Beyond the Basics: Process and Strategies in Employee Training and Development

 

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Employee training refers to the process of educating and developing employees to enhance their skills, knowledge, and abilities related to their job responsibilities. The goal of employee training is to improve the performance of employees and increase the productivity and profitability of the organization.

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Process of Training 

Different authors have clarified training as systematic process or procedure. Kenney & Reid (Kennedy, 2009)) planned training is consider as mediation went for accomplishing grater job performance. Training procedure be series of steps need to follow for establishing effective training program. 

According to No1e (2008) and Garner (2012) six steps can be seen in training process as below. (As cited in Imran & Tanveer 2015).

Figure 1: Training Process (Garner, 2012)

According to Noe (2008) and Garner (2012), the training process comprises six steps that needs to be followed systematically for effective training program. Each steps of training process can be clarified further as below. (Muhammad Imran, Aiman Tanveer , March 2015)

   01. Need Assessment:  

The first step of training process is to assess the real need of employees. The need identification could be done through a diagnosis the gap between the employee’s actual performance and the expected performance.

   02. Check Employee Readiness of Training: 

Motivation of trainee to learn the training content & employee’s belief that he/she have ability to learn the training content successfully.  

   03. Training Design with Training Objectives: 

After the needs are identified, the objectives should be established. The objectives could be derived focusing the gaps & competency level of the employees. Training program should design to in line with the set objectives.

   04. Implementing of Training: 

After completing training design, the program is to put it into the action. The organization should decide the training method of delivering. The responsibility of trainers is to monitor the trainees’ behaviour continuously throughout the training & retain the employee’s interest.

   05. Ensuring the Transfer of Training: 

Ensure that trainees are apply skills & knowledge which they obtained from training in to their job situation.    

   06. Monitoring & Evaluation:

After the training is conducted, the evaluation should be done for taking trainee’s feedback on the training session. It is important to determine whether training program is useful or not for trainees. The evaluation of the training program beneficial for enhancing training effectiveness for future training.

As noted by Armstrong (1995) the Process of Planned Training flows drown as below. (As cited in Imran & Tanveer 2015). This training process clearly elaborated the training plan including facilities, location, trainers & training techniques. Other than there is no significant deference among these two training processes.

Figure 2 Training Process (Armstrong, 1995)

The Factors Affecting to Effectiveness of Employee Training

The significance of effectiveness of training looks at, how much corporate training program achieve its definitive built up goal after the training program. 

According to Deiaco (2016), training effectiveness is degree to which training enhance the employee’s competency level and behavioural pattern within the organization as end result of the training. Training effectiveness can be done through training evaluation. Without the training evaluation, it would not be possible to know, what the further improvement areas of training are. 

Mohamud (2014), pointed out three factors of effective training program which are; develop a training plan, designing a training lesson, selecting the trainer and prepare the trainee.

The effective training program produce effective and measurable payback to the investment. The factors caused to produce effective training programs can be mentioned as below. 

1. Training methods

The effective training method should explain clearly what the desired skills are, ability to keep trainee’s motivation throughout training program & opportunity to real practice.  According to Woods (1995), effective training method should be consisting with simple to complex training content, provide reinforcement, on time feedback for trainees & positive encouragement (Woods, 1995).

As noted by Adeleye, Adegbite and Aderemi (2014), training & development have classified under two main categories as on the job training & off the job training. 

Successful training program depends on the successful training methods which capable for attracting & get attention of employees and increase learning process (Teck-Hua & Catherine, 2015; Mishra & Smyth, 2015; Alwekaisi, 2015).

• On-the-Job Training : On-the-job training is designed for teaching knowledge of job by working under an experienced worker (Adamu, 2008). Via this training method, trainee expects to learn by watching his/her master. This training method is better for the organizations to because it is cost effective and time saving. (Baum and Devine, 2007). As noted by Ogbu & Idowu (2017), on the job training and development methods use to   upgrade employee’s skill level including apprenticeships, induction and job rotation.  Through On the job training, employees can get the knowledge of their job in a better way (Deming, 1982). It is good for organization to give employees on the job training because employees learnt in a practical way (Baum et al., 2007).

• Off-the-Job Training : This is a process of acquiring skill and knowledge for performing a job at a location different from the employee work station. The purpose of training is to build employees with more aware of new idea, technology and improve their innovation ability. Off the job training include group discussion, individual tutorials, lectures, reading, training courses and workshops (Kempton, 1995). According to Ogbu & Idowu (2017), the types of Off-the-Job Training can be identified as laboratory and T-group training, workshops, conference, class room study, outward board’s trips & etc. The purpose of the training is to create technological & innovativeness workforce. Learning material which need to train is provided to the trainees, for a complete theoretical knowledge. Advantages of this training are, the trainee has ability to concentrate, analyze past behaviors and reflect on what has been successful and what has not (Okanya, 2008). 

