Marjorie V.
Ballesteros
PhD 706
EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
There are several things that can be considered an organization's most valuable
resources. An organization’s personnel, which may vary in numbers, in the tens,
hundreds, or thousands, is its most important asset. Employee productivity and
knowledge are seen as crucial factors. Patents, copyrights, intellectual property, brands,
trademarks, and Research & Development, are all examples of intangible assets that
were developed by individuals. People are therefore most important because they are an
organization's most valuable resource. Therefore, it is the responsibility of institutions—
public and private—to make an investment in people by giving them access to the best
training and development possible.
The success or failure of a company is largely determined by its workforce. It's
critical to treat employees with the value they offer since the work they produce affects
what clients and partners perceive. Physically replaceable employees who are in
positions of leadership cannot have their knowledge and abilities replaced. This is why
even while each employee is employed to provide the same set of talents, they each
contribute something unique to the table. The productivity and talent of an organization's
workforce determine its growth and development. Employers need to value their staff
members and reward them appropriately. This comprises their talents, experiences,
knowledge, and abilities. These are all priceless intangible assets that will ensure the
company's future. Employees will willingly participate in the race and outperform the
opposition if they feel valued.
Employees are regarded as invaluable assets for a variety of reasons. Since they
are crucial to providing goods or services, an organization's top priorities are to increase
employee productivity and performance. The final product is created by employees, who
also handle the funds and keep the documents needed for decision-making. Any
organization's first client is its workforce. Employees who are not content and pleased at
work will not produce results that are performance-oriented. Employees serve as an
organization's public face. The degree of an employee’s happiness is important.
Therefore, if an employee is unhappy, he may spread bad rumors about the company
even after leaving it. An unhappy employee will also manifest lack of motivation and
perform poorly, which will result in subpar performance. With their beliefs and never-
ending efforts to elevate the company, employees serve as the organization's
benefactors. The most important assets that employees bring to the table are their skills
and knowledge. Their qualifications include participation in training and development
initiatives, specialized experience, and knowledge of organizational cultures, systems,
and working practices. No matter what level, employees run the company. This means
that their fortitude, dedication, and emotional bond with the company cannot be valued
as assets in terms of money. When employees are motivated, they go above and beyond
to accomplish new goals, satisfy client wants and needs, create new and unique goods,
and work really hard to fulfill the goals of the firm. Employee contributions to the
organization cannot, it should go without saying, be compensated financially. As a result,
the customer feedback is fantastic.
The core of an organization is impacted by employee performance. It is therefore
the duty of the management to understand the significance of training and development's
impact on employee performance. Employee training and development helps the
organization and its employees to achieve their objectives.
Differentiated programs, services, and competencies are key components to the
success of organizations. However, these components must be developed, implemented,
and sustained by people with good training. Many managements find it difficult to invest
in staff training and development since it costs their organizations a lot of money each
year. This investment in staff training and development covers a wide range of subject
matters, including managerial, supervisory, executive, compliance, regulatory, customer
service, and interpersonal skills, among others. Employee training and development
initiatives show organizations are taking advantage of people who can commit to taking
on more responsibility as well as high potential employees.
Training and development is a function within human resources management used
to fill the gaps between current and expected performance. Training is an organized
activity with the goal of disseminating knowledge and/or instructions to improve the
recipient's performance or to assist him or her in achieving a necessary level of
knowledge or skill. Training is a set of organized, systematic actions meant to raise one's
level of competency, knowledge, and skill. It involves communicating fundamental
knowledge and programmed behavior so that people are aware of the standards and
guidelines that should be followed in order to carry out their jobs successfully. Since it
increases the effectiveness of individuals, groups, and organizations, training is
concentrated on enhancing the abilities required to achieve organizational goals. It is a
short-term process where trainees are non-managerial.
Although training and picking up new abilities and skills may be viewed as an
element of development, it may also be viewed as a more general concept. The overall
growth of the workforce is referred to as development. These are learning activities
intended to help employees grow. It is career-oriented. Given that training is a part of it,
its scope is wider which involves teaching technical, interpersonal, and conceptual skills.
It is a long-term process where trainees are managerial.
Employee training and development takes place at various organizational levels,
supports employees in achieving a variety of goals, and helps individuals reduce their
anxiety or workplace aggravation. The person may lose motivation to continue working
on a task if it is not completed correctly and the outcomes are not regarded as expected.
