Training means giving new or current employees the skills that they need to perform their jobs Ex:

showing new salespeople how to sell your product. Training might involve having the current
jobholder explain the job to the new hire, or multi-week classroom or Internet classes.

Employers also increasingly capitalize on the fact that training fosters engagement. But it’s
important though to understand that training can’t work miracles.

The ADDIE five-step training program includes:

 Analyze the training need.

 Design the overall training program.
 Develop the course.
 Implement training by actually training the targeted employee group.
 Evaluate the course effectiveness.
Conducting the Training Needs Analysis: may address the employer’s strategic/longer term
training needs and/or its current training needs.

Strategic Training Needs Analysis involves strategic goals (perhaps to enter new lines of
business or to expand abroad) that often mean the firm will have to fill new jobs. Strategic
training needs analysis identifies the training employees will need to fill these future jobs.

Current Training Needs Analysis – Most training efforts aim to improve current performance—
specifically training new employees, and those whose performance is deficient. How you analyze
current training needs depends on whether you’re training new or current employees. The main
task for new employees is to determine what the job entails and to break it down into subtasks,
each of which you then teach to the new employee.

Analyzing current employees’ training needs is more complex, because you must also ascertain
whether training is the solution. Managers use task analysis to identify new employees’ training
needs, and performance analysis to identify current employees’ training needs.

Is the Problem Can’t Do or Won’t Do? Uncovering why performance is down is the heart of
performance analysis. The aim here is to distinguish between can’t-do and won’t-do problems.

First, determine whether it is a can’t-do problem and, if so, its specific causes. For example: The
employees don’t know what to do or what your standards are; there are obstacles in the system
such as lack of tools or supplies; there are no job aids (such as color-coded wires that show
assemblers which wire goes where); you’ve hired people who haven’t the skills to do the job; or
training is inadequate.

Or, it might be a won’t-do problem. Here employees could do a good job if they wanted to. One
expert says, “Perhaps the biggest trap that trainers fall into is [developing] training for problems that
training just won’t fix.” For instance, the better solution might be to change the incentives.

Designing the Training Program: Design means planning the overall training program including
training objectives, delivery methods, and program evaluation. Sub-steps include setting
performance objectives, creating a detailed training outline (all training program steps from start to
finish), choosing a program delivery method (such as lectures or Web), and verifying the overall
program design with management.
The design should include summaries of how you plan to set a training environment that motivates
your trainees both to learn and to transfer what they learn to the job. It is also here that the
manager reviews possible training program content (including workbooks, exercises, and activities),
and estimates a budget for the training program. If the program is to use technology, the manager
should include a review of the technology he or she plans to use as part of the analysis.

The trainer should clearly define the program’s desired learning outcomes. Training, development,
learning, or (more generally) instructional objectives should specify in measurable terms what the
trainee should be able to do after successfully completing the training program.

In creating a motivational learning environment, the manager should address several issues:

Learning requires both ability and motivation, and the training program’s design should
accommodate both. In terms of ability, the learner–trainee needs (among other things) the required
reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Trainees are rarely homogeneous, for instance, in terms of
intellectual capacity. In setting the learning environment, the manager therefore should address
several trainee-ability issues. For example, how will our program accommodate differences in
trainee abilities? Do we need to provide remedial training? Second, the learner must also be
motivated. No manager should waste his or her time showing a disinterested employee how to do
something (even if he or she has the requisite ability).

Also, the training program’s effects will be diminished if trainees return to their jobs to snide
comments such as, “I hope you liked your little vacation” from colleagues. Therefore, the low-
hanging fruit in motivating trainees is to make sure the trainee’s peers and supervisor support the
training effort.

In designing the training program, make certain you make the learning meaningful. Learners are
more motivated to learn something that has meaning for them. Therefore:

1. At the start of training, provide a bird’s-eye view of the material that you are going to present. For
example, show why it’s important, and provide an overview.

2. Use familiar examples.

3. Organize the information so you can present it logically, in meaningful units.

4. Use terms and concepts that are already familiar to trainees.

5. Use visual aids.

6. Create a perceived training need in trainees’ minds. For example, in one study, pilots who
experienced pre-training accident-related events subsequently learned more from an accident-
reduction training program than did those experiencing fewer such events. Similarly, “before the
training, managers need to sit down and talk with the trainee about why they are enrolled in the
class, what they are expected to learn, and how they can use it on the job.”

7. Goal setting is important.

Make it easy to transfer new skills and behaviors from the training site to the job site:

1. Maximize the similarity between the training situation and the work situation.

2. Provide adequate practice.

3. Label or identify each feature of the machine and/or step in the process.
4. Direct the trainees’ attention to important aspects of the job. For example, if you’re training a
customer service rep to handle calls, explain the different types of calls he or she will encounter.

5. Provide “heads-up” information. For example, supervisors often face stressful conditions. You can
reduce the negative impact of such events by letting supervisory trainees know they might occur.

