PART THREE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
C H A P T E R T S e v e n
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Strategic Overview
Orienting Employees
Why Orientation is Important
Using Orientation to Reduce Stress
The Training Process
Why the Training Business is Booming
The Five-Step Training and Development Process
Training and Learning
Motivate the Learner
Legal Aspects of Training
Analyzing Training Needs
Task Analysis: Assessing New Employees’ Training
Needs
Performance Analysis: Assessing Current Employees’
Training Needs
Traditional Training Methods
On-the-Job Training
Apprenticeship Training
Informal Learning
Job Instruction Training
Lectures
Programmed Learning
Audiovisual Tools
Simulated Training
Electronic Training
Computer-Based Training
Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS)
Distance and Internet-Based Training
Strategic HR
High-Performance Insight
Strategic HR
Training for Special Purposes
Literacy Training Techniques
AIDS Education
Training for Global Business
Diversity Training
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Customer Service Training
The New Workplace
Teamwork Training
Providing Lifelong Learning
Managerial Development and Training
What is Management Development?
The New Leadership Development Methods
Managerial On-the-Job Training
Research Insight
Off-the-Job Training and Development Techniques
Executive Development in Global Companies
Evaluating the Training Effort
Designing the Study
Training Effects to Measure
ANNOTATED OUTLINE
I. Orienting Employees
A. Why Orientation Is Important – Employee orientation programs provide new employees with the basic background information required to perform their jobs satisfactorily.
B. Using Orientation to Reduce Stress – The HR specialist usually performs the first part of the orientation by explaining basic matters, then introduces the new employee to his/her supervisor, who familiarizes the new employee with the workplace to help reduce first day jitters.
II. The Training Process
A. Why the Training Business is Booming – Training refers to the methods used to give new or present employees the skills they need to perform their jobs. Such trends as rapid technological changes, increasing demands for improved quality, and increasing competition help explain why training is booming.
B. The Five Step Training and Development Process includes: 1) needs analysis; 2) instructional design; 3) validation; 4) implement the program; and 5) evaluation and follow-up.
C. Training and Learning
1. Make Learning Meaningful – Material that is meaningful is usually easier for trainees to understand and remember.
2. Make Skills Transfer Easy – Make skills and behaviors easy to transfer from the training site to the job site.
 NOTES Educational Materials to Use
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III. Motivate the Learner
A. Motivate the Learner by: providing as much realistic practice as possible; reinforcing correct responses immediately; letting trainees pace themselves; creating a perceived training need in the trainees’ minds; and scheduling effectively.
B. Legal Aspects of Training – Trainers need to be knowledgeable of how various laws apply to training program design and implementation, as well as the hazards of negligent training.
C. Analyze Training Needs – Two main ways to identify training needs are: task analysis (an analysis of the job’s requirements) and performance analysis (an analysis to verify if there is a performance deficiency).
D. Task Analy sis: Assessing New Employees’ Training Needs – A task analysis can be use to determine the training needs of new employees. A task analysis record form can also be used. It contains the following information: task list; when and how often performed; quantity, quality performance standards; conditions under which performed; skills or knowledge required; and where best learned.
E. Performance Analysis: Assessing Current Employees’ Training Needs - There are several methods that can be used to identify an employee’s training needs, including: supervisor, peer, self, and 360-degree performance reviews; jobrelated performance data; observation by supervisors or other specialists; interviews with the employee or his/her supervisor; tests of things like job
 NOTES knowledge, skills, and attendance; attitude surveys; individual employee daily diaries; and assessment centers.
Educational Materials to Use
IV. Traditional Training Methods
A. On-the-Job Training (OJT) means having a person learn a job by actually doing it, and involves the following: preparing the learner; presenting the operation; doing a tryout; and follow-up.
B. Apprenticeship Training is a structured process by which people become skilled workers through a combination of classroom instruction and on-thejob training.
C. Informal Learning involves learning through day-to-day unplanned interactions between the new worker and his/her colleagues.
D. Job Instruction Training refers to teaching a new employee the logical sequence of steps in a job step-by-step.
E. Lectures are quick and simples way to provide knowledge to large groups of trainees.
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V.
