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Block 2 Steps in Human Resource Management

Unit 2 Training And Development

1) Define and elucidate the meaning of training and development.

Training is a short-term process focused on increasing an employee's knowledge and skills for a specific job. It involves acquiring knowledge, sharpening skills, and changing attitudes or behaviours to improve job performance. Training is activity leading to skilled behavior, which is having the knowledge to do what you are dreaming of doing, knowing where you stand now and where you will be in the future. It's a learning process involving instructions in technical and mechanical operations.

Development, on the other hand, is a long-term educational process focused on managerial personnel learning conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purposes. It aims to improve job performance and also the employee's personality, covering activities that progress and actualize their potential capacities. Development is a long term educational process through which managerial personnel learn conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purpose.

2) Elucidate the need for training and development.

Training and development are needed due to several factors:

• Increased use of new technology: Modern organisations use advanced technology like computers, requiring employees to have technological knowledge.
• Refresher training for old employees: To update employees on the latest technology and current situations.
• Effective work performance: To match employee skills with organisational needs.
• Organisational viability and transformation: To help employees adapt to the changing external environment.
• Increased productivity and quality: To address skill deficiencies that may lead to accidents and poor quality.
• To achieve personal and organisational goals: Training helps employees meet their own goals, as well as those of the company.
• To promote entrepreneurship: Training provides new knowledge and skills and promotes innovation and active involvement in decision-making.

3) What are the advantages of training and development?

The advantages of training and development include:

• Optimised human resource utilisation: Helps employees achieve organisational and individual goals.
• Development of human resources: Assists employees in attaining personal growth.
• Development of employee skills: Improves job knowledge and skills at all levels.
• Increased productivity: Contributes to the organisation's long-term goals.
• Team spirit: Inculcates teamwork, team spirit, and inter-team collaboration.
• Improved organisation culture: Develops a healthy culture and enhances effectiveness.
• Positive organisation climate: Builds a positive perception of the organisation.
• Enhanced quality of work: Improves the quality of work and work-life.
• Health and safety: Contributes to a healthy and safe working environment.
• Improved morale: Boosts the morale of the workforce.
• Better corporate image: Creates a better corporate image.
• Increased profitability: Leads to improved profitability and a positive attitude towards profit.
• Organisational development: Enables more effective decision-making and problem-solving.
• Leadership skills: Develops leadership skills, motivation, and loyalty.
• Commitment to employees: Demonstrates a commitment to keeping employees up to date with knowledge and practice.

4) How do training and development promote entrepreneurship?

Training and development not only provide new knowledge, skills and abilities, but also promote entrepreneurship, introduce employees to changes, encourage changes in attitude, introduce employees to important business decisions and involve them actively in the decision-making process.

5) Discuss the cognitive methods of training.

Cognitive methods of training focus on providing theoretical knowledge and rules for how to do something. These methods aim to stimulate learning and change knowledge and attitudes. They include:

• Lectures: A trainer provides information, goals, and processes, and may be interactive or non-interactive.
• Demonstrations: A visual display of how something works, often with a discussion or lecture.
• Discussions: A two-way communication between the trainer and trainees that allows for knowledge sharing and problem solving.
• Computer Based Training (CBT): Training delivered through computers, offering consistency, individual pace, and lower costs.
• Intelligent Tutorial System (ITS): An AI system that guides the trainee using a text-based, interactive method, and evaluates the program.
• Programmed Instruction (PI): A computer-based method with multimedia and text, guiding participants through information with questions.
• Virtual Reality: Immersing trainees in a 3D environment to simulate job situations.

6) Elucidate and describe the behavioural methods of training.

Behavioural methods of training focus on developing skills through practical application and experience. These methods include:

• Behaviour modelling: Trainees observe an expert, imitate the behaviour through role-play, and receive reinforcement.
• Business games: Simulators that replicate industry or company operations, where trainees make decisions and receive feedback.
• Case studies: Trainees analyse complex problems faced by managers to apply known concepts and learn new ones.
• In-basket technique: Trainees handle a log of written materials to simulate a manager's tasks, followed by a discussion of decisions.
• Role-playing: Trainees act out specific roles in a given situation to develop interpersonal skills.