6. Trainees learn best at their own pace. If possible, let them pace themselves.

Make sure the learner gets plenty of feedback. In particular:

1. Trainees learn best when the trainers immediately reinforce correct responses, perhaps with a
quick “well done.”

2. The learning curve goes down late in the day. Partial-day training is generally superior to full-day
training.

3. Provide follow-up assignments at the close of training, so trainees are reinforced by having to
apply back on the job what they’ve learned.

4. Incentivize. Some companies, such as Hudson Trail Outfitters, an outdoor-gear retailer, offer
trainees incentives of outdoor gear for completing each training program segment.

Ensure Transfer of Learning to the Job

Unfortunately, less than 35% of trainees seem to be transferring what they learned in training to
their jobs a year after training. Improving on that sad statistic requires steps at each stage of
training.

Prior to training, get trainee and supervisor input in designing the program, institute a training
attendance policy, and encourage employees to participate.

During training, provide trainees with training experiences and conditions (surroundings,
equipment) that resemble the actual work environment.

After training, reinforce what trainees learned, for instance, by appraising and rewarding employees
for using new skills, and by making sure that they have the tools and materials they need to use their
new skills.

Developing the Program: Program development means actually assembling the program’s training
content and materials. It means choosing the specific content the program will present, as well as
designing/choosing the specific instructional methods (lectures, cases, Web-based, and so on) you
will use.

Some employers create their own training content, but there’s also a vast selection of online and
offline content. But many different types of training equipment and materials can be used. Including
(for example) iPads, workbooks, lectures, PowerPoint slides, Web- and computer based activities,
course activities, trainer resources (manuals, for instance), and support materials.

Once you design, approve, and develop the program, management can implement and then
evaluate it.

Implementing the Training Program: Once you design, approve, and develop the program,
management can implement and then evaluate it.
Let’s now discuss how to use five training techniques. With objectives set and the program designed
and developed, you can turn to implementing the training program. This means actually doing the
training, using one or more of the following training methods.

On-the-job-training (OJT) means having a person learn a job by actually doing it. In many firms, OJT
is the only training available.

Types of on-the-job training:

The most familiar on-the-job training is the coaching or understudy method. Here, an experienced
worker or the trainee’s supervisor trains the employee. This may involve simply observing the
supervisor, or (preferably) having the supervisor or job expert show the new employee the ropes,
step-by-step. Every manager is accountable for developing his or her subordinates.

Job rotation, in which an employee (usually a management trainee) moves from job to job at
planned intervals, is another OJT technique.

Special assignments similarly give lower-level executives firsthand experience in working on actual
problems.

Peer-to-peer development is adopted in some organizations.

Apprenticeship training is a process by which people become skilled workers, usually through a
combination of formal learning and long-term on-the-job training, often under the tutelage of a
master craftsperson.

The U.S. Department of Labor promotes apprenticeship programs. More than 460,000 apprentices
participate in 28,000 programs, and registered programs can receive federal and state contracts and
other assistance.

Competency Profiles and Models in Training and Development

The competency model consolidates a precise overview of the competencies someone would need
to do the job well.

Competencies-oriented training is similar to other training. Trainees often learn through a mix of
real-world exercises, teamwork, classes, and online resources, under a learning coach; the aim is to
show mastery of particular competencies. This often involves starting with a list of competencies to
be learned, criteria for assessing competencies mastery, and examples of the competencies.
Students then complete their projects and assessors evaluate their competencies.

Training Programs

Training experts use the notation “70/20/10” to show that as a rule, 70% of job learning occurs
informally on or off the job, 20% reflects social interactions, and only 10% is actual formal training.
Employers can facilitate informal learning.

Many jobs (or parts of jobs) consist of a sequence of steps best learned step-by-step. Such step-by-
step training is called job instruction training (JIT). JIT is listing each job’s basic tasks, along with key
points, in order to provide step-by-step training for employees.

Lecturing is a quick and simple way to present knowledge to large groups of trainees, as when the
sales force needs to learn a new product’s features.
Whether the medium is a textbook, iPad, or the Internet, programmed learning is a step-by-step,
self-learning method that consists of three parts:

1. Presenting questions, facts, or problems to the learner. 2. Allowing the person to respond.

3. Providing feedback on the accuracy of answers, with instructions on what to do next.

Generally, programmed learning reduces training time.

Behavior modeling involves (1) showing trainees the right (or “model”) way of doing something, (2)
letting trainees practice that way, and then (3) giving feedback on the trainees’ performance.
Behavior modeling is one of the most widely used, well researched, and highly regarded
psychologically based training interventions.

The basic procedure is as follows:

1. Modeling. First, trainees watch live or video examples showing models behaving effectively in a
problem situation. Thus, the video might show a supervisor effectively disciplining a subordinate, if
teaching “how to discipline” is the aim of the training program.

2. Role-playing. Next, the trainees get roles to play in a simulated situation; here they are to practice
the effective behaviors demonstrated by the models.