F. Programmed Learning is a step by step self-learning method that consists of:
1) presenting questions, facts, or problems to the learner; 2) allowing the person to respond; and 3) providing feedback on the accuracy of the answers.
G. Audiovisual Tools include: films, PowerPoint presentations, video conferencing, audiotapes, and videotapes.
H. Simulated Training is a method in which trainees learn on the actual or simulated equipment they will use on the job, but are actually trained off-the job.
 NOTES Educational Materials to Use
Electronic Training
A. Computer-Based Training is where the trainee uses computer-based and/or
CD/ROM systems to increase his/her knowledge or skills.
B. Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) are sets of computerized tools and displays that effectively automate and integrate training, documentation, and phone support, thus enabling individuals to provide support that’s faster, cheaper, and more effective than the traditional methods.
C. Distance and Internet-Based Training – Distance learning methods include traditional paper-and-pencil correspondence courses, as well as teletraining, videoconferencing, and Internet-based classes.
1. Teletraining is where a trainer in a central location teaches groups of employees at remote locations via television hookups.
2. Videoconferencing allows people in one location to communicate live via a combination of audio and visual equipment with people in different locations – another city or country or with groups in several cities.
3. Training Via the Internet and/or Intranets is being used to deliver computerbased training. a. Strategic HR – In order to maintain competitive after a major downsizing and merger, GTE decided to strategically reduce its training cost by delivering half of their training via their intranet. Delta and other companies are also delivering some of their training online.
4. Learning Portals, also called Enterprise Information Portals (EIPs), like
Yahoo! And other windows to the Internet, are enabling some categories of a firm’s employees to access all the corporate applications they need, like industry news and competitive data, or tools to analyze data. There are also business to consumer (B2C) portals and business-to-business (B2B) portals. a. High-Performance Insight —This dialogue describes ADC
Telecommunications decision to deliver training programs online.
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b. Strategic HR – Channel 4’s new strategy required them to institute training programs to support an expanded sales force and new high-tech control system.
 NOTES Educational Materials to Use
VI. Training for Special Purposes
A. Literacy Training Techniques – Because functional illiteracy is a serious problem, many employers are testing job candidates' basic skills and setting up basic skills and literacy programs.
B. AIDS Education programs are being set up by many employers to provide detailed information about AIDS.
C. Training for Global Business has become an essential organizational factor in a global marketplace to avoid lost business due to various cultural issues.
D. Diversity Training aims to create better cross-cultural sensitivity by fostering more harmonious working relationships among a firm’s employees.
E. Customer Service Training is increasing because more firms are finding it necessary to compete based on quality of service to increase their business.
VII.
F. Teamwork Training – Employees must be trained to be good team members.
Providing Lifelong Learning
A. What is Management Development? It is any attempt to improve managerial performance by imparting knowledge, changing attitudes, or increasing skills.
B. The New Leadership Development principles include: 1) using practical, concrete content, not academic or theoretical; 2) structuring job-related activities rather than those irrelevant to the real work of the organization; 3) involving, emotionally engaging, action-oriented learning methods and activities; 4) creating ongoing activities and short sessions; 5) focusing on implementation skills rather than stopping at problem-solving and decision-making skills; 6) emphasizing learning that can be applied immediately; 7) generating accountability on the part of participants; 8) using the most respected, talented executives of the organization; and 9) organizing groups from the same organizational level.
C. Managerial On-The-Job Training methods include: job rotation; coaching/ understudy approach; and action learning.
1. Job Rotation means moving management trainees from department to department to broaden their understanding of all parts of the business.
 NOTES Educational Materials to Use
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2. Coaching/Understudy Approach is where a trainee works directly with a senior manager or with the person he/she is to replace, and the latter is responsible for coaching the trainee.
3. Action Learning programs give managers and others released time to work full-time on projects to analyze and solve problems in departments other than their own. a. Research Insight – Some research suggest that in addition to shattering the glass ceiling for women for equity sake, women may make better managers than men these days.
