Fostering employee training and development in invest consult group

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONMS ASEAN : Association of Southeast Asian Nations AFTA : Asian Free Trade Area CEO : Chief Executive Officer IP : Intellectual Property IDP : Individual Developmen

vietnam national university, HANOI

vietnam national university, HANOI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - i

ABSTRACT - ii

TÓM TẮT - iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS - iv

LIST OF FIGURES - v

LIST OF TABLES - vi

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS - vii

INTRODUCTION 1

1 WHY THIS THESIS? 1

2 RESEARCH PURPOSE 3

3 RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE 3

4 RESEARCH AREA 4

5 METHODOLOGY 4

5.1 Research Method 5

5.2 Research Strategy 5

5.3 Data Collection Method 6

5.4 Sample Selection 6

5.5 Data Analysis 6

6 THESIS’S LIMITATION 6

7 OUTLINE 7

CHAP TER 1 LITERATURE REVIEW _8

1.1 EMP LOYEE TRAINING 9

1.1.1 What Is Employee Training? _9

1.1.2 Competency Based Employee Training 11

1.1.2.1 Making Training Competency Based 11

1.1.2.2 Models for Competency-Based Training 13

1.1.3 The Needs of Employee Training and De velopme nt 16

1.1.4 Components of Employee Training _17

1.1.4.1 Needs Assessment _17

1.1.4.2 Establishing Training Objectives 19

1.1.5 Method of Employee Training _20

1.1.6.1 Motivation to Achie ve Personal Go als _25

1.1.6.2 Kno wledge of Results 25

1.1.6.3 Reinforcement 25

1.1.6.4 Flo w of The Training Program _26

1.1.6.5 Practice and Re petition _26

1.1.6.6 Spacing of Sessions 26

1.1.6.7 Whole or Part Training _26

1.1.7 Designing Effective Training System _27

1.1.7.1 Conducting Needs Assessment _28

1.1.7.2 Ensuring Employee’s Readiness for Training 32

1.1.7.3 Creating a Learning Environment _34

1.1.7.4 Ensuring Transfer of Training 35

1.1.7.5 Selecting Training Method 36

1.1.7.6 Evaluating Effectiveness of Training Programs _42

1.2 EMP LOYEE DEVELOPMENT 47

1.2.1 What Is Employee De velopment? 47

1.2.2 Why Is Employee De velo pme nt so Important? 48

1.2.3 Competence Based Employee De velopment 49

1.2.3.1 Making Emplo yee De velopment Competenc y Based 49

1.2.3.2 Impleme nting Competenc y-Based employee De velo pment 49

1.2.4 The Human Resources De velopment Process _51

1.2.4.1 De velopment Needs Analysis and Succession Planning 52

1.2.4.2 Planning and Choosing a De velopment Approac h _54

CHAP TER 2 CASE STUDY OF INVESTCONSULT GROUP _60

2.1 INTRODUCTION ABOUT INVESTCONSULT GROUP 60

2.1.1 History 60

2.1.2 Main Services _61

2.1.2.1 Business and Investment Consultanc y 62

2.1.2.2 Official De velopment Assistance Project Consultancy _64

2.2.2 Designing and Desk Research _71

2.2.3 Intervie w and Gathering Information 71

2.2.4 Analysis and Recomme ndations _72

2.3 EMP LOYEE TRAINING & DEVLOPMENT PRACTICE 73

2.3.1 The Re asons why InvestConsult Group Invests Much in Employee

Training and De velopment 73

2.4.2 The Function of Human Resources Department 86

2.4.3 Responsibility of Other Functional Departments _87

CHAP TER 3 RECOMMENDATION 89

3.1 STRENGTHENING TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT 89

3.2 BUILDING COMPETENCY BASED EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND

DEVELOPMENT 90

3.3 COACHING AND TRAINING FOR MANAGERS 91

3.4 BUILD UP ORGANIZATION CULTURE 92

CON CLUSSION 94

REFERENCES 95

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONMS

ASEAN : Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AFTA : Asian Free Trade Area

