STAFF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT:Typical Topics of Employee Training, Training Methods

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Introduction to Business MGT 211

LESSON 16

STAFF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

As a brief review of terms, training involves an expert working with learners to transfer to them

certain areas of knowledge or skills to improve in their current jobs. Development is a broad,

ongoing multi-faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an

organization up to another threshold of performance, often to perform some job or new role in

the future.

Typical Reasons for Employee Training and Development

Training and development can be initiated for a variety of reasons for an employee or group of

employees, e.g.,:

a.) When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement is needed

b.) To "benchmark" the status of improvement so far in a performance improvement effort

c.) As part of an overall professional development program

d.) As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role

in the organization

e.) To "pilot", or test, the operation of a new performance management system

f.) To train about a specific topic (see below)

Typical Topics of Employee Training

1. Communications: The increasing diversity of today's workforce brings a wide variety of

languages and customs.

2. Computer skills: Computer skills are becoming a necessity for conducting administrative

and office tasks.

3. Customer service: Increased competition in today's global marketplace makes it critical

that employees understand and meet the needs of customers.

4. Diversity: Diversity training usually includes explanation about how people have different

perspectives and views, and includes techniques to value diversity

5. Ethics: Today's society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility.

Also, today's diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace.

6. Human relations: The increased stresses of today's workplace can include

misunderstandings and conflict. Training can people to get along in the workplace.

7. Quality initiatives: Initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Quality Circles,

benchmarking, etc., require basic training about quality concepts, guidelines and standards for

quality, etc.

8. Safety: Safety training is critical where working with heavy equipment , hazardous

chemicals, repetitive activities, etc., but can also be useful with practical advice for avoiding

assaults, etc.

9. Sexual harassment: Sexual harassment training usually includes careful description of the

organization's policies about sexual harassment, especially about what are inappropriate

behaviors.

General Benefits from Employee Training and Development

There are numerous sources of on-line information about training and development. Several of

these sites (they're listed later on in this library) suggest reasons for supervisors to conduct

training among employees. These reasons include:

1. Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees.

2. Increased employee motivation.

3. Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain.

4. Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods.

5. Increased innovation in strategies and products.

Introduction to Business MGT 211

6. Reduced employee turnover.

7. Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics

training!).

8. Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training.

Training Methods

i. On-the-Job Training--work-based training, sometimes informal,

conducted while an employee is in the actual work situation. As much

as 60 percent of training in the United States occurs on the job.

ii. Off-the-Job Training--Training conducted in a controlled environment

away from the work site.

iii. Vestibule Training--work-based training conducted in a simulated

environment away from the work site. Airline pilots and machine

operators frequently learn via vestibule training.

a. Performance Appraisal--formal evaluation of an employee's job performance

in order to determine the degree to which the employee is performing

effectively. The individual supervisor is usually responsible for the performance

of his or her subordinates. Appraisals help managers assess the extent to

which they are recruiting and selecting the best employees and contribute to

effective training and appropriate compensation.

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