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Literature Review
The game of economic competition has new rules. Firms should be fast and
responsive. This requires responding to customers' needs for quality, variety,
customization, convenience and timeliness. Meeting these new standards requires a
workforce that is technically trained in all respects. It requires people who are capable
of analysing and solving job related problems, working cooperatively in teams and
'changing hats' and shifting from job to job as well.

Training has increased in importance in today's environment where jobs are

complex and change rapidly. Companies that pay lip-service to the need for training,
by lazily setting aside a few hours a year, will soon find themselves at the receiving
end when talented employees leave in frustration and other employees find it difficult
to beat rivals with new products, sophisticated designs and improved ways of selling.

To survive and flourish in the present day corporate-jungle, companies should

invest time and money in upgrading the knowledge and skills of their employees
constantly. For, any company that stops injecting itself with intelligence is going to
die. The purpose of this assignment is to understand the basic principles, areas, and
methods of training currently in use in the corporate circles.

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Introduction
Definition
The concept of training is related with enhancing skill and quality of
performance of workers for increasing productivity. Training programmes are
conducted to enhance the existing skills of the associates and to develop the skills
required to play different roles and jobs in the organization.

Training is an act of increasing the knowledge and skill of an employee for

doing a particular job. It is concerned with imparting specific job related skill to the
employee. The aim of training is to develop some specific skill in an individual. It is
mostly a preparation to meet individuals’ present needs. It can thus be seen as a
reactive process.

Training needs analysis process is a series of activities conducted to identify

problems or other issues in the workplace, and to determine whether training is an
appropriate response. The needs analysis is usually the first step taken to cause a
change. This is mainly because a needs analysis specifically defines the gap between
the current and the desired individual and organizational performances.

Training Means

T - To Be In Time On Your Seat

R - Remain Attentive All The Time
A - Actively Participate
I - Interact For Clarity
N - Note Difficult Point To Memorize
I - Improve Listening Habit
N - Never Neglect The Programme
G - Gain As Much As You Can

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In details, we can say that training is the organized procedure by which

employees acquired knowledge and /or skill for a definite purpose after they have
selected, placed and inducted in the organization. It is the art of increasing the
knowledge and skill of employees for doing a certain job. Training is to be designed
to meet the specific goals in the organizations.

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Origination of Training
Training is originated due to the following:

• Lack of knowledge, skill, aptitude and favourable attitude.

• Knowledge and skill not being adopted.
• Existence of anti-learning factors: Most operational situations contain. A
number of elements which will restrict the development of learning regardless
the methods employed.
• Psychological problems like fear and shy,
• Inability to transfer of learning to operation situation.
• Heavy dependence on repetition, demonstration and practice.
• Unwilling to change.
• Lack of interest about the knowledge of results.
• Absence of self-motivation.
• Negative attitude about involvement and participation.

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Need for Training

After employees have been selected for various positions in an organization,
training them for the specific tasks to which they have been assigned assumes great
importance. It is true in many organizations that before an employee is fitted into a
harmonious working relationship with other employees, he is given adequate training.
Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for
performing a particular job. The major outcome of training is learning. A trainee
learns new habits, refined skills and useful knowledge during the training that helps
him improve performance. Training enables an employee to do his present job more
efficiently and prepare himself for a higher-level job. The essential features of
training may be stated thus:

• Increases knowledge and skills for doing a particular job; it bridges the gap
between job needs and employee skills, knowledge and behaviours.
• Focuses attention on the current job; it is job specific and addresses particular
performance deficits or problems.
• Concentrates on individual employees; changing what employees know, how
they work, their attitudes toward their work or their interactions with their co-
workers or supervisors.
• Tends to be more narrowly focused and oriented toward short-term
performance concerns.
• To train the employees in the company culture pattern.
• To train the employee to increase his quantity and quality of output. This may
involve improvement in work methods or skills.
• To train employee for promotion to higher jobs.
• To train the bright but dronish employee in the formation of his goals. This
may involve instructions in initiative and drive.
• To train employee towards better job adjustment and high morale.
• To reduce supervision, wastage and accidents. Development of effective work
habits and methods of work should contribute towards a reduction in the
accident rate, less supervision and wastage of material.