CEO : Chief Executive Officer

IP : Intellectual Property

IDP : Individual Development Plan

IPR : Intellectual Property Right

ISD : Instructional Systems Design

KASO : Knowledge, skills, abilities and other requirements

MBA : Master of Business Administration

M&A : Merge and Acquisition

M&E : Monitoring and Evaluation

ODA : Official Development Assistance

OJT : On-Job-Training

ROI : Revenue On Investments

TNA : Training Needs Assessment

SME : Small-Medium Enterprises

SSM : Strategic systems model

US BTA : United State Bilateral Trading Agreement

VIM : Vietnam Institute of Management

VJCC : Vietnam Japan Cooperation Center

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Thesis methodology 4

Figure 2: Thesis outline 7

Figure 1-1: The relationship between HR management and other management tasks 9

Figure1-2: Training Design Process 10

Figure 1-3: Presenting the instruction 21

Figure 1-4: The needs Assessment process 28

Figure 1-5: Development versus training 48

Figure 1-6: Implementing Competency-Based Employee Development 50

Figure 1-7: The HR Development Process in an Organization 51

Figure 2-1: A number of consultants and experts at InvetsConsult Group 77

Figure 2-2: Total InvestConsult Group employees have been trained in recent years 79 Figure 2-3: Budget for training at Invest Consult Group in some years 81

Figure 2-4: Research results 85

LIST OF TABLES

Table1-1: Comparison between training and development 10

Table1-2: Length of selected apprenticeship courses 24

Table 1-3: Components of Instructional Design 27

Table1-4: Implication of Business strategy for training 30

Table 1-5: Principles of structured on-the-job training 39

Table 1-6: Advantages and Disadvantages of Major Development Approaches 59

Table 2-1: Lists of training courses which were supplied for InvestConsult’ s staff in 2007 82

INTRODUCTION

1 WHY THIS THESIS?

Human resource management is one of four functional sectors in business administration, it includes: marketing, finance, production and human resources, in which human resource management plays an important role to enterprise’s success and development It becomes more and more important in the new business environment In human resource, training and development are not only effective tools in order to set up and maintain organization’s structure stable, but also to compete with others Moreover, in the recent years, along with the development in Vietnam, there are more and more enterprises setting up and bankrupting Facing this problem, Vietnamese companies pay more attention to the human resource activities and employee’s training and development Thus, the employees have a strong attachment to the company

Moreover, at that time many Vietnam businesses consider training and development are the most useful keys in human resource management in order to get short-term and long-term objectives in the globalization market and changeable environment There are more and more managers and leaders considering human capital are key factors leading to the success of business so investment activities for training employees have increase quickly in recent years However, the main problem here is that training and developing program which help business develop more is not yet good and the content are quite poor and nor developed from employee’s needs As a result, the effectiveness of training and developing activities

is always low and they do not meet the real demand of business

According to this study, InvestConsult Group is one of leading consulting firms in Vietnam providing different consulting services from investment, law, business management, to intellectual property technology, market research In doing business, InvestConsult Group have faced many difficulties and challenges One of

these difficulties is that employee training and development system In fact, employee training and development activities are not carried out properly As a result, a number of employees usually move to work for big firms (joint venture, multinational, etc…) after working at InvestConsult Group for a period of time

From this problem statement, I chosen the thesis titled: “Fostering employee

training and development, in InvestConsult Group” Implementing this thesis,

my expected outcome is to build up a model of employee training and development

at InvestConsult Group and can apply to other local consulting companies Based on this, I hope my study helps Vietnam consulting enterprises manage their human resource more effectively by employees training and development activities

With the target to become a leading consulting firm in Vietnam and Asia region, InvestConsult Group sets the target to increase growth speed and develop in some new few years In order to get this target, InvestConsult Group is implementing some programs such as increase business activities; enhance the management skills, set up new branches nationwide, etc…In order to do that, InvestConsult Group need to be improved employee training and development Training means that managing training activities of InvestConsult Group has to change to the standardization and systemization Training effectiveness will be improved when it is close to the business objectives, goals and support for development of employees To make training and development to be standard and systematical, it is important to build up specification of training and development program Currently, training and development activities in InvestConsult Group are carried out in small level but the Board of Management want to build training and development as a continuous activity With that purpose, that thesis will find out solutions to fostering employee training and development

2 RESEARCH PURPOSE

The purpose of this thesis aimed to:

 Give out a systematical approach and theory in employee training and development;

 Apply theory into case of InvestConsult Group to find out the recommendation which will help InvestConsult Group managers have a guide

on how to manage the employee training and development effectively in order

to gain the competitive advantage;

 Identify some theoretical issue of employee training & development, which can apply in consultancy organization in Vietnam

3 RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE

 Theoretical significance: This study shows that the theory and knowledge

which are updated about employee training and development in recent time and in new business environment, thus this helps managers and directors realize the importance of employee training and development activities Base

on this, it helps them to make decisions in keeping their employees and developing human resource as a competitive tool in doing business