C. Off-the-Job Training and Development Techniques are also used to train and develop managers.
1. The Case Study Method presents a trainee with a written description of an organizational problem; then, he/she analyzes the case, diagnoses the problem, and presents his/her findings and solutions in a discussion with other trainees.
2. Management Games is where trainees are divided into five- or six-person groups, each of which competes with the others in a simulated marketplace.
3. Outside Seminars are offered by many companies and universities.
4. University-Related Programs provide executive education and continuing education programs in leadership, supervision, and the like.
5. Role Playing is aimed at creating a realistic situation and then having the trainee assume the parts (roles) of specific persons in that situation.
6. Behavior Modeling involves showing the trainee the correct way to do something, letting the trainee practice the correct way, and giving the trainee feedback on his/her performance.
7. Corporate Universities and In-House Development Centers are being established by many companies to expose prospective managers to realistic exercises to develop improved management skills.
D. Executive Development in Global Companies are being instituted to enhance the executives’ effectiveness in international assignments.
 NOTES Educational Materials to Use
VIII. Evaluating the Training Effort
A. Designing the study – The evaluation process of choice is controlled experimentation, which uses both a training group and a control group (that receives no training) to assess their before and after performance in order to determine the extent to which performance in the training group resulted from the training itself rather than some organization-wide change.
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B. Training Effects to Measure: 1) Reaction; 2) Learning; 3) Behavior, and 4)
Results.
employee orientation A procedure for providing new employees with basic background information about the firm. training The process of teaching new employees the basic skills they need to perform their jobs. negligent training A situation where an employer fails to train adequately, and the employee subsequently harms a third party. task analysis performance analysis
A detailed study of a job to identify the skills required.
Verifying that there is a performance deficiency and determining whether that deficiency should be corrected through training or through some other means (such as transferring the employee). on-the-job training (OJT) apprenticeship training
Training a person to learn a job while working at it.
A structured process by which people become skilled worker through a combination of classroom instruction and on the job training. job instruction training
(JIT) programmed learning
Listing of each job's basic tasks, along with key points in order to provide step-by-step training for employees.
A systematic method for teaching job skills involving presenting questions or facts, allowing the person to respond, and giving the learner immediate feedback on the accuracy of his or her answers. simulated training Training employees on special off-the-job equipment, as in airplane pilot training, whereby training costs and hazards can be reduced. job aid A set of instructions, diagrams, or similar methods available at the job site to guide workers. electronic performance support systems (EPSS)
Sets of computerized tools and displays that automate training, documentation, and phone support, integrate this automation into applications, and provide support that’s faster, cheaper, and more effective than traditional methods. lifelong learning Providing continuing training from basic remedial skills to advanced decisionmaking techniques throughout the employees’ careers. management development succession planning
Any attempt to improve current or future management performance by imparting knowledge, changing attitudes, or increasing skills.
A process through which senior-level openings are planned for and eventually filled.
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job rotation A management training technique that involves moving a trainee from department to department to broaden his or her experience and identify strong and weak points. action learning A training technique by which management trainees are allowed to work full time analyzing and solving problems in other departments. case study method A development method in which the manager is presented with a written description of an organizational problem to diagnose and solve. management game A development technique in which teams of managers compete with one another by making computerized decisions regarding realistic but simulated companies. role playing A training technique in which trainees act out the parts of people in a realistic management situation. behavior modeling A training technique in which trainees are first shown good management techniques in a film, are then asked to play roles in a simulated situation, and are then given feedback and praise by their supervisor. in-house development center controlled experimentation
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
A company-based method for exposing prospective managers to realistic exercises to develop improved management skills.
Formal methods for testing the effectiveness of a training program, preferably with before-and-after tests and a control group.
1. "A well-thought-out orientation program is essential for all new employees, whether they have experience or not." Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement. New employees can suffer from a significant amount of anxiety during the first few days on the job as they find themselves in an environment and culture that they are not familiar with. Those with little job experience may find it especially difficult without an orientation since they have little other experience on which to base their expectations. A well-developed orientation program will socialize new employees into important organizational values, whereby their chances of easing smoothly into the organization are improved.
