Training and Coaching - Essay Example

Training and Coaching Introduction For an organization to grow, the human resource department must capitalize on staff training, coaching facilitation and mentoring. In this regard, an organization will maximize its labor force by ensuring that its staff put more efforts towards the achievement of the organization’s goals. These aspects that aim at improving employee’s efficiency integrate harmoniously. Employee training involves providing staff members with specialized instructions on how to perform an activity and making them to practice the skills acquired with an overall goal of improving their efficiency. Through training, an expert passes on vital skills to individuals or groups. The skills facilitate the performance ofprocess related or task related activities. Through training, employees acquire new techniques on how to perform complicated tasks, increase their knowledge and expertise skills (Morgan, 2012). In addition, employees also clarify the organizational attitude, beliefs or behavior. Through a series of repetitive practice employees improve their output by adopting the skills learnt and also improve these skills. Coaching forms part of the training development that occurs when a coach supports a learner to achieve a professional or personal goal. In most cases, coaching is a confidential learning process designed to improve the learners’ performance, output, or personal growth. Unlike normal employee training, coaching is more effective since the coach is able to evaluate an individual’s progress. In this regard, the coach not only identifies the learner’s strengths and weaknesses, but he also provides a forum for feedback, by clarifying areas where the learner performs well and areas in which the learner must improve on. In several instances, coaching results to the learners’ personal change in that a learner acquires clear understanding on the importance of positive output towards the achievement of organizational goals. Coaching facilitates development of skills and performance aimed at specified tasks and overall job responsibility. Coaching also advocates for professional and personal development aimed at future responsibilities and professional roles. Identification of training and coaching needs In an organization, training is often essential when employees are not meeting the organization’s standard or failing to meet the expected performance level. The difference between actual and expected performance determines the extent of training required (Morgan, 2012). A good example on the need for training is the variation between expected sales of Coca-Cola soft drinks in the United States despite the adoption of share a coke campaign. In this regard, the management may have identified poor marketing strategies that heavily concentrate on online marketing as the major reason. Therefore, the organization may decide to train is sales representatives on marketing strategies that do not use internet. However, for such a training process to be successful, the management must analyze the need for training. The management must therefore evaluate whether the training is consistent with the organizations goals and objectives, as well as the suitability and efficiency of training compared to other alternatives. Moreover, the management must evaluate the individuals receiving the training and resources to use in the training. In addition, the management must conduct adequate content analysis to ensure that the training does not conflict the government and organizational policies. Lastly, the management must conduct a cost benefit analysis to establish the efficiency of the training. On the other hand, coaching depends on the situation or participant. In the above problem of reduced Coca-Cola soft drinks despite the share a coke campaign, it would be essential that all employees in the United States’ based production firms coached by the Australian experts, since the campaign originates from Australia. In this case, these coaches will identify what requires being different due to difference in cultures. The coaches will also guide the American employees to improve productions through expert experiences (Morgan, 2012). As a result, the American firms based in the United States, will commit adequate resources in order to achieve increased sales. There are two main categories of employee training techniques. The “on-the-job” training technique occurs when employees train as they perform their obligations. In most cases, this occurs through orientation of new employees, internship, assistantships, apprenticeships, job rotations and job instruction training. In addition, organizations may adopt the off-the-job technique that involves the use of work lectures, special study mass media, conferences, role-playing, lab training, case studies, group discussions and training workshops. Most organizations have adopted a unique coaching plan. The plan involves first identifying the learners to be trained as well as the areas/skills that they need to be trained in. in most cases organizations may provide incentives to motivate the staff to join the coaching experience. Secondly, the organization must identify the coaching goals. These involve identifications of the importance or relevance of skills obtained and how they relate to achievement of organizational goals. Thirdly, identify the appropriate coaching methods. The methods may include on-the-job (where employees are coached as they perform their duties such as orientation of new employees, internships,job rotation and apprenticeships) or off-the-job (where employees are not coached as they perform their duties such as lectures, conferences, simulations, programmed instructions, training seminars and workshops). The organization must also identify appropriate coachers. These coaches may include supervisors for the case of on-the-job training and off-the-job training as well as highly trained outside coaches for training on crucial skills and expert advises. The coaches must have good communication skills, must possess adequate knowledge of skills required to boost employee productivity and must be conversant with the organizational goals and objectives. Additionally, after adequately planned the coaching program the organization must administer it to the selected employees (Morgan, 2012). During administration, the program coordinator must consider other factors like the location of the training, availability of training facilities and comfort ability of the equipment. Learning styles play a significant role in determining the efficiency of employee training since by understanding the difference between an individual’s habitual or natural pattern