 Practical significance: Vietnam’s business environment shows Vietnamese

enterprises are not aware clear of the importance of human resource management generally and employee training and development particularly Thus, this thesis is focused on studying training & development activities in Vietnamese’s companies, especially consulting companies with the purpose of finding the solution to this problem On the other hand, my thesis will help these companies to set up suitable and flexible training & development process

4 RESEARCH AREA

This study is focused on current employees’ training and development activities in InvestConsult Group, based on that I gave out recommendations and action plans to improve the training and development activities In implementing this thesis, I used document and information which published in recent time about consultancy in Vietnam market and compare InvestConsult Group’s with other consultancy companies in consultancy industry with purpose on giving the solution which is useful and practical

5 METHODOLOGY

Methodology usually prefers to the general approaches to research while method to techniques for gathering evidence Therefore, methodology is a theory and analysis

of how a research does or should proceed Specific method for the case study will

be described and elaborated upon later in the chapter three of the thesis

A graphical overview is presented below as the methodology of this research:

Figure 1: Thesis methodology

Research

Method

Validity and Reliability

Research Strategy

Data Collection

Sample Selection

Data Analysis

The use of qualitative methods can counteract the perceived current imbalance between theory testing and theory generation The distinction between qualitative and quantitative techniques is only a small part of a far wider debate about epistemology and ontology In qualitative research distinction between data collection and data analysis may not be clear-cut In practice, for instance, as a series of interview progresses, the researcher will often be creating, testing and modifying analytic categories as an iterative process, such data analysis may be considered an organic that begins in the data gathering stage and does not end until the writing is complete

5.2 Research Strategy

Research strategy were in this thesis is case-study According to theory, a case study approach should be used when how or why questions are being posed about a contemporary set of events over which the researchers has little of any control This study is based on more research questions of how character and focuses on contemporary sets of events; therefore, I thought that a case study was the most suitable research strategy for this study

5.3 Data Collection Method

In this study data will be collected from multiple sources: secondary research,

in-depth interviews, and questionnaires (See more in Chapter 3)

5.4 Sample Selection

This section purpose is to present the way in which organizations, as well as individuals within the organization will be selected for this study In this case, consultancy firms will be focused on The people are chosen to interview included

as follows:

 Leaders and managers who are working at InvestConsult Group;

 Staff of InvestConsult Group;

 People who are working in consulting firms such as : CONCETTI; Law & HR Consulting, Vision & Associate;

 People who had ever been studied and researched about consulting industry;

5.5 Data Analysis

Specific techniques can be used to analyze the data collected from the interviews There are form of analysis for the data collected in a case-study, the within case analysis will be selected

6 THESIS’S LIMITATION

 Questionnaire is conducted with the purpose on interviewing key persons in InvestConsult Group but because of some reasons, some relevant people can not attend the interview thus collecting and analyzing information are not extremely exact

 Consultancy industry is still quite new in Vietnam so representative features may be not popular It is still new and becoming developed dramatically in 5 past recent years

 Other restriction is that major consultancy companies in Vietnam had just established or engaged in consulting industry; small scale so that almost are not focused on training & development activities and InvestConsult Group is not exception

7 OUTLINE

The thesis is divided into three chapters

Chapter 1: LITERATURE VIEW

Chapter 2: THE CASE OF INVESTCONSULT GROUP

Chapter 3: RECOMMENDATIONS

Following is the outline of thesis

Figure 2: Thesis outline

Introduction

Chapter 1 Literature Review

Chapter 2 Case study of InvestConsult Group

Chapter 3 Recommendation ssss

Conclusions

CHAPTER 1

LITERATURE REVIEW

After introducing about thesis in general, now move on chapter 1 This chapter is focused on presenting the fundamental of employee training and development, the difference between training and development, employee training and development process, methods of building effective training and development system and the way

of evaluating the effectiveness of employee training and development activities

Human resources management is a specialty within the broader field of management that focuses on managing employees/paid staff well Human resource management consists of a framework of activities and practices that support and develop a motivated workforce while at the same time complying with legislation and regulations that govern the employer/employee relationship

Good human resources management directly contributes to organizational effectiveness From high rates of turnover to unresolved conflicts between staff members, poorly managed staff can be very costly to an organization both in terms

of productivity and actual dollars

Every organization begins with a mission or reason for being that guides the activities of the organization Based on the mission, many organizations develop a strategic plan to guide the work of the organization for a period of two to three years

Figure 1-1: The relationship between HR management and other management tasks

( Sources:Human Resources Management by Mathis and Jackson )

The pace of change in the voluntary sector has had an impact on workplace learning If you think of your current position you most likely have had to increase your competence in change management, fund raising, diversity management, and

so on In other words, you have had to consciously develop as an employee Change also put the spotlight on training and education as a means of equipping workers with the tools they need to adapt to changing skill requirements, organizational change and increasing complexity in the external environment

In addition, employee training and development are part of good management practices and good risk management strategies

1.1 EMPLOYEE TRAINING

1.1.1 What Is Employee Training?

Training refers to a planned effort by a company to facilitate employees’ learning of job-related competencies The goal of training is for employees to master the knowledge, skill, and behaviors emphasized in training programs, and apply them to their day-to-day activities

Training is one of tools helping companies gain the competitive advantages but why

do they believe that investment in training will help them gain the competitive advantages?

