RAINING PROGRAMS

The company can implement very different training programs depending on the contents to be
offered, the techniques to be used or the time and place where they are offered. However, prior to
implementation, it is necessary to identify the company's training needs and establish the best
possible match between the two.
Likewise, once the training has been implemented, it is advisable to evaluate its success. It is
necessary to confirm that there have been improvements in the company, knowing what type of
training has had better results and where the possible problems have been.

Training needs

The training needs of a company depend on the initial level of training and preparation of the
employees in the company compared to what they should have. From this comparison it is
possible to identify employees who need training because they are not qualified for their job.
Sometimes employees need to improve their training because they are not qualified for the job.
However, it can also respond to changes in the environment and in the company's objectives that
require new skills and knowledge for the same position. This is the case of regulatory changes,
new and more efficient competitors, or simply a change in the company's strategy that entails new
work methods and processes, the operation of new machinery or the development of new
products.

The objective of training in any case is to provide employees with the knowledge and skills
necessary to correctly perform the tasks associated with the position they hold. To identify this
lack of training, the tasks that make up the position must be analyzed and compared with those of
the person responsible for the position. A useful tool to detect these needs are the competency
profiles described above. Thus, for example, it is possible to find deficiencies in the ability to
work in a team, lack of creativity, or difficulty in managing high stress situations, among others.
A particular case is the training that employees receive to take up a new position in the company.
This is the so-called socialization process whereby the selected employees develop the skills
necessary for the position to be filled and at the same time get closer to the company's culture if
they are new employees.

To estimate the company's training needs, three levels of analysis are usually differentiated
(Claver Cortés et al., 2000; Gómez-Mejía et al., 2005; Chiavenato, 2007):

• Organizational level. The general needs of the company and the degree of existing
training at the aggregate level are analyzed. At this level, training tries to adapt the skills
and knowledge of employees to the culture, environment, and objectives of the company.
• Task level. This consists of an analysis of the tasks associated with each job. It is about
identifying the knowledge, skills and aptitudes that are necessary in each position and
identifying the training that would be required.
• People level. Employees who need training are identified by analyzing how they perform
the tasks in their job compared to how they should perform them.

Training implementation
Based on the training needs identified, the company must define how it will carry out the
training. This involves establishing the training methods to be used, the training location, the
time of the training and the person who will provide the training.
The training methods that can be used are very varied and depend on each case, and can be
(Claver Cortés et al., 2000):

• Case method. It consists of presenting a practical case on a problem based on the

business reality related to the subjects that are the objective of the training. From the
information provided, elements of discussion and polemic are generated to allow a
contrast of opinions and different approaches to solutions.
• Company game and simulation. These are simulation models generally applied to a
business situation aimed at reproducing business decisions and actions which, generally
supported by a computer program, lead to certain results.
• Sociogram or role-playing. Some participants in the training adopt roles or characters
that could occur in reality. The rest act as observers, criticizing and commenting on the
performance that has taken place. The aim is to learn from the experience of the other
members and to identify mistakes made. It is used mainly at the managerial level.
• Group discussion. This consists of bringing together several people to discuss known
topics under the direction of another person who guides and focuses the topics discussed.
In this way, the participant assimilates the concepts better in order to be able to participate
in the group while receiving ideas of greater general interest and breadth than those
formulated individually.
• The conference or seminars. It is used in large groups to discuss a broad topic in which
the interaction and participation of the participants is not essential.
• Job rotation. This consists of transferring the employee to different sectors and
departments so that he/she can learn from each one. This provides a globalized vision of
the company and is often used for management training.
• Supervised readings. The recipients of the training are provided with a series of readings
related to the specific aspects and subjects targeted by the training activity. It is usually
perfectly compatible with the performance of the job, although it usually requires another
complementary technique.
• Videos, documentaries, and films. The projection of images facilitates the
understanding and assimilation of concepts.

It is also necessary to define whether the training will be on-the-job or off-the-job. If the training
is on-the-job (job rotation, apprenticeship training), the person generally learns under the
instruction of expert colleagues, demonstrations and work experience. This training is mainly
associated with craft and manual jobs, although many companies use this type of training for
managerial level employees. It is also a good learning tool for young people who want to gain
real work experience compatible with their studies.
On-the-job training has the advantage of being very specific, it does not require the hiring of
external teachers and the employee can continue to develop his or her job. However, many
organizations prefer off-the-job training such as courses, masters or simulations. This provides
access to new ideas and ways of thinking, avoids the risk of unwanted errors caused by the
employee in the learning process, and also allows the use of teachers specialized in knowledge
transfer.

The time of training may be during working hours or outside working hours. It can be understood
that the training must be carried out during working hours or that if it is carried out later it is paid
as overtime. However, training is something that the employee acquires and that can benefit him
in a future job, so if the company makes the economic outlay, the worker must contribute, even
if it is with his time.

In general, it is recommended to carry out the training during working hours in order to
The training is generally recommended to be conducted during working hours so that it can be
carried out under optimal conditions and not after a long working day, which reduces learning
capacity and motivation. It also depends on the type of trainees, as senior and middle managers
do not usually have a problem with training after working hours.
Finally, there is the question of who will deliver the training, with a choice of internal or external
trainers. External trainers may be consultants, professors, experts or suppliers of some new
technology who usually offer generic or highly technical training. Internal trainers are colleagues
or superiors who teach job-related skills.

Training evaluation
The purpose of this stage is to assess the effectiveness of the training program received by the
members of the company. In order to do so, it is essential to link the results with the objectives
initially set. This evaluation allows companies to identify which methods of implementation of
all those seen have worked best, as well as which profile of people have taken the most advantage
of it.
However, training evaluation is not easy and requires time to gather a wealth of information and
then analyze it. It can be done at four levels, each one more ambitious than the previous one,
following the model of Kirkpatrick (1959) (Sastre Castillo and Aguilar Pastor, 2003; Gómez-
Mejía et al., 2005):

• Level 1: Reaction. The degree of satisfaction of the people who have received the training
is measured. Through questionnaires or other means, they are asked questions related to
the training received, such as the adequacy to their needs, the quality of the teachers and
the interest of the topics covered, among others. The main drawback is that satisfaction
with the training often does not result in improved performance.
• Level 2: Learning. It measures how much employees have learned and is estimated by
the skills developed. Tests and evaluations can be carried out to compare the level of
workers before and after the training process.
• Level 3: Behavior. Evaluates the extent to which people have changed their behavior in
the workplace after the training period. For this purpose, increases in the employee's
productivity or appraisals by his or her superior on improvements in competencies and
task performance can be evaluated.
• Level 4: Results. Generally valued through a financial metric that measures return on
investment (ROI). This can be used to compare the investment made with the profit gains
received. The main problem with this measure is that training can have a positive effect
in the long term, beyond the financial period considered.

In any case, all training assessment measures depend on other factors such as the motivation of
the workers or the environment in which the training activity takes place. Therefore, poor results
after training may be due to reasons other than the effectiveness of the training received.
In addition, many companies attach great importance to the training of their employees and have
set up corporate schools and universities. This ensures that staff receive adequate training. For
example, the Mondragon company has a non-profit university that tries to give a practical
orientation to studies, or Endesa, which has a training school aimed at improving the skills of its
workers for their jobs.