20 TRAINING

S. Alamelu Mangai

epgp books

 

 

 

 

 

1. INTRODUCTION

 

Training is the process of enhancing the knowledge and skills of an employee in order to perform a specific job. According to Flippo,” Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job”. In a minimum time, training makes the new employees to work fully productive. In fact, training is a cont inuous process. This lesson enables the reader to learn the purpose of training, types and methods of training and its benefit.

 

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

At the end of this lesson the learner will be able to

 

•  Understand the process of training, outcomes of training on organisation and employees.

•   Gain knowledge on the various types of training programmes to employees namely induction, refresher, apprenticeship and internship training

 

3.   PURPOSE OF TRAINING

 

Before the learner understand the process and types of training it is very important to know the purpose of training and need of training.

 

3.1 What is the purpose of training? The main objective of any training programme is to achieve behavior change in an employee. An employee should be made aware of the functioning of the organizations, its rules, regulation, procedures, policies , the do’s and dont’ pertaining to his job. A positive improvement in developing his skill technically or manually is important. Also the training programme should mould the attitude of workers towards others and should create responsibility and interest.

 

3.2 What is the need for training? Training is an essential part in managing an organization and it is needed for specifying the job requirements to meet the organizational objectives, disseminate knowledge of technological advancement, maintain good and effective human relations and above all to help the employee to get to know the changes in his job assignment and also the transformational process of organization.

 

3.3 What are the objectives of training? A good training programme in an organization like food service operation helps to improve employee efficiency in performance and productivity , ensure smooth functioning of the operations in the facility, help motivate the employees to fulfill the organizational aspirations and finally to avoid ob solescence.

 

4. ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING

 

The advantages of training can be discussed in terms of organization and employees.

 

4.1 For the organization

 

Quick learning: within a short interval of time acceptable level of performance can be obtained by the employees there by the organization get benefit.

 

Higher Productivity: Increasing the skill of the employee will increase both quality and quantity of work out put.

 

Standardization of procedures: The best available methods of performing a job can be standardized and taught to the employee during the training.

 

Less supervision: Since the employee become self reliant after a training programme, there is a less requirement for supervision.

 

Economic operations: When training is imparted by the organization the employee will be known of using the materials and equipments in economic way thereby reducing the rates of accidents and damage to machinery will be minimum leading to less cost of production per unit.

 

Higher morale: Better cooperation and greater loyalty can be achieved. Thus build better work environment. Training also reduces dissatisfaction, complaints and absenteeism can also be reduced among the employees.

 

Preparation of future managers: A good training programme enables to identify a promising employee and makes him eligible for future promotion and job competencies.

 

4.2 For the Employees

 

Confidence: Training an employee can bring a positive correlation between skills and the job which in turn boost the morale and self confidence of the employee and gives job satisfaction.

 

New skills: It helps the employee to increase better work performance as he le arns newer work methods and skills.

 

Promotion: Training prepares an employee for self development and professional growth.

 

Higher earnings: Training makes an employee to gain more and enhance other monetary benefits.

   Adaptability: Whenever new work procedures and methods are changed training develops adaptability among workers.

 

Increased safety: Training makes employees more competent in handling machines thus helping in reducing accidents in the organization.

 

Healthy inter-personal relations: Training will enable to maintain good human relations and might reduce alienation of workers.

  1. Stages in training programme

It is now important to learn the stages involved in training programme.

Major Stages involved in a training programme

5.1 Assessment of training needs

5.1.1 Organisational analysis

5.1.2 Task/knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) analysis

5.1.3 Person analysis

5.2 Development of training design

5.3 Imparting Training programme

5.3.1 Internal or on the job training

 

5.1 Assessment of training needs

 

Training should be related to the need of the organisation and the employees concerned so that it increases the effectiveness of employees at middle and lower level of management in their present jobs and to prepare them for promotion to positions with greater responsibility.

 

5.1.1Organisational analysis:

 

Organisational analysis involves a thorough knowledge on the objectives of organization whether profit making or service oriented and accordingly the structure of the organization, existing personnel and the future plans the organization envisages.

 

5.1.2 Task/knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) analysis:

 

Task/knowledge, skills and attitudes of the employees regarding their job specifications to be accomplished in the working condition can be carried out by using KSA analysis before training commences. This will enable the kind of job to be performed and the type of employees who will be able to perform them.

 

5.1.3 Person analysis:

 

The ability of the employees to perform the given task and his adaptability to new work challenges are assessed. Person analysis points out a customized training programme according to the ability of the employee.

 

5.2 Development of training design

 

Once the training needs analysis is complete, the next stage is that of Development. This stage involves the development of content and the training material. This stage covers starting from designing the appropriate environment till deciding the various tools, viz, Games, A/V’s, Case Studies, Class room intervention. Examples of competencies that are required to perform superior work in behavioural training are emotional intelligence, teamwork, listening. Depending upon various factors like demographics, job nature etc design may be transferred to the trainees using any tools.

 

5.3 Imparting Training

 

As the training design is complete the next important stage is imparting training programme. In training delivery the time, venue, part icipant’s demographics, training intervention and the individual style of the trainee determines the process of delivery so that the training do not become monotonous.