2. You're the supervisor of a group of employees whose task it is to assemble disk drives that go into computers. You find that quality is not what it should be and that many of your group's devices have to be brought back and reworked; your boss says that "You'd better start doing a better job of training your workers." (a) What are some of the "staffing" factors that could be contributing to this problem?
The problem could be related to inadequate training. Other staffing factors that could be contributing to this problem are improper selection criteria resulting in the wrong people being selected for the jobs. Performance criteria may be unclear or unenforced. The climate or the values may be non-productive for any number of reasons.
(b) Explain how you would go about assessing whether it is in fact a training problem.
Use performance analysis to appraise the performance of current employees while determining if training could reduce performance problems; if so, training is the place to start. Several steps are recommended in the text for accomplishing the performance analysis. In the process, you will learn whether it is a "can't do" or "won't do" situation. Other factors in the motivational model would also need to be assessed, including the working conditions and quality of supervision.
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3. Explain how you would apply our principles of learning in developing a lecture, say, on orientation and training.
Student answers should reflect the issues identified in the guidelines in the section on lectures. As an exercise, you might have students develop and deliver a lecture (perhaps on one section of this chapter). Then ask the students to critique each other based on the guidelines summarized in the section on lectures.
4. John Santos is an undergraduate business student majoring in accounting. He has just failed the first accounting course, Accounting 101, and is understandably upset. Explain how you would use performance analysis to identify what, if any, are John's training needs.
The first thing that needs to be determined is if this is a "can't do" or a "won't do" situation. It is possible that as a first-year student, John has spent more time socializing and not enough time studying. This would indicate a need for training on studying skills and prioritization. It is also possible that John really does not have the necessary basic skills that he needs in order to be successful in this course.
This could be determined through some testing to see if he has the prerequisite knowledge and skills.
If it is a problem, remedial training or courses would be appropriate. A third possibility is that John simply does not really have the interest or natural inclinations that would make him successful in the accounting area. This could be determined through some testing and career interest surveys. If this is the case, training is not appropriate, but rather John should be counseled to change majors.
5. What are some typical on-the-job training techniques? What do you think are some of the main drawbacks of relying on informal on-the-job training for breaking new employees into their jobs? The most common is the understudy or coaching technique. Others include apprenticeship training and job rotation. There are several possible drawbacks to OJT: (1) not every employee will get the same basic information, in fact, some may not get basic, fundamental information; (2) the quality of the training is highly dependent on the training skills of the employee who supervises the OJT...and that person's skills and training are usually not in the area of training;
(3) the new employee may get false information or detrimental inculturation depending on the employees that conduct their OJT.
6. One reason for implementing global training programs is the need to avoid lost business ". . . due to cultural insensitivity." What sort of cultural insensitivity do you think is referred to, and how might that translate into lost business? The cultural insensitivities would include crosscultural values, assumptions concerning communication, identity issues, etiquette, lifestyles, style of dress, etc. Any of these can result in unintentional insults or offending people that can easily make those people reluctant to do business with you.
What sort of training program would you recommend to avoid such cultural insensitivity?
There are a wide variety of programs and consultants that specialize in these areas. It is important to have someone who is knowledgeable in these areas conduct the training to assure that the correct information and guidance is given.
7. Describe the pros and cons of five management development methods.
Job rotation: broadens experience and helps the candidate find what he or she prefers. Coaching/Understudy: works directly with the person he or she will replace, helps assure trained managers are ready to assume key positions. Action Learning: allows special projects to be handled. Case Study Method: classroom oriented, gives real-life situations, allows analysis and reflection. Management Games: learn by getting involved, competition, emphasizes the need for planning, problem-solving skills, teamwork. Outside Seminars: CEUs, developed by experts, time away from pressures of work.
University-Related Programs: certifications and degrees, theoretical knowledge, sharing with students from other industries. Role Playing: opportunity to work through probable situations, negative views of role-playing. Behavior Modeling: effective, learning and skill development, reinforces decisions immediately. In-House Development Centers: tailored to the needs of the company, expensive. Students should be able to come up with additional pros and cons for each method.
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8. Do you think job rotation is a good method to use for developing management trainees? Why or why not?