7) What are the important characteristics of management method of training?

Management training methods include both on-the-job and off-the-job techniques.

• On-the-job training: Coaching, mentoring, job rotation, and job instruction techniques.
• Off-the-job training: Sensitivity training, transactional analysis, and straight lectures.

8) Discuss on the job training methods.

On-the-job training methods involve learning while working. The four main techniques are:

• Coaching: Trainee learns under a coach or supervisor who provides feedback.
• Mentoring: A more experienced employee guides the trainee, often with more focus on personal and professional growth.
• Job Rotation: Trainees move between jobs to gain experience and knowledge.
• Job Instruction Technique (JIT): A step-by-step method where a trainer explains how to do the job and gives feedback.

9) Describe the off the job training methods.

Off-the-job training methods involve learning away from the regular job, allowing for focused learning. These methods include:

• Vestibule training: Simulating the real work environment with actual equipment, before starting the job.
• The case method: Analysing real or hypothetical job situations to identify and solve problems.
• The incident method: Trainees seek information on an incident and attempt to solve problems, and receive feedback from trainer at the end of the session.
• Conferences or Discussions: A group of people share ideas and examine information to improve job performance.
• Programmed Instruction: Subject matter is presented in a series of units, from simple to complex, with trainees answering questions along the way.

10) How do we assess the training needs? What methods do we use to assess the training needs?

Training needs are assessed to determine which employees require training and for what purpose. Methods include:

• Performance deficiency: Identifying gaps between current and required job performance.
• Individual or group interviews: Understanding performance discrepancies and perceived training needs.
• Assessment centers: Evaluating current employees for promotions or transfers by assessing their abilities to meet the demands of the future job.
• Training for new employees: Designing training based on job content and employee characteristics.

11) How does training lead to skilled behaviour?

Training provides the knowledge and understanding of how to achieve desired outcomes. It involves acquiring knowledge, sharpening skills, and changing attitudes and behaviours. Training is knowing how to reach what you want in life. It is the process of learning a sequence of programmed behaviour.

12) Describe the various methods of training and development.

Training and development methods include both cognitive and behavioural methods. These can be further categorised as:

• Cognitive Methods: Lectures, demonstrations, discussions, CBT, intelligent tutorial systems, programmed instruction, and virtual reality.
• Behavioural Methods: Behaviour modelling, business games, case studies, in-basket technique, and role-playing.
• On-the-job training: Coaching, mentoring, job rotation, and job instruction.
• Off-the-job training: Sensitivity training, transactional analysis, lectures, vestibule training, case studies, discussions, and programmed instruction.

13) Describe computer based training.

Computer Based Training (CBT) is an alternative to classroom-based training that uses computers to deliver instruction. The benefits of CBT include:

• Provides instructional consistency.
• Offers privacy of learning.
• Allows learning at an individual pace.
• Allows for mastering the learning.
• Reduces the overall cost of training.
• Allows customization of programs based on learner characteristics.

14) What criteria will use for selection of a technique of training?

A training method should be chosen based on its suitability for the specific training needs. A suitable method will:

• Motivate a trainee to improve performance.
• Clearly illustrate desired skills.
• Provide for the learner's active participation.
• Provide opportunity for practice.
• Give feedback on performance.
• Reinforce learning.
• Be structured from simple to complex.
• Be adaptable to specific problems.
• Enable transfer of training to other situations.

15) Discuss evaluation of a training programme.

Evaluation of a training program involves gathering information about the effects of the training and assessing its value. The need for evaluation includes:

• Making decisions about the future use of the training program.
• Making decisions about individual trainees and their competence.
• Contributing to understanding the training process.
• Further political or public relations purposes.

The evaluation can be performed at five levels:

• Reactions: Trainee's reactions to the training.
• Learning: Evaluation of content learned and the learner's ability to apply it.
• Job behaviour: The extent to which the trainee applies their learning on the job.
• Organisation: The impact on the department or organisation in terms of productivity and morale.
• Ultimate value: The training's contribution to company goals such as profitability, growth, and employee development.