Training & Development

Training & Development-

Introduction

Training & Development is an important function in Human Resource Management , as it develops proper job related attitudes and prepares the employees for higher responsibilities and tasks. It makes workers developmentally and morally responsible so as to be able to bear the new responsibilities which in turn helps in progress of an organization.
Training is the process of increasing the knowledge and skills for doing a particular job. It is an organized procedure by which people learn knowledge and skill for a definite purpose. The purpose of training is basically to bridge the gap between job requirement and present competence of an employee. Training & Development are tools to enhance productivity and effectiveness of the employees & have acquired great importance.
Training process molds the thinking of employees and leads to quality performance of employees. It is continuous and never ending in nature. Training is crucial for organizational development and success. It is fruitful to both employers and employees of an organization. An employee will become more efficient and productive if he is trained well.

Definitions of Training

Training is defined by various authors as follows:

Training is the learning experience in that it seeks a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve his or her ability to perform on the job. -S.P.Robbins

Training is an act of increasing the knowledge and skill of an employee for doing a particular job. – E.B.Flippo

Training is the process by which man is fitted for the particular job he has to perform. - Dale Yoder.

The organized procedure by which people learn knowledge and/ skill for a definite purpose. -Dale S.Beach

Objectives of Training

· Training is essential to build a second line of able and competent executives to handle the work situations more responsibly.

· To check wastage of time and resources by making the workers handle properly the materials, machines and equipments.

· Old workers require in-service training and refresher courses to update their knowledge and have better techniques of doing work more effectively while new employees need training to adopt themselves to the new environment and perform their jobs efficiently.

· To bring change in the attitudes of workers towards fellow workers, supervisors and the organization.

· To impart new skills among workers so that they may handle a variety of jobs.

· To improve the overall performance of workers.

. To increase the knowledge of workers in doing specific jobs.

Thus training is essential to develop proper job related attitudes and to prepare the employees for higher responsibilities and tasks.

Need for Training and Development

The need for training and development of employees on a continuing basis is no longer a matter of debate. The need has been defined as an essential activity in an organization and the conditions that have led to the awareness of the importance of training and development are as follows. :

1. Technological change necessitating acquisitions of new skills.

2· The ever-increasing gap between planning and implementation of projects.

3·Need to meet the challenges of global competition.

4· Sub optimal performance of organization in public, government and private sector.

5· To over come the organizational complexities.

6· To ensure harmonious industrial relations.

7· For promotions.
The following are the two biggest factors that contribute to the increased need for training and development in organizations:

Change: The word change encapsulates almost everything. It is one of the biggest factors that contribute to the need of training and development. There is in fact a direct relationship between the two. Change leads to the need for training and development and training and development leads to individual and organizational change, and the cycle goes on and on. More specifically it is the technology that is driving the need; changing the way how businesses function, compete and deliver.
Development: It is again one the strong reasons for training and development becoming all the more important. Money is not the sole motivator at work and this is especially very true for the 21st century. People who work with organizations seek more than just employment out of their work; they look at holistic development of self. Spirituality and self- awareness for example are gaining momentum world over. People seek happiness at jobs which may not be possible unless an individual is aware of the self.

More specifically, following are some of the conditions that have led to the awareness as well as the importance of the training programs in the organization.

a) Job Requirements: Employees selected for a job might lack the qualifications required to perform the job effective performance on the job. So new people require instructions in form of Training

b) Technology: Technology is changing very fast. Increasing use of fast changing techniques requires training in new technology.

c) Organization Viability: In order to survive and grow an organization must continually adopt itself to the changing environment. With increasing Globalisation & liberalization, expansion & growth and diversification, the firms must upgrade their capabilities.

d) Internal Mobility: Training becomes necessary when an employee moves from one job to another due to promotion and transfer.

It is important to quote Marks and Spencers here. They mentioned “Train employees to the point where you may loose them, and then you wont loose them. This is training paradox. • Increasing an individual’s employability outside the company simultaneously increases his job security and desire to stay with the current employer.
The main areas in which training is provided -

1. Knowledge. The training in this area aims at helping the trainees learn to understand and to remember facts, information and principles.
2. Technical Skills. The training is imparted in the areas of technical expertise such as physical acts or actions like operating a machine working with computer, using mathematical models to take decisions, etc.
3. Social Skills. The employees are provided opportunities to acquire and sharpen such behavioral and human relation skills as are necessary for improved interpersonal relationships, better teamwork and effective leadership.

4. Techniques. This involves teaching of applications of knowledge and skills to dynamic situations.

5. Attitudes. It involves work commitment and positive orientation towards the organization and society.

6. Experience. It cannot be taught in the classroom. It is the result of practicing the use of knowledge, skills, techniques and attitudes over a period of time in different work situations. Usually a well designed training program aims at facilitating learning in practically all the areas, the emphasis, however may differ based on the specific requirements of tasks and people.

Types of Training

1. Orientation Training : Induction or orientation training seeks to adjust newly appointed employees to the work environment.

2. Job Training : If refers to the training provided with a view to increase the knowledge and skills of an employee for improving performance on the job.

3. Safety Training : Training provided to minimize accidents and damage to machinery is known as safety training.

4. Promotional Training : It involves of existing employees to enable them to perform high level job.

5. Refresher Training : When existing techniques become obsolete due to the development of better techniques, employees have to be trained in the use of new methods and techniques.

6.Remedial Training : Such training is arranged to overcome the shortcomings in the behaviour and performance of old employees. Remedial training should be conducted by psychological experts.
.Evaluation of Training Effectiveness-
To identify the program’s strengths and weaknesses, including whether the program is meeting the learning objectives, the quality of the learning environment, and if transfer of training back to the job is occurring.

To assess whether the various features of the training context and content contribute to learning and the transfer of learning back to the job.
To identify which trainees benefited most of least from the program and why.
To gather information, such as trainees’ testimonials, to use for marketing training programs.
To determine financial benefits and costs of the program.
To compare the costs and benefits of training versus other human resource investments.
To compare the costs and benefits of various training programs in order to choose the most effective programs.

NTA UGC NET/ JRF Paper 2 - Management (Definition,Characteristics,Principles, Significances and Functions)