 

5.3.1 Inte rnal or on the job training

 

5.3.1.1Orientation or induction training

 

This is meant for new employees as the main objective is to adopt them to specialized job requirements and work method of the food service institutions. He is provided with set of policies, rules and regulations, procedures to be followed. He is oriented about his superiors and subordinates, information on needs such as lockers, cafeteria and other facilities, time to break off, leave rules, benefit schemes. He is taken around his organization and through films or lectures a broad history of the organization, growth and achievements is briefed. Thus a sense of belonging and loyalty of new comers can be ensured.

 

5.3.1.2 Apprenticeship

 

The oldest form of training where the worker is placed under a qualified senior worker. The trainees receive wages during learning and acquire valuable skills.

 

5.3.1.3Delegation

 

In this form of training the superior entrust certain responsibility and delegates authority in equal measure. The trainees can take own decision and exhibit their leadership skill. He may attain a sense of accomplishment when he finishes his given task successfully.

 

5.3.1.4Promotions and transfers

 

The nature of the duties and responsibilities may be altered due to promotions and transfers. Though it may be risky to try this during training, as a temporary affair this can be established.

 

5.3.1.5 Refresher training or retraining

 

As per the words of Dale Yoder “Retraining programmes are designed to avoid personnel obsolescene”. As the name implies you might understa nd that this type of training is meant for the older employees. This training becomes essential due to the following reasons:

  •  Rapid change in technology is associated with new work methods and job requirements. Even the most qualified workers may want this type of training.
  • To relearn the forgotten and to update the knowledge and skills workers need this training.
  • The demand for goods and services creates many new jobs, for which the workers need to be manned.

   5.3.1.6 Vestibule training

 

Vestibule training is similar to on- the job training. It means training organised in a school in an industrial plant to train new workers in specific skills. Wherever a special training or coaching is required and where it is not advisable to put the burden of tra ining on line supervisors, this vestibule training is suitable. The staff of the vestibule school has a expert and specialist instructor, the trainees are able to concentrate on training as confusion and pressure in work situation is avoided. Due to this training, the trainees are able to recover initial nervousness before going to actual jobs. One main demerit of this training is that, the artificial training atmosphere creates adjustment problems and is expensive.

 

5.3.1.7 Job rotation

 

The objective of job rotation is development of employee through provision of diversified training. With many forms of job rotation, one form may be, training employees one after the other in different departments for a specified period or permitting the employee to observe the work of different departmental heads. The other form is creating certain managerial positions for training purpose alone or posting trainees as assistant mangers in different departments.

 

5.3.1.8 Creation of “assistant to” positions

 

In order to widen the managerial responsibility and outlook of the trainee, he will be posted in different departments as assistants. This task will be helped by the superior who assigns duties according to the abilities and skills of the trainees.

 

5.3.1.9 Committee or board membership

 

A committee is a specific type of meeting in which members as a group are delegated authority with regard to any particular problem. The committee should not be too small or large so as to communicate freely and avoid conflict .This method of training is a useful one as it enables members to interact with one another, pool their ideas and experience, in solving the organisational problems.

 

5.3.2    External training or off – the job training

 

It is the formal management training programmes, run within the organisation, by the training institutions or by the consultants to give specific training. Now let us discuss the different techniques of such training.

 

5.3.2.1 Training by management institutions

 

A considerable growth in the number of institutions imparting technical and other training in the respective fields have been developed after independence .Equipping the personnel in their work spot has become satisfactory type of training.

 

5.3.2.2 Lectures, Conferences, Seminars etc

 

Lectures are used to impart knowledge and also to develop analytical abilities among workers. Based on the need of the different categories of workers specific lecture courses are organised with the help of trained persons.

 

Conferences provide opportunities to interchange the views among employees of different organisation. A consensus is reached taking into account various viewpoints expressed during discussion among participants.

 

Organising time to time seminars and workshops with the help of educational institutions and professional bodies will help in training the employee.

 

5.3.2.3 Case study

 

Similar to lecture, this method also aims in developing analytical abilities among workers thus facilitating decision making. Case study enables trainees to pinpoint problems, to identify and analyse the causes thereof, to suggest alternative solutions and to indicate the best alternatives suiting the current situation.

 

5.3.2.4 Role Play

 

This technique is useful in human relations and leadership training. Under this method, an artificial conflict situation is constructed and two or more trainees are allowed to enact. The participants are enabled to wider their experience and can identify the strength and weakness and change accordingly. Thus in this method, the knowledge of results is immediate because the trainees as well as the listeners analyse the behaviour of the role players.

 

5.3.2.5 Management Games

 

Unlike role play which emphasises on feeling and relationships between people, management games is concerned with administrative problems. A number of participants are allowed to work in groups and the trainer specifies vario us situations, within the parameters of the system the groups will take decision with regard to the areas or departments entrusted to them.