2. Training delivery style

Training delivery style is a very important aspect of training (Carlos, 1995).  Employees are very conscious about the training delivery style (Armstrong, 2000). If the trainer fails to deliver the training in an impressive style and capturing the attention of the audience, it emphasize the trainer is wasting the time (Mark and Andrew, 2000). The delivery style should be able to catch the trainee’s interests towards the training program. So, training delivery style becomes imperative for a trainer to engage its audience during the training session (Phillip and Eves, 2005).  Employee unable to perform well at their job especially without any appropriate delivery styles given by organization during the training (Samson, Gungul and Timothy, 2014).

3. Training design

Organization must design the training programs very carefully (Armstrong, 2000).  The design of the training should be done accordingly to fulfil the needs of the employees (Ginsberg, 1997). Organizations can get good results by developing a good training design according to the need of the employees as well as to the organization (Partlow, 1996). Here emphasize that training design plays a vital role in both employee & organizational performance. A bad training design is loss of time and money (Tsaur and Lin, 2004).

Once training has been designed, it means actual delivery of training can begin. After completion of training design, can be conducted pilot-tested or a trial basis to ensure that the training meets the identified needs and that the design is appropriate (Mathis and Jackson, 2004). As noted by Mathis and Jackson (2000), there are three primary considerations when designing training. (1) Determining learner’s readiness, (2) understanding different learning styles, and (3) designing training for transfer. If the training to be successful and significantly influencing organizational performance, the trainees must have the basic skills with learning, the motivation to learn and possess self-efficacy.

4. Training policies

According to Kenney et al. (1992) Companies should have different policies for training depending on the class or level of employment or level of employees for providing guidelines, implementing plans, training resource allocations & deliver the training details for employees.

5. Training knowledge

At the time of selecting trainers for training programs, the organization must ensure trainer knowledge & expertise are capable for conducting training programs. According to Ogbu and Idowu (Ogbu, J. & Idowu, J., 2017), In terms of off the job training, a resource person is to be an expert person for converting over employees for higher productivities. As noted by Waltmann (2011), “Hiring Right People as Trainers” is one of the basic factors among ten basic factors which influence to successful achievement of training program. Along these trainer knowledge or expertise is most essential for conducting the effective training programs. Great trainer is the person who has what it takes to lead the training program more deliberate by setting a proper goal and convey it in the most ideal way that employees able to understand well because goal is very important aspect of training program (Silberman, 2006)

6. Content of training program

According to Binstead and Stuart (1979), recommended that there are three fundamental components should be considered for expanding the effectiveness of future training programs and organization. Among them one is content of training programs.

Theories of employee training

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The followings theories are explained regarding on training developed by Psychologists.

The Human Capital Theory

Human capital is considered as an asset which adsorb upper hand through HR Practices by improving employee skill level. Training is an investment of human capital gives learning, aptitudes and capacities to employees which required to perform work with positive results and accomplish organizational objectives (Tamkin, 2005). This theory explains that all human behaviour depends on individual’s interest which operate in the competitive environment.

Social Learning Theory

This theory clarifies that employees are gained abilities and knowledge by watching individuals such their bosses, peers, upper positions and workers accept this staff are more educated and conceivable and employees are attempt to end up more knowledgeable /skilled. This can be happening through encouragement of others, persuasion, observation & etc. 

Reinforcement Theory

This theory aims to reinforce employee behaviour come up with the desired level of behaviour by using certain motivators or stimulators. In this theory; training is identified as strategic tool which needed to increase employee job interest for maximum level performance & innovations because of training.  

 The Resource- Based View Theory

According to this theory the organization can achieve benefits from attracting & retaining most competent employees in organization and as well as having proper training employees can enhance their performance by utilizing their skills.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an effective employee training process document is a critical tool for any organization seeking to maximize the potential of its workforce. By providing clear guidelines and procedures for training, organizations can ensure that employees are properly equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities. It is important for organizations to regularly review and update their training process document to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in meeting the evolving needs of the workforce and the organization. With a well-designed training process document, organizations can create a culture of continuous learning and development, leading to increased productivity, higher employee satisfaction, and better business outcomes.

References

Ajibade, O. S., & Ayinla, K. N, 2014. Investigating the effect of training on employees - An empirical study of a discount house in Nigeria. 

DS Chiaburu, AG Tekleab, 2005. Individual and contextual influences on multiple dimensions of training effectiveness. 

Kennedy, J., 2009). The Impact of Training And Development on Job Performance. Issue Institute of Distance Learning, KNUST, p. 59.

Mathis and Jackson, 2000. Impact of Training and Development Programs on Employee Performance. 

McKinsey, Quarterly (2006). An executive take on the top business trends. a McKinsey Global Survey.

Ogbu, J. & Idowu, J., 2017. Impact of employee training on organizational performance. Issue European Journal of Business and Management, p. 9.

Robert L. Cross, R. D. M. a., 2006, August 1. Mapping the value of employee collaboration. As collaboration within and among organizations becomes increasingly important, companies must improve their management of the networks where it typically occurs.