On the other hand, training is defined as follow:

“Training is a learning process that involves that acquisition of skills, concepts, rules or attitudes to enhance performance of employees Generally, the new manager’s employee has primary responsibility for job training Sometime this training is delegated to senior employee in the department Regardless, the quality

of this initial training can have a significant influence on the employee’s productivity and attitude toward the job”

Table1-1: Comparison between training and development

Goal Preparation for current job Preparation for changes

( Source: The McGraw-Hill Company Inc )

Figure1-2: Training Design Process

( Source: The McGraw-Hill Company Inc )

Economic, social, technological and governmental changes significantly influence the objectives, strategies of all organizations Change in this area can make the skill learned today obsolete in the future Also, planned organizational changes and

Ensuring Transfer of Training

Select Training

Method

Monitor and Evaluate the Program

expansion can make it necessary for employee to update their skills or acquire new ones

Many companies are reconfiguring their training function to gain a competitive advantage This involves use of high-leverage training, creating a learning organization, and nurturing continuous learning

High-leverage training is linked to strategic business goals and objectives, is

supported by top management, relies on instructional design process to ensure the quality of training and contain costs, and is compared with or benchmarked to program in the organization High-leverage training practices help create working conditions that encourage continuous learning

A learning organization is one whose employees are continuously attempting to

learn new things and apply what they have learned to improve product and service quality Improvements do not stop when formal training is completed

Continuous learning requires employees to understand the relationship among their

jobs, their work units and company and to be familiar with the company’s business goals Employees are expected to acquire new skills, knowledge, and apply them on your job and share the information with others Managers take an active role in identifying training needs and helping to ensure that employees training in their work

1.1.2 Competency Based Employee Training

1.1.2.1 Making Training Competency Based

Organizations today are finding competencies to be of great value in their training practices For example, Ford Financial uses a skill- and competency-based learning program that affords employees an opportunity to view information such as the skills and competencies needed for positions General Electric uses a formal competency analysis program, based on 45 different behaviors, to assist in meeting its training needs

Training can become competency based in at least three ways

 Reinvent the ISD model

 Train to build individual competence relative to a competency model of exemplary performance

 Build individual competence in a work team context

These approaches are not mutually exclusive, but they do represent different emphases

a) Reinventing the ISD Model

When the ISD model is reoriented toward building worker competence to achieve exemplary performance rather than matching individual abilities to work requirements, training becomes competency based

One key point of change centers on the third step in the ISD model, the training needs assessment A traditional TNA pinpoints performance gaps that can be closed through training, but the focus of the TNA changes with a competency-based approach Since competency models encompass all the variables that underlie successful job performance-not just knowledge, skill, and attitudes-then performance gaps must be systematically identified in broader terms for competency-based practices In short, the competency-based approach views training as more than provide knowledge, building skill, or improving attitude

b) Training to Build Individual Competence

Another approach, the strategic systems model (SSM), is generally analogous to the ISD model The SSM is implemented relative to internal as well as external factors that affect organizational and employee performance and is designed to accommodate the participation of persons from both environments It is particularly useful for practitioners who must develop a curriculum that includes numerous

training and other opportunities in systematic and strategic contexts for a diverse population of employees.1

c) Building Individual Competence in a Work Team Context

Most organizations in the United States have experimented with work teams They present a special challenge; however, since team-based management usually directs attention to group rather than individual performance When teams become the focus of attention, it just makes sense to start thinking in terms of team or team member role competency models rather than job, department, work role, or occupational competence Each individual works within a team, and its members should contribute to the collective ability to meet or exceed customer requirements With a team competency model, individuals can be assessed against how well they demonstrate the needed competencies Training can then help to narrow deficiencies

in individual performance

1.1.2.2 Models for Competency-Based Training

There are three models for reinventing training around a competency foundation The models correspond to the approaches to competency-based training we described in the previous sections of this chapter

 Reinventing the ISD model

 Training to build individual competence relative to a competency model of exemplary performance

