Employee Training and Development - Essay Example

?Employee Training and Development Training is a learning process, inclusive of acquisition of knowledge, skills, rules, concepts and the changing trends of attitudes and behaviours that enhance employee’s effectiveness and performance. Training can also be defined as any strategy applied with a motive of improving a person’s capabilities in related to a certain task. Development, on the other hand, is defined as enhancement of skills that a person already possesses. This paper discusses the application of the stipulated training and development methods in Jap Pharmaceutical ltd, their benefits and the crucial aspects to consider when applying these methods. Trainers should understand the impacts of each method and the mode of responsiveness on trainees before training them. According to Aguinis, (2012), training methods can be divided into cognitive and behavioural. Cognitive methods involve offering theoretical information on the basics required by the employees to improve their efficiency in individual assignments. Some services associated with cognitive training include offering verbal directions on how to perform an action, conveying verbal or written information, and demonstration of the relationships between roles. The learning provided through training leads to improvement in the knowledge levels of the trainees. Cognitive training methods include lectures, demonstrations, discussions, Computer-Based Training (CBT), virtual reality, Intelligent Tutorial System (ITS) and Programmed Instructions (PI). Behavioural training methods involve the provision of practical directions to employees. Trainees are allowed to act in a practical way related to the tasks they are supposed to undertake. Behavioural methods are reliable in the development of skills. Such methods include business games, case studies, games and simulations, behaviour modelling, role plays, equipment stimulators and in-basket technique. Training and development encompasses efficient business management. Business management focuses on the future progress and development of employee skills. Organisations yearn to instil sound management practices that are suitable for conforming to the changing technological environment. In this case, training is necessary to ensure that employees enhance the organisational competiveness. The management development methods can be on-the-job training or off-the-job training. The four techniques that encompass on-the-job training include coaching, Job Instruction Technique (JIT), and mentoring and job rotation (Bernas and Piecha, 2009). Off-the-job training includes sensitivity training, simulation exercises, transactional analysis, sensitivity training and straight lectures/lectures. Application of the computer based training (CBT) is related to the fact that the modern advancement in technology has led to the replacement of the classroom lectures with technological devices (Formaneck and Cozzarin, 2012:459-472). The method is efficient because it does not require any interaction between the human trainer and the trainee which is normally inefficient, tedious and time-consuming. Some of the methods that the pharmaceutical companies can apply when using CBT include Intelligent Tutorial System (ITS) and virtual reality. The system uses artificial intelligence in the provision of information that is relayed to trainees. The organisation feeds informational related to best practises in pharmaceutical industry and programs the ITS to relay the information to the trainees. The programmed instruction is strategically designed to offer reliable and efficient information for efficient learning. The programme is designed to ask a question whereby advancing to the next level is dependent on the trainee’s answer. However, offering wrong answers stalls the learning process as the trainee will be taken to the initial review until correct details are offered. The programmed instruction can occur in the form of tapes, interactive video, and books. The unique characteristic of the programmed instruction include virtual where the learner is subjected to the 3-D images and allowed to interact with images that gives them a feeling of the physical reality to the setting. This is most appropriate for the junior employees who are inexperienced in the company structures. Another common training method is lecture. It is one of the oldest forms of training that creates an aspect of understanding concepts and changing behaviours and attitudes through offering lectures. There is no training that can be successful without inclusion of lectures. According to Blanchard, and Thacker (2003), the lecture method commences when the trainer offers instructions related to the aim, goals and agenda, methods and processes involved in training. Most of the lecturing instances involve the trainer presenting information in front of a group of trainees who are normally attentive to discern what is being relayed to them. Straight lecture does not possess direct interaction between the trainer and the trainees. The printed text, notes and books can be used in form of lectures. The lecture method involves demonstration; a visual display on how an action is performed. Harrison (2005:5) affirms that demonstrations are normally accompanied by discussions that elaborate, explain and expound on how a certain act is performed. For instance, the trainer can demonstrate the safety guidelines that require to be followed to ensure safety when a person is handling drugs. The discussion session normally involves a two-way interaction between the trainer and trainee i.e. the trainer relays information to the trainee and gets feedback clarifying whether they understood. Question-asking can also be conducted by both parties whereby the trainer can ask trainees questions related to the topic or trainees can seek clarification on the concept that they have not understand. Behavioural methods involve simulations that are designed to mimic the processes and procedures of the employee’s task. Some of forms of simulators include role play, behaviour modelling, in-basket exercises, equipment simulators and business games. Equipments simulators are the equipments that require the same procedures and technicalities when handling