TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Beginning of Training

The beginning of training can be traced to the Stone Age when people started transferring knowledge through signs and
deeds to others. Vocational training started during the Industrial Revolution when apprentices were provided direct
instructions in the operation of machines. Training and development are increasingly recognized now as the most
important organizational activity. Rapid technological changes require newer skills and knowledge in many areas,
Training has to be continuously offered to keep employees updated and effective.

Some believe that training has unnecessarily been given undue importance and that the experience on-the-job is good
enough to develop the necessary skills and efficiency to perform the job. Training cannot entirely substitute for
experience, but it has certain definite advantages over it.

1. Training, unlike experience can shorten the time required to reach maximum efficiency.
2. Cost of training is much less than the cost of gaining experience, particularly if one is dealing with expensive
equipment.
3. The results of experience can sometimes be accidental particularly when experience depends solely on trial and
error.
4. The element of predictability is far less when compared to the outcome of a well-conceived and conducted
training program.

Training

Training is the process where people acquire capabilities to aid in the achievement of organizational goals. It is a
planned effort of the company to facilitate learning on the job-related competencies. These competencies include
knowledge, skills or behavior that are critical for successful job performance. The goal of training is for employees to
master the knowledge, skills and behaviors emphasized in training programs and to apply them in day-to-day activities.

Orientation: Training of new employees

Orientation is the planned introduction of new employees to their jobs, co-workers and the organization. The employees
need to know the company policies, rules and regulations and the company direction in order to adapt to the new
working environment. The systematic approach to orientation requires attention to attitudes, behaviors and information
that new employees need.

Orientation to be meaningful, requires cooperation among individuals in the HR unit and other managers and
supervisors. The HRD has to design the orientation program and incorporate the following topics:

1. Company policies, rules and regulations — These cover reporting for work time in, time out policies related to
employee discipline and behavior while at work and other important company regulations.
2. Corporate Mission and Vision, company officers and corporate goals and objectives, its product and services and
other important clienteles.
3. Explain company pay system, benefits and other services available to employees and their families.
4. Provide overview of job setting and work rules.
5. Introduce the employee to co-workers and the company working environment.
6. Safety rules and health programs.

The purpose of orientation of new employees — The overall goal of orientation is to help new employees learn about
the organization as soon as possible so that they can begin contributing to the company's goals and objectives. From the
perspective of the employers and the employees, the orientation process has the following purposes;

1. Productivity enhancement — Both the employer and employee want to start right and become productive as
soon as possible.
2. Turnover reduction — Employees with effective orientation programs tend to stay longer with the company.
Fast employee's turnover rate affects productivity and efficiency.
3. Organization effectiveness — Well-oriented employees can immediately contribute to the goals and objectives
of the organization.
4. Favorable employee impression — A good orientation program creates a favorable impression of the
organization and its work.
5. Enhancement interpersonal acceptance — It tries to ease the employee's entry in the work group. Employees
often of concerned about meeting new people in the work force.
A Systematic Approach to Training

Training is moving its focus to teaching employees specific skills to a broader focus of creating knowledge. Training is
used to gain a competitive advantage and viewed broadly as to create an intellectual capital. The development of
intellectual capital includes the following:

1. Basic skills — Skills needed to perform one's job effectively.

2. Advanced skills — The use of technology to share with other employees.
3. Understanding of the Customer Needs — The global market is quality competitive.

One of the key characteristics of training system that contribute to competitiveness is that they are designed according
to the instructional design process. It refers to the systematic approach for the development of training programs. The
following steps are integral instructional processes:

1. Conducting needs assessment

a. Organizational analysis
b. Person Analysis
c. Task Analysis
2. Ensuring employee's readiness for training
a. Attitude and motivation
b. Basic skills
3. Creating the learning environment
a. Identification of training objectives and training outcome
b. Meaningful materials
c. Practice
d. Feedbacks
e. Observation of others
f. Administering and coordinating programs
4. Ensuring transfer of training
a. Self-management strategies
b. Peer and manager support
5. Selecting training methods
a. Presentational methods
b. Hands-on methods
c. Group methods
6. Evaluating training programs
a. Identification of training outcome and evaluation designs
b. Cost-benefit analysis

The success of any training program can be gauged by the amount of learning that occurred and is transferred to the
job. Training and learning will take place through the informal work groups whether an organization has a coordinated
effort or not, because employees learn from other employees. While this may be true to a certain extent, a well-
designed training program can give better results because what may be learned may not be the best for the
organization.

