Sunday, April 21, 2013

Training and Development for Employees

http://www.discovercorrections.com/sites/default/files/images/skills.png


In the last entry, our focus was on training targeted for managers, but in this post, we will focus on training for employees.  As Selden (2009) reiterates throughout her book, Human Capital: Tools and Strategies for the Public Sector, employers should consider employees their top assets because the success of the organization ultimately depends on how they work.  Therefore, it is important that employees also receive training that will not only help them succeed on the job, but help them perform as best as they can for the good of the organization.  Numerous training programs can be developed that employees can benefit from, such as stress management, ethics, motivation, and workplace violence and sexual harassment prevention.  However, the focus of this entry will be on career development opportunities for employees.

In the article Building the bottom line by developing the frontline: Career development for service employees, Jackson and Sirianni (2009, p. 279) promote the idea of an "employee-centered" organization.  They express that it is worthwhile for organizations to invest on their employees' career development, which would not only result in increased employee retention, job performance, job satisfaction, and job commitment, but would simultaneously help the employees fulfill their professional goals and the organization's overall goals.  In the end, as Selden (2009) mentions, career development opportunities would allow the employee to grow in knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that he may need as he seeks to move forward in his career.

Jackson and Sirianni (2009) provide the following steps as part of a career development strategy managers can use for their employees:

  1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of employees through an assessment of each
  2. Chart the appropriate course an employee would need to follow to reach his short and long term goals
  3. Take action to increase the employees' KSAs by providing them with training programs, mentoring, etc.
  4. Expect positive outcomes for the employee, organization, and public they serve
The following video promoting the book "Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go" by Beverly Kaye and Julie Giulioni takes another apporach by asserting that "Quality career development comes down to quality conversation."


References

Jackson, D., & Sirianni, N.  (2009, June).  Building the bottom line by developing the frontline: Career development for service employees.  Business Horizons.  Science Direct- FIU.  Retrieved April 18, 2013, from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/science/article/pii/S0007681309000226.

Selden, S.  (2009).   Human Capital: Tools and Strategies for the Public Sector.  Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Training and Development for Managers

http://4strategicsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Business-coach308x147.jpg


In the Allen Communication Learning Services website, a training and development consulting firm founded in 1981, different types of training programs exists that are specified for different occupations or work levels.    Among the Executive/Manager training programs they offer, two of them deal with leadership and mentoring & coaching.  They emphasize how important is it for the person in charge of an organization to have excellent leadership and mentoring skills so they he/she may able to instill the same values on the employees who look up to him/her for guidance, assistance, or support (Types of Training, 2012).  Berman et al. (2013, p. 359) add to this idea by saying, "Any system is only as good as its leaders."  Thus, today's entry focuses on Leadership Training and Mentoring & Coaching Training.

A great article by Preiss and Molina-Ray (2007, p. 11) entitled Leadership Training for Managers discusses what is known as the Adlerian Theory and how it can be applied "to leadership training and development."  The Adlerian Theory was developed by the Austrian physician Alfred Adler (1870-1937).  This theory focuses on human behavior and emphasizes the importance of interpersonal relations, especially in the workplace environment.

According to Adler, among the three ideas that managers could promote within the workplace are:
  1. Social Interest- the cooperation between individuals to get work done
  2. Democracy- the development of equality and trust among employees
  3. Encouragement- the motivation employees sometimes need to find purpose in the work they do
Preiss and Molina-Ray (2007) therefore use the Alderian Theory in combination with leadership training and expose that managers should focus on developing the following three concepts:
  1. Participative Management- in valuing change, including the participation of workers in decision-making processess can increase their job satisfaction and commitment as they will have shared responsibility and accountability in the attainment of the organization's goals
  2. Coaching- in dealing with conflicts, guiding workers to stay focused on accomplishing common goals is more effective when they are encouraged to focus on their strengths and accountability rather than simply reprimanding them for their mistakes
  3. Employment Engagement- in valuing their human capital, engaging employees to work together as a group can result in greater collaboration, productivity, and safety within the workplace

The following is a good video titled "Top 10 Differences Between Managers and Leaders," which although makes a difference between leaders and managers, it can encourage individuals in these positions to not just be managers, but managers who are also leaders:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ubRzzirRKs

Even if you don't have the time to watch the video, Mr. Scott Williams (2011)  ends with this stimulating question: "A great self-assessment for you to determine whether or not you're leading or managing is to ask this question, and the question is this: 'If my position, title, role, or formal authority were removed, would the people that I'm leading still gladly follow?'"