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The Benefits to the employees

Training staff, keeping them motivated and up-to-date with industry trends
and new technologies is essential to achieving that goal. Hence, the benefits of
training to the employees are as follows:

• Leads to improved profitability and/or more positive attitudes towards profit

orientation. Improves the job knowledge and skills at all levels of the
organization.
• Improves the morale of the workforce.
• Helps people identify with organizational goals.
• Helps create a better corporate image.
• Fosters authenticity, openness and trust.
• Improves relationship between boss and subordinate.
• Aids in organizational development.
• Learns from the trainee.
• Helps prepare guidelines for work.
• Aids in understanding and carrying out organizational policies.
• Provides information for future needs in all areas of the organization.
• Organization gets more effective decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Aids in development for promotion from within.
• Aids in developing leadership skills, motivation, loyalty, better attitudes, and
other aspects that successful workers and managers usually display.
• Aids in increasing productivity and/or quality of work.
• Helps keep costs down in many areas, e.g. production, personnel,
administration, etc.
• Develops a sense of responsibility to the organization for being competent and
knowledgeable.
• Improves Labour-management relations.
• Reduces outside consulting costs by utilizing competent internal consultation.
• Stimulates preventive management as opposed to putting out fires.
• Eliminates suboptimal behaviour (such as hiding tools).
• Creates an appropriate climate for growth, communication.
• Aids in improving organizational communication.
• Helps employees adjust to change.
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• Aids in handling conflict, thereby helping to prevent stress and tension.

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Company’s Profile
The Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) is the oldest and largest
banking institution of Mauritius. It is also the oldest banking institution
south of the Sahara and one of the oldest banks of the Commonwealth to
have preserved its original name. The MCB is the only Mauritian bank to
be among The Banker's list of 'THE TOP 1000 WORLD BANKS 2008'.

The Mauritius Commercial Bank’s head office is found at Port Louis,

more precisely on the 9-15, Sir William Newton Street.
Below is a satellite view of the location of the head quarters, with the red
dot indicating the location of the building.

Type Limited Liability Company

Industry Finance and Insurance
Founded 1838
Headquarters 9-15, Sir William Newton Street, Port Louis, Mauritius
Products Banking
Employees More than 2,000 (2,598 Employees)
Branches 42 strategically located branches all over the island

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MCB’s dedication to its ‘people’

"Attract, Develop, Recognise and Reward its quality people",is our imperative at
The MCB Ltd.

“The dreams they dream, the things they think, the ways they work, their
individuality, and how we put them together in teams, are all that makes us what we
are”

The MCB Group Workforce

The Group's entire workforce stood at 2,554 as at September 2005 of which
1,966 were attached to the Bank, 588 to foreign subsidiaries and 36 to the local
subsidiaries. The Group has a 25-strong management team.

The HR Function
At The MCB Ltd. because people are the key to its success, the Human
Resource Department (HRD) champions the importance of the individual while
thinking strategically. HR facilitates the creation of an environment in which people
have the means to constantly evolve in striving for continuous improvement for the
benefit of all stakeholders.

Positioned as a strategic business unit within the corporate structure of the

MCB, the HRD has as its prime responsibility to contribute to the organisation's
effectiveness by engaging its people and aligning the policies and procedures and
systems to the strategy of the business. It is through this that the HRD adds value to
the institution.

The Human Resource Department (HRD) facilitates and partners with its
customers (MCB Staff) in implementing the planned strategy by adopting a ‘Can Do
Attitude’. More specifically the HRD contributes to the business strategy through:

• Competency based HR systems

• Policy and Procedures
• Developing Capabilities
• Performance Management

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• Transparent and Open Communication

• Reward and Recognition
• Employee Satisfaction
• Diversity
• Compliance

The MCB Group: A Knowledge-based Institution

The expertise and personal dedication of our staff are decisive factors to the
success of our institution, and in our endeavour to deliver first-class financial services.
That's why The MCB Ltd has set high standards for the professional development of
its staff.

The Group has a tradition of life-long training both in-house and externally.
Rapid change requires skilled, knowledgeable workforce with employees who are
adaptive, flexible and focused on the future. One of HRD's key responsibilities is to
encourage growth and career development of employees by coaching and by helping
employees achieve their personal goals in our organisation and beyond...