I. Assessment Phase

Training is designed to help the organization accomplish its objective. Planners determine the need for training and
specify the training objectives and the training efforts. An important part of the company's strategic human resource
planning is the identification of the knowledge, skills, abilities that will be needed by the employees in the future as both
jobs and the organization change. Both internal and external forces that will influence training must be considered when
doing organizational analysis. The problem posed by the technical obsolescence of current employees and an
insufficiently educated labor pool from which to draw new workers should be confronted before those training needs
become critical.

a. Organizational Analysis — the specific source of information and operational measures or an organization level needs
analysis, which include the following:

● Grievances
● Accident record
● Observations
● Exit interview
● Customers complaints
● Equipment utilization and breakdown
 ● Material wastage, scraps, and quality control data
● Training committee, observation and need assessment data

b. Task Analysis — the job description and the job specifications provide information on the performance expected and
the skills necessary for employees to accomplish the required work. Changes in the work environment due to the
introduction of new technology or machinery require changes in the task requirements of the position.

c. Individual Analysis — The use of performance appraisal data in making this individual analysis is the most common
approach. A performance review reveals the employee's inadequacy to perform certain types of task and this will reveal
what necessary training is needed to correct the weaknesses. An employee' s potential may mean further training to
assume a higher position in the future

2. Employees Readiness for Training

The employees must set a positive tone for training. That attitude toward training must be cultivated and made an
integral requirement before the employee sets foot in the training room. A positive attitude is the desire of the trainee
to learn the content of the training program. Motivation is related to knowledge gain, behavior change or skill
acquisition in the training. It is the role of the manager and the supervisor to assure that the employee has the highest
degree of learning before he is sent to the program.

The following factors influence the motivation to learn:

a. Self-efficacy- It is the employee's belief that he can successfully learn the content of the training. The employee
must understand that the training is for his advantage and learning gain could be an asset for the future
advancement.
b. Understanding the Benefits or Consequences of Training — The employee must understand that the training is
related to his job, personal and career benefits as it may include process or procedures to make his work easier
and is needed due to change in work technology.
c. Awareness of Training Needs, Career Interest and Goals — The employee must be given the choice of what
training program he would like to attend. This should be related to his needs, career interest and personal goals
in the organization as discussed with his immediate superior.
d. Basic Skills — This refers to the degree of the employee's desire to learn the cognitive ability, reading and
writing skills and other technology changes necessary in the work environment.

3. The Learning Environment

Learning involves a permanent change in behavior. For employees to acquire knowledge and skills in the training
program and apply the information in their job, the training program needs to include specific learning principles.

a. Employees need to know why they should learn— They must understand why they have to attend the training
program. The objective and purpose must be made clear to the employees.
b. Employees need to use their own experiences as bases for learning — Training could be meaningful if it is linked to
their current job experiences and tasks. The lessons should be presented on the level of employees' understanding.
c. Employees need to have the opportunity to practice — The opportunity to practice the learning should be provided
in the program. Practice makes perfect as the saying goes.
d. Employees need feedback — The employees need to know how they are meeting the training objectives. Feedback
should focus on specific behavior and should be immediately communicated to the employee.
e. Employees learn by observing and interacting with others — Community of practice refers to a group of employees
who work together to learn from each other and develop a common understanding on how to get the work done.
f. Employees need training programs to be properly coordinated and arranged. Coordination is the most important
aspect of training administration. It means coordinating activities before, during and after the program.

Analyzing Training Needs

The immediate and specific needs of a company are determining factors in the selection of the training courses and
materials. Standard as to the amount of training that should be provided for each type of job may not be readily
established, as many other factors must be considered such as the liability and experience of the learner and the
complexity of the things to be learned. The personnel manager, with the cooperation of the line supervisors is in the
best position to establish what and how much training is needed.

The need for training is usually indicated in the following instances:

1. When required skill is not possessed by anyone in the work force;

2. When an employee's performance is below standard, but he has the potential to improve the productivity;
 3. When morale or production is low;
4. When there is a fast turnover of the personnel;
5. When the rate of absenteeism or accident is high;
6. When restiveness or dissatisfaction mounts;
7. When supervision is lax;
8. When new technology is introduced.

