TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT NOTES

• Human resource is a delicate and important resource which needs careful

handling.

• Importance of human resource is fast growing in resent years.

• The world is moving at a high speed due to technological advancement.

• People expectations are also high due to wide interactions caused by

communication technology.

• This interactions has enabled people see better services offered elsewhere
and therefore expect the same.

• There's increase in competition in the world which has forced organizations

to strategize in order to survive.

• The many changes taking place in the environment coupled with

uncertainties as well as the urge to remain competitive has resulted to the
need to develop the most important resources in an organization who are the
workers.

• Organizations that aspire to become and remain household names in their

country or internationally must ensure that their staff are continuously
trained to be well equipped with knowledge to face current day challenges.

• Training is a strategic must for any organization to survive in today's

turbulent business environment.

“Your people are your greatest asset.”

DEFINITION OF TRAINING

Training is a planned and systematic process of impacting knowledge, skills and

attitudes through a learning experience to achieve effective performance

It refers to the methods used to give new or present employees the skills they need
to perform their job

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It’s a planned process to modify attitudes knowledge of skills and behavior to
achieve effective performance through a learning experience

It’s the process of increasing knowledge and skills for doing a particular job

• Staff development is the development of new qualities , qualifications and

skills among the employees working at all levels.

• It’s the acquisition of knowledge skills and behaviors that improve an

employee’s ability to meet changes in job requirements and in client and
customer demands.

• It refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and
career advancement.

• Staff development refers to the process programs and activities through

which every organization develops enhances and improves the skills ,
competencies and overall performance of its employees and workers.

• Development of staff is future oriented.

• It involves learning that does not necessarily relate to the employees current
job.

• The differences between training and development is that training focuses on

helping employees perform in their current job.

• Development prepares them for other positions in the organization and

increases their ability to move into jobs that may not yet exist.

• Career is a characteristic of an employee.

• Career is the occupational position a person has over many years.

• Career development is the lifelong series of activities [e.g. workshop] that

contributes to a person’s career exploration establishment success and
fulfillment.

• Career management is the process of enabling employees to be better

understanding and develop their careers skills and interests and use these
skills and interests more effectively.
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 Training is an organized procedure for which people learn knowledge and
skills for a definite purpose.

Training is done to bridge the gap between job requirement and present
competence of an employee.

Its done to improve behavior and performance.

It’s a continuous and job oriented and the burden falls upon the he employer.

Training and education is different because education is the process of

increasing general knowledge and understanding of a person.

Its wider in scope and is done in a school setting.

NEED FOR TRAINING

Why do we need to train employees?

1. Job requirement
New and inexperienced employees require detailed instructions for better
performance.
The past training may not be appropriate for the new organization
2. Technological changes
Increase use of fast changing techniques requires training in to the new
technology
3. Organizational viability

To survive and grow an organization must continually adopt itself to the changing
environment .In order to face international competition firms must upgrade their
capabilities. Existing employees need refresher training to keep them abreast of
knew knowledge

4. Internal mobility

Training becomes necessary when an employee moves from one job to another
through promotions and transfer. Training is used to prepare employees for
higher level jobs

5. Growing complexity of job

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 6. Increased professionalization of management
7. Growing un certainities in environment—global competition –growing
aspirations—expectations.
8. Vast untapped human potential

ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING

1. Higher productivity—helps to improve level of performance

2. Better quality work—uniformity of work methods and procedures help to

improve the quality of product and service

3. Less learning period—through training employees can quickly reach

acceptable levels of performance. Systematic training programmes help reduce
time and cost involved in training.

4.Cost reduction—Trained workforce make better and economical use ofmaterial

and machinery . They reduce wastage and spoilage Maintenance cost is reduced
due to less machine breakdown

5. Reduced supervision—Well trained staff are self reliant and motivated and
need less supervision and control

6. Low accident rate—the trained staff adopts right working methods and make
use of prescribed safety devices.—Frequency of accidents is reduced

7. High morale—Proper training can develop positive attitudes among employees

8. Personal growth—Training increases knowledge and skills of participants.

Well trained personnel can grow faster in their career

9. Organizational climate—Training improves climate of an organization

industrial relation and discipline are improved. Resistance to change is reduced

TYPES OF TRAINING

1. Orientation training or induction—This type is given to newly employed

to help them settle quickly. It includes rules and regulations of the
organization.

