Chapter Ten

Training, Development, and Organizational Learning

Chapter Outline
Purposes of Training and Development New Employee Orientation Assessing Training and Development Needs Designing Training and Development Programs Training and Development Techniques and Methods
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Chapter Outline (contd)

Management Development Organizational Development and Learning Evaluating Training and Development

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Chapter Objectives
Identify and describe the purposes of training and development. Discuss new employee orientation. Describe how training and development needs are assessed. Discuss common training and development techniques and methods. Discuss the unique considerations in management development.
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Chapter Objectives (contd)

Discuss how organizations, as well as individuals, can learn and develop. Describe how organizations can evaluate the effectiveness of their training and development programs.

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Purposes of Training and Development

Employee training
A planned attempt by an organization to facilitate employee learning of job-related knowledge, skills, and behaviors

Development
Teaching managers and professionals the skills needed for both present and future jobs

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The Nature of Training

Training usually involves teaching operational or technical employees how to do their jobs more effectively and/or efficiently. Responsibilities for training are generally assigned to the HR function. In general, training is intended to help the organization function more effectively. Managers must be sure that productivity can be increased through training and that productivity gains are possible with existing resources.
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The Nature of Development

Development is generally aimed at helping managers better understand and solve problems, make decisions, and capitalize on opportunities. Development is often considered a HR function.

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Learning Theory and Employee Training

Learning
A relatively permanent change in behavior or behavioral potential that results from direct or indirect experience

Learning organization
An organization whose employees continuously attempt to learn new information and to use what they learn to improve product or service quality

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Learning and Employee Training and Development

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New Employee Orientation

Orientation
The process of introducing new employees to the organization so that they can become effective contributors more quickly

Goals of orientation
To reduce anxiety and uncertainty for new employees To ease the burden of socializing newcomers for supervisors and coworkers To provide favorable initial job experiences
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Basic Issues in Orientation

Content of orientation
Policies and procedures Work hours, compensation, schedules, who can answer questions Overview and introduction to the business

Length of orientation
Depends on content May include initial orientation and follow-up

Who will conduct orientation

HR, managers, union officials, employees
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Sample New Employee Orientation Schedule

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Assessing Training and Development Needs

Needs analysis
The assessment of the organizations job-related needs and the capabilities of the current workforce

The manager must carefully assess the companys:

Strategy Resources available for training General philosophy regarding training and development

Decision must be made about training employees for current jobs versus for future jobs
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Setting Training and Development Goals

The organization should know in advance what it expects of its employees prior to training. The HR manager planning the training must look at the current state of affairs, decide what changes are necessary, and formulate these changes into specific training development goals. Goals should be objective, verifiable, and specific.
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In-House Versus Outsourced Programs

In-house training or development program
Is conducted on the organizations premises primarily by the organizations employees Content can be tailored to the organization Scheduling can be flexible

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In-House Versus Outsourced Programs (contd)

Outsourced training or development program
Involves having people from outside the organization perform the training Cost can be lower than in-house training Professional trainers assure quality Program may be generic rather than tailored to the organization

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Designing Training and Development Programs

The first steps are outlining and defining training and development program content. Then define the content, which specifies the material that is intended to be taught. Another approach is to focus on what is to be learned. More complex training requires a more complex definition of content.
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Selecting Training and Development Instructors

The most common choices regarding instructors are whether to use full-time professional trainers (who might be hired from an external firm or are part of an in-house training staff) or use operating managers. These individuals may be experts on the task to be taught, but poor instructors. Professional trainers is the other choice.
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Training and Development Techniques and Methods

Work-based programs
Tie the training and development activities directly to the performance of the task On-the-job training
Having employees learn their job while they are actually performing it

Apprenticeship
A combination of on-the-job and classroom instruction

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Training and Development Techniques and Methods (contd)

Work-based programs (contd)
Vestibule training
A work-simulation situation in which the job is performed under a condition that closely simulates the real work environment

Systematic job rotation and transfer

Systematically rotating or transferring the employee from one job to another

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Training and Development Techniques and Methods (contd)

Instructional-based programs
Approach training and development from a teaching and learning perspective Lecture or discussion approach
A trainer presents the material to those attending the program in a descriptive fashion

Computer-assisted instruction
A trainee sits at a personal computer and operates software that has been developed specifically to impart certain information to the individual
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Training and Development Techniques and Methods (contd)

Instructional-based programs (contd)
Programmed instruction
The material to be learned is prepared in a manual or training booklet, which the individual studies at his or her pace

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Computer-assisted instruction

Video teleconferencing Training Technology Interactive videos

Team-building and group-based methods

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Special Needs for Management Development

Rather than attending a single training program, managers may need to participate in different programs that span a long time. Management development may be subject to different opportunities and limitations regarding materials, training methods, and modes of instruction. The learner may need to be an active participant in a development program.
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Special Techniques for Management Development

In-basket exercise
The trainee must play the role of manager in dealing with a hypothetical in-basket of letters, memos, reports, phone messages, and e-mail messages.

Leaderless group exercise

A group of trainees are placed together in a group setting and told to make a decision or solve a problem.

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Organizational Development
An effort that is planned systemwide and managed from the top of the organization to increase the organizations overall performance through planned interventions Relies heavily on behavioral science technology Techniques: diagnostic OD, survey feedback OD, third-party peacemaking, process consultation
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Organizational Learning
The process by which an organization learns from past mistakes and adapts to its environment
Begins with individual learning and change Depends on social processes and sharing

Organizational memory
The collective, institutional record of past events

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Evaluating Training and Development

Performance before training should be measured. When training has been completed, all trainees should be able to demonstrate capabilities from the training. For management development, organizations can rely on evaluations completed by the trainees after a particular training program.
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Design of Training Programs

General training
Providing trainees with skills and abilities that can be applied in any organization May result in increased turnover

Specific training
Providing trainees with skills or information that is of use only to the present organization

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