 Building individual competence in a work team context

1 For additional information on the SSM, see Dubois (1993, 1998).

a) A Model for Competency-Based ISD

The competency-based ISD model reinvents each step of the traditional ISD model around a competency foundation

The first step in applying the competency-based ISD model is called performance

analysis, in which trainers analyze the performance problem The goal of the

competency-based process is to determine whether the problem is caused by a lack

of individual competence or by a lack of organizational competence

Individual competence is related to the characteristics needed for an individual to

meet or exceed organizational or customer-performance requirements

Organizational competence, in contrast, refers to the organization's core

competencies In the competency-based ISD model, it is important to align individual performance with organizational or, more important, customer expectations

By focusing attention on both individual and organizational competence, trainers move beyond a simple focus on an individual's knowledge, skill, and attitude and begin to consider organizational factors that may create barriers to individual or exemplary-performance

As in the traditional ISD model, the competency-based model requires trainers to examine organizational, individual, and work requirements Instead of focusing on the minimum performance requirements, however, trainers who use the competency-based ISD model must specify the conditions essential for exemplary performance

In the third step in the model, the training needs assessment, the competency-based model expands the traditional focus of the ISD model to address all the variables that support exemplary performance

The fourth step in applying the competency-based ISD model is to write instructional objectives, specifying the behavioral indicators tied to exemplary work

performance that must be demonstrated upon completion of training Those indicators must be observable and measurable

In the fifth step trainers must decide whether to prepare or purchase training content

to achieve the instructional objectives identified in the previous step

The sixth step in applying the competency-based ISD model is to select a method of delivering the training Trainers must consider not only traditional issues such as the relative costs and benefits of different delivery methods but also whether the method is appropriate for the competency and perhaps even how to blend methods

to achieve the best results

The seventh step in applying the competency-based ISD model is to conduct a formative evaluation In competency-based training, the formative evaluation is focused on how well the training builds competence

The eighth step of the model is the implementation phase, when trainers actually offer the training to targeted participants

b) A Model for Competency-Based Self-Directed Training and Development

A competency-based model for self-directed training and development emphasizes the individual's increased responsibility for his or her own learning

In the first step of the model, individuals decide to take more responsibility for their own learning and competency development In the second and third steps, they access existing competency models and compare themselves to those models with input from organizational superiors or work experts In the fourth step, they create individual development plans (IDPs) to close the gap between their perceived competencies and the competencies required for work success or exemplary performance The fifth step is to implement the plan by participating in training and other developmental experiences designed to build the competencies specified in the IDPs In the sixth step, they periodically compare their competency development to the models and consult knowledgeable performers and mentors In

the seventh step, they modify their IDPs as necessary in order to ensure that they are building competence and possibly to do further planning

c) A Model for Competency-Based Work Team Development

This model emphasizes both the group's ability to carry out its collective work and each individual's competence within the team context

In the first step of the model, team performance is examined against the performance of exemplary teams Second, HR or other practitioners develop a team competency model that includes specific competencies and behavioral indicators associated with exemplary team performance In the third step, individual members are assessed against the team competency model using a 360-degree competency assessment or other method such as a performance test Fourth, trainers compile the ratings of the entire team and use them to guide the training plans for team members This may also result in a work team development plan for bringing the team's current performance closer to the level of an exemplary team In the fifth step, team members undergo training and thus implement the plan to build the identified competencies Sixth, team members periodically compare their team's competency development to the model Seventh and finally, they modify the development plan to ensure that they are building competence

1.1.3 The Needs of Employee Training and Development

The following issues and changes in an organization many indicate the needs for employee training and development:

 Employee survey results

 Evaluation deficiencies

 Individual development plan

 Law and regulation changes

 Need to develop new leaders

 Reassignment

At the same time as the need for employee training and development is increasing,

it can be argued that the time and money available in organizations for traditional forms of learning such as formal training courses has decreased To meet this gap between the need for training and its accessibility, we've identified a variety of inexpensive methods for employee development can offer longer leaves than the law requires

Companies can obtain competitive advantages if they successfully deal with quality, globalization, high-performance working system and social challenges Training can help companies

 Increase employee’s knowledge of foreign competitors and cultures, which

is crucial for success in foreign markets

 Help ensure that employees have the basic skills to work with new technology

 Help employees understand how to work effectively in teams to contribute

to product and service quality

 Ensure that company’s culture emphasizes innovation, creative and learning

 Prepare employees to accept and work more effectively with each other

1.1.4 Components of Employee Training

1.1.4.1 Needs Assessment

Training must be directed toward accomplishment of some organizational objective, such as more efficient production methods, improved quality of products or services, or reducing operating costs This meant the organization should commit its resources only to those training activities that can best help in achieving its objectives That’s why we must consider needs assessment when mention employee training Needs assessment is a systematic analysis of the specific training activities

the organization requires to achieve its objectives In general, five methods can be used to gather needs assessment information: interviews, surveys/questionnaires, observations, focus group and document examination

Interviews with employee can be conducted by specialist in the human resource department or by outside experts Basic questions that should be asked as follows:

 What problems is the employee having in his or her job?

