Training and Development

Training is needed to provide the crucial task/ job-related skills, techniques, and knowledge. The main aim of training and development is to focus on what’s good for people, rather than chiefly what’s profitable for organizations. In terms of training and development it means what’s good for employees is directly good for their organizations–what’s good for the individual’s development is also good for organizational performance.

Training is an organized activity for increasing the personnel’s skills.

Training involves

• a two one-way process
• experts and learners
• an organized and systematic activity
• certain area of knowledge or skills
• improve the performance
• improve the current job

It is described by Somasundaram and Egan as the intellective mental factors gained and saved through study and experience. Knowledge is the cognitive capacity of the organization. It refers to information pieces related to the job functions’ performance. Training aims to convey knowledge to employees contributing to the facts, information, and principles related to their jobs.

Skill is the capability to carry out job operations with ease and accuracy. Skills are technical or manual proficiencies which are usually learned or acquired through training. They should be measurable and observable.

Skills are classified into three types; technical, human, and conceptual skills.

Technical skills are occupation related, concrete, and functional. The training in this field focuses on teaching the employees the physical acts or actions such as operating a machine, using equipment, handling a computer, using mathematical tools to take decisions, etc.

Human/Social skills refer to the ability to work effectively with a group as a team and to build complementary accomplishment. This category of training focuses on the development of individuals and team work.

Conceptual skills help to see the business/ organization as a whole. As a result of training, employees recognize how the different functions of the organization depend on one another and how changes in one part affect the others and it broadens visualization of the relationship.

Behavior refers to the reaction of the employee to specific situations or conditions at work.

Personal and corporate culture affect the employees’ communication and interaction with colleagues and the management.

Development is a long-term educational process and training is part of the ongoing employee development program.

Development involves:

• a process
• growth of person
• on-going multi-faceted set of activities/ trainings
• on theoretical skills and conceptual ideas
• enhancement of general knowledge
• prepares for future jobs

Education covers both the teaching and learning of knowledge, behaviour, and competency. It focuses on structuring skills.

Education involves:

• a two-way process
• experts and learners
• teaching and learning of knowledge
• develops a logical and rational mind
• consists of the application of pedagogy
• provided only by educational institutions

Learning means developing behaviors, skills, knowledge, values, and wisdom as the product of education and experience.

Learning involves:

• act or experience
• knowledge or skill gained at school
• behavioral changes
• enhance level of maturity

According to Built.com in 2014, the purpose of employee orientation is to:

• reduce startup-costs,
• reduce anxiety,
• reduce employee turnover,
• save time for supervisor,
• develop realistic job expectations,
• develop positive attitudes,
• develop job satisfaction.

There could be many reasons as to why organizations need training and development for their human resources. Reasons of the need for training and development are to:

• provide staff with the necessary knowledge and skills for the right jobs,
• prepare employees to occupy higher positions,
• let them work effectively and efficiently,
• update them with the latest concepts and techniques,
• make the employee’s competence compatible with the organizational needs,
• catch up with technological advances,
• have employee career planning,
• keep up with the changing environment of the organization,
• survive in a competitive environment with well-trained employees.

The principal objective of the training and development activity is to ensure the availability of a skilled and willing workforce to an organization for the organizational development.

Behaviourist/Behavioral Learning Theory: The main purpose of the behaviourist learning pedagogy is to accomplish the correct behaviour which focuses on achievable learning objectives. The knowledge skills and attitude distinction is also used within this approach.

For behaviorism, learning is the acquisition of a new behavior through conditioning.

There are two types of conditioning, namely classical and operant conditioning:

1. Classic learning process: This is a process of learning by temporal association in which two events repeatedly occur close together in time and produce the same response. Learning occurs when a natural reflex responds to a stimulus.
2. Operant learning process: If a behavior is rewarded, it is repeated. Within this process, learning has a function of changing the behavior. Changes in behavior are the result of an individual’s response to events that occur in the environment.

Constructivist Learning Theory: In this theory, a learner constructs knowledge through interacting with more knowledgeable others; “learning starts by conversations”. This approach includes situated and active learning, learning by doing, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, and cooperative learning.

Constructivists believe that all humans have the ability to build knowledge in their minds. Processes of discovery and problem solving help this construction. This process can take place naturally without teaching environment structured

Connectivist Learning Theory: Connectivism is replacing behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism in the digital age. The concept of network is significant in connectivism, which characterizes knowledge as a flow through a network of humans and non-humans. It incorporates connections between entities - individuals, groups, systems, fields, ideas, resources or communities.

There are two main training methods known as on-the-job training and off-the-job training.

On-the-job training is one of the oldest training methods, and it involves direct instruction. The worker learns by doing the work. Off-the-job training takes place outside the current workplace. The training is offered by specialist trainers.

E-Learning is education and training that is delivered to its “users” through a computer or other electronic devices.

Benefits of e-learning are:

• Creating a global workforce
• Managing flat organizations
• Adjusting to employee wants and needs
• Retaining valued workers
• Increasing productivity and profitability
• Flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere
• Reduce travel and related costs
• Making updates easy

The best known training process model is ADDIE’s Five: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate.

The competence gap is the difference between what we need and what we have.

The training needs of an organization is identified by:

Organizational Analysis,

Task Analysis,

Job requirements analysis,

Manpower/Person Analysis.