoming challenges. It is very important to train the employees to compete in the global challenges. According to Hamblin (1974), the evaluation process of training and development is an effort to gain information on the training process and the results of training on the employees. This is done to estimate the value that the training process has generated for the employer as well as for the employees. Wexley and Baldwin (1986) described that the training evaluation process is a system of gathering and studying the information so as to understand the ways to utilise the human resources in the best possible manner and achieve the mission, vision and objectives of the organisation. Previously the training and development processes were criticized because of the lack of proper evaluation process (Mathison, 2004, p. 221). The yearly fixed targets were set for training and it was delivered accordingly, but none of them bothered to evaluate the results. So neither the positive effect of training was revealed nor was the negative aspects scrutinized and changed. No feedback system was there to take the opinion of the trainee employees, so improvement in the training process was not possible (Saks and Haccoun, 2011, p. 15-17). When it is the participants who decide and plan the training and development programs, it turns out to be a success because they know what they need to learn and what they already know about. So focusing accordingly on those areas in the training schedule is relevant. This is because training is indispensible for achievement and increasing productivity (Cornelius, 2001, p. 82-84). Training evaluation is a systematic process of analyzing and collecting the information regarding the programmes in training. This is utilized by the human resource and training managers to plan and take decision regarding the effectiveness, relevance and the impact of the various components of training (Raab, Swanson, Wentling, and Dark, 1991). Since the companies nowadays are making huge investments for development and training, so training is no more a negligible issue in organization. For the employees in the organization, evaluation of training and development process help in providing feedback to their trainers regarding their understanding, and also if they want to modify their training framework, they can raise questions for that. Through this training becomes a two way process rather than a being the traditional one (Dawson, 1995, p. 3; Mann, 1996, p. 14). The trainers on the other hand can also evaluate the result of the training by distributing feedback forms to trainees, etc. It is very important for the trainer to understand the outcomes of training (Lewis, and Thornhill, 1994). Moreover, if no change or enhancement in the work process or culture is felt, then the resources utilized for organizing the training goes into waste. The trainers have the vital responsibility to utilize the resources spend for training and development so that profitability can be ensured (James, and Roffe, 2000, p. 12). After understanding the significance of training and development programs in organisation, the study would evaluates the different models or theories stated by eminent authors on evaluation. Generally, the focus on goal-oriented model and objective-oriented model has been seen. Donald Kirkpatrick’s model for training evaluation is considered as the bible of goal-based evaluation models. There are four levels in Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation. They are a) reacting, b) learning, c) behaviour, and d) results. The first step is to focus on the reactions of the trainees after the training (Noe, 2008, p. 174-176). Leaning involves evaluation of the training with the help of exams or after training interview to know what effect the training had on the individuals or employees. Behaviour is the signs that the employees show after the training process. The improvements in their attitude and ways to approach a problem reveal that the training was effective. Results are the enhanced level of performance that measures or quantifies the effective use of the learning acquired from training (Kirkpatrick, 1959, p. 3-5). Kirkpatrick’s model and Warr, Bird, and Rackham (1970) have a traditional approach towards the evaluation of training. However, Hamblin’s five step model is a modified version of Kirkpatrick’s model. The first three levels in this model are similar to that of Kirkpatrick, but level four includes the effect of training on the organisation. An analysis should be conducted to evaluate the previous performance and after training performance of the employees. Level five includes value, in both financial and non-financial terms. Enhanced performance also enhances the financial performance of the company and provides economic stability. So it can be said that Hamblin’s model fits the modern organisational framework more than that of Kirkpatrick’s theory. The Ripple model of training evaluation is different from the other training models. It is better explained in Figure 1. Figure 1 Source: (Simmonds, 2003, p. 174). In the middle lies the requirement or need of the leaner that needs to be fulfilled. This is then converted into learning which in turn gets transformed into job and reflects excellent performance creating a ripple effect. This means that every level affects the next level in a positive way (Kaila, 2006, p. 330-331). CIRO approach is another model which is considered for evaluation of training. The full form of CIRO is Context, Input, Reaction, and Outcome. The context evaluation signifies gathering information regarding the deficiencies of the training program and need which were not fulfilled. Input analysis involves evaluating the planning and management of the training program (Raj, 2007, p. 5.9-5.10). It also includes assessment of cost feasibility and resource