3. Social reinforcement. The trainer provides reinforcement in the form of praise and constructive
feedback.

4. Transfer of training. Finally, trainees are encouraged to apply their new skills when they are back
on their jobs.

Other Types of Training

Audiovisual-Based Training – Although increasingly replaced by Web-based methods, audiovisual-

based training techniques like DVDs, films, PowerPoint, and audiotapes are still used.

Vestibule Training – With vestibule training, trainees learn on the actual or simulated equipment but
are trained off the job (perhaps in a separate room or vestibule). Vestibule training is necessary
when it’s too costly or dangerous to train employees on the job.

Electronic performance support systems (EPSS) – Are computerized tools and displays that
automate training, documentation, and phone support. Performance support systems are modern
job aids. Job aids are sets of instructions, diagrams, or similar methods available at the job site to
guide the worker.

Videoconferencing – Involves delivering programs over broadband lines, the Internet, or satellite.
Vendors such as Cisco offer videoconference products such as Webex and TelePresence.

Computer-Based Training (CBT) – Refers to training methods that use interactive computer-based
systems to increase knowledge or skills. For example, employers use CBT to teach employees safe
methods for avoiding falls. The system lets trainees replay the lessons and answer questions, and is
especially effective when paired with actual practice under a trainer’s watchful eye.

Simulated Learning and Gaming – “Simulated learning” means different things to different people.
Many employers use computerized simulations (sometimes called interactive learning) to inject
realism into their training. Virtual reality (VR) puts the trainee in an artificial three-dimensional
environment that simulates events and situations experienced on the job.
Internet-Based Training – Trainers increasingly employ Internet-based learning to deliver programs.
There are two basic ways to offer online courses to employees. First, the employer can arrange for
its employees to take relevant online courses from either its own online offerings or from online
training vendors on the Web. The second approach is to arrange with an online training vendor to
make its courses available via the employer’s intranet-based learning portal.

Learning Portals / Learning Management Systems (LMS)

A learning portal is a section of an employer’s website that offers employees online access to
training courses. Many employers arrange to have an online training vendor make its courses
available via the employer’s portal. Most often, the employer contracts with application service
providers (ASPs). When employees go to their firm’s learning portal, they actually access the menu
of training courses that the ASP offers for the employer.

Learning management systems (LMS) are special software tools that support Internet training by
helping employers identify training needs and schedule, deliver, assess, and manage the online
training itself. (Blackboard and WebCT are two familiar college-oriented learning management
systems.) An LMS also can help in scheduling, delivering, assessing, and managing the online training
itself.

Virtual Classroom – A virtual classroom uses collaboration software to enable multiple remote
learners, using their PCs, tablets, or laptops, to participate in live audio and visual discussions,
communicate via written text, and learn via content such as PowerPoint slides.

Lifelong and Literacy Techniques

Lifelong learning means providing employees with continuing learning experiences over their tenure
with the firm, with the aim of ensuring they have the opportunity to learn the skills they need to do
their jobs and to expand their horizons. Lifelong learning may thus range from basic remedial skills
(for instance, English as a second language) to college.

Literacy Training – By one estimate, about 39 million people in the United States have learning
disabilities. Yet, today’s emphasis on teamwork and quality requires that employees read, write, and
understand numbers. Employers often turn to private firms like Education Management Corporation
to provide the requisite education. Another simple approach is to have supervisors teach basic skills
by giving employees writing and speaking exercises.

Diversity training aims to improve cross-cultural sensitivity, so as to foster more harmonious

working relationships among a firm’s employees.

Team Training: Teamwork does not always come naturally. Companies devote many hours to
training new employees to listen to each other and to cooperate.

Team training typically includes interpersonal skills training such as in listening, handling conflict, and
negotiating. Interpersonal problems often undermine teamwork.

Effective teams also require team management skills, for instance, in problem-solving, meetings
management, consensus decision making, and team leadership, and the teams received such
training as well. Many employers use team training to build stronger management teams.
Management development is any attempt to improve managerial performance by imparting
knowledge, changing attitudes, or increasing skills.

It includes

 in-house programs like courses, coaching, and rotational assignments;

 professional programs like those given by SHRM;
 online programs from various sources; and
 university programs like executive MBAs.

Management development is important for several reasons.

For one thing, promotion from within is a major source of management talent, and virtually all
promoted managers require some development to prepare them for their new jobs. Furthermore,
management development facilitates organizational continuity, by preparing employees and current
managers to smoothly assume higher-level positions.

Strategy’s Role in Management Development – Management development programs should reflect

the firm’s strategic plans. Management development programs then impart the knowledge,
attitudes, and skills these managers will need to excel at their jobs.

Management development is often part of the employer’s succession planning process. Succession
planning involves developing workforce plans for the company’s top positions; it is the ongoing
process of systematically identifying, assessing, and developing organizational leadership to enhance
performance.