TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Successful candidates placed on the jobs need training to perform their duties
effectively. Workers must be trained to operate machines, reduce scrap and avoid
accidents. It is not only the workers who need training. Supervisors, managers and
executives also need to be developed in order to enable them to grow and acquire
maturity of thought and action. Training and development constitute an ongoing
process in any organization.

NATURE OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

In simple terms, training and development refer to the imparting of specific skills,
abilities and knowledge to an employee. A formal definition of training and
development is

“It is 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 need for
training and development is determined by the employee’s performance deficiency,
computed as follows:

Training and development need= Standard performance – Actual performance

We can make a distinction among training, education and development. Such

distinction enables us to acquire a better perspective about the meaning of the
terms. Training, as was stated earlier, refers to the process of imparting specific
skills.

INPUTS IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Any training and development program must contain inputs which enable the
participants to gain skills, learn theoretical concepts and help acquire vision to look
into the distant future. In addition to these, there is a need to impart ethical
orientation, emphasis on attitudinal changes and stress upon decision-making and
problem-solving abilities.

1 | Page
 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

1. SKILLS
Training, as was stated earlier, is imparting skills to employees. A worker needs skills
to operate machines, and use other equipment with least damage and scrap. This is a
basic skill without which the operator will not be able to function. Employees,
particularly supervisors and executives, need interpersonal skills popularly known as
people skills. Interpersonal skills are needed to understand oneself and other better
and act accordingly. Examples of interpersonal skills include listening, persuading, and
showing and understanding of others feelings.

2. DEVELOPMENT
Another component of a training and development program is a development which is
less skill-oriented but stresses on knowledge. Knowledge about business environment,
management principles and techniques, human relations, specific industry analysis and
the like is useful for better management of a company.

As organization expects the following from its managers when they are deputed to
attend any training and development program:

• How do we make our managers self-starters? How do we imbibe them with a

sense of commitment and motivation so that they become self-generating?
• How do we make them subordinate their parochial, functional loyalties to the
interests of the organization as a whole?
• How do we make them sensitive to the environment in which they function,
both at the workplace and outside?
• How do we teach them to communicate without filters, to see and feel points
of view different from their own?
• How do we help them understand power and thereby develop leadership styles
which inspire and motivate others?
• How do we instill a zest for excellence, a divine discontent, a nagging
dissatisfaction with the status quo?

Surely, the above must from part of any training and development program.

2 | Page
 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

3. DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

Decision making and problem solving skills focus on methods and techniques for
organizational decisions and solving work-related problems. Learning related to
decision-making and problem-solving skills seeks to improve trainees’ abilities to
define and structure problems, collect and analyze information, generate alternative
solutions and make an optimal decision among alternatives. Training of this type is
typically provided to potential managers, supervisors and professionals.

4. ATTITUDINAL CHANGES
Attitudes represent feelings and beliefs of individuals towards others. Attitudes
affect motivation, satisfaction and job commitment. Negative attitudes need to be
converted into positive attitudes. Changing negative attitudes is difficult because:

i. Employees refuse to change

ii. They have prior commitments
iii. Information needed to change attitudes may not be sufficient

Nevertheless, attitudes must be changed so that employees fell committed to the

organization, are motivated for better performance, and derive satisfaction from
their jobs and the work environment.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AS A

SOURCE OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Companies derive competitive advantage from training and development. Training and
development programs help remove performance deficiencies in employees. This is
particularly true when

3 | Page
 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

• The deficiency is caused by lack of ability rather than a lack of motivation to

perform
• The individual(s) involved have the aptitude and motivation need to learn to do
the job better
• Supervisors and peers are supportive of the desired behaviors.

There is a great stability, flexibility and capacity for growth in an organization.

Training contributes to employee stability in at least two ways. Employees become
efficient and effective after undergoing training. Efficient employees contribute to
the growth of the organization. Growth renders stability to the workforce. Training
makes the employees versatile in operations. All rounder’s can be transferred to any
job. Flexibility is therefore ensured.

Future needs of employees will be met through training and development programmes.
Organizations take fresh diploma holders or graduates as apprentice or management
trainees. They are absorbed after course completion. Training serves as an effective
source of recruitment. Training is an investment in HR with a promise of better
returns in future.

The organization which devotes itself to training and development enhances its HR
capabilities and strengthens its competitive edges. At the same time, the employee’s
personal and career goals are furthered, generally adding to his or her abilities and
value to the employer. Ultimately, the objectives of the HR department are also
furthered.

4 | Page
 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

5 | Page