Training Process

Everything you need to know about the training process.

Every organization whether profit or non-profit, public or private or government, needs to have well trained and experienced employees to perform the activities in order to achieve the organizational goals.

Training is necessary to enhance the skill levels and increase the versatility and adaptability of employees.

Inadequate job performance or a decline in productivity or changes resulting of the job redesigning or a technological breakthrough requires some type of training and development efforts.

A training process involves the following steps:-

1. Identifying Training Needs 2. Establish Specific Objectives 3. Designing the Training Programme 4. Getting Ready for the Job

5. Preparation of the Learner 6. Presentation of Operation and Knowledge 7. Performance Try-Out 8. Follow-Up and Evaluation Training Results.

Also learn about the phases of training employees. They are:- 1. Pre-Training 2. Training and 3. Post Training.

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Training Process in HRM – Steps, Process and Phases

Training Process in HRM – 6 Step Process: Identifying Training Needs, Establish Specific Objectives, Select Appropriate Methods, Implement Programs and a Few More Steps

A training is not a one sort affair; rather it is a step-by-step process that will completed only after successful completion of given sequential activities.

Step # 1. Identifying Training Needs:

Training need is a difference between standard performance and actual performance. Hence, it tries to bridge the gap between standard performance and actual performance. The gap clearly underlines the need for training of employees. Hence, under this phase, the gap is identified in order to assess the training needs.

Step # 2. Establish Specific Objectives:

After the identification of training needs, the most crucial task is to determine the objectives of training. Hence, the primary purpose of training should focus to bridge the gap between standard performance and actual performance. This can be done through setting training objectives. Thus, basic objective of training is to bring proper match between man and the job.

Step # 3. Select Appropriate Methods:

Training methods are desired means of attaining training objectives. After the determination of training needs and specification of objectives, an appropriate training method is to be identified and selected to achieve the stated objectives. There are number of training methods available but their suitability is judged as per the need of organizational training needs.

Step # 4. Implement Programs:

After the selection of an appropriate method, the actual functioning takes place. Under this step, the prepared plans and programs are implemented to get the desired output. Under it, employees are trained to develop for better performance of organizational activities.

Step # 5. Evaluate Program:

It consists of an evaluation of various aspects of training in order to know whether the training program was effective. In other words, it refers to the training utility in terms of effect of training on employees’ performance.

Step # 6. Feedback:

Finally, a feedback mechanism is created in order to identify the weak areas in the training program and improve the same in future. For this purpose, information relating to class room, food, lodging etc., are obtained from participants. The obtained information, then, evaluated, and analyzed in order to mark weak areas of training programs and for future improvements.

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Training Process in HRM – 6 Step Process: Assessment of Training Needs, Preparing Training Programme, Preparing Learners, Performance Try Out and Evaluation

A training process involves the following steps:

1. Assessment of Training needs

2. Preparing the Training Programme

3. Preparing the Learners

4. Implementing Training Programme

5. Performance Try Out

6. Evaluation of the Training Programme.

This process is explained as follows:

1. Assessment of Training Needs:

Before training someone, it obviously makes sense to know whether the person really requires training and if so, what the training should achieve. Training, therefore, traditionally starts with determining what training is required. How you analyse training needs depends on whether you’re training new or current employees.

The main task in analysing new employees’ training needs is to determine what the job entails and to break it down into subtasks, each of which you then teach to the new employees. Analysing current employee’s needs can be more complex, since you have the added task of deciding whether training is the solution.

The training needs are analysed with the help of following types of analysis:

(i) Organisational Analysis:

In this analysis, the entire organisation is studied in terms of its objectives, resources, resource allocation and utilisation, growth potential and the environment. The reason for this analysis is to determine where training emphasis should be placed within the organisation.

Under organisational analysis the following elements are studied:

(a) Analysis of Objectives and Strategies:

In this, the long-term and short-term objectives at different levels and the strategies used for the achievement of these objectives at different levels are analysed. This is done due to the reason that it is necessary to review and revise the objectives according to the changing environment. For this purpose, the general objectives are converted into specific and detailed operational targets.

(b) Resource Utilisation Analysis:

The main purpose of this analysis is to study how the organisational resources are put to use. This analysis examines the contributions of the various departments by establishing efficiency indices for each unit and these indices help in determining the contribution of the human resources.