Most students will probably support job rotation for management trainees. It gives the trainee the opportunity to experience several areas and to develop cross-departmental skills and cooperation. It also gives the trainee the chance to experience different areas to see what he or she likes.
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We invite you to visit the Dessler homepage ( http://www.prenhall.com/dessler ) on the
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INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACTIVITIES
1. Pick out some task with which you are familiar – mowing the lawn, tuning a car – and develop a job instruction training sheet for it.
There is an example of a job instruction training sheet for operating a large motorized paper cutter in Table 7.1. Students should be able to put the task they select into the format given.
2. Working individually or in groups, you are to develop a short programmed learning program on the subject “Guidelines for Giving a More Effective Lecture.” Students should use the guidelines listed in the programmed learning section of the chapter, but should not forget that this assignment is not just listing guidelines. They are to develop a programmed learning that 1) presents questions, facts, or problems to the learner, 2) allows the person to respond, and 3) provides feedback to the learner on the accuracy of his or her answers.
3. Working individually or in groups, use the phone or the web to contact a provider of management development seminars such as the American Management Association. Obtain copies of their recent listings of seminar offerings. At what levels of managers do they aim their seminar offerings? What seems to be the most popular types of development programs?
Why do you think that’s the case? Depending on the provider contacted, the results of this exercise will vary. It would be a good idea to assign different groups or individuals to different providers to assure that you get a variety of responses. It may be useful to have a class discussion about the differences that they found.
4. Working individually or in groups, develop several concrete examples to illustrate how a professor teaching human resource management could use at least four of the techniques described in this chapter in teaching his or her HR course.
Student results will again vary. Look for examples to be well thought out and to represent the guidelines given in the appropriate sections on traditional training techniques.
5. Working individually or in groups, develop an orientation program for high school graduates entering your university as freshmen.
The students should refer to the section on why orientation is important in the chapter. They should also create an orientation checklist similar to Figure 7.1
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EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES & CASES
Experiential Exercise: Developing a Training Program
This exercise will give students the opportunity to experience the activities involved in creating a training program. As with any exercise, students may rush through and brush aside details, or they might painstakingly address all the details needed. Look for quality and for those that take the time to deal with the details that make a program a success.
Application Case: Reinventing the Wheel at Apex Door Company
1. What do you think of Apex’s training process? Could it help to explain why employees “do things their way” and if so, how? There is a weak accountability system. The person assigned to perform training is likely to have very low motivation (a departing employee). With no formal descriptions the trainer will teach “their way” of accomplishing tasks. There is no training documentation. One receives training in “how to train.” There are no outcome measures to determine if the training was successful.
2. What role do job descriptions play in training? Job descriptions set the boundaries of jobs in terms of required knowledge and skills. By understanding the job description, a trainer can define the learning requirements for a new or transitioning employee.
3. Explain in detail what you would do to improve the training process at Apex. Make sure to provide specific suggestions, please. Every position would have a formal (written) description.
Training procedures would be documented for each position. Supervisors would be formally accountable for training.
Continuing Case: LearnInMotion.com The New Training Program
1. Specifically, what should we cover in our new employee orientation program, and how should we convey this information?
The students should refer to the orientation checklist in Figure 7.1 and the section on orienting employees in the chapter.
2. In the HR course Jennifer took, the book suggested using a task analysis record form to identify tasks performed by an employee. Should we use a form like this for the salespeople?
If so, what, roughly speaking, should the completed, filled-in form look like?
The students should refer to the section on the training needs of new employees. This section discusses a task analysis form, which includes: task analysis record form can also be used. It contains the following information: task list; when and how often performed; quantity, quality performance standards; conditions under which performed; skills or knowledge required; and where best learned (refer them to Table 7-1).
3. Which specific training techniques should we use to train our salespeople, Web designer, and
Web surfer, and why?
The students should review the training techniques discussed in chapter and conduct research on the Internet to review the various training resources offered for salespeople,
Web designer, and Web surfer.
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MANAGEMENT SKILLS CD-ROM
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CHAPTER 7 POWERPOINTS
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