The Connection between Training and Organizational Objectives at All Levels in the Company - Assignment Example

Report on connection between training and organizational objectives at all levels in the company: Assume the company to be the manufacturing concern.The company has nearly 100 employees. The organization chart of the company is depicted as Organizational Objectives: As a manufacturing concern our objectives can be classified as short term and long term. Short term objectives of our concern: Reduce cost of production and maintenance Increase sales and profit margin Effective customer relationship Improve employee morale Ensure personal growth and hence the growth of the organization The future plans of the organization are To expand the business To introduce new products and services in the market To gradually increase the human resource in the organization To adopt the state-of-art technology To cope up with the organizational changes and demands Organizational development The effectiveness of our organization and hence its development depends on whether the organization is able to achieve its goals, whether it can maintain itself internally and whether it can cope up with the environment such as advances in industrial technology. In order to cope up with the changes, to adopt to the advancing technology and in identifying and achieving its goals, the employees need to be trained properly. Training is a process of learning. It helps in application of knowledge. The aim of training is to improve the performance of the employee for the job and to prepare him for the next level. Training is usually given for operatives to develop the skills on the job. Management development is a process of training in which the individual not only gain knowledge, skills but also equip themselves to hold greater responsibility. This type of training is for executives. Training helps in achieving the organization objectives. From the level of workers, supervisors, clerical, administrative personnel, sales men to the level of managers and top management, if the person understands the organization’s objectives and his role in achieving them, he can work towards achieving it. To help him understand the organization objectives, and help him work effectively, training is needed. Training is provided according to the need of the situation. How to find the need for training: A training need can be identified if we understand the motives or needs of the employee, if we understand why people behave in a particular manner, the expectations of employees in their jobs, how to modulate the work to give maximum satisfaction to the people and their needs. In order to understand the why people behave in a particular manner; the theories on human behaviour come to help. Maslow’s need hierarchy theory: According to him, human motives can be classified according to their needs. Basic need or physiological need is the need for food, clothing etc. Once this need is satisfied, they yearn for safety and security and their behaviour will be directed by such motives. This may refer to the security of their job. Next is the third order need affiliation. People with this motive want to join groups, will try to establish warm and affectionate relationships. Next is the higher order needs called ego needs or esteem needs calls for need for achievement, recognition, power and influence over others. Finally need is the self-actualization need where there is a motive for understanding one’s own potential and exploiting it to the maximum. It takes a high degree of motivation on the part of a person to attain the highest level in the hierarchy. When an employee is helped in achieving his need, his productivity also perks up. Herzberg’s hygiene- motivation theory: According to him factors producing job satisfaction do not necessarily motivate the employees. The factors which provide job satisfaction or which prevent job dissatisfaction is called hygiene factors. These may be good working conditions, job security, good human relations etc. the factors which motivate the employees may be recognition, responsibility, growth etc. Thus, in order to increase productivity and improve work relations, a distinction between the two factors has to be identified. There are many other theories which are tested and understood which helps in identifying the organization and employee need. The Jack Black Training: The Jack Black event which gives the one day training of the employees of the whole organization is too generic. This is because it addresses all the categories of the employees in a similar manner. It may temporarily boost the morale of the employee, but it is not effective in the long run. The reason is the needs of the employees differ with their jobs and with the position they occupy. Each of the needs is to be identified properly and an appropriate training provided to the employee would help in improving his skill and position. The Jack Black training aims at improving the morale of the employees in the short-term, is not the only objective of the organization. The training or the development provided should help in achieving various objectives of the organization. Thirdly, the cost of the Jack black training program is on the higher side. The benefit it provides is also very narrow. The pay back period of the benefit is also very less as the employee morale will not sustain for a longer period. The reason being the training does not address to the individualistic needs. The training and development provided to the employee based on his individualistic needs will reap huge benefits with a fairly good pay-back period. Such training will not only help the employee but also the organization in achieving its objectives. The organization can provide alternate means of training and development to employees based on their need, motivation criteria etc. Alternative for Jack Black training: As an alternative to Jack Black training we can devise a training and development methods for the employees based on their category thereby addressing their needs accordingly. In an organization with a strength of nearly 100 employees, the employees in a job category depicted as The future plans of the organization to increase the human resource inventory for the next 3 years to 