Training needs may be ascertained by considering the following questions:

1. Is there a problem to be solved?

2. Where does it exist (which department)?
3. needs the training?
4. What is the nature of the training? (remedial or improvement required by
the situation)

The subject matter is best determined by a survey of company needs with the help of a questionnaire and job analysis
and by examining various records pertaining to cost, labor turnover, absenteeism, and other relevant factors in the
particular organization. The cooperation of line supervisors in determining needs and priorities will be necessary.

4. Transfer of Training
Transfer of training is the practical application of what was learned in the program. Immediate supervisors and peers
support opportunity to practice what was learned the technology in the work area and self-management skills influence
the climate of transfer. The environment is the laboratory for the transfer of learning.

5. Selecting the Training Methods

A number of different methods can be used to help employees acquire new knowledge, skills and behavior. Technology
has a major impact on the delivery of training programs. New technology allows trainees to see, feel and hear how
equipment and other persons respond to their behavior. The multimedia has greatly changed the training landscape and
training now could be less costly.

a. Presentation Method — is the passive receipt of information that includes the traditional instructions, distance
learning and audiovisual techniques. These are ideal for presenting new facts, information, different philosophies and
alternative solutions or processes.
b. Hands-on Training— This refers to the training method that require on-the-job training, simulation, business games,
case studies, behavior modeling, interactive videos and web-based training.

c. Group Building Method — It helps trainees share ideas and experiences, build group or team identity, understand the
dynamics of interpersonal relationship and get to know their own strengths and weaknesses and those of their co-
workers. Various training techniques are available to improve work-group or team performance to establish new teams
and to improve interactions among different teams. All involve examinations of feelings, perceptions and beliefs about
the function of the team. This develops discussions and development of plans to apply what was learned that will
improve team performance on the job.

6. Evaluating the Training Program

Evaluation of training compares the post-training results to the objectives expected by the management, trainers and
the trainees. Training is often done without any thought of measuring, evaluating and seeing how well it works after.
Training is both time-consuming and costly and therefore evaluation must be done. Training assessment will measure
the benefits derived from the activity. What the employees learn is directly related to what they earn; hence, evaluation
of training is put into practice.

One way to evaluate training is to examine the cost associated with the training and the benefits received through cost-
benefit analysis. The best way is to measure the value of the output before and after the training. Any increase
represent the benefits resulting from training.

a. Learning — It represent the level of how well the trainees have learned facts, ideas, concepts, theories and attitudes.
Tests on training materials are commonly used for evaluating learning and can be given before and after training to
compare results.
b. Behavior — There must be a change in the work attitude and behavior of the trainee after the training. Observable
behavior must be measured in terms of work improvement, increased work output, and work effectiveness. The trainee
must be able to display a better look at the work environment and increased productivity must be observed.
Management should observe performance as a gauge to effectiveness of training.
c. Results — Employer evaluate results by measuring effects of training on the achievement of organizational objectives.
Because results such as productivity, turnover, quality, time, sales volume, and cost are relatively concrete, comparing
records before and after the training can do the evaluation.

Criteria for Evaluation of Training

Training effectiveness should be assessed on the basis of solid grounds. Sometimes trainers and managers rely on
superficial employee reactions. If trainees applaud the resource person, the lecture or demonstration, it is a success. If
they are happy to have taken the course that is enough. If notices that on the first day back on the job they seem to be
using the skills learned, one may conclude that the training money was well spent. Those conclusions are entirely wrong.
One should 100k at long-term performance, not immediate superficial results.

Training programs are usually evaluated on the basis of their intended objectives. Five steps to a meaningful
evaluation:

1. Determine what to Measure. Decide before you begin training what you want to change. The number of customer
complaints? The rate of scrap? The number of employee grievances? The number of quality defects?
2. Establish the Base line. Make sure you know the level of performance before training begins. This allows you to make
a legitimate comparison to determine training effects.
3. Isolate Variables. One variable is the Hawthorne Effect, named after a General Electric plant that was studied in
landmark performance experiment several years ago. The effect: Employees improved their performance simply
because of the attention of the research study — not because Of any changes in their working condition.
4. Measure Attitudes. This goes back to the problem of measuring initial reactions, but it is valuable in the overall
evaluation. Did the trainees like the training? Did they think it was valuable? Often, they can provide valuable feedback
and suggestions in improving training techniques.
5. Measure Performance. Go back to your base line and see what the results of the
training is in terms of the Criteria you have established. Track performance over a long period of time so you can be sure
the improvement is established.