(c) Environmental Analysis:

This analysis studies the economic, social, political, and technological environment of the organisation. The main purpose of this analysis is to identify the controllable and uncontrollable factors affecting the organisation.

(d) Organisational Climate Analysis:

In this analysis, the attitude of management and the employees is studied, as for developing and implementing the training programme, the support of the management and their attitude towards employees is to be studied necessarily.

(ii) Role or Task Analysis:

It is a detailed examination of the aspects involved in the job. It studies the various operations and the conditions under which these operations are to be performed.

Following procedure is involved in the task analysis:

(a) Using the job description as a guide, the duties and responsibilities of the task under consideration are listed.

(b) Making the list of the standards of performance of the job.

(c) Comparing the actual performance with the standard performance.

(d) If there is a gap between the two, identifying the parts of the job which are making trouble in the effective performance of the job.

(e) Determining the training needs to overcome the troubles.

(iii) Manpower Analysis:

The primary purpose of this analysis is to study the abilities, skills and the growth and development of the individual. The manpower analysis helps in analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the individual. It also helps in determining that if he requires training or not. If yes, then what kind of training is required for him?

The various sources of such information are as follows:

(a) Observation of employee at the workplace.

(b) Conducting the interview of the employee’s superior and peers.

(c) Personal records of the employee.

(d) Production records and tests.

These sources will provide the information about the existing skills and attitude of the employee that he should possess.

2. Preparing the Training Programme:

The second step after determining the training needs in the training process, is to prepare the training programme for meeting these needs.

The training programme should be such that it should address the following issues:

(i) Type of trainees both new and old

(ii) Type of training material that is required

(iii) Resource person who will provide training

(iv) On-the-job or off-the-job training programme

(v) Duration of the training programme

(vi) Method of training.

3. Preparing the Learners:

It is necessary that the trainees who are going to attend the training programme should be well-prepared for the program. If they are not prepared, they will not take interest in learning the important aspects of the training programme. Therefore, there should be preparation for the learners so that they may derive maximum benefit out of the training programme.

Following steps are required for the preparation of learners for the training programme:

(i) Putting the learners at ease particularly if they are newcomers so that they do not feel nervous at the job.

(ii) Making the learners understand the importance of the job and its relationship to total workflow.

(iii) Making the learners understand the needs and objectives of training in relationship to their job.

(iv) Arousing motivation among the learners to learn by creating interest among the learners about the training programme.

(v) In the case of on-the-job training, placing the learners as close to their workplace as possible.

(vi) Making the learners familiar with the equipment, materials, tools, etc.

4. Implementing Training Programme:

This is the action phase of the training programme. In this phase, the trainer demonstrates and illustrates the new methods and knowledge to the learners. The learners at this stage are exposed to the various training activities. The key points are stressed upon and one point is explained at one time for making the training an effective learning experience for the employees.

Audio-visual aids are used to demonstrate and illustrate and the trainer encourages the trainees for questions in order to maintain the interest of the learners in the training programme.

5. Performance Try Out:

In this stage, the trainee is asked to perform the job several times, slowly. The mistakes of the trainees are corrected and if necessary, the complicated and difficult aspects are explained again.

6. Evaluation of the Training Programme:

Evaluation of training is an attempt to obtain information (feedback) on the effects of a training programme and to access the value of the training in light of that information. While organisations may be devoting a lot of money and efforts towards designing and conducting training programmes, due attention is often not paid to the evaluation part. This may be vested in the belief that measurement of effectiveness of training, if not impossible, is difficult.

Real effectiveness of training and development efforts can be judged only from a systematic study of the actual change in the behaviour and performance on the job, over an extended period of time. The primary function of training is therefore to provide new knowledge, new skills and bring about change in attitude and behaviour.

Training is absolutely meaningless if it fails to bring about changes in any of these areas. Therefore, evaluation of training is made only in relation to change in skills, knowledge, attitude and behaviour.

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Training Process in HRM – 4 Interrelated Steps: Identification of Training & Development Needs, Analysing the Training Objectives and a Few Other Steps

For designing a training program an organisation has to follow four interrelated steps explained as under:

Step One – Identification of Training and Development Needs:

In general, the need for training and development is strongly felt by management if they are able to notice under performance by their sub­ordinates evidenced through their low output, lack of initiative, or gen­eral incompetence. At times, when management is able to notice gap between what an employees is doing and what he or she should be do­ing, it calls for the need for training and development.