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 2. Job training—Its provided to increase the knowledge and skills of an
employee for improving performance
3. Safety training—it includes instructions in the use of safety devices and
safety consciousness
4. Promotional training—Its done to enable employees to perform higher level
jobs. Only those with potential are selected
5. Refresher training—with time employee skills may become obsolete. They
may also forget some of the methods of dong work. This calls for refresher
course to update their skills
6. Remedial training/ retraining—its done to overcome the shortcomings in
behavior and performance of older employees.

SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO TRAINING

The following are the steps to be considered while organizing training:

 Indentifying training needs

 Setting training objectives and policy
 Designing training programme
 Conducting the training
 Follow up evaluation

INDENTIFYING TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS

Training must have a purpose and that purpose can be indentified only if learning
needs of the organization and groups within it have been indentified

The needs must be related to the specific needs of the organization and the
individual employees.

The needs have also to be assessed clearly and specifically

In order to identify training needs the gap between the existing and required level
of knowledge skills and performance should be specified. Training should be more
concerned with indentifying and satisfying learning and development needs.

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 Training needs helps in developing a successful training program

• This can be done through analysis of the:

1. Organization- i.e. study of the organization in terms of objectives , its

resources, resource allocation and utilization, its growth potential and
its environment.

2. Objectives- long-term and short term objectives and analysis of their

priorities in the light of the present environment.

3. Resource utilization analysis- Allocation of human and physical

resources and their efficient utilization in meeting the targets analyzed
of HR.

4. Organization climate analysis- the prevailing climate of an organization

reflects altitude of members and employee altitude towards employee
development, strengths / weaknesses.

5. Environment scanning- this is examination of economic, political,

technology and socio-cultural environment of the organization.

– This helps to indentify the different environmental factors which

organization can control/ influence and which it can`t.

6. Task or role analysis.

– Its a systematic and detailed analysis of jobs to identify job content,

knowledge, skills and aptitude required and work behavior

– It identifies conditions including equipment and environment the

employee works.

– Look at time constraints [deadlines] safely considerations and

performance standards.

– It gives also the skills and abilities required to successfully complete

the task.

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 – Questionnaire interview, personnel records, reports, test observation
and other methods can be used to collect information on job analysis.

7. Manpower analysis

– The person to be trained and the changes required in the knowledge

skills and aptitudes are determined.

– Its important to decide whether performance of an individual is sub

standard and if training is required.

– Identify the specific areas the individuals requires training.

– Determine if the training will improve the employee performance.

– Training and staff development can be successful if these types of

analysis are carried out continuously.

– Training needs should be analysed for the whole organization then the
departments followed by group needs and lastly individual needs

– The common needs that emerge after analysis of individual needs can
be dealt on a group basis. Both individual and group needs will help to
define the corporate needs.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR INDENTIFYING TRAINING

NEEDS

Walter in 1983 indentified nine sources of information which help indentify

training needs.

1. Organizational goals and plans—which indicate the direction in which the

organization is going and therefore major training priorities
2. Human resource and succession planning—which provides information on
future skills requirement and management training needs.
3. Personnel statistics-on for example labour turnover which highlights HR
issues which may be addressed in training
4. Consultation with senior managers-which obtains opinion on training needs
from key decision makers

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5. Data on productivity quality and performance—which shows whether there
are any gaps between expectation and results
6. Departmental lay out changes-which provides information about future
development and related training needs.
7. Management requests—for training which sets out perceive needs.
8. Knowledge of financial plans—Which determines whether the funds will be
available for training
9. New technology and developing IT systems –Which indicates where new
skills are required
2. SET TRAINING OBJECTIVES

– Objectives of the training express the gap between present and the
designed performance levels. Its defined in both quantitative and
qualitative terms which will later help in monitoring and evaluating
the effectiveness of the training.

– The objectives should be stated in terms of changes required in

behavior and performance. i.e. what the employee will be able to do
when he comes back

– The objective may be classified according to learning levels. E.g.:

Motor skills

» Adaptation level

» Interpersonal understanding

» Values etc.