If they feel unproductive and unsatisfied with their work, those who are unable to execute
at the desired level of performance may even decide to leave the company. Because of
this, employee training and development acts as a tool that not only improves the skills
needed to perform a job, but also offers a way to help people feel more content with the
outcomes of their performance. Better performance and retention are the results of
improved competences.
The correct candidate should be hired initially during the recruitment and selection
process. However, even the ideal candidate could require instruction in how the
organization operates. Lack of training can lead to decreased production, a loss of clients,
and strained relations between staff members and supervisors. Dissatisfaction can also
be the outcome, which can lead to retention issues and excessive turnover. There are
four steps that typically take place for employee training to be effective. The new hire first
completes an orientation before receiving on-site training on job-specific topics. The
employee should subsequently be given a mentor, and when comfort with their work
responsibilities improves, they may participate in external training. Employee training and
development is the process of assisting employees in developing their organizational,
interpersonal, and personal capabilities. The purpose of employee orientation is to help
new employees understand policies and how their particular position fits into the overall
picture. Training for an individual's position or on numerous HR subjects, such as sexual
harassment and customer service, can be provided during in-house trainings. A
mentoring program can ensure that the new hire is linked with an experienced mentor
who can help them navigate any obstacles they may face in the workplace in addition to
making them feel welcome. Lastly, to help employees further develop their abilities,
specialists or influential people from outside the organization offer external training.
Effective training starts long before a trainer conducts a one-on-one training
session and continues after it is over. The training process is a carefully thought-out, step-
by-step procedure that should be followed while choosing a training program. Identifying
the need for staff training is the first stage in the training process. It analyzes what the
organization's long-term needs are and what the company expects of its people. There is
a learning gap if the necessary information and abilities are not in alignment. Three
analyses are used to evaluate the learning gap: an organizational analysis, a person
analysis, and a task analysis. The organizational analysis looks at the end result that a
company wants to achieve in relation to how it uses its resources to achieve the same.
The person analysis examines whether the employee's performance is satisfactory and
whether he or she is able to achieve the organizational goal. Organizations should specify
the learning objective after assessing the learning gap. The foundation of training efforts
is established by the goals and objectives of the training. Therefore, setting training
objectives offers the entire learning program direction. The analysis of the aspects that
must be taken into account while establishing a training program, including who will be
the trainer, who has to be trained, and what training methods will apply, must begin once
the objective of the training program has been established. Putting the training plan into
practice is referred to as implementation of the training program. It is important to create
a setting that is appropriate for learning. To keep the trainees engaged, it should ideally
be a participative approach, and the trainer should encourage role-playing and interactive
activities. Lastly, the purpose of training assessment is to determine whether or not the
training's goals and objectives have been met. The participants must provide feedback
on the training's outcomes. Asking the participants' managers if they are using the skills
they learnt in the learning program on their day to day job can serve as a follow-up.
The best methodologies, tactics, strategies, programs, implementation
environments, and assessment venues must be chosen by leaders at all levels of
management in order to reach expected levels of individual performance and
organizational outcomes. The process of assessing staff training and development needs
must take into account the importance of each need in relation to organization goals.
Employees receive several types of training depending on their level. The following are
several types of training that can be provided to employees:
a. Technical training - a training designed to teach new employees the technology
requirements of their position. It might cover any software or other applications
that workers utilize while doing business with the company.
b. Quality training – a training that refers to educating staff members about how
to prevent, identify, and get rid of subpar products, typically in a company that
makes products. Employees that receive this kind of training are equipped with
the skills to identify products or services that are not up to quality standard and
are taught what to do in such a situation.
c. Skills training – its purpose is to give employees the specialized instruction they
need to acquire the information and skills required to successfully perform the
specific duties of their job roles.
d. Soft skills training - training that puts an emphasis on improving abilities like
communication, teamwork, and problem solving. This could be knowing how to
politely and sincerely greet customers or how to answer the phone.
e. Professional training - the kind of training needed to stay current in one's own
professional field.
f. Team training - training which enables teams to enhance their decision-making,
problem-solving, and team-building abilities to meet organizational objectives.
g. Managerial training - training that aims to transition an employee from having
a team member to team leader mindset.
h. Safety training - training which is done to safeguard workers from harm from
workplace mishaps.