 

5.3.2.6 Brainstorming

 

It is a problem solving technique that has evaluation of ideas put forward by the group of specialised people. This facilitates pooling of knowledge and experience of different experts in the respective fields with the view of solving problems. The ideas used are not used for decision making on the spot that allows free flow of bold and unconventional ideas. As the members speak out only on the basis of a general understanding of the problem at hand, there is no advance preparation and encourages creative thinking of the participants and they have a feeling of having contributed to decision making.

 

5.3.2.7 Sensitivity Training

 

Sensitivity training also known as T-group training means the development of awareness and sensitivity to behavioural patterns of oneself and others that results in change of attitudes and feelings. It aims at increasing tolerance power of the individual and is generally conducted under controlled laboratory condition. Normally here the groups are unstructured and allowed to express views in terms of attitudes, behaviour, mannerism and deficiencies. Learning takes place through analysing ones emotion rather than intellectual basis through logic.

 

5.3.2.8 Assertiveness training

 

Assertiveness training (AT) seeks to teach people an alternative set of behaviours in conflict situation. An assertive person expresses his feeling without hindrance and express appreciation for desirable behaviour to others and likes to get appreciated. This test is simple.

 

5.3.2.9 Transactional analysis

 

It is another method of training to develop interactive and communication skills. TA is a means to know why people are, what they are, why they do? What they do? It consists of important elements such as psychological positions or ego states, transaction, life script, life positions and stroking.

 

Psychological positions or ego states: According to Eric Berne, people interact with one another from any one of the three ego states, namely, parent, adult and child that reflect only psychological stage. Parent ego state person is protective, distant, dogmatic and controlling. The adult ego state the person is rational, who is seeking, giving and calmly analysing information, or estimating probabilities. Child ego state, a person thinks, feels and act in the same way as when he was a child. The person is impulsive, creative, and emotionally worked up.

 

Transaction: During transaction between two persons namely a manager and his subordinate, a manager can act in the parent ego and the subordinate can reply in child’s ego and this is said to be open transaction. In blocked transaction the manager and the subordinate speak as adult and adult. In ulterior transaction the manager can be a child and subordinate can be in the parent or adult ego state and hence messages can be concealed.

 

Life script : A script is the text of a person’s part in any play generally based on his childhood experiences and adopts his life position in his relation to others.

 

Life positions: There are four basic life positions, namely, “ Iam* OK, You** are not OK”; “Iam not OK,You are OK”; “Iam not OK , you are not OK”; and “Iam OK, you are OK. And the desirable position is the last one as the person following this is of full vigour, productive, and peace with himself and the world around him.

 

Iam*  – Manager; You** – subordinate.

 

Stroking: A stroke is defined as any act of recognition for another. A stroke may induce a good or bad feeling in the recipient. When a person does not get the required stroke on the job, he may become dissatisfied with his job which will lead to low productivity, poor human relationship and finally high labour turnover.

 

5. 4 Evaluation

 

More important from the perspective of evaluation is the effectiveness of training. This is aimed at analysing whether training was effective in achieving the objective (bridging the competency gap, changing the attitude, developing new skills etc). There are various ways in which the effectiveness of training programs can be evaluated.

 

The process of training evaluation has bee n defined as “any attempt to obtain information on the effects of training performance and to access the value of training in the light of that information.”Evaluation of training can be done through trainees’ reaction to the usefulness of coverage of the matter, course content depth, presentation method and teaching methods , based on the quantity and time of learning, based on extent and manner the trainee has applied his learning to perform his job, and based on the increased productivity, quality, morale, sales turnover etc of the organisation.

 

6. Qualities of a good trainer

 

The following are the basic requisites of a good trainer

 

Appearance: A good trainer should express good attitude, caution in conveying through body language, should be self confident and professional.

 

Being patience: Trainer should be calm and efficient in handling unexpected situation during training and should bring clarity in answering the questions of the participants.

 

Being enthusiastic: Being excited during delivering the correct message the trainer should be able to be infectious in making the learner to understand the concepts and in imparting skills.

 

Communication skills: The trainer should use simple language and should use unruffled voice and communicate in bold tone and clear in delivering the presentation.

  Contact: Maintaining eye to eye contact will bring closeness between trainer and participants.

 

Organized and knowledge based: The trainer should be well prepared for the training in advance so as to meet the individual need of the employee and should be updated in new developments and should willingly share the knowledge gained.

 

Sense of humour: In order to create good atmosphere to learn the trainer should have a good sense of humour.

 

  1. SUMMARY

 

Training is essential in any kind of organisation and no organisation can flourish without training its employees. The benefits of training are numerous and from time to time organisation should impart training to its personnel for effective functioning of the management objectives. Improved performance in competitive environment can be achieved only through appropriate and effective training.

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REFERENCES

 

  1. Dinkar Pagare, Business Organisation and Management, Publis hed by Sultan chand & Sons, Reprint 2002, ISBN 81-7014-675-5,P 381-398
  2. Dr.T.N.Chhabra, Principles & Practice of Management , Published by Dhanpat Rai & Co.(P)Ltd,Reprint 2006,ISBN: 81-7700-032-2, p 381-393
  3. Mohini Sethi, Institutional Food Management,Published by NewAge International (P)Ltd,Reprint, 2011,ISBN: 978-81-224-1525-4, P 691