References

Berman, E., Bowman, J., West, J., & Van Wart, M.  (2013).  Human Resources Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 4th Ed.

Priess, A., & Molina-Ray, C.  (2007).  Leadership Training for Managers.  Journal of Leadership Studies.    FIU- Wiley Online Library.  Retrieved April 19, 2013, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/doi/10.1002/jls.20003/pdf.

Williams, S.  (2011, October 09).  Top 10 Differences Between Managers and Leaders.  YouTube.  Retrieved April 19, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ubRzzirRKs.

Types of Training.  (2012).  Allen Communication Learning Services.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.allencomm.com/custom-training/types-of-training/.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

How to Make Training Work


http://derekstockley.com.au/images/traininglearningperformance.jpg



I found two videos with further insightful information on training offered by Dr. Will Thalheimer, learning expert and founder of Work-Learning Research (www.work-learning.com).  However, for some reason, I can't upload the videos here, but I'll provide a quick overview on what they talk about.

The first video, "Linking Training to Performance," found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdbReKzaYVY,  Dr. Thalheimer talks about the "missing link" between training and its translation onto the job.  The steps he offers through this process are:

  1. "Training Environment
  2. On-the-Job Support for Application of Learning
  3. On-the-Job Performance"
In the first stage where training occurs, Dr. Thalheimer explains that it is not enough for employees/trainees to just understand the ideas and materials learned through the training process, but that in the second stage, it is important for them to actually remember what they learned from the training exercises and therefore, be able to apply the new learned skills on the job, which thus leads into the third stage.


Dr. Thalheimer emphasizes that remembering is the "missing link" between training and performance as it is the most effective way to be able to apply what was learned during the training process onto the job.

The second video, "Training Maximizers: A Simple Conceptual Model," found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSjb4bQHeIQ, Dr. Thalheimer offers seven steps for maximizing training.  The following seven steps he provides are:

  1. "Valid credible content
  2. Engaging learning events
  3. Support for basic understanding
  4. Support for decision-making competence
  5. Support for long-term remembering
  6. Support for on-the-job application of learning
  7. Support for perseverance in learning"
To learn more in depth of the learning advice Dr. Thalheimer has to offer, please refer to the video links provided.

References

Thalheimer, W.  (2011, January 25).  Linking Training to Performance.  YouTube.  Retrieved April 17, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdbReKzaYVY.

Thalheimer, W.  (2011, March 17).  Training Maximizers: A Simple Conceptual Model.  YouTube.  Retrieved April 17, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSjb4bQHeIQ.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Importance of Training and Development in Human Resources Management

http://www.ieee.org/ucm/groups/public/@ieee/@web/@org/@members/@gold/documents/images/20044135.jpg


As it was mentioned in the previous entry, we will now begin to explore the importance and process that entails the successful implementation of training and development (T&D) programs in the public sector.  Berman et al. (2013) acknowledge that T&D is an essential component of human resources management (HRM), especially now in this twenty-first century when organizations are experiencing downsizing and relying more on technology, and therefore depending on their current pool of employees to perform multiple tasks and understand how to use complex software programs.  A website that offers tutorials on numerous career topics, the Management Study Guide on T&D reiterates the information expressed by Berman et al. (2013) and adds that T&D has become a great job motivator for employees who seek to develop themselves both professionally and personally, and therefore, has the power to positively or negatively influence employee job performance (Training and Development, n.d.2).  

As the main unit within the majority of organizations that manages the human aspect of the workforce, the responsibility for overseeing the creation or implementation of T&D practices falls on human resources department staff members.  It is important for them to understand how the organization's human capital, in other words, the employees, can impact the fulfillment of its mission, vision, and goals (Training and Development, n.d.2; Selden, 2009).  Of course, this does not mean or suggest that HRM personnel take charge and create T&D programs at an impulse, but instead think it through carefully by following a strategic process.  