Besides this the moment an organisation acquires a new and unfamiliar or technically sophisticated equipment, it calls for imparting training to the employees to equip them to handle that equipment. While training could be used in improving any transformation process that takes place in terms of present inputs and outputs, the training has to be related, both to the needs of the organisation and those of the individual.

For identifying training needs three types of analysis is useful and explained as under:

a. Organisational Analysis:

It involves a total analysis of the organisation structure, objectives, its human resources and future plans in order to identify and understand exactly what type of training shall be required. It calls for a clear-cut understanding of the short-term and long-term training objectives of the enterprise.

The organisation should also analyse the availability of human and physical resources in attaining operational targets. The organisational climate which consists of the attitude of the employees with regard to loyalty, trust, openness, and commitment towards the goal of the organisation also plays an important role in determining the effectiveness of the training programme.

At this level, the need analysis tries to find out answers to the following key questions:

(i) Which are the key areas?

(ii) Is the performance of employees up to the standard required?

(iii) What is the HRD climate in the organisation?

(iv) Is it conductive to the implementation of the training programme?

b. Task Analysis:

In the task level analysis, data is collected using questionnaire, observa­tions, and personal records on:

(i) Job description in order to identify the content of the job in terms of duties and responsibilities of a specific job.

(ii) Job specification in order to identify the human qualities required to do the job properly.

(iii) Tasks to be performed.

(iv) Methods to be used to impart training.

c. Human Resource Analysis:

At the individual level, human resource analysis is performed where data is collected to find out:

(i) The training requirements of individual employees.

(ii) Various skills required by individual employees to perform bet­ter.

(iii) Time period for imparting training.

(iv) Capacity of the individual employee to learn new skills, technol­ogy and behaviour.

Step Two – Analysing the Training Objectives:

The next step after evaluating the training needs is analysing short and long-term objectives of training and development. The long-term ob­jective of the training and development program is to increase overall organisational effectiveness, while the short-term objective pertains to productivity, quality, effective human resource planning, better mo­rale, health and safety, prevention of obsolescence, personal growth, as a yardstick of performance.

Step Three – Designing the Training Programme:

The training programme needs to be designed very carefully. During the design phase, the training objectives are to be kept into mind by both learners and trainers so that they can be realised effectively. This phase typically includes the choice of interested learners, effective train­ers, an ideal training period, well drafted course content, and effective training methods.

Details are also worked out regarding the nature and the type of training to be imparted, the real learning time for different jobs, knowledge of the participants, and the persons who should act as trainers.

Step Four – Evaluation of Training Results:

A comprehensive appraisal of training should be carried out by the management to measure the effectiveness of training as well as about the design of future training programs. It will enable the human re­source managers to find out whether the training programme has been conducted properly or not and the extent to which the training objectives have been realised. The evaluation of training program provides useful data on the bases of which it can be integrated with other func­tions of human resource management.

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Training Process in HRM

Every organization whether profit or non-profit, public or private or government, needs to have well trained and experienced employees to perform the activities in order to achieve the organizational goals.

Training is necessary to enhance the skill levels and increase the versatility and adaptability of employees. Inadequate job performance or a decline in productivity or changes resulting of the job redesigning or a technological breakthrough requires some type of training and development efforts.

With the complexity of the job, the importance of employee development also increases. In a rapidly changing society, employee training and development are not only an activity that is desirable but also an activity that an organization must commit resources to if it maintains a viable and knowledgeable work force.

In simple words, training and development refer to ‘the imparting of specific skills abilities and knowledge to an employee. Training and development is defined as, any attempt to improve current or future employee performance by increasing an employee’s ability to perform through learning, usually by changing the employee’s attitude or increasing his or her skills and knowledge.

The training programs need to be drafted carefully.

Usually in the organization of training programs, the following steps are necessary:

1. Identifying the Training Needs:

A training program should be established to assist in the solution of specific operational problems and improve performance of the trainee.

Identification of training needs must contain three types of analyses:

(a) Organizational Analysis:

Organizational analysis is a systematic effort to understand exactly where training effort needs to be emphasized in an organization involving a detailed analysis of the organization structure, objectives, human resources and future plans, and an understanding of its culture milieu. An in-depth analysis of these factors would facilitate an understanding of deficiencies that need to be rectified.