availably for deployment. Reaction evaluation would help in collecting information regarding participants of training that is the employees and finally outcome evaluation simply means scrutinizing the results, performance and reaction of the employees and the effect of such on the organisation (Phillips, 2012, p. 42). There are various other models too which supports the concept of training and development evaluation in human resource management. The models apart from the ones described above are the 5- level ROI model of Jack Philips, CIPP model of Daniel Stufflebeam (Bramley, 2003, p. 4-8), 5 level model by Kaufman, PERT model, The American Evaluation Association Model, and many model (Stolovitch, and Keeps, 2006, p. 316-318; Bassi, and Russ-Eft, 1997, p. 112-114). The basic structure or steps in every model are similar with minor deviations. These deviations are based on the requirements of the organisations in those periods or time frame. After understanding the approaches or models of evaluation which supports the evaluation process, the different types of evaluation process would be discussed in the study (Landy, and Conte, 2009, p. 317-318). There are different types of evaluation in training and development of employees in organisation such as a) formative, b) confirmative, c) summative, d) Meta, e) process-based, f) goal-based, and g) outcome-based. Formative evaluation toughens or develops the purpose being evaluated. It involves different steps like assessment of need. This means identifying the individuals who require training in the organisation. Evaluating the feasibility of the training process and developing the structure is also important. The next step involves implementing those evaluation procedures and investigating the outcome of the process (Royse, Thyer, and Padgett, 2009, p. 112-115). Confirmative evaluation involves three levels. The first level involves analysis of those training programs which has not been floated. This means that only the drafts are prepared. The second level includes monitoring the training process and focus on the needs and requirements of the trainees (Pershing, 2006, p. 320). Finally the third level consists of analysing the performance of the employees. This means practical implications of the training in the real world. Summative evaluation technique would first evaluate the outcomes and scrutinize it (Stufflebeam, and Shinkfield, 2007, p. 24-30). The second step would be to analyse the impact of such on the employees who went through the training process. The third step is vital because it include calculation and analysis of the cost involved for the training. The forth step is the secondary analysis of the existing data, and the Meta analysis sums up the outcome and qualitative result of the training and development process. Meta consists of the combination of the three techniques, namely formative, confirmative and. Summative. Meta involves evaluation of the training evaluation. This means analysing how the evaluation process after the training was conducted, was the process applied fair and just, does it cover all the aspects of the training process, etc. This would help the training manager to develop strong evaluation technique. As far as the goal based evaluation technique is concern, they evaluate the training outcomes keeping the goals and objectives of the company as a bench mark, and assess how the training has assisted in reaching to that level. Similarly, the process based evaluation is considered the process undertaken by the trainee to solve the organisational problems. Here the outcome is not important, but the way of approaching the problem is important. Out-come based technique is dependent on the results that the training process has helped to bring out. It should be measurable, such as in financial terms (Rossi, Lipsey, and Freeman, 2003). It can be concluded that training the employees for their development and for the progress of the organisation is important, but development and progress are not possible with training only. If evaluation after training is not done, training would be just a formality or source of wasting resources for the organisation. Training can only lead to development when proper evaluation models are considered and techniques of evaluating the training are applied. The purpose of the organisation differs, as some are goal-oriented, some are process oriented and others are outcome oriented, but evaluating the whole training or learning session right from its initiation is important because it involves the usage of valuable resources of the company, funds and the hard-work of the human resource (Alkin, 2011). Monitoring the training process from designing its framework, till its actual implementation in the organisation is a journey which involves many steps. The human resource trainers also had the duty to take feedback as this is also a part of every evaluation process. It helps in identifying the drawbacks of the training process and creates scopes for improvement. Sometimes training processes also includes examinations or tests to evaluate the learning levels of the employees. This ensures the progress and development for the trainer and also to the employees or trainees. After all human resource management is not all about recruitment and selection, but it also involves training and developing the skills of those selected workforce for the betterment and goal achievement of the organisation (Pawson, and Tilley, 1997). References Alkin, M. C., 2011. Evaluation Essentials: From A to Z. New York: Guilford Press. Bassi, L. J., and Russ-Eft, D. F., 1997. What Works: Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Virginia: American Society for Training and Development. Bramley, P., 2003. Evaluating Training. 2nd ed. Cambridge: CIPD Publishing. 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