Training and Development

 

Introduction

Training and development is an important activity that increases the performance of employee in an organization and is a building block which enhances the growth and success of an organization. Armstrong (2009) stated that organizations could benefit from training and development through winning the ―heart and minds of‖ their employees to get them to identify with the organization, to exert themselves more on its behalf and to remain with the organization. Training and development are the processes of investing in people so that they are equipped to perform well and are part of an overall human resource management approach that hopefully will result in people being motivated to perform (McDowall & Saunders 2010). The following key terms are defined for better elaboration

Training

This activity is both focused upon, and evaluated against, the job that an individual currently holds; training refers to bridging the gap between the current performance and the standard desired performance (Garavan, 1997).

 Development

This activity focuses upon the activities that the organization employing the individual, or that the individual is part of, may This activity focuses upon the activities that the organization employing the individual, or that the individual is part of, may partake in the future, and is almost impossible to evaluate. Antonacopoulou (2000), defined development as the capacity and capability building on an employee and thus as of whole organization, to meet the standard performance level.

Figure 1, Source: Human Resource Management

Figure 2, Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLr-xaQEnkE

Difference between Training and Development

Training	Development
Skills focused	Creating learning abilities
Presumed to have a formal education	Not education dependent
Depend upon lack or deficiency in skills	Depends on personal drive and ambition
Generally need based	Voluntary
Narrower concept focused on job related skills	Broader concept focused on personality development
May not include development	Includes training wherever necessary
Aimed at improving job related efficiency and performance	Aims at overall personal effectiveness including job efficiencies

Training and Development Process

Figure 3, Source; MBA Skool

Determine the need of training and development for individuals or teams

Training and development must be prioritized above everything else. It must be in line with the aims and objectives of the business. Appropriate training is required if a business is attempting to establish a new division or bolster the sales force for new products.

Establish specific objectives & goals which need to be achieved

It is necessary to define the training and development's aims and objectives. Learning installation is necessary, regardless of the objective being product awareness.

Select the methods of training

Next, methods have to be defined. The training can be done as a  

• Classroom Training
• Online Self paced courses
•  Course with certification
•  Instructor led online training

Conduct and implement the programs for employees

Following the completion of the strategy and procedures, employees, partners, or vendors must be taught courses and instructions as part of training and development programs.

Evaluate the output and performance post the training and development sessions

Development and training are inadequate without adequate oversight. Evaluating participants and the instructor is one way to carry out monitoring. While ratings or comments from students can be used to assess instructors, scores or internal or external certifications can be used to assess attendees.

Importance of Training and Development

Organizations must provide ongoing training and development opportunities for their staff if they are to continue progressing. The business environment and competition are always changing, therefore it's imperative to maintain learning and acquiring new abilities. The following highlights the significance of training and development

• Optimum utilization of resources 
• Development of skills like time management, leadership, team management etc.
• To increase the performance, productivity and motivation 
• To imbibe the team spirit
• For improvement of organization culture 
• To improve quality 
• To increase profitability and bottom line by acquiring new skills 
• Improving brand image by having well trained employees 

What are the best practices for designing employee training and development programs?

• Align with organizational objectives
• Assess employee needs and interests
• Choose appropriate methods and formats
• Design clear and measurable outcomes
• Implement feedback and improvement loops

Companies with exceptional employee Training and development programs

• Heineken
• City National Bank
• Cooley
• Randstad
• Cruise Automation
• Amazon
• Chipotle
• Workday
• Marriott International
• Urban Company

Conclusion

Training and development place a strong emphasis on enhancing both individual and group performance inside the company by implementing an appropriate system that focuses on the knowledge, abilities, and material needed to accomplish the goal.

References

Armstrong's Handbook of Management and Leadership ... development 153. Part III Factors affecting ... Training 308.

 A McDowall · 2010 · Cited by 165 — UK managers' conceptions of employee training and development - Author: Almuth McDowall, Mark N.K. Saunders.

 N Garavan · 1997 · Cited by 368 — Training. Citation. Garavan, T.N. (1997), "Training, development, education and learning

 EP Antonacopoulou · 2000 · Cited by 315 — Employee development through self-development

 HR Basics: Training and Development June 7 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLr-xaQEnkE