While the process for determining if an organization needs and should invest in T&D programs slightly varies among scholars and studies, the majority propose a similar 4-5 step framework:
  1. Needs Analysis/Assessment- A review of the literature on T&D shows that most agree that a careful analysis and study must first be made to identify and determine if the organization needs their employees to improve or develop new knowledge, skills, or abilities (KSAs) in order to be able to perform at their optimum and complete their current job or a new one in the future (Tannenbaum & Yukl, 1992; Anguinis & Kraiger, 2009; Selden, 2009).  Moreover, three levels of analysis are proposed:
  • Organizational Analysis- it must be determined whether employees possess or lack adequate KSAs that are required for full function of the organization, and therefore, address the issues accordingly by connecting the necessary employees' KSAs that will help achieve the organization's overall mission and goals
  • Job/Occupational/Task Analysis- one must identify the KSAs necessary for an employee to be able to do certain tasks and determine if there are any deficiencies that must be addressed  
  • Employee/Individual/Person Analysis- an examination on how well an employee is performing on the job must be made to consequently determine if and which employees may need T&D in order to complete their assignments more successfully
 2.  Design/Development- If it has been determined that T&D programs are necessary for the employees and the proper measures have been taken to identify the objectives the organization wishes to accomplish, the design of an appropriate T&D program that will meet those needs should be developed (Tannenbaum & Yukl, 1992; Anguinis & Kraiger, 2009; Selden, 2009).  Sims and Sims (1991) describe certain characteristics that should be considered when designing a T&D program:

  • Learning styles- Each individual has their own personal or preferred style of learning.  Sims and Sims make mention of three different learning styles: dependent, collaborative, and independent.
  • Training styles- Different training styles are used by trainers depending on the situation or need of their trainee.  Sims and Sims make reference to lectures, projects, and games as just some of the few training strategies available.
However, the recommendation they propose to organizations in the public sector is that when designing a T&D program, it would be more effective to match employee learning styles with training styles available.  Using Kolb's Grasha-Reichmann Learning Styles Questionnaire, they mention the best classification for matching these styles: 
Dependent- Lecture
Collaborative- Discussion, projects
Independent- Active participation

          Of course, it is almost impossible to accommodate to all the employees' learning styles.  Moreover, all training styles have both their strengths and weaknesses.  Therefore, an evaluation of each should still be made to determine which combination of styles would best work for most employees (Sims & Sims, 1991).

     3. Delivery/Implementation- By stage three, studies begin to diverge as to which is the exact step to take next.  Nevertheless, most agree that once needs have been assessed and appropriate T&D programs have been designed to meet those needs, it is time to put the T&D program into action (Anguinis & Kraiger, 2009; Systems View of Training, n.d.).

     4. Evaluation- Most scholars suggest that once the T&D program has been conducted, the last and most important step is to evaluate the program’s effectiveness for meeting the employees' needs and the organization's objectives.  The most popular training evaluation model that is used was created in 1959 by Donald Kirkpatrick, a former professor at the University of Wisconsin.  The Management Study Guide gives the following description of the Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Model:

  • "Reaction of the Trainee - thoughts and feelings of the participants about the training
  • Learning - the increase in knowledge or understanding as a result of the training
  • Behavior - extent of change in behavior, attitude or capability
  • Results - the effect on the bottom line of the company as a result of the training."  
          (Kirkpatrick's Model, n.d.).



Often overlooked, this step is crucial for determining if the T&D program implemented will actually have a positive effect in achieving overall employee and organization goals in both the present and in the future.  The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) clearly understands the importance of T&D evaluation given that they have created a Training Evaluation Guide for their agencies to use as they are required to assess their own T&D program each year.  A copy of the OPM's 2011 Training Evaluation Field Guide is available at http://www.opm.gov/policydata-oversight/trainingand-development/referencematerials/training_evaluation.pdf.