The recent past has seen an increase in the number of employees sent abroad
for skill development to support the diversification strategy into financial services.

In-house training workshops cover a wide range of topics which, while

helping to bring employee knowledge up to date, enhance awareness of the different
activities of the Group and as such improve their effectiveness in their dealings with
customers. One of our comprehensive ongoing in-house training programmes is the
Service Plus course which falls very much in line with our corporate value of
customer care. The ACIB mentoring programme launched in September 2000, has
been largely successful with considerable improvements in pass rates.

The 'Training Process' is an ongoing venture at the Bank; and in light of the
importance of upgrading the skills of our employees, a team dedicated to excellence,
is constantly striving to find new ways to deliver exclusive training and development
solutions to MCB Staff.

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In order to compete in a high-speed pace business environment and meet the

dynamics of evolving customer expectations, expertise coupled with dedication is the
key to turning dreams into reality -- 'To be the obvious choice for financial services
in the region and beyond'.

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Why Training Fails?

The reasons for the failure of training are enumerated below.

• The benefits of training are not clear to the top management.

• The top management hardly rewards the supervisors for carrying out effective
training.
• The top management rarely plans and budgets systematically for training
• The middle management, without proper incentives from top management
does not account for training in production scheduling
• Without proper scheduling from above, first line supervisors have difficulty in
production norms if employees are attending training programmes.
• Trainers provide limited counselling and consulting services to the rest of the
organization.

Therefore, before the fear which revolves in our mind, there is a need to
undertake training by following a well-planned strategy, which is known as Planned
Training or the Training Process.

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The Training Process or Planned

Training
Training in an organization requires implementation to achieve success.
Therefore, the strategy will require vision, focus, direction and an action planning
document. A Planned Training or a Training Process is a mechanism that establishes
what competencies an organization requires in the future and a means to achieve it.

Organizational Objectives
and Strategies

Assessment of Training
Needs

Establishment of Training
Goals

Devising Training
Programmeme

Implementation of
Training programmeme

Evaluation of Results

Planned Training/Training Process Structure

(1) Organizational Objectives and

Strategies:
The first step in the training process in an organization is the assessment of its
objectives and strategies. What business are we in? At what level of quality do we
wish to provide this product or service? Where do we want to be in the future? It is

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only after answering these and other related questions that the organization must
assess the strengths and weaknesses of its human resources.

(2) Assessment of Training Needs:

Organizations spend vast sums of money on training. Before committing such
huge resources, organizations would do well to assess the training needs of the
employees. Organizations that implement training programmes without conducting
needs assessment may be making errors.

Needs assessment occurs at two levels:

a) Individual
b) Group

Individual:
An individual obviously needs training when his or her training falls short of
standards, that is, when there is performance deficiency. Inadequacy in performance
may be due to lack of skill or knowledge or any other problem. The problem of
performance deficiency is caused by absence of skills or knowledge can be remedied
by training. Faulty selection, poor job design, uninspiring supervision or some
personal problem may also result in poor performance. Transfer, job redesign,
improving quality of supervision, or discharge will solve the problem.
Individuals may also require new skills because of possible job transfers. Although
job transfers are as common as organizational personal demands vary, they do not
necessarily require elaborate training efforts. Employees commonly require an
orientation to new facilities and jobs. Recently, however, economic forces have
necessitated significant retraining efforts in order to assure continuous employment
for many individuals.

Group:
Assessment of training needs occurs at group level too. Any change in the
organization’s strategy necessitates training groups of employees. For example, when
the organization decides to introduce a new line of products, sales personnel and
production workers have to be trained to produce, sell and service the new products.

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Training can also be used when high scrap or accident rates, low morale and
motivation, or other problems are diagnosed.