Human Resource Development

Development refers to formal education, job experiences, relationships, and assessments of personality and abilities
that employees prepare for the future. Development can be thought of as the growing capabilities that go beyond those
required by the current job. It represents the employee's ability to handle variety of assignments. Development helps
the employee prepare for other positions and increase their ability to move into other jobs that may be available in the
future. It prepares also the employee for changes in current jobs due to changes in technology, work design and
customers or new products or new type of market.

Planning and Choosing a Development Approach

While training considers analysis as an important component of any training program development needs analysis
because it is necessary to identify strengths and weaknesses of those that will be given these organizational
interventions. Assessment involves collecting information and providing feedback on employee's behavior,
communication style or skills or leadership potentials as preparation for formal induction to the development program.

The following processes are used in the assessment:

Assessment Centers — Employees are sent to assessment centers to take examination covering personality tests,
communication skills, personal inventory assessments, benchmarking, and other examinations. The center is manned by
a group of teams that assesses the individual potential for leadership and other capabilities or qualities that may be used
by the organization in its future operations.
Psychological Testing — Pencil and paper tests have been used for years to determine employees' development
potentials and needs. Intelligence tests, verbal and mechanical reasoning tests can furnish useful information about
factors of motivation, reasoning, abilities, leadership styles, interpersonal response traits and job preferences.
Performance Appraisal — Performance appraisal that measures the employees' potential when done properly could be
a good source of development information. Observable and measurable output, attitude and behavior, data on
productivity, employee relations, job knowledge and leadership behavior are important source of employee
information. These are usually available in the personnel file.

Human Resources Development Approaches

In — House or on Company Site - The planned activities that could be developed within the company or while the
employee .at work are those activities that will enhance employees' potential to assume other jobs that the company
needs in its operation. It is imperative that managers and supervisors plan coordinate development efforts so that the
desired developments actually occur. The following are the In-House Approaches:
 1. Management Coaching — The immediate supervisor coaches he subordinates employee in performing certain
functions that are necessary for its advancement. It combines observations and suggestions. This is best when
involves good relationships.
2. Committee Assignments — Assigning promising employees to important committees can give the employees a
broadening exercise and can help them to understand the personalities, issues and processes governing the
organization.
3. Job Rotation — this is the process of shifting employees from one job to another. A substantial managerial time
is needed when trainees change positions. The trainees must be acquainted with different people and
techniques in each new unit.
4. Assistant-to-the Position — This is the assignment of an assistant to the position who works directly under the
manager. He is given the opportunity to deal with challenging and interesting tasks. Studies and other tasks are
assigned for analysis before they are given to the head for final implementation.
5. Job Enlargement — refers to adding challenges or new responsibilities to the employee's current job. This could
include such activities as special projects assignments, switching roles within a work team or research activities.
6. Mentoring — Employees can also develop skills and increase their knowledge about the company and its
operation by interacting with more experienced organization members. Mentoring helps new members bring
together successful senior employees with less experienced members.

Off-site or Outside Development Interventions

This technique can be effective because the individuals are given the opportunity to get away from the job and
concentrate solely on what is to be learned. These interventions are usually held outside at the company's expense and
will serve as a break from the Office monotony.

The following are Formal Education — some of the development programs:

1. Formal Education — the company sends the employee to formal seminars, workshops and other training programs
offered by training consultants and agencies. Some companies send their employee to take advanced studies in the
graduate programs in exclusive schools or take courses in foreign countries. The condition is usually that an employee is
tied to a contract to serve the company for a number of years for every year of outside training.
2. Team Building — These organizational interventions are usually conducted away from work about three to four days.
The employees are organized into team and solve common problems related to relationships. The focus is on human
relation issues and poor team-work.
3. Case Studies — This is a classroom type of training techniques that provides a medium through the application of
management behavior concepts and analysis. Cases are either through the use of multi-media or case problems that are
developed similar to those existing in the work environment. Group case analysis and presentations are made and
discussions facilitate the learning experience.
4. Role Playing — Role-playing is a development technique requiring the trainee to assumes a role in a given situation
and act the behavior associated with it. The facilitators provide the script and the group evaluate the performance. The
other participants provide comments and suggestions after each performance.
5. Simulation — These are business games developed by human resource experts that require the participants to
analyze a situation and decide the best course of action based to the given data.