Training and Development Management Guidelines
Commercial Group
Introduction
This document summarises the Commercial Group’s approach to providing training, learning, and
development for it employees. It provides an overview of how training is managed across the group
and outlines the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders across the businesses.
The purpose of training and development
The purpose of training and development is;
 To ensure that all employees have the right skills, knowledge, and confidence to do their
jobs effectively now and in the future
 To enable and encourage each employee to work to their full potential to support the
operational and strategic aims and objectives of the Commercial Group
Overview of the training system
Training is provided to meet essential training needs. Following the identification of all employees’
needs, these are consolidated and prioritised and the essential needs are incorporated into a
Learning & Development Plan.
Wherever possible training and development and the opportunity to learn are encouraged to take
place on the job.
The line manager validates each individuals training and promotes opportunities to use new skills
and knowledge in the workplace. Line managers keep up to date records of all ‘on job’ training
including local inductions. The Learning and Development team maintain up to date records of all
centrally organised Commercial Group training.
Training and Development Processes
1. Identifying training and development needs
Training and development needs are identified through a range of mechanisms;
 Individuals may identify their own training needs
 Line managers and supervisors may identify training or development needs for
individuals ‘on job’
 Both parties have the opportunity to discuss individual training needs as part of the
annual appraisal and review process
2. Annual Review
Typically this takes place between March and June each year.
Grades 1a, 1b, and 2 take part in a ‘Job Talk’ or ‘Performance Review.’ Grade 3+have an annual
‘competence’ based appraisal and 6 monthly reviews.
3. Business review of training needs
The Learning & Development Manager works with the senior managers to identify the strategic,
business, or operational themes emerging from 5 year plans which may give rise to the need for
training, development, or related support. These needs are also considered as part of the formal
plan. Such needs may arise from;
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New legal requirements for training
New employee posts or planned restructures
Promotion of individuals or changes to responsibilities
Planned significant operational changes
A change in business focus
Changed demand from stakeholders
New business-wide initiative
Team training and development needs
The Learning and Development Plan
Following appraisal discussions all managers produce a summary of the formal training needs
identified for their teams of individuals and forward this to the Learning and Development Manager
for review and further discussion where necessary.
All line managers are responsible for producing and implementing their local plan to support ‘on job’
training, learning and development needs of their teams and individuals, and for monitoring the
progress of this plan.
The Learning and Development Manager reviews all formally identified training needs on a priority
basis and produces the formal annual plan in line with the agreed budgets. This must be authorised
Directors. The plan is then communicated across the businesses.
All line managers cascade the communicated plan to their teams identifying where and how
individuals are involved and explaining the reasons why any ‘requested’ training has not been
included in the plan.
The plan is made available on the Human Resources website.
Training budgets and resources
The L&D Manager is responsible for managing the Commercial Group training and development
costs in line with the agreed budgets. Managers must obtain authorisation from the L&D Manager
before approving any formal training.
A dedicated training venue is available for internal training purposes.
Training delivery
A number of individuals are typically involved in providing training to meet the needs identified in
the plans;
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Line Managers or supervisors will ensure that all ‘on job’ training and development
requirements are met. They will also liaise with and arrange for local suppliers to provide
any specialist training on the use f specific chemicals, equipment, new materials etc
The Food, Health, and Safety Manager will provide formal legal training within the
responsibilities of their remit
Managers with training experience will provide formal training in support of the HR team as
agreed
The L&D Manager and HR Team will provide formal training session in agreed areas of
priority and where they are best placed to deliver
The Learning and Development Centre may also be used to provide one-off experiences, for
example in leadership, management and other soft skills training programmes, where
specific needs have been identified
External organisations are contracted to deliver training in specialist areas
Learning and Development Options
In addition to taking advantage of formal training it is expected that managers and individuals are
proactive in pursuing their own development through a range of options including;
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Coaching in the workplace
Using the Competencies Personal Development Guide
Undertaking project work
Work shadowing
Attending appropriate and agreed conferences
Conducting agreed ‘bench-marking’ exercises
Reading and e-learning
Considering use of the Warwick Learning Account
Undertaking agreed qualifications for professional development
Funding and time off for training and development
Funding and time off to support any individual requests for training and development will be
considered in line with the University and Commercial Group guidelines which are available on the
Human Resources website.
Equal Opportunities
Decisions relating to training and development will be made fairly and consistently ensuring that
appropriate equality of opportunity is made available to all Commercial Group employees.
Recording Training and Development Activity
A number of people are involved in maintaining training records for individuals;
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Line Managers (with the exception of Warwick Food and Drink) keep local records on
personnel files to include:
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Completed induction checklists
Your guide to selling alcohol signed records
Standard Operating Procedure records
Copies of attendance certificates
Assessment reports from any training course
The Events & Operations manager maintains records of Unitemp employees training
The HR team hold the above records for Warwick Food and Drink
The L&D Coordinator maintains training records for all formal training records in the PSE
system
Validation and Evaluation
It is critical to ensure that the investment in training and development is reviewed and evaluated.
This takes place in a number of ways:
Where possible business measures/indicators of success for specific training interventions need to
be agreed upfront of the training delivery. This ensures that the impact and investment can be
evaluated. Managers have the responsibility to ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place and
utilised to enable this evaluation.
At the end of each training programme delegates are required to complete a validation document to
rate their training experience and to identify which aspects of the programme they found most
useful and what they plan to do to put this into practice in the workplace.
It is expected that managers review the impact of training and development with individuals when
they are back in the workplace and provide coaching accordingly.
As part of the annual appraisal process individuals are required to identify what learning activities
they have been involved in throughout the year and to identify how their workplace performance
has been impacted. Managers are responsible for working with individuals to ensure that learning
continues to be supported.
Kevin Hamer
Issued October 2009