Employee Learning, Training, Development and Career Management

Lecture 7

Training and Australian Organisations

Traditionally a poor effort on the part of organisations towards planned training and development. Karpin Report Ten years on recognised that expenditure on training is necessary to gain competitive advantage through:

Technological change Quality assurance Changes in management practices Difficulties in recruiting skilled labour Adherence to laws

Employee learning (also learning, or training)

A planned effort by a company to facilitate employees learning of jobrelated competencies. Competencies include knowledge, skills or behaviours that are critical for successful job performance.

Training Trends:

Shift from training to performance Computer skills Shift from training to learning Virtual organizations Outcomes driven Performance Measurement Specific needs driven Knowledge management emphasis Rapid development and deployment Teamwork
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Trends in training

Generic learning Operational learning Action learning Self-paced learning Infotainment Drop-in centres External facilitators and consultants
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Training . . .

Is a process not a program Develops skills, provides information, nurtures attitudes Helps the organization Develops people Enhances and transforms jobs Facilitates learning, and

learning can be informal or formal

Should maximize learning

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Why is training important?

Increases employees knowledge of foreign competitors and cultures. Provides the skills required to work with new technology. Helps employees understand how to work effectively in teams. Ensures that the companys culture emphasises innovation, creativity and learning. Ensures employment security by providing new ways for employees to contribute to the company. Prepares employees to accept each other and work more effectively together, particularly in a diverse workforce.

Intellectual capital
Training should be viewed as a way to create intellectual capital. Intellectual capital includes basic skills, advanced skills, an understanding of the customer or manufacturing system, and self-motivated creativity. Intellectual capital is created through a process of combining the knowledge and experience of different parties and exchange between the parties.
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High-leverage training strategy

Is linked to strategic business goals and objectives. Uses an instructional design process to ensure that training is effective. Compares or benchmarks the companys training programs against training programs in other companies. Is a characteristic of a learning organisation.
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Learning organisations

Employees continuously attempt to learn new things and apply what they have learned to improve product or service quality. An organisation that has an enhanced capacity to learn, adapt and change. In a learning organisation, training is seen as one part of a system designed to create intellectual capital.
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Components of instructional design

Conducting needs assessment Ensuring employees readiness for training Creating a learning environment Ensuring transfer of training Selecting training methods Evaluating training programs

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Figure 10.1 The needs assessment process

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Organisational analysis

Organisational analysis involves considering the context in which training will occur. Three factors need to be considered before choosing training as the solution to any pressure point: Support of managers and peers for training activities Company strategy Training resources available.
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Person analysis

Person analysis helps to identify who needs training. Person analysis involves: Determining whether performance deficiencies result from a lack of knowledge, skill or ability (a training issue) or from a motivational or work-design problem Identifying who needs training Determining employees readiness for training.

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Person analysis
Factors that influence employee performance and learning:

Personal characteristics Input Output Consequences Feedback

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Task analysis
Identifying the important tasks and knowledge, skills and behaviours that need to be emphasised in training, in order for employees to complete their tasks.

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Task analysis

Four steps: Select the job to be analysed. Develop a preliminary list of tasks performed on the job. Validate or confirm the preliminary list of tasks. Once the tasks are confirmed, identify the knowledge, skills or abilities necessary to successfully perform each task.

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Readiness for training

Employees have the personal characteristics (ability, attitudes, beliefs, and motivation) necessary to learn program content and apply it on the job. The work environment will facilitate learning and will not interfere with performance.
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How can managers ensure employee readiness for training?

Ensure employees self-efficacy. Understand the benefits of training. Be aware of training needs, career interests and goals. Understand work environment characteristics. Ensure employees basic skills levels. Also consider input, output, consequences and feedback.
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Creating a learning environment

Employees need to: Know why they should learn Use their own experiences as a basis for learning Have opportunities to practise Receive feedback Learn by observing and interacting with others Undergo a well coordinated and arranged training program.

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Figure 10.3 Transfer of training

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Evaluating training programs

Training outcomes:

Cognitive outcomes Skill-based outcomes Affective outcomes Results Return on investment (ROI)

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Reasons for evaluating training

To identify the programs strengths and weaknesses. To assess whether the content, organisation and administration of the program contribute to learning and the use of training content on the job. To identify which trainees benefited most or least from the program. To gather data to assist in marketing programs. To determine the financial benefits and costs of the program. To compare the costs and benefits of training versus nontraining investments. To compare the costs and benefits of different training programs, so as to choose the best program.
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Evaluation designs
There are various models for evaluation

Kirkpatricks model of evaluation Brinkerhoffs model of evaluation One used in textbook which is a combination of both of the above.

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Employee development and career management

The long-term approach

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Employee development

The acquisition of knowledge, skills and behaviours that improve an employees ability to meet changes in job requirements and in client and customer demands. Development refers to formal education, job experiences, relationships, and assessment of personality and abilities that help employees prepare for the future.
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Table 11.1 p 389 Comparison between training and development

Training Development Future High Preparation for changes

Focus
Use of work experiences Goal Participation

Current
Low Preparation for current job Required

Voluntary
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Approaches to employee development

Formal education Assessment Job experiences Interpersonal relationships

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1 Formal education programs

Employee development programs, including short courses offered by consultants or universities, executive MBA programs and university programs.

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2 Assessment

Collecting information and providing feedback to employees about their behaviour, communication style, or skills.

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Assessment

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

A psychological test, used for team building and leadership development, that identifies employees preferences for energy, information gathering, decision making and life-style.

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Assessment

Assessment centres

Employ a process in which multiple raters evaluate employees performance on a number of exercises.

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Assessment

Benchmarks

An instrument designed to measure the factors that are important to success.

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Assessment

Performance appraisals

360 feedback systems

a performance appraisal process for managers that includes evaluations from a wide range of people who interact with the manager. the process includes self-evaluations, as well as evaluations from the managers boss, subordinates, peers and customers.

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3 Job experiences
The relationships, problems, demands, tasks and other features that employees face in their jobs.

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Job experiences
Job enlargement Job rotation Transfers Promotions Downward moves Temporary assignments
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4 Interpersonal relationships
Mentoring

Mentor: an experienced, productive senior employee who helps develop a lessexperienced employee.

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Interpersonal relationships
Coaching

Coach: a peer or manager who works with an employee to motivate him/her and help him/her develop skills, and who provides reinforcement and feedback.

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Career management systems

A system aimed at retaining and motivating employees through identifying and meeting their development needs (also called a development planning system).

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Figure 11.2 Steps and responsibilities in the career management process

Selfassessment Reality check Goal setting Action planning

Employee responsibility

Identify opportunities and what needs to improve

Identify what needs are realistic to develop

Identify goal and method to determine goal progress

Identify steps and timetable to reach goal

Company responsibility

Provide assessment information to identify strengths, weaknesses, interests and values

Communicate performance evaluation; where employee fits in long-range plans of the company

Ensure goal is specific, challenging, and attainable; commit to help employee reach the goal

Identify resources employee needs to reach goal, including courses, work experiences, relationships

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Succession planning

The identification and tracking of high-potential employees capable of filling higher-level managerial positions.

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Summary
Most companies use various development methods: formal education, assessment, job experiences and interpersonal relationships. Employees should have a development plan to identify: Type of development needed Goals of development The best approach for development Whether development goals have been reached.

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