An organization may opt for one method of delivery over another depending on the
sort of training taking place. Keeping in mind that the majority of effective training
programs will use a variety of delivery techniques, the sorts of delivery methods that can
be used to carry out the types of training are as follows:
a. On-the-Job Coaching - It means teaching an employee the skills required to
complete jobs by a qualified person. The employee is demonstrated how to
carry out the actual job by a management or an experienced individual. There
are several ways to choose an on-the-job coach, but most often, the coach is
chosen based on personality, skills, and knowledge. Usually, this kind of skills
training is conducted internally. The individual who conducts the training is the
course's main drawback. The instruction could not be effective if he or she has
poor communication skills. Similarly, if this person has "other things to do," he
or she might not take the time necessary to train and guide the person.
b. Mentoring and Coaching - An experienced person can train and develop a new
employee by using the mentoring method. In most cases, mentoring is utilized
as an ongoing technique to train and develop a worker. This kind of instruction
has the potential drawback of causing personality and communication style
conflicts. Additionally, it may result in the mentee becoming overly dependent
on the mentor or the mentor exercising micromanagement. This is more distinct
than on-the-job coaching, which is frequently brief and concentrates on the
abilities required to carry out a certain job.
c. Brown Bag Lunch - Brown bag lunches are a training delivery strategy intended
to foster a relaxed environment. It is one where employees bring their lunch
and training information is delivered to them while they are eating. In a more
laid-back setting, it pulls people together. Low attendance and insufficient
interest from workers who might not want to "work" during lunch breaks can be
a drawback to this form of training.
d. Web-Based - It may be referred to as e-learning, computer-based learning, or
technology-based learning. Any web-based training, regardless of its name,
uses technology to enhance the learning process. There are two varieties of
online education. First, instructor-led facilitation is used in synchronous
learning. When learning asynchronously, you are in charge of your own
learning and there is no teacher to guide you. Web-based learning has a
number of benefits. First off, it can be cost-effective, requires no travel, and is
available on demand. However, drawbacks could include a lack of
personalization in the instruction as well as restricted bandwidth or
technological capabilities.
e. Job Shadowing - It is a technique of delivering training where a skilled
employee pairs up with a less skilled employee to increase their skills. Job
shadowing is one form of training approach used in apprenticeships. The
apprentice could eventually acquire the necessary abilities to do the work
alone. The drawback of this kind of training is the potential for the job shadowed
participant to pick up "bad habits" or expedient methods of accomplishing work
that may not be advantageous to the firm.
f. Job Swapping - Two employees agree to switch positions temporarily as part
of this training strategy. Of course, in order to ensure that the employee learns
the skills required to do the skills of the new job, more training would be required
with this training delivery technique. Options for job swapping might inspire
workers by offering a change of scenery. Employers may also benefit greatly
from cross-training their staff in various job functions. The time spent learning,
however, may result in wasted time and financial loss.
g. Vestibule - It frequently takes place in a lecture hall, conference room, or
classroom and is effective for delivering orientations and certain skill-based
training. For technical training, safety training, professional training, and quality
training, many organizations also adopt vestibule training.
Every time a training is given, it is important to assess its success. A widely
renowned tool for assessing and examining the outcomes of educational, training, and
learning initiatives is the Kirkpatrick Model. Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results are
the four stages of evaluation that make up this system. The effectiveness of a training
program is more precisely measured at each level of the model that follows. Reaction,
which gauges whether learners find the training beneficial, enjoyable, and applicable to
their employment, makes up the first level of criterion. The most typical method for
determining this level is to ask students to score their training experience in an after-
course survey. It also gives the trainer the opportunity to fill up any gaps in the program's
content that would have been critical. Level 2 evaluates each participant's learning based
on whether they develop the desired attitudes, knowledge, abilities, and commitment to
the course. Pre- and post-assessments should be used to determine accuracy and
comprehension while evaluating learning, which can be done both formally and informally.
Exams and assessments in the form of interviews are two assessment methods. To
minimize inconsistencies, a specified, transparent scoring process must be decided upon
beforehand. Level 3 of the Kirkpatrick Model evaluates whether participants were actually
affected by the learning and whether they are applying what they have learned. It is one
of the most important processes. It is feasible to determine whether skills were
understood and whether it is practical to apply them in the job by evaluating behavioral
changes. Evaluating conduct frequently reveals problems in the workplace. Lack of
behavioral change may not indicate bad training, but rather that the organization's current
procedures and cultural contexts don't support the best conditions for learning the
intended change. Direct results measurement is the focus of the fourth and final level,
Level 4. Level Four compares the learning to the objectives of the company. When goals
are clearly defined, results are measured, and areas of noticeable influence are found,
the Kirkpatrick Model helps establish an actionable measurement plan. Firms can assess
the relationship between each level to better understand the training results by analyzing
data at each level. As an added bonus, doing so enables organizations to adapt plans
and correct course during the learning process.