Needs Assessment Methods:

Several assessment methods for are available for assessing training needs. Some are
useful for organizational level needs assessment and others for individual needs
assessment.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT METHODS

Group analysis Individual analysis

• Organizational goals and • Performance Appraisal
objectives • Work sampling
• Personnel/skills inventories • Interviews
• Organizational climate • Questionnaires
indices • Attitude survey
• Efficiency indices • Training progress
• Exit interviews • Rating scales
• MBO or work planning
systems
• Quality circles
• Customer
survey/satisfaction data
• Consideration of current and
projected changes
Benefits of Needs Assessment:
Needs assessment helps diagnose the cause of performance deficiency of employees.
Causes require remedial actions. There are specific benefits of needs assessment.
 Trainers may be informed about the broader needs of the training group and their
sponsoring organizations.
 The sponsoring organizations are able to reduce the perception gap between the
participant and his or her boss about their needs and expectations from the training
programme.
 Trainers are able to pitch their course inputs closer to the specific needs of the
participants.

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(3) Establishment of Training Goals:

Once the training needs are assessed, training goals must be established.
With out clearly set goals, it is not possible to design a training programme and, after
it has been implemented, there will be no way of measuring its effectiveness. Goals
must be tangible, verifiable, and measurable. This is easy where skill training is
involved. For example, the successful trainee will be expected to type 55 words per
minute with two or three errors per page. But behavioural objectives like attitudinal
changes can be more difficult to state. Nevertheless, clear behavioural standards of
expected results are necessary so that the programme can be effectively designed and
results can be evaluated.

Objectives of Training
Staying ahead in today's business world is more challenging than ever.
Building trust and promoting teamwork are just two expectations of any business
leader.
Training programmes are designed to keep an organization at the front of its
industry maximize performance and energize every level of the organization. Training
is also seen to strengthen the tie between employee development and strategic
operation objectives.

The objectives of Training are as follows: -

• Efficiency: Employees become efficient after undergoing training. Efficient

employees contribute to the growth of the organization.

• Fewer accidents: Accidents, scrap and damage to machinery and

equipment can be avoided or minimized through training. Even dissatisfaction, complaints,
absenteeism, and turnover can be reduced if employees are trained well.

• Meeting manpower needs: Future needs of employees will be

met through training programmes. Training serves as an effective source of recruitment.
Training is an investment in human resource with promise of better returns in future.

• Improves quality: Better-informed workers are likely to make less

operational mistakes. Quality of products or services will definitely increase. This can be well
measured through the reduction in rejections.

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• Personal growth: Training programmes also deal with personality

development of the employees (through goal setting, motivation, leadership skills, etc.) thus
they personally gain through exposure to training programmes.

• Obsolescence prevention: Training programmes foster the

initiative and the creativity of the employees and help to prevent the manpower obsolescence,
which may be due to age, temperament, or the inability of the person to adapt himself to
technological changes.

• Versatility in operations: Training makes the employees

versatile in operations. All rounders can be transferred to any job. Flexibility is therefore
ensured. Growth indicates prosperity, which is reflected in profits every year.

• Employee stability: Training contributes to employee stability in at

least 2 ways. Employees become efficient after undergoing training. Efficient employees
contribute to the growth of the organization. Growth renders stability to the work force.
Further trained employees tend to stay with the organization.

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(4) Devising the Training Programme

Every training programme must address the following vital issues:

Who are the Who are the What methods

trainees? trainers? & techniques?

What should be What Where to

the level of principles of conduct the
training? learning? programme?

1) Who are the trainees?

Trainees are selected on the basis of:
• Self Nomination
• Recommendations of the Supervisor
• By the HR Department itself
Whatever is the basis, it is advisable to have two or more target audiences. For
example, rank-and-file employees and their supervisors may effectively learn together
about a new process and their respective roles. It also helps facilitate group processes
such as problem solving and decision – making.

2) Who are the trainers?

Training may be done by:
• Immediate Supervisors
• Co – workers
• Personnel Staff
• Specialists in other parts of the company
• Outside Consultants
• Industry Associations
• Faculty Members at Universities
Who among these are selected to teach, often depends on where the
programme is held and the skill that is being taught.

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3) What Methods and Techniques of

Training should be used?
A training method is the process, technique or approach which a trainer uses in
teaching. A multitude of methods and techniques is used to train employees. Training
techniques are the means employed in the training methods. Training methods are
categorized into two groups – on-the-job methods and off-the-job methods. The most
commonly used techniques are shown in the table given below.

