Employee learning
Chapter 10
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
1
Employee learning
 Objectives
Discuss how training can help companies
gain a competitive advantage.
Explain how to conduct a needs assessment.
Explain how to evaluate employees’ readiness
for training.
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of
presentation, hands-on and group-building
training methods.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-2
Employee learning
 Objectives (continued)
Explain the potential advantages of new
technologies for training.
Design a training session to maximise learning.
Explain how to choose an appropriate
evaluation design.
Discuss socialisation and orientation processes.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-3
Employee learning (also
learning, or training)
 A planned effort by a company to facilitate
employees’ learning of job-related
competencies.
 Competencies include knowledge, skills or
behaviours that are critical for successful
job performance.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-4
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 company’s 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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-5
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-6
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 company’s
training programs against training
programs in other companies.
 Is a characteristic of a ‘learning
organisation’.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-7
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-8
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
 See Table 10.2 for more detail
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-9
Figure 10.1 The needs
assessment process
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-10
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-11
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 employee’s readiness for training.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-12
Person analysis
 Factors that influence employee
performance and learning:
Personal characteristics
Input
Output
Consequences
Feedback
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-13
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-14
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-15
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-16
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-17
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.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-18
Figure 10.3 Transfer of training
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-19
Selecting training methods
 Presentation methods
Classroom instruction
Distance learning
Audiovisual techniques
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-20
Selecting training methods
 Hands-on methods
On-the-job training (OJT)
Self-directed learning
Apprenticeship
Simulations
Business games and case studies
Behaviour modelling
Interactive video
E-learning
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-21
Selecting training methods
 Group-building methods
Adventure learning
Team training
Action learning
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-22
Evaluating training programs
 Training outcomes:
Cognitive outcomes
Skill-based outcomes
Affective outcomes
Results
Return on investment (ROI)
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-23
Reasons for evaluating training
 To identify the program’s 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
non-training investments.
 To compare the costs and benefits of different training
programs, so as to choose the best program.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-24
Evaluation designs




Pre-test/post-test with comparison group
Pre-test/post-test
Post-test only
Time series
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-25
Socialisation and orientation
 Organisational socialisation:
The process by which new employees are
transformed into effective members of a
company.
 Three phases:
Anticipatory socialisation
Encounter
Settling in
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-26
Orientation programs
(see Table 10.9 for more detail)
 Content of orientation programs
Company-level information
Department-level information
Miscellaneous
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-27
Table 10.10 Characteristics of
effective orientation programs
 Employees are encouraged to ask questions.
 Program includes information on both technical and
social aspects of the job.
 Orientation is the responsibility of the new
employee’s manager.
 Debasement and embarrassment of new
employees is avoided.
 Formal and informal interactions with managers
and peers occur.
 Programs involve relocation assistance.
 Employees are provided with information about
the company’s products, services and customers.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-28
Summary
 Many companies are using new technology to give
employees control of their learning and career
development.
 A systematic approach to training has been
presented.
 The key to successful training is to choose a
method that will best accomplish the training
objectives.
 Training can contribute to effectiveness through
establishing a link with the company’s strategic
direction, and demonstrating return on investment.
Copyright  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
PPTs t/a Human Resource Management in Australia: Strategy-People-Performance
by De Cieri & Kramar
10-29