For visual learners, a graph of the T&D process is provided as well as a graph of the Training Evaluation Model:

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/ahold/isdmap.jpg

http://files.astd.org/Article-Images/2011/07/Being_Stuck_1.jpg


For those who prefer lectures, a video is provided on the T&D steps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85RVEas4AXs



Finally, Selden (2009), Anguinis and Kraiger (2009), Bashir and Jehanzeb (2013) concur that T&D, when correctly conducted, can produce numerous benefits for both the employees being trained and the organization providing the training.  Among the benefits for employees is the attainment and development of new KSAs, increased moral and motivation, as well as greater job performance and satisfaction.  Moreover, organization's benefit from increased productivity and employee retention, effective organization, and positive reputation.  The following is a graph provided by Bashir and Jehanzeb (2013):


While the T&D process can be a lengthy and arduous undertaking, it is a must if the organization is considering investing hundreds or thousands of dollars in adopting T&D programs because if the activities are not effective for properly connecting employee KSAs with the organization's goals, the gaps will remain (Training and Development, n.d.1).


References

Anguinis, H., & Kraiger, K.  (2009).  Benefits of Training and Development for Individuals and Teams, Organizations, and Society.  The Annual Review of Psychology.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~ajv2/courses/12a_psyc630001/Aguinis%20&%20Kraiger%20(2009)%20ARP.pdf.

Bashir, N., & Jehanzeb, K.  (2013).  Training and Development Program and its Benefit to Employee and Organization: A Conceptual Study.  European Journal of Business and Management.  Retrieved April 13, 2013, from https://docs.google.com/a/fiu.edu/viewer?a=v&q=cache:nQ6uYpJTo88J:www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/EJBM/article/download/3947/4005+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjArAHPqFqAFL0kN2Wu1H29vChUyeJ2z1Pnp_p_fh34T0DeFh0OtBjgYuZJvFINVC0YR4HluDnlthOuK0E5gcSQtdc5uSjWBm52qCmyzJAkFXSM5HZpYU2XZ7wJYQFDcPGVVdib&sig=AHIEtbTEWvmXGT0SzMpD_rzH7ONWvZgzoQ.

Berman, E., Bowman, J., West, J., & Van Wart, M.  (2013).  Human Resources Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 4th Ed.

Kirkpatrick's Model of Training Evaluation.  (n.d.).  Management Study Guide: Pave Your Way to Success.  Retrieved April 14, 2013, from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/kirkpatrick-model-of-training-evaluation.htm.

Selden, S.  (2009).   Human Capital: Tools and Strategies for the Public Sector.  Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc.

Sims, R., & Sims, S.  (1991).  Improving Training in the Public Sector.  Public Personnel Management.  Academic OneFile- FIU.  Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA10614882&v=2.1&u=flstuniv&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w.

Tannenbaum, S., & Yukl, G.  (1992).  Training and Development in Work Organizations.  The Annual Review of Psychology.  Annual Reviews Cimplete A-Z- List- FIU.  Retrieved April 14, 2013, from http://www.annualreviews.org.ezproxy.fiu.edu/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.ps.43.020192.002151.

Training and Development- A Key HR Function.  (n.d.1).  Management Study Guide: Pave Your Way to Success.  Retrieved April 14, 2013, from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/training-development-hr-function.htm.

Training and Development- Meaning, Its Need and Importance.  (n.d.2).  Management Study Guide: Pave Your Way to Success.  Retrieved April 14, 2013, from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/training-and-development.htm.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

A Professional and Legal Background on Training and Development

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As it was shown in the last entry, the practice of training and development (T&D) activities has greatly changed over time.  However, there are three important dates and developments worth mentioning that demonstrate how important society believes T&D is and can be for organizations:


http://learningwiki.editme.com/files/astd/astd.jpg


Founded in January 1943, the American Society for Training & Development is a professional T&D association that provides and offers organizations in both the private and public sectors with T&D research, workshops, and conferences which managers and employees can use or participate in, respectively, to better understand or meet their T&D needs within their workplace.  They emphasize in their mission statement that their purpose is to "Empower professionals to develop knowledge and skills successfully."  The following video is a promotion for the ASTD 2013 International Conference & Exposition to be held in Dallas, Texas, from May 19-22, 2013.  Anyone interested in learning more about what experts on T&D have to say on this subject and if it a practice worth investing in for their organization's success should visit ASTD's website http://www.astd.org/.  




http://216.54.19.111/~mountaintop/LOG235/images/14807.jpg


In 1958, the U.S. Federal Government enacted the Government Employees Training Act (GETA), codified under U.S. Code 5 Chapter 41-Training, granting specific federal agencies such as all executive departments the authority to determine and implement their own employee training programs (5USC, n.d.; Training, n.d.1).  Moreover, U.S. Code 49 Section 5115 provides a special training curriculum for employees in the public sector on how to respond to emergencies involving the leakage or exposure of hazardous waste materials (49 USC, n.d.).