METHODS & TECHNIQUES OF TRAINING

On-the-Job Method Off-the-Job Method

Orientation Training
Job-Instruction Training Simulation Lecture
Job Rotation Films & Television
Coaching Conference/Discussion
Mentoring Case Study Programmed Instruction
Vestibule
Role Play

Training – On-the-Job
As the name implies, on the job training involves employees training at their place or
work.
The most common methods of on the job training are:
• Demonstration / instruction; showing the trainee how to do the job;
• Coaching - a more intensive method of training that involves a close working
relationship between an experienced employee and the trainee;
• Job rotation - where the trainee is given several jobs in succession, to gain
experience of a wide range of activities (e.g. a graduate management trainee
might spend periods in several different departments);
• Projects - employees join a project team - which gives them exposure to other
parts of the business and allow them to take part in new activities. Most
successful project teams are "multi-disciplinary";

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Advantages of on the job training

• Generally more cost effective.
• Less disruptive to the business - i.e. employees are not away from work.
• Training an employee in their own working environment, with equipment they
are familiar with and people they know can help they gain direct experience to
a standard approved by the employer.
• Employees may find that they have more confidence if they are supervised and
guided as they feel they are doing the job right.
• Employees may feel more at ease being taught or supervised by people they
know rather than complete strangers at an external training course.
• Managers or supervisors can assess improvement and progress over a period
of time and this makes it easier to identify a problem intervene and resolve
problems quickly.
• On the job training is also productive, as the employee is still working as they
are learning.
• As training progresses and the employee begins to feel more confident, this
confidence would allow them to work at a higher standard and ultimately be
more productive.
• Training "on-the-job" provides an opportunity to get to know staff they might
not normally talk to.

Disadvantages of on the job training

• Teaching or coaching is a specialist skill in itself; unless the trainer has the
skills and knowledge to train, this would mean that the training will not be
done to a sufficient standard.
• The trainer may not be given the time to spend with the employee to teach
them properly, which would mean substandard training has been achieved and
learning has only been half done.
• The trainer may posses bad habits and pass these on to the trainee.

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Mentoring
A mentor can tutor others in their learning. Mentors help employees solve
problems both through training them in skills and through modeling effective attitudes
and behaviors.
This system is sometimes known as a buddy system.
Pros: It can take place before, during, or after a shift. It gives the trainee individual
attention and immediate feedback. It also helps the trainee get information regarding
the business culture and organizational structure.
Cons: Training can be interrupted if the mentor moves on. If a properly trained
mentor is not chosen, the trainee can pick up bad habits.

When choosing from among these methods, the trainer must decide which one
best suits the trainees, the environment, and the investments available. Many trainers
will choose to combine methods or vary them. Others will select a single method that
works best for them and never vary. With so many options, a trainer is limited only by
his or her creativity.

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Training – off-the-Job
Off the job training involves employees taking training courses away from
their place of work. This is often also referred to as "formal training".
Off the job training courses might be run by the business' training department or by
external providers.

The main types of off the job training courses are:

• Day release (where the employee takes time out from normal working hours to
attend a local college or training centre)
• Distance learning / evening classes
• Revision courses (e.g. in the accountancy profession, student employees are
given blocks of around 5-6 weeks off on pre-exam courses)
• Block release courses - which may involve several weeks at a local college
• Sandwich courses - where the employee spends a longer period of time at
college (e.g. six months) before returning to work
• Sponsored courses in higher education
• Self-study, computer-based training (an increasingly popular option - given
that attendance at external courses can involve heavy cost)

Advantages of off-the-job training:

• Use of specialist trainers and accommodation
• Employee can focus on the training - and not be distracted by work
• Opportunity to mix with employees from other businesses

Disadvantages of off-the-job training:

• Employee needs to be motivated to learn
• May not be directly relevant to the employee's job
• Costs (transport, course fees, examination fees, materials, accommodation)

There are many different ways to train. Indeed, entire books have been written
on the ways to deliver training. How can a manager charged with training his or her

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employees choose an appropriate method? This article defines some of the most
common training methods and reviews pros and cons for each one.

The method by which training is delivered often varies based on the needs of
the company, the trainee, and on the task being performed. The method should suit
the audience, the content, the business¡¦ environment, and the learning objective.
Ideally, the method chosen will motivate employees to learn, help employees prepare
themselves for learning, enable the trainees to apply and practice what they've been
taught, help trainees retain and transfer what they have learned, and integrate
performance with other skills and knowledge.