just like the ones used by employees at the place of work. For instance, technicians can be provided with a replica of the machines they are expected to use in the production department of the pharmaceutical organisations such as Jap. The machine operators and supervisors should be involved in the exercise to avert any potential danger resulting from inexperience and also encourage trainees. Business games portray how the organisational structures operate. According to Baker (2007), business games are appropriate for training employees at all levels of the organisational structure. For instance, the management of the pharmaceutical industry may design games related to the efficient strategies required in conducting roles related to marketing directors or human resource management. However, games should reflect the big picture of the organisation to enable employees get used to the managerial structure of the organisation. These help employees realise how their decisions affect not only their areas of specialisation but also the whole organisation. Gaming involves offering lectures on the rules of the game and the consequences of neglecting instructions (Martin, 2006:124-133). The employees are then offered with the feedback on the results of their participation. The in-basket technique simulates the nature of the activities that the employees will be handling in their areas of jurisdiction such as biotechnologists in the laboratories. The trainees are provided with a description of their roles and obligations and provided with the options that they are required to respond to within a stipulated time. This equips the trainees with the correct technicalities of time management. This is especially efficient in training the junior staff suitable techniques of adhering to the deadline through proper time management. The method is appropriate for both experienced and new employees. Case studies are suitable for simulating strategic decision making process (Iowa, 2002). This is different from in-basket method that is only suitable for day-to-day decisions. This method is appropriate for the key decision makers of an organisation such as managers or administrators. The case study technique involves offering the trainee a detailed history of the situation that they may be involved. The trainees are required to respond to various situations related to their tasks. Most of the case studies require employees to think creatively on the appropriate measures necessary for solving certain situations related to their activities. The trainer is supposed to guide the trainees on the efficient methods of resolving the problems presented to them. The value of the case study is the trainees’ application of the efficient concepts and principles that leads to the discovery of new strategies suitable for enhancing the organisational performance. The role play simulates a single event or situation. The trainees are provided with a description of a situation and the individual roles they are supposed to play in achieving the presumed target. Structured role plays provide employees with details of the situation they are supposed to encounter. The exercise provides trainees with a detailed account of the character attitudes and opinions that entangle their personality to the form of roles they are expected to play. Therefore, role play can enable them configure their personality in enhancing their per capita output. Role play can occur in the form of multiple role play, single role play, role rotation and spontaneous role play (Iowa, 2002). Management development is an essential aspect in promoting competitiveness in the current competitive disposition. Development involves on-the-job training that is appropriate for experienced employees such as managers and supervisors. These are trained on the modalities of offering information to less skilled employees. On-the-job training is normally offered informally in the work place. The four techniques involved include coaching, mentoring, job rotation and job instruction technique (Aguinis, 2012). Coaching is a method used to correct inadequate performance. Coaching is appropriate for the staff at high levels of management. It equips them with the qualities required to be independent as most of them becomes lonely due lack of companions in the same level. Coaching is applied in identifying the executive’s developmental requirements. Mentoring is a direct interaction between the senior and junior employees in dissemination of the company goals. Senior employees provide clear guidelines on how the organisation should achieve its mission and vision. Job rotation is normally undertaken by the executive or senior members of the organisational structure to develop talent diversity. In case of a reshuffle or employees quitting, the organisation can still realign its internal management to ensure that operations do not stall. Job instruction technique applies the strategy that focuses on knowledge, attitude and skill development. The techniques involve preparation, presentation, trying out and following up. Another form of on-job-training is the apprentice training. This is the partnership between labour unions, school, employers and the government that ensures that their employees are trained. Off-the -job training involves sensitivity which enables people understand their personalities and others reasonably. This is ensured through development of behavioural flexibility and social sensitivity. Transactional analysis provides trainees with the conceptual capability of understanding the behavioural tendencies of other people. Every social interaction involves offering of motivation by one person and reaction from another person. The motivation-reaction relationship can be applied in processes such as straight lectures and simulation techniques Benefits of Training and Development in Organisations and an Explanation of the Important Aspects to Consider when Engaging in Training and Development Effective training is beneficial to an organisation. The competitive market has made organisations face monumental challenges in maintaining their position among the top world markets. Employee training is essential due to the current pressure related to reducing costs and improving productivity among