One of the most important motivators used to assist people and organizations in
attaining their short and long-term goals and objectives is employee training and
development. Along with improving knowledge, skills, and attitudes, training and
development also has a number of other advantages. The following are typical
advantages of employee training and development:
a. It boosts employees' confidence, motivation, and morale.
b. It fosters a sense of security, which lowers absenteeism and turnover.
c. It improves staff participation in the change process by equipping them with the
skills needed to adapt to novel and difficult circumstances.
d. It makes opportunities for recognition, better salary, and promotions available.
e. It aids the company in enhancing the staff's availability and caliber. It is
important to keep in mind that people are more productive as a result of training
and development initiatives that enhance their knowledge and skills.
Organizations need to be aware of potential concerns that could occur with staff
development initiatives, such as lack of financing, a lack of analytics and metrics, diversity
issues, and generational disparities. Particular difficulties are brought on by the current
state of the economy and the variety of workplaces. Lack of accountability because few
organizations consistently hold managers or executives responsible for developing their
direct reports, gaps in talent development capabilities, a lack of alignment between
human capital and organization strategy, and inconsistent execution are just a few of the
common obstacles that face employee development programs.
Chairman Francisco T. Duque III stated that the Civil Service Commission serves
as the principal human resource institution of the Philippine government in a speech at
the 39th National Convention of the Philippine Society for Training and Development
Foundation, Inc. in 2014. The CSC must "establish a career service, adopt measures to
promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, and courtesy in the civil service,
strengthen the merit and rewards system, integrate all human resource development
programs for all levels and ranks, and institutionalize a management climate conducive
to public accountability," as stated in the 1987 Constitution. Studies on human resources
(HR) and learning and development (L&D) have shown that L&D affects professionals'
capacity to satisfy competences and achieve performance standards required by a certain
job or company. L&D is well suited to fostering talent, preparing individuals for
advancement, filling competency gaps, and fostering peak performance. Even Asian
Development Bank (ADB) claims learning is the key to the success and survival of today's
firms, so from this alone we can see how L&D is vital in Strategic HR.
A HR program called the Competency-Based Learning and Development Program
(CBLDP) deals specifically with the issue of competency gaps. It's a method where
priorities are established in accordance with organizational needs and capabilities are
used as the benchmarks for evaluating personnel development needs. The creation of
targeted programs with learning outcomes that directly relate to the competency
requirements is based on competencies. Employees receive training that is tailored to
their requirements. Opportunities for learning and development in this context include
formal classroom instruction, on-the-job training, self-development, and development
activities and interventions. But L&D is much more than just giving lectures. Actually, it is
a system. Four guiding concepts serve as the foundation for the it. The first is that all L&D
interventions in an organization are founded on needs that have been recognized,
confirmed, and clearly linked to the goals and objectives of the company. Second, the
development, planning, implementation, and evaluation of these interventions are
deliberate and methodical. Third, L&D professionals do their jobs expertly and with good
coordination. Last but not least, L&D efforts and activities are regularly carried out in
accordance with specified quality standards and are correctly planned, integrated,
synchronized, and accomplished. The learning and development framework considers
institutional needs that must be met, a training plan that explains tactics to fill gaps, and
a learning and development management system that makes sure all training
interventions are complementary. The CSC can solve competency gaps among both its
own staff and the entire bureaucracy mainly of this structure. As L&D is upgraded in
government, the country is achieving its objective of developing a skilled and highly
motivated workforce. Upgrading L&D is a part of moving away from transactional HR and
toward Strategic HR.
Employees wouldn't be able to do their responsibilities to their full ability without
adequate training and development opportunities. Due to their higher levels of job
satisfaction, employees who are completely capable of performing their job-related
responsibilities tend to stay on the job longer. In addition to helping individuals achieve at
their highest potential, training and development is an essential instrument for
encouraging innovation, efficiency, and productivity in the workplace. An organization can
achieve its objectives by helping employees find the best learning opportunities.
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