Other factors affecting the choice of a training method include:

• Age, gender, or level of education of the trainees
• Learning styles of the trainees
• Number of trainees
• Budget
• Trainer's skills and training style

Common group training methods include:

Lecture
A lecture is the method learners often most commonly associate with college
and secondary education. Yet, it is also considered one of the least effective methods
to use for adult learners. In this method, one person (the trainer) does all of the
talking. He or she may use handouts, visual aids, question/answer, or posters to
support the lecture.
Communication is primarily one-way: from the instructor to the learner.
Pros: Less time is needed for the trainer to prepare than other methods. It provides a
lot of information quickly when it is less important that the trainees retain a lot of
details.
Cons: Does not actively involve trainees in training process. The trainees forget much
information if it is presented only orally.

Demonstration
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Demonstration is very effective for basic skills training. The trainer shows
trainees how to do something. The trainer may provide an opportunity for trainees to
perform the task being demonstrated.
Pros: This method emphasizes the trainee involvement. It engages several senses:
seeing, hearing, feeling, touching.
Cons: It requires a great deal of trainer preparation and planning. There also needs to
be an adequate space for the training to take place. If the trainer is not skilled in the
task being taught, poor work habits can be learned by the trainee.

Seminar
Seminars often combine several group methods: lectures, discussions,
conferences, demonstrations.
Pros: Group members are involved in the training. The trainer can use many group
methods as part of the seminar activity.
Cons: Planning is time-consuming. The trainer must have skill in conducting a
seminar. More time is needed to conduct a seminar than is needed for many other
methods.

Conference
The conference training method is a good problem-solving approach. A group
considers a specific problem or issue and they work to reach agreement on statements
or solutions.
Pros: There is a lot of trainee participation. The trainees build consensus and the
trainer can use several methods (lecture, panel, seminar) to keep sessions interesting.
Cons: It can be difficult to control a group. Opinions generated at the conference may
differ from the manager¡¦s ideas, causing conflict.

Role Playing

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During a role play, the trainees assume roles and act out situations connected
to the learning concepts. It is good for customer service and sales training.
Pros: Trainees can learn possible results of certain behaviors in a classroom situation.
They get an opportunity to practice people skills. It is possible to experiment with
many different approaches to a situation without alienating any actual customers.
Cons: A lot of time is spent making a single point. Trainers must be skilled and
creative in helping the class learn from the situation. In some role play situations, only
a few people get to practice while others watch.

Case Studies
A case study is a description of a real or imagined situation which contains
information that trainees can use to analyze what has occurred and why. The trainees
recommend solutions based on the content provided.
Pros: A case study can present a real-life situation which lets trainees consider what
they would do. It can present a wide variety of skills in which applying knowledge is
important.
Cons: Cases can be difficult to write and time-consuming to discuss. The trainer must
be creative and very skilled at leading discussions, making points, and keeping
trainees on track.

Simulations
Trainees participate in a reality-based, interactive activity where they imitate
actions required on the job. It is a useful technique for skills development.
Pros: Training becomes more reality-based, as trainees are actively involved in the
learning process. It directly applies to jobs performed after training. Simulations
involve yet another learning style, increasing the chance that trainees will retain what
they have learned.
Cons: Simulations are time-consuming. The trainer must be very skilled and make
sure that trainees practice the skills correctly. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

Projects
Projects require the trainees to do something on the job which improves the
business as well as helps them learn about the topic of training. It might involve

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participation on a team, the creation of a database, or the forming of a new process.

The type of project will vary by business and the skill level of the trainee.
Pros: This is a good training activity for experienced employees. Projects can be
chosen which help solve problems or otherwise improve the operation. Trainees get
first-hand experience in the topic of the training. Little time is needed to prepare the
training experience.
Cons: Without proper introduction to the project and its purpose, trainees may think
they are doing somebody else¡¦s work. Also, if they do not have an interest in the
project or there is no immediate impact on their own jobs, it will be difficult to obtain
and maintain their interest.