The U.S. Government's Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Training and Executive Development Group notes in its website the importance of T&D as "efforts [that] support strategic human capital investments in Leadership, Knowledge and Talent Management" (Training, n.d.2, ¶ 1).  Selden (2009) explains in Human Capital: Tools and Strategies for the Public Sector that human capital is a notion that considers and highlights the worthiness of the people who compromise an organization as well as their importance to the overall success of the agency.  Moreover, Berman et al. (2013) express that the investment in human capital should be one of the most prominent principles considered by human resources managers if they wish to see their organization succeed.

The U.S. Department of Justice (Chapter 5-1, 2008) provides in its website a chart for an easier understanding of the laws and policies the federal government has implemented in regard to T&D: 



http://gawpstorage.s3.amazonaws.com/video-maker-tips/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Training-300x78.png


Created in 1964, Training is a "professional development magazine" that exposes issues concerning training, development, learning, leadership, strategic planning, and human resources, among other topics.  With its emphasis on T&D, the publishers of the magazine annually recognize the TOP 125 organizations in the world  that have invested and implemented the best training programs specialized for their personnel (About Us, n.d., ¶ 1).  The following is a video on the Training magazine, which mentions and recognizes the U.S. Navy as one of those TOP 125 organizations that capitalize on training their employees:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlMTb1Kea3Y


This entry has served to present a greater perspective on the importance given to T&D in our society. Not only have associations and research industries been created to dedicate themselves to promoting such practices in the workplace, but the U.S. Federal Government has also recognized their powerful influence on an organization's success by promulgating a law that gives its own executive departments the opportunity to provide their employees with such programs.  With the information presented here, administrators and managers of the public sector who have not implemented T&D programs in their agencies can begin their research into considering if these practices would indeed be a worthy investment.  The next entry will discuss in greater depth the process of T&D and its importance for human resources management in the public sector.


References

5 USC Chapter 41- TRAINING.  (n.d.).  Cornell University Law School: Legal Information Institute.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/part-III/subpart-C/chapter-41.

49 USC Sec. 5115- Training curriculum for the public sector.  (n.d.).  Cornell University Law School: Legal Information Institute.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/5115.

About ASTD.  (2011).  ASTD.  Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://www.astd.org/About.

About Us.  (n.d.).  Training.  Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://www.trainingmag.com/content/about-us.

Berman, E., Bowman, J., West, J., & Van Wart, M.  (2013).  Human Resources Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 4th Ed.

Chapter 5-1, Training and Development.  (2008, March 11).  The U.S. Department of Justice.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.justice.gov/jmd/hr/hrorder/chpt5-1.htm.  

Selden, S.  (2009).   Human Capital: Tools and Strategies for the Public Sector.  Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc.  

Training and Development: FAQs.  (n.d.1).  The U.S. Office of Personnel Management.  Retrieved April 12, 2103, from http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/training-and-development/training-development-faqs/.

Training and Development.  (n.d.2).  The U.S. Office of Personnel Management.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/training-and-development/.

A Historical Background on Training and Development

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The famous fifth-century BC Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu once wrote, "If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. But if you let me experience, I will learn" (Chinese, 2010, ¶1).  The idea of training and development (T&D) is nothing new to the twenty-first century, but has rather evolved since the earliest stages of human civilization and has been gradually refined into the sophisticated process that it is today.  The following will present an overview of the different styles of T&D that have been implemented throughout history:


  • Apprenticeships (400s-1400s)- With its origins rooted in the Code of Hammurabi, the law that governed ancient Egypt (2000 B.C.), apprenticeships were one of the first types of training practices that became widely used, especially during the Middle Ages.  As trades in the area of craftsmanship became more demanding, most children of the time were sent as apprentices to live with masters of this form of art who would share with them the knowledge and teach them the skills they needed to succeed in this line of work.
  • Vestibule Training (1800s)- During the Industrial Revolution, intensive training became a necessity for all employees who were working in factories, but did not have all the required knowledge and skills to be able to work with the machinery that produced the goods and materials needed by the society.  In this setting, vestibule training, understood as "near-the-job-training," became an activity that was carried out within the factory, but in a special separated room that was big enough to store machines with up to ten workers and their trainer (Vestibule Training, 2010, ¶ 1).
  • Role Playing (1930s)- First devised by psychiatrist Dr. Jacob Moreno in the 1910s, role playing became a new method used for training employees by placing them in the kind of situation they could encounter in the workplace, but in a controlled environment that did not pose any risks to their lives.  Role playing gave the employee the opportunity to physically interact and correctly apply the needed skills to the particular situation (Role Playing, 2010).
  • Job-Instruction-Training (1940s)- Popularized during the years of World War II, job-instruction-training was specifically designed for "supervisors in defense plants" to obtain the necessary skills to then be able to train their own workers in various areas (Job Instruction, 2010).
  • Computer-Based Training (1980s)- Initially created in 1959 under a system known as PLATO, computer-based training (CBT) began to receive more attention during the late twentieth century.  As technology quickly advanced and modernized, CBT povided individuals with greater flexibility and interaction as they acquired more knowledge and newer skills through online channels. 

While the methods for carrying out T&D have immensely progressed, the T&D techniques discussed here can be and are still used by organizations throughout the public sector, especially that of Web-Based Learning, also discussed by Berman et al. (2013), given the popularity and advantages this method generates.  Originally created for the Australian Flexible Learning Framework's 2011 Industry E-learning Showcase and Exhibition, the following video presents and discusses the many benefits of a well implemented E-learning program for training purposes in the workplace which can include:

  1. "Increase in knowledge"
  2. "Online access to training material"
  3. "Long-term reduction in overtime and cost of training"
  4. "Quality and consistency of training"
  5. "Ability to train long distance"
  6. "Increase staff retention"
Moreover, it highlights that with E-learning, training solutions are:

"Efficient
Cost-effective
Flexible
Accessible
Practical
Interactive
On the Job
Customized
Just in Time
Cutting Edge"




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrTRy3ruRbk



In the article Acceptance of competency-based workplace e-learning systems: Effects of individual and peer learning support, Cheng et al. (2011, p. 1331) describe the study they conducted on employee acceptance levels of E-learning systems used for workplace training and find that there is a positive relation between an employee's "perceived usefulness" of these training methods and his "intention to use the e-learning system."  Therefore, as more organizations implement web-based learning modules for training their employees, they can be assured that the preference and acceptance for this type of training system can result in positive outcomes for both the employee and the overall organization.


If you wish to learn more about the types of T&D that have emerged throughout history, be sure to check out http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/history2.html for more information.



References

Apprenticeship.  (2010, September 11).  Big Dog and Little Dog's Juxtaposition of Performance, Learning, Leadership, and Knowledge.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from 
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/apprenticeship.html.

Berman, E., Bowman, J., West, J., & Van Wart, M.  (2013).  Human Resources Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 4th Ed.

Cheng, B., Kinshuk, Peng, J., Wang, M., & Yang, S.  (2011, August).  Acceptance of competency-based workplace e-learning systems: Effects of individual and peer learning support.  Computers & Education.  Science Direct - EZ Proxy FIU.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.fiu.edu/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.01.018.

Chinese Philosophy.  (2010, September 11).  Big Dog and Little Dog's Juxtaposition of Performance, Learning, Leadership, and Knowledge.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from 
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/chinese.html.

Computer-Based Training.  Big Dog and Little Dog's Juxtaposition of Performance, Learning, Leadership, and Knowledge.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/cbt.html.

Job Instruction Training.  Big Dog and Little Dog's Juxtaposition of Performance, Learning, Leadership, and Knowledge.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/jit.html.

Role Playing.  (2010, September 11).  Big Dog and Little Dog's Juxtaposition of Performance, Learning, Leadership, and Knowledge.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/roleplay.html.

Vestibule Training.  (2010, September 11).  Big Dog and Little Dog's Juxtaposition of Performance, Learning, Leadership, and Knowledge.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/vestibule.html.

Friday, April 12, 2013

An Introduction to Training & Development

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In Human Resources Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems, Berman et al. (2013) have dedicated