 What additional skills and or knowledge does the employee need to better perform the job?

 What training does the employee believe is needed

Of course, in conducting interviews, every organization would have several additional questions about the specific issues In addition, if interviews are to provide useful information, employees must believe their input will be valued and not be used against them

Surveys and/or questionnaires are also frequently used in needs assessment Normally this involves developing a list of skills required to perform particular jobs effectively and asking employees to check those skills in which they believe they need training

To be effective, observation for determining training needs must be conducted by individual trained in observing employees behavior and translating observed behavior into specific training Specialists in the human resource department who have been trained in performing job analysis should be particularly adept or observing to identify training needs

Focus groups are composed of employees from various departments and various levels within the organization A specialist in the human resource department or an outside expert can conduct the focus group sessions Focus group topics should address issues such as the following:

 What skills/knowledge will our employees need for our organization to stay competitive over the next five years?

 What problems does our organization have that can be solved through training?

Document examination involves examining organizational records on absenteeism, turnover and accident rates to determine if problem exist and whether any problems identified can be addressed through training Another useful source to examine is performance appraisal information gathered through organization performance’s appraisal system

1.1.4.2 Establishing Training Objectives

After training needs are determined, objectives must be established for meeting those needs Unfortunately, many organizational training programs have no objectives “Training for training’s sake” appears to be maxim This philosophy makes virtually impossible to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a training program Effective training objectives should state what will result for the organization, department or individual when the training is completed The outcomes should be described in writing Training objectives can be categorized as follows:

a) Instructional objectives

 What principles, concepts, and facts are to be learned in the training program?

 Who is to be taught?

 When are they to be taught?

b) Organizational and departmental objectives

 What impact will the training have on organizational and departmental outcomes such as absenteeism, turnover, reduced costs, and improved productivity?

c) Individual performance and growth objectives

 What impact the training have on the behavioral and attitudinal outcomes of the individual trainee?

 What impact will the training have on the personal growth of the individual trainee?

When clearly defines objectives are lacking, it is impossible to evaluate a program efficiently Furthermore, there is no basic for selecting appropriate materials, content or instructional method

1.1.5 Method of Employee Training

Several methods can be used to satisfy an organization’s training needs and accomplish its objectives Some of the more commonly used methods include on-the-job training, job rotation, apprenticeship and classroom training

1.1.5.1 On-the-job-training

On-the-job training is training shows the employee how to perform the job and allows him or her to do it under the trainer’s supervision On-the-job training is normally given by a senior employee or a manager

On form of on-the-job training is job rotation, sometime called cross training In job rotation, an individual learns several different jobs within a work unit or department

to perform each job for a specified time period One main advantage of job rotation

is that it makes flexibility possible in the department For example, when one member or of a work unit is absent, another can perform this job

The advantages of on-the-job training are that no special facilities are required and the new employee does productive work during the learning process Its major disadvantage is that the pressure of the workplace can cause instruction of the employee to be haphazard or neglected

Steps leading to effective on-the-job training

a) Determining the training objectives and preparing the training area

 Decide what the trainee must be taught to do the job efficiently, safely, economically, and intelligently

 Provide the right tools, equipment, supplies and materials

Have the workplace properly arranged just as the trainee will be expected to keep it

b) Presenting the instruction:

Figure 1-3: Presenting the instruction

(Source: RobertL Mathis&John H Jacskon, Human Resources Management, 8 th edition,1992)

Preparation of the trainee for learning the job

An employee almost always desires to learn a new job Showing an interest in the person, explaining the importance of the job, and explaining why it must be done correctly enhance the employee’s desire to learn Determining the employee’s previous work experience in similar jobs enables the trainer to use that experience

in explaining the present job or to eliminate unnecessary explanations

 Put the trainee at ease

Preparation of the trainee for learning the job

Breakdown of work into components and identification

 Find out what the trainee already knows about the job

 Get the trainee interested in and desirous of learning the job

Breakdown of work into components and identification of key points

This breakdown consists determining the segments that make up the total job In each segment, something is accomplished to advance the work toward completion Such a breakdown can be viewed as a detailed road map that guides the employees through the entire work cycle in a rational, easy to understand manner, without injury to the person or damage to the equipment