Movies/videos/computer-based training
Content for the training experience comes primarily from a videotape or
computer-based program.
Pros: It is easy to provide this training and the trainer can follow-up with questions
and discussion. It is also easy to assure that the same information is presented to each
trainee.
Cons: It is expensive to develop. Most trainers choosing this option must purchase the
training from an outside vendor, making the content less specific to their needs.

Common individual training methods include:

Self-discovery
Trainees discover the competencies on their own using such techniques as
guided exercises, books, and research.
Pros: Trainees are able to choose the learning style that works the best for them. They
are able to move at their own pace and have a great deal of ownership over their
learning.
Cons: Trainees can easily get side-tracked and may move slower than the trainer
desires. It is also more difficult to measure the employee’s progress.

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(4) What should be the level of learning?

The inputs passed on to trainees in training programmes can be taught at three basic
levels.

Level I The trainee must acquire fundamental knowledge. This means developing a
basic understanding of a field and becoming acquainted with the language,
concepts and relationships involved in it. E.g. Orientation Training
Level II The goal is skill development, or acquiring the ability to perform in a
particular skill area.
Level III Aims at increased operational proficiency. This involves obtaining additional
experience and improving skills that have already been developed.

All the inputs of training can be offered at the three levels. How effectively they are
learned depends upon several principles of learning.

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5) What should be the Principles of

Learning?
Training programmes are more likely to be effective when they incorporate the
following principles of learning:

Employee Motivation

Transfer of Learning Recognition of Individual

Differences

Meaning of Material LEARNING Practice Opportunities

PRINCIPLES

Reinforcement
Schedules of
Training
Goals Knowledge of Results

• Motivation:
Motivation to learn is the basic requisite of making training programmes effective.
Motivation comes from awareness that training fetches some rise in status and pay.
Internal pressures (self-esteem, quality of life, job satisfaction) are the most powerful
motivators. At the same time the individual must also have the ability to learn.

• Individual Differences:
Individuals enjoy varying learning stimuli. Ability varies from individual to
individual and this difference must be considered while organizing training
programmes.

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• Practice Opportunities:
People learn best through practice. The trainee should be given the opportunity
to practice what is being taught. Practice is also essential after the individual has been
successfully trained.

• Reinforcement:
Reinforcement is anything that

a) Increases the strength of response

b) Tends to induce repetitions of the behavior that preceded the
reinforcement.
Reinforcement could be positive and negative. Positive reinforcement
strengthens and increases behavior by the presentation of desirable consequences. The
reinforcement consists of a positive experience for the individual. Example: if an
employee does something well and is complemented by the boss, the probability that
the behaviour will be repeated will be strengthened.

In negative reinforcement, the individual exhibits the desired behavior to avoid

something unpleasant. Example: an employee who does something to avoid incurring
a reprimand from his boss. The effect of negative reinforcement is avoidance of
learning.

• Knowledge of Results (feedback):

Knowledge of results is a necessary condition for learning. Feedback about the
performances will enable the learner to know where he or she stands and to initiate
corrective action if any deviation from the expected goal has taken place.

• Goals:
Goal setting can also accelerate learning, particularly when it is accompanied
by knowledge of results. Individuals generally perform better and learn more quickly
when they have goals, particularly if the goals are specific and reasonably difficult.

• Schedules of learning:

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One of the most well – established principles of learning is that distributed or

spaced learning is superior to continuous learning.

Schedules of learning involve:

a) Duration of practice sessions

b) Duration of rest sessions
c) Positioning of rest pauses
All the three must be carefully planned and executed.

• Meaning of material:
A definite relationship has been established between learning and meaningfulness
of the subject learnt. The more meaningful the material, the better the learning
process.

• Transfer of Learning:
What is learnt in training must be transferred to the job. The traditional approach
to transfer has been to maximize the identical elements between the training situation
and the actual job. This may be possible for training skills such as maintaining a cash
register, but not for teaching leadership or conceptual skills. Often, what is learnt in a
training session faces resistance back at the job. Techniques for overcoming resistance
include creating positive expectations on the part of trainee’s supervisor, creating
opportunities to implement new behavior on the job, and ensuring that the behavior is
reinforced when it occurs.

Though, it is desirable that a training programme incorporates all these

principles, seldom is such a combination effected in practice.