(b) Operational Analysis:

Operational analysis involves a detailed examination of a job, its components, its various operations and the conditions under which it has to be performed. This analysis focuses on the “task” itself, rather than on the individual and the training required to perform it. Analysis of the operation and its various components will indicate the skills and training needed to perform at the job at the required standard.

(c) Man Analysis:

Man analysis focuses on the individual employee, his abilities, skills and the inputs required for job performance, or individual growth and development in terms of career planning. Man analysis identifies individual employee’s training needs.

William Berliner and William McLarney say that discovering training needs involves five tasks:

i. List the duties and responsibilities or tasks of the job under consideration, using the Job Description as a guide.

ii. List the standard of work performance on the job.

iii. Compare actual performance against the standards.

iv. Determine what parts of the job are giving the employee trouble- where is he falling down in his performance?

v. Determine what kind of training is needed to overcome the specific difficulty or difficulties.

2. Getting Ready for the Job:

Having identified the needs for training, the next step is to decide who is to be trained- the newcomer or the existing employee, or the supervisory staff, some or all of them selected from different departments.

3. Preparation of the Learner:

The next step requires that the learner remains prepared for learning.

This step involves:

i. Putting the learner at ease so that he does not feel nervous because of the fact that he is on a new job;

ii. State the importance and ingredients of the job, and its relationship to work flow;

iii. Explain the learner reasons why he is being taught;

iv. Create interest and encourage questions to find out what the learner already knows about his job or other jobs;

v. Explain the ‘why’ of the whole job and relate it to some job the worker already knows;

vi. Place the learner as close to his normal working position as possible;

vii. Familiarize him with the equipment, materials, tools and trade terms.

4. Presentation of Operation and Knowledge:

The trainer should clearly tell, show, illustrate and question in order to put over the new knowledge and operations. The learner should be told of the sequence of the entire job, and why each step in its performance is necessary.

Instruction should be given clearly, completely and patiently; there should be an emphasis on key points, and one point should be explained at a time. For this purpose, the trainer should demonstrate or make use of audio-visual aids and should ask the trainee to repeat the operations. He should also be encouraged to ask questions in order to indicate that he really knows and understand the job.

5. Performance Try-Out:

Under this step, the trainee is required to go through the job several times slowly, explaining him each step. Mistakes are rectified, and if necessary, some complicated steps are done for the trainee the first time. The trainee is asked to do the job gradually building up skill and speed. As soon as the trainee demonstrates that he can do the job in a right way, he is put on his own, but not abandoned. Then the trainee is put to test and the effectiveness of a training program evaluated.

6. Follow-Up and Evaluation:

The evaluation is undertaken with a view to testing the effectiveness of training efforts. This step can be accomplished by putting a trainee ‘on his own’, checking frequently to be sure that the trainee has followed instructions and tapering off extra supervision and close follow up until he is qualified to work with normal supervision.

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Training Process in HRM – 3 Main Phases: Pre-Training, Training and Post-Training

In other way, the process of training can be explained in terms of three phases:

1. Pre-training,

2. Training, and

3. Post-training.

Phase # 1. Pre-Training:

The process begins with a clear understanding of the situation that calls for a more effective behaviour. To begin with, the process involves a detailed analysis of the job which should be laid down clearly and properly. The organization’s receptivity to more effective behaviour on the part of people to be trained is the second key aspect of the situation that should be understood. Who feels the need for this new behaviour? The person involved? His immediate superior? A distant head office?

These issues raise questions of motivation and relationships. They are personal to the possible participant, to others in the organization, and also to his wife and family. They affect his capacity to learn and thus the effectiveness of his training.

Phase # 2. Training:

There is always a set of questions that play in and out of the participant’s mind as he begins his training and selects what he wants to learn from the programme just getting under way. Having explored, the participant tries out some new behaviour. Then either of two sequences takes over.

If the participant finds the new behaviour useful, he tries it again, checks it for effectiveness and satisfaction, tries it repeatedly, and gets better at it. Finally, he incorporates the new item into his habitual behaviour in the training situation. Or, he does not find it useful. So he discards it, tries some variant and/or discontinues learning in this direction. This process goes on continuously and more or less consciously.

Phase # 3. Post-Training:

The situation now changes with the subject well trained and more confident with the job he is to do. He goes prepared with some anticipation of those encounters. When he actually arrives, there is a lot of adjustment made from both sides. The participant may find his organization encouraging, helping him use his training and offering him the additional support of continuing contact with the training institution.

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