 A key point is any directive or information that helps the employees perform

a work component correctly, easily, and safely

Presentation of the operations and knowledge

Simply telling an employee how to perform the job is usually not sufficient An employee must not only be told but also shown how to do the job Each component

of the job must be demonstrated While each is being demonstrated, the key points for the component should be explained Employee should be encouraged to ask questions about each component

 Tell, show, illustrate and questions to put over the new knowledge and operations

 Instruct slowly, clearly, completely and patiently, one point at a time

 Check, question and repeat

 Make sure the trainee understands

Performance tryout

An employee should perform the job under the guidance of the trainer Generally,

an employee should be required to explain what he or she is going to do at each component of the job If the explanation is correct, the employee then allowed

corrected before the employee is allowed to actually perform the component Praise and encouragement are essential in the phase

 Test the trainee by having him or her perform the job

 Ask questions beginning with why, how, when or where

 Observe performance, correct errors, and repeat instruction if necessary

 Continue until the trainee is competent in the job

Follow-up

When the trainer is reasonably sure an employee can do the job without monitoring, the employee should be encouraged to work at his or her own pace while developing skills in performing the job and should be left alone The trainer should return periodically to answer any questions and see that all is going well Each employee should not be turned loose and forgotten They will have question and will make better progress if the trainer is around to answer questions and help with problems

 Put the trainee on his or her own

 Check frequently to be sure the trainee follows instruction

 Taper off extra supervision and close follow-up until the trainee is qualified to work with normal supervision

1.1.5.2 Apprenticeship Training

Apprenticeship training provides beginning workers with comprehensive training in the practical and theoretical aspects of work required in a highly skilled occupation Apprenticeship programs combine on-the-job and classroom training to prepare workers for more than 800 skilled occupations such as bricklayer, machinist worker, computer operator, and laboratory technician About two-third of apprenticeable occupations are in the construction and manufacturing trades, but apprentices also work in such diverse fields such as electronics, the service industries, public

administration and medical and health care The length of an apprenticeship varies occupation and is determined by standards adopted by the industry

A skilled an experienced employee conducts on-the-job training during the apprenticeship period The purpose of this training is to learn practical skills of the job Apprentices learn theoretical side of their jobs in classes they attend Some of the subjects that might be covered in the classroom training include mathematics, blueprint reading, and technical courses required for specific occupations

Table1-2: Length of selected apprenticeship courses

Occupation Length of course(years)

1.1.5.4 Web-Based Training

In some companies, employee training has move from the classroom to the internet

“Virtual” classrooms offer training in either self-paced courses, real-time courses through intranets, or even real-time videoconferencing

1.1.6 Principles of Training

Previous sections mentioned not only how training needs are determined but also how they can be met The use of learning principles during the development and implementation those programs helps to ensure the programs will succeed

1.1.6.1 Motivation to Achieve Personal Goals

People strive to achieve objectives they have set for themselves The most frequently identified objectives of employees are job security, financially and intellectually rewarding work, recognition, status, responsibility, and achievement

If a training program helps employees achieve some of these objectives, the learning process is greatly facilitated For example, unskilled employees who are given the opportunity to learn skilled trade may be highly motivated because they can see that more money and job security will probably result

1.1.6.2 Knowledge of Results

Knowledge of results (feedback) influences learning process Keeping employee informed of their progress as measured against some standard helps in setting goals for what remains to be learned The continuous process of analyzing progress and establishing new objectives greatly enhances learning However, precautions should

be taken to ensure that goals are not so difficult to achieve that the employee become discouraged

1.1.6.3 Reinforcement

The general idea behind reinforcement is that behavior that appears to lead to a positive consequence tends to be repeated, while behavior that appears to lead to a negative consequence tends not to be repeated A positive consequence is a reward

Praise and recognition are two typical rewards that can be used in training For example, a trainee who if praised for good performance is likely to continue to strive to achieve additional praise

1.1.6.4 Flow of The Training Program

Each segment of training should be organized so that the individual can see not only its purpose but also how it fits in which other parts of the program In addition, later segment should build on those presented earlier

1.1.6.5 Practice and Repetition

The old adage “Practice makes perfect” is applicable in training Having trainees perform a particular operation help them concentrate on the subject Repeating a task several times develops facility in performing it Practice and repetition almost always enhance effective learning