of acquiring and understanding a concept taught trainers are able to adopt to the diversity of learners and provide a learner friendly environment for all learners. The trainers are able to develop diverse learning models, avoid overwhelming training sessions, and make training more interactive, more personalized and exciting. Maintenance of adequate training records is not only a regulatory requirement but also acts as part of internal management system. In most organizations, the training record management is often based on the regulation guidelines as dictated by the government. For instance the OSHA compliance officer require that organizations maintain the employer and employee observations and interviews on work practices in evaluation of the employees skills and competencies in performance of certain duties. In addition, some regulations require an employer to submit to the agency upon request, relevant material concerning an employee-training program. A simple training record system is preferred by most organization, with others advocating for an online database system that is easy to manage and update. Evaluation of the effectiveness of training and coaching program Evaluation of a training program is usually the last process in which the management determines whether the trained employees apply that they have learnt and to what extent. Usually many training programs still adopt the Kirkpatrick’s four level model of evaluation. The first level evaluates how well the learners enjoyed the training, how motivated and engaged they were. The second level involves determining how much techniques, skills, principles and knowledge the learners obtained through the training. Thirdly, the management must measure the behavioral changes of the employee because of the training. Fourthly, the management must compare the performance of the employee before and after the performance. It is easier to evaluate the efficiency of coaching since the coach and the learner have a personalized relationship (Morgan, 2012). In this regard, both the coach obtains feedback from the learner on any hardship experienced in the process of conducting his role and is able to provide alternative solution to the problem. The instantaneous/periodical feedback facilitates efficiency of the learner and results to increased performance, individual growth and personal/professional development Maintain training records in the workplace Accurate and effective record keeping ensures that all the activities in an organization are running effectively. Every coach has to understand the progress of every member in the team so as to know the steps to take in improving the member’s effectiveness. The information assists the coach in training and knowing the progress of every member in the team (Group 2015, p.15). Individuals must understand their role in the team and the steps that they must take to ensure that they become better each day. The needs of every member are understood by the coach through proper record keeping. The coach accesses the progress and the ability of every individual in the group through the use of the records. Additionally, the records enable the coach in appraisal, training, and offering equal opportunities. Every member in the organization is supposed to have their training records. The records are supposed to be kept in a secure place. Employees are some of the important assets in an organization and all their information should be protected from unauthorized sources. The records are supposed to be kept secure to comply with the Data Protection Act of 1998 (Franze 2008, p.34). The staff can be given the opportunity to view their training records so that they can improve in some of the areas. Giving the employees feedback enables them to become productive members in the company. They will always work to improve their weaknesses and strengths. There must be specific information that should be included in the training records. However, the information varies from one company to another. The basic information which should be included in the training record include the competence of the employee, the unique skills that the employee possess, where the training took place, and other historical records that the employee may have for training in the subject of concern. Notably, training is not a guarantee that an employee can perform a specific task perfectly; assessment must take place so as to determine the competence. Consequently, there are two types of training records which are electronic and paper-based training records. Both of these records have their disadvantages and advantages. However, most of the companies are adopting the electronic based training record keeping because it is efficient and easier to access. The major limitations of the paper-based training records are that they require a significant amount for storage. Additionally, it is hard to locate some of the records when dealing with large number of staff. Companies also find it hard to perform skill gap analysis because they do not have the time to view all the records (Jones 2009, p.67). In addition, when using paper-based record keeping coachers may find it hard to identify the areas of weaknesses for the employees. Some of the records may be hard to locate. There is also large paper work to maintain. However, the electronic record keeping system has its disadvantages. First, spreadsheets cannot be used to track events over a long period of time. Sometimes the coachers may find it difficult and time consuming (Jones 2009, p.54). With the development of technology, malicious people may hack the computer systems in an organization and access all the confidential information. The company also needs to invest for it to adopt the electronic record keeping system in its company. In conclusion, record keeping is one of the most important aspects in an organization that ensures that the company runs all its affairs effectively. A company can adopt electronic record keeping system because it is easily accessible and does not require a lot of storage space. Accessing information in spreadsheets especially over a short period of time is easier and faster. Record keeping will also enable the coach to identify different areas of weaknesses and work towards improving them leading to overall growth and productivity in the company. References Franze, L., 2008. Texas employment law. 1st ed. Costa Mesa: James Pub. Group, B., 2015. Mandated benefits : 2015 compliance guide. 2nd ed. New York: Walters Kluwer. Jones, R., 2009. Electrical safety in the workplace. 3rd ed. Quincy: National Fire Protection Association . Morgan, S. (2012). Should a Life Coach Have a Life First. The New York Times.Press Read More