Class Notes - Human Resource Management - Training & Development

Training & Development

Training is a process of learning a sequence of programmed behaviour. It improves the employee’s performance on the current job and prepares them for an intended job.

Development not only improves job performance but also brings about the growth of the personality. Individuals not only mature regarding their potential capacities but also become better individuals.

Difference between Training & Development:

Training:

1. It’s a short term process.
2. Refers to instruction in technical and mechanical problems
3. Targeted in most cases for non-managerial personnel
4. Specific job related purpose

Development:

1. It is a long term educational process.
2. Refers to philosophical and theoretical educational concepts
3. Managerial personnel
4. General knowledge purpose

Purpose of Training:

1. To improve Productivity: Training leads to increased operational productivity and increased company profit.
2. To improve Quality: Better trained workers are less likely to make operational mistakes.
3. To improve Organizational Climate: Training leads to improved production and product quality which enhances financial incentives. This in turn increases the overall morale of the organization.
4. To increase Health and Safety: Proper training prevents industrial accidents.
5. Personal Growth: Training gives employees a wider awareness, an enlarged skill base and that leads to enhanced personal growth.

Steps in Training Process:

1. Discovering or Identifying Training needs: A training program is designed to assist in providing solutions for specific operational problems or to improve performance of a trainee.
   
   • Organizational determination and Analysis: Allocation of resources that relate to organizational goal.
   • Operational Analysis: Determination of a specific employee behaviour required for a particular task.
   • Man Analysis: Knowledge, attitude and skill one must possess for attainment of organizational objectives
   
   
2. Getting ready for the job: The trainer has to be prepared for the job. And also who needs to be trained - the newcomer or the existing employee or the supervisory staff.
   
3. Preparation of the learner:
   • Putting the learner at ease
   • Stating the importance and ingredients of the job
   • Creating interest
   • Placing the learner as close to his normal working position
   • Familiarizing him with the equipment, materials and trade terms
4. Presentation of Operation and Knowledge: The trainer should clearly tell, show, illustrate and question in order to convey the new knowledge and operations. The trainee should be encouraged to ask questions in order to indicate that he really knows and understands the job.
5. Performance Try out: The trainee is asked to go through the job several times. This gradually builds up his skill, speed and confidence.
6. Follow-up: This evaluates the effectiveness of the entire training effort

The Sequence of Training Program can be put in a Flowchart as below:

Discovering or Identifying Training Needs -> Getting Ready for the job -> Preparation of Learner (Creating desire) -> Presentation of Operation & Knowledge -> Performance Try out -> Follow up and Evaluation

Training Techniques:

An effective training fulfills the following criteria:

1. Adaptation of the technique/method to the learner and the job
2. Provides motivation to the trainee to improve job performance
3. Creates trainee’s active participation in the learning process
4. Provide knowledge of results about attempts to improve

Development

Management development attempts to improve managerial performance by imparting

1. Knowledge
2. Changing attitudes
3. Increasing skills

The major objective of development is managerial effectiveness through a planned and a deliberate process of learning. This provides for a planned growth of managers to meet the future organizational needs.

Development Process:

1. Setting Development Objectives: It develops a framework from which executive need can be determined.
2. Ascertaining Development Needs: It aims at organizational planning & forecast the present and future growth.
3. Determining Development Needs: This consists of
   • Appraisal of present management talent
   • Management Manpower Inventory

The above two processes will determine the skill deficiencies that are relative to the future needs of the organization.

1. Conducting Development Programs: It is carried out on the basis of needs of different individuals, differences in their attitudes and behaviour, also their physical, intellectual and emotional qualities. Thus a comprehensive and well conceived program is prepared depending on the organizational needs and the time & cost involved.
2. Program Evaluation: It is an attempt to assess the value of training in order to achieve organizational objectives.

The Development process can be pictorially represented in a Flowchart as below:

Setting Development Objectives -> Ascertaining Development Needs -> Determining Development Needs -> Conducting Development Program -> Program Evaluation