– Objectives should show how improvement can be measured which

should be specific and quantifiable e.g. specific production rate or %
improvement in defects.

3. DESIGN TRAINING PROGRAM

In order to achieve the training objectives an appropriate training policy is

necessary.

It represents the commitment of top management to employee training.

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 It consists of rules and procedures concerning training.

1. It indicates company’s intention to develop employees

2. To guide design and implementation of training program
3. To provide opportunity to employees to better themselves.

It defines :

4. Results expected

5. Who is responsible for the training

6. Type of training required

7. Time and place for training

8. Payments to be made to employees during the training period.

• This is generally developing ways in which the training needs can be

addressed and improved.

• The way to develop improvement can be through specific courses

attendance to seminars, cross training, with either employees or an increase
in time spend on specific work activities.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRAINING

The responsibility of training may be shared among

1. Top management –who should authorize training, review training plans and
programs, approve training budget
2. Personnel department –plan and evaluate training program
3. Line supervision- implements training
4. Employee—provides feedback ,revision and suggestion for improving the
program

SELECTING AND MOTIVATING THE TARGET GROUP

Its necessary to decide who is to be trained. Methods of training will depend on

upon the type of persons to be trained. Employees will be interested in training if
they belief it will benefit them personally. A good training room is necessary

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which well ventilated adequate furniture is and audio visual aids are necessary.
There should be open communication, friendly trainers, provision for measuring
learners progress etc

PREPARING THE TRAINING

Success of training program depends to a great extend upon the instructor or

resource person He should employ the right training techniques.

DEVELOPING TRAINING PACKAGE

It involves deciding the contest of training.

It contains detailed syllabus and proper sequencing of contents and an appropriate

mix of training methods.

Support material may include study notes case studies pamphlets charts brochures
manuals movie slides

PRESENTATION

This is the actual training.

-The trainer tells, demonstrates and illustrates to impart knowledge.

-The learner first has to be put at ease.

-Explain why he is being taught.

-Audiovisual should be used to demonstrate and illustrate the teaching.

-He should be encouraged to ask questions to confirm understanding.

Performance tryout

At the end of it the trainer should be tried out if he can do the job on his own. If he
performs then the training has worked.

Follow up

This is assessment of effectiveness of the training program.

-the follow up will show weakness for correction.

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TRAINING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

Training takes place in two ways

1. On the job
2. Off the job

ON THE JOB TRAINING

This means having a person learn the job by actually performing it.The employee
is placed under the work situation and the supervisor instructs the employee on
how the job is done directly at the work station(learning by doing)

On the job training includes

1. Vestibule training—the trainer learns on the actual or simulated equipment

they will use on the job.
Here actual job conditions are duplicated. The machines are identical to
actual machines at work place (piloting)
2. Apprenticeship—it’s a process by which individual become skilled workers
through a combination of classroom instructions and on the job training e.g
carpentry, building electrical etc
3. Job rotation—it involves moving trainers around among different jobs
within the organization.
4. Job institution method—it’s a formalized on the job training where
employees follow a series of written instructions to complete a procedure
5. Computer assisted instructions-it involves self taught, self paced learning
systems using computer
6. Coaching—here an experienced worker or trainee supervises or trains the
employees on the job, trainee may acquire the skill of running a machine by
observing the superior
7. Mentoring—here trainee is provided with guidance and tutorship in the
ways of career.

ii ) OFF THE JOB TRAINING

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It occurs away from the actual job location. Professional trainers and consultants
teach these programmes.

Off the job provides training that would not otherwise be available to the company.

It includes continuing education and correspondence courses or internet based

training. some of the training techniques includes lecturing, audio visual, tele-
training, video conferencing

Its useful in teaching concepts and problem solving techniques

It can be used in orientation of new employees and safety training programmes.

Some companies maintain their own training institutions or schools e.g
KCCT.COOPERATIVE COLLEGE AMREF KEWI

EVALUATING TRAINING

Its important to evaluate training in order to asses its effectiveness in producing

the learning outcome.

Evaluation will indicate where improvement or changes are required to make

training effective. It enables the organization to monitor the training programme.