6) Where to conduct the programme?

A training programme can be conducted:

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i. At the job itself

ii. On site but not the job – for example, in a training room in the company.
iii. Off the site, such as in a university or college classroom, hotel, a resort, training
institutions or a conference center.

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(5) Implementation of the Programme:

Once the training programme has been designed, it needs to be implemented.
Implementation is beset with certain problems:

a) Most managers are action oriented and frequently say they are too busy to engage
in training efforts.
b) Availability of trainers is a problem. In addition to possessing communication
skills, the trainers must know the company’s philosophy, its objectives, its formal
and informal organizations, and the goals of the training programme. Training
requires a higher degree of creativity than, perhaps, any other personnel specialty.
c) Scheduling training around the present work is another problem.

Programme implementation involves action on the following lines:

a) Deciding the location and organizing training and other facilities

b) Scheduling the training programme
c) Conducting the programme
d) Monitoring the progress of trainees

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(6) Evaluation of the Programme:

The last stage in the training process is the evaluation of results. Since huge
sums of money are spent in training, how far the programme has been successful must
be judged or determined. Evaluation helps determine the results of the training
programme. In practice, however, organizations either overlook or lack facilities for
evaluation.

Need for Evaluation:

The main objective of evaluating the training programmes is to determine if
they are accomplishing specific training objectives, that is, correcting performance
deficiencies. A second reason for evaluation is to ensure that any changes in trainee
capabilities are due to the training programme and not due to any other conditions.
Training programmes should be evaluated to determine their cost effectiveness.
Evaluation is useful to explain programme failure, should it occur. Finally, credibility
of training is greatly enhanced when it is proved that the organization has benefited
tangibly from it.

Principles of Evaluation:
Evaluation of the training programme must be based on the following programmes:

a) Evaluation specialists must be clear about the goals and purpose of evaluation.
b) Evaluation must be continuous.
c) Evaluation must be specific.
d) Evaluation must provide the means and focus for trainers to be able to appraise
themselves, their practices, and their products.
e) Evaluation must be based on objective methods and standards.
f) Realistic target dates must be set for each face of the evaluation process. A sense
of urgency must be developed, but deadlines that are unreasonably high will result
in poor evaluation.

There are various approaches to training evaluation. To get a valid measure of

training effectiveness, the personnel manager should accurately assess trainee’s job
performance two to four months after completion of training.
Two writers have suggested that four basic categories of outcome can be measured.

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a) Reaction: evaluate the trainee’s reaction to the programme. Did he like the
programme? Did he think it worthwhile?

b) Learning: did the trainee learn the principles, skills and the fact that the
supervisor or the trainee wanted him to learn?

c) Behaviour: Whether the trainee’s behaviour on the job changed because

of the training programme?

d) Results: what final results have been achieved? Did he learn how to work
on machine? Did scrappage costs decrease? Was turnover reduced? Are
productions quotas have been met?

Questionnaires or structured interviews with the immediate supervisors of the

trainees are acceptable methods for obtaining feedback on training. The supervisor is
asked to rate the former trainee on job proficiency directly related to the training
objectives.

Besides, pre-and-post tests be administered to the training groups. Prior to the

training, a test related to the training material is applied, and the results of this pre-test
are compared with results on the same or similar test administered after the
programme has been completed.

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Conclusions
Finally, we can deduce that training is the most important and established
function of the personnel programme is to impart training to the new comers. In the
modern world of technological changes, the need for training employees is being
increasingly recognized so as to keep employees in touch with the new developments, and
technology. Every organization must have a systematic training programme otherwise
employees will try to learn the job by trial and error method which can prove to be
dangerous. Trained workers will ‘deliver the goods’ as expected by their employers and
this, in a better way and a more appropriate manner. Training should be means to an end
not an end in itself; it must be an integral part of the organizations.
Training should be continuous and progressive designed to increase the
individual’s potential of maintenance staff members and to form them into a technical
quality and well organized efficient team. The objective of the training must be well
defined clearly to the trainees.

‘A trained employee worth 100 untrained employees’

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 Table of Contents

Need for Training.......................................................................................................................5

The Training Process or Planned Training...............................................................................13
Schedules of Training...........................................................................................................28