companies. The organisations are therefore obligated to allow employees develop their skills in meeting the changing conditions. All organisations operating in the modern business environment should adopt an inherent systematic training that is specifically designed to enable employees acquire the necessary skills that caters for competiveness needs in the modern competitive environment. Training and development are extremely essential in promoting the productivity of an organisation through provision of skilled workforce, promoting existing skills and improving the worker knowledge (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2002). This leads to improvement in job performance, enhanced levels of customer service levels, increased staff commitment and the enhancement of the value of the organisation assets. The most eminent role of training and development is the development of the personal capabilities and abilities. This improves the organisational competitiveness. However, efficient training requires managers to be wary of various queries. Managers should be sure that the training offers the required solution to the problem. This is because the fundamental objective of training is elimination or improving the performance problems. Managers should understand that not all organisational problems require training and development for them to be solved. Some of the performance deficits may be beyond worker control (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2004:363). Therefore, their solution will require other strategies other than training. The goals of training programs should also be clear and realistic to ensure success. The organisational goals should guide the training program and determine the effective and profitable criteria. For instance, the organisation should not expect workers to be fully computer literate if ample time is not allocated for the computer training (Zornada, 2005). The organisation should also be able to discern whether training is a viable investment. Training is an expensive process. Therefore, the manager must estimate the cost of the problem and the cost of offering training and choose the most viable option. The trainer should be sure that the process will work. The different forms of training programs require different strategies related to the organisational goals. Processes that require application of equipment such as computers cannot be successful unless the correct paraphernalia is applied. Recommendations After determination of the viability of the process in relation to the stipulated factors, the process should be efficiently managed to produce the desired results. To evade inefficient results culminating from inefficient training, the manager should identify the training requirements and apply the required objectives as well as the evaluation criteria. It is compulsory for every training method to have a purpose that can only be discerned if the training needs of the organisation are identified. Assessing the organisational needs will require conducting the organisational needs analysis (McConnell, 2003). Organisational needs and analysis involves the consideration of factors such as the overall performance of the organisation in all departments ranging from production to distribution of the products in the markets. Another eminent consideration will involve job-needs analysis that indicates the areas of the job that requires training and improvement. This should involve the definition of duties, responsibilities, knowledge, tasks, skills and capabilities. Individual needs analysis is also necessary. Information on the individual needs can be obtained from the records of employee performance, observation of the feedback from consumers. An appropriate training method should be established followed by training. The results of the training process are then evaluated. Conclusion The recent improvement in technology and the increased competition among organisations has forced many organisations to invest in employee training. Training and development involves orientation of the new staff, training the existing employees to enhance their capabilities, and career progression. Although different forms of training can be discerned, the target should focus on the different personal and strategic objectives that require that improves performance. Effective training assists in the promotion of performance, increasing the organisation’s potential and improving the employee morale. Inadequate training can act as a source of stress and disappointment to the organisational workforce. Efficient training method or strategy is the one that involves the integration with the organisational strategy and constant implementation throughout organisational structures. References Aguinis, H. (2012) Performance management, Boston, Pearson. Baker, H. (2007) Employee training, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, Global Media. Bernas, M.W. & Piecha, J. (2009) Interactions Validation Methods for Training Resources Control Engine Development Journal of Information and Organisational Sciences; Vol 33, No 1 Blanchard, P.N. & Thacker, J.W. (2003) Effective training: systems, strategies, and practices, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall. Formaneck, S.D & Cozzarin, B. P. (2012) ‘Technology adoption and training practices as a constrained shortest path problem’ Omega, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 459-472. Harrison, R. (2005) Learning and development, CIPD Publishing, p. 5. Iowa (2002) Employee training: an employee training resource, Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa Dept. of Economic Development. Martin, A. (2006) ‘The campus information game’ Simulation & Gaming, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 124-133. McConnell, J.H. (2003) How to identify your organisation's training needs: a practical guide to needs analysis, New York, AMACOM. Nankervis, A., Compton, R. & Baird, M. (2002) Strategic human resource management, Fourth Edition, Thomson Learning. Torrington, D., Hall, L. & Taylor, S. (2004) Human Resource Management Pearson Education. p. 363. Zornada, M. (2005) ‘E-learning and the changing face of corporate training and development’ Managing Global Transitions, vol. 3, no. 1. Read More