Hamblin (1974) defines training evaluation as any attempt to obtain information

(feedback) on the effects of a training programme and to asses the value of the
training in the light of that information. Evaluation leads to control which means
deciding whether or not the training was worthy while (cost effective)

Evaluation compares the objectives with outcome to answer the question of how
far training has achieved its purpose.

Training effectiveness is the degree to which trainers are able to learn and apply
the knowledge and skills acquired in the training programme.

Training programme is likely or effective when

 Trainee wants to learn

 Have career strategies
 Ability and motivation of trainers
 Content relevant of the training programme

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LEVELS OF EVALUATION

Kirk Patrick 1994 suggested four levels of training evaluation.

These are

Level 1. Reaction—here evaluation measures how those who participated in the

training have reacted to it. It measures reaction to content objectives and training
programmes

In case the trainee considered the programme worth while and liked then the
training can be considered effective

Level 2. Evaluating learning—this level obtains information on the extend to

which learning objectives have been attained it aims to find out how much
knowledge was acquired what skills were developed or improved.

This can be done through tests after the training.

It seeks to find out if attitude changed in the desired direction

Level 3. Evaluating behavior

This level evaluates the extend to which behavior has changed as required when
people have returned to their jobs.

Was knowledge skills and attitude transferred to the work place?

Time should be allowed for the change in behavior to take place

Level 4 evaluating results

It provides basis for assessing the benefits of training against its costs. It measures
what training has achieved in terms of productivity improvement cost reduction
accident reduction and reduction in labour turnover abseenteism and increasing
customer satisfaction.

The result must be measurable and so there has to be always an evidence.

Trainers can react favorably to the course, enjoy the experience but learn nothing

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They can learn something and not be allowed to apply it. They may apply it and it
does no good to within their own areas.It may do good in their function but does
not improve organizational production and effectiveness.

METHODS OF EVALUATION

The following methods can be used to collect data on the outcome of training

1. Opinion and judgement of trainers ,superiors and peers

2. Asking the trainers to fill up evaluation form

3. Using questionnaires to know the reaction of trainees

4.Giving oral and written test to trainee to ascertain how farthey have learnt.

5. Arranging structured interview with trainers.

6. Comparing trainees performance on the job before and after training

7. Studying profile and career development charts of trainees

8. Measuring levels of productivity wastage cost, abseenteism and employee

turnover after training

9. Trainee comments and reaction during training

10 cost benefit analysis of the training

FEEDBACK

Outcome of a training programme should justify the time money and efforts
invested by organization in the training.

After the evaluation the situation should be analyzed to indentify the possible
causes for a difference between the expected outcome and actual outcome.

PRINCIPALS OF TRAINING

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The following guidelines can help make training more effective

1.Clear objectives-aim of training must be clearly defined. Comparison of needed

skills and existing skills will help determine the training needs of the employees.

2. Training policy—well defined training policy serves as a guide for designing

training programme. The policy should specify who is responsible for the training
and what is to be spend in training

3. Motivation—employee respond positively to training when they feel the need to

learn. Training therefore must be related to the needs and problems of trainees.
Information provided in the training materials should be meaningful. Audio visual
aids should be used to avoid boredom and fatique of the lecture method

4. Reinforcement—According to B.F Skinner behavior modification model when a

behavior is repeatedly rewarded it becomes permanent part of ones personality.

Learning is more effective when there’s reinforcement in the forms of reward and
punishment. Rewards are more effective in changing behavior. Pay rise,
promotions, praise should be used to reward trainees who learn and apply the
knowledge. Rewards should quickly follow the desired behaviour.

5. Organized material—training material should be properly organized.

Complete training outline should be distributed in advance so that trainees
can prepare themselves before coming to class.
6. Learning period—learning or teaching in segments is better than in one go.
Several short sessions spread over a long period usually enables learning.
7. preparing the instructor-trainer is the most important in training programme.
He must not only be a good but also know the subject
8. Feedback—each trainee should know what aspect of behavior or
performance they need to change. The feedback should be positive fast and
frequent
9. Practice—skills that are practiced often are better learnt and not easily
forgotten. Trainees should be allowed continuous practice.

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