1.1.6.6 Spacing of Sessions

Manager frequently want to get an employee out of training and into a productive job as quickly as possible However trade-offs are involved in deciding whether the training should be given on consecutive days or at longer intervals Generally, spacing out training over a period of time facilities the learning process However, the interval most conductive to learning depends on the types of training

1.1.6.7 Whole or Part Training

Should training for a job be completed at once, or should the employee train separately for each job component? The decision should be based on the content of the specific job, the material being taught, and the needs of those being trained One often successful method is to first give trainees brief overview of the job as a whole and then divide it into proportions for in-depth instruction

1.1.7 Designing Effective Training System

One of key characteristics of training systems that contribute to competitiveness is that they are designed according to the instructional design process Instructional process refers to a systematic approach for developing training program

Table 1-3: Components of Instructional Design

1) Conducting needs assessment

o Organizational analysis

o Person analysis

o Task analysis

2) Ensuring employees readiness for training

o Attitude and motivation

o Basic skills

3) Creating a learning environment

o Identification of learning objective and training outcome

o Meaningful material

o Practice

o Feedback

o Observation of others

o Administering and coordinating program

4) Ensuring transfer of training

o Self-management strategies

o Peer and manager support

5) Selecting training methods

o Presentational techniques

o Hands-on techniques

o Group techniques

6) Evaluating training programs

o Identification of training outcomes and evaluation design

o Cost-benefit analysis

( Source: Brandon Hall, The Web-Based Training Cookbook: EverythingYou Need to

Know for Online Training )

1.1.7.1 Conducting Needs Assessment

Figure 1-4: The needs Assessment process

( Source: Human Resources Management, Gaining a Competitive Advantage, 2 ND

Organizational analysis

 How does training fit with the company’s strategic goals?

 Does the company have the resources to buy or develop training?

 Do managers and employees support training?

Person analysis

 Is it training, motivation, or

work design problem?

 Who needs training?

 Are employees ready for

training?

Needs assessment helps determine whether training is necessary There are many different “Pressure points” That may suggest that training is necessary; performance problem, new technology, internal/external customer requests for training, job redesign, new legislation, change in customer preferences, new products or employee’s basic of skills By themselves those pressure points do not guarantee that training is correct solution For example, a delivery truck driver who hooks up the supply line of a mild anesthetic to the supply line of s hospital’s oxygen system may make this mistake for a number of reasons, including a lack of knowledge about the appropriate line hookup for anesthetic (a training problem), anger over a salary increase that was recently denied by the driver’s manager, or lack of attention

to the job details because of a substance abuse problem One of the goals of needs assessment is to determine whether the “pressure points” can be successfully addressed by training

Needs assessment involves organizational analysis, person analysis and task analysis Organizational analysis involves determining the appropriateness of training, given the company’s business strategies, its resources available for training and support by managers and peers for training activities Person analysis involves determining whether performance deficiencies result from lack of knowledge, skill,

or ability (a training issue) or from motivational or work design problem, identifying who needs training and determining employees’ readiness for training Task analysis includes identifying the important tasks, knowledge, skill, and behaviors that need to be emphasized in training

Organizational analysis Managers need to consider three factors before choosing

training as the solution to any pressure point: Supports of managers and peers for training activities, the company’s strategic direction, and the training resources available

Supports of managers and peers Various studies found that peer and manager

support for training is critical The key factors to success are a positive attitude

among peers and mangers about participation in training activities, managers’ and peers’ willingness to provide information to trainees about how they can be effectively use knowledge, skills, or behaviors learned training on the job, and the availability of opportunities for trainees to use training contents in their jobs

Company Strategy The plan or goal that the company choose to achieve strategic objectives has a major impact on whether resources (money, trainee’s time, program development) should be devoted to addressing a training pressure point

Table1-4: Implication of Business strategy for training

Strategy Emphasis How achieved Key issues Training implication

Concentr

ation

 Increase market share

 Reducing operating costs

 Create or maintain market niche

 Improve product quality

 Productivity improvemen

t or technical process innovation

 Customize products or services

 Skill currency

 Development

of existing work force

 Team building

 Cross-training

 Specialized programs

 Interpersonal skill training

 On-the-job training

Internal

growth

 Market developme

nt

 Product developme

nt

 Innovation

 Joint ventures

 Market existing product/ add distribution channels

 Global market expansion

 Modifying existing products

 Expansion through joint ownership

 Creating new jobs and tasks

 Innovation

 Support or promote high quality communication of product value

 Cultural training

 Help in development of organizational culture that values create thinking and analysis

 Manager training

in feedback and communication Conflict negotiation skill