105, 115, 130 employees can be depicted as The employees, who are inducted every year, has to be given induction training. On the basis of their jobs, the training needs the position asks for and the corresponding training which could be formulated is as below: Employee category Need for training Type of training Production, maintenance workers While acquiring new machinery, while introducing new working method, induction of employees, high costs, low productivity, delayed production On the job, both theoretical and practical, induction training; Quality assurance training Supervisors Under performance of subordinates, low output, incompetence on the part of supervisor, lack of skill for managing subordinates Providing Supervisory training and development courses Providing seminars Providing reading materials Use of methods like lectures, GD, case study, role play, job rotation. Clerical and administrative staff Lack of motivation, poor handling of data and correspondence Training on the job, providing a correspondence course , positive supervision, linking promotion with the performance Salesmen Failure to complete order before deadline, poor communicative skills, low sales Training to improve communication skills, negotiation skills, Workshops on ’planning’. R&D staff Be up-to-date on current research areas; Training on patents, protecting intellectual property; Attend industry conferences; Managers/Top management Low morale, improper planning, lack of skills in people management, less productivity, lack of knowledge in the career within the organization. Lectures, discussions, role play, sensitivity training, application project Each of the above needs is closely related to the objectives of the organization. If any of the needs are neglected or not taken care at the appropriate time, it will be difficult to achieve the organization objectives. Apt training addresses all the needs of the employees and helps in fulfillment of their needs, which benefit not only the employees but also the organization to achieve its goals. The estimated apportion of the training to various categories can be depicted as The induction training apportion is for 3 consecutive years The benefits of individualistic training are Learning of new skill and upgrading the present skills in a limited time frame by the production and quality staff, which leads to, high morale of employees. Supervisory training benefits supervisors in improving their technical skill, human skill for handling men, improve their ability to handle grievances and which in turn equip the supervisors in their managing qualities, positive relationship between the operative staff and the supervisors improves the performance of the subordinates thereby Training to the administrative staff such as clerical staff, helps them in to play effective role in the organization, to prepare them for their career advancement. Training to the sales men and the customer relations people helps them to face challenges, their negotiating skills helps them to obtain orders, their communication skills helps in better handling of customers, the skills they obtain helps them to prepare themselves for the higher jobs, high morale which the trainees acquire through training, not only helps in their personal growth but also helps in achieving the organization objectives. The mangers and executives acquire and improve their human skills and managerial skill, their capability of decision making and problem solving , and responsibility in work, improves morale and helps in move towards personal growth, develop good listening skills R&D training helps the individuals to come with innovative ideas, understand and implement the state-of technology Benefits to the organization less production and maintenance cost positive supervision Increase the output and the quality of the output. improve the sales and profit margin of the organization, good customer relationship High morale of the employees Improves job knowledge at all levels of the organization Improves boss-subordinate relationship Improves relationship between labourers and management Creates climate for personal and organizational growth Helps in creating the corporate image Helps in innovate new products and design Helps in diversification of product line Comparison of Jack Black training benefits with the above benefits: The training given is based on individualistic needs and hence different categories of employees throughout the organization get benefited. Thus, the training addresses the personal needs and the employee morale thus acquired lasts for a longer period. The training strives to achieve various objectives of the organization thus helping the organization also in its development. The payback period of the individualistic training is more. Applying theories for staff development: In our organization, the production staff needs are mostly physiological and safety needs which arises mostly out of job and economic insecurity. In addition to the training, the organisation’s policies should contribute towards fulfilling the needs. Next is the affiliation need of the staff. This need plays a driving force behind hard work. Achievement need plays a critical motive behind employee behaviour. Executives, Managers and R&D staff will come under this category. People with this motive show independence, seek opportunities for leadership, argumentative, try to influence or control others. Once they are given independence, recognition, autonomy, reward they expect, it will result in higher productivity. Thus, identifying a need for training and staff development is very essential. Theories which were tested and proved help in identification of the need of the employee and the motive of his behaviour. Thus, training for skill development and motivation for staff development is critical for organization development. The cost-benefit analysis of such a training and development programme will have long pay-back periods and the benefits will also be more. Works consulted Parry B. Scott, Kirkpatrick L. Donald. Evaluating the Impact of Training: A collection of tools and techniques. American Society for Training and Development: 1997. Doyle E. Christine. Work and Organizational Psychology: An introduction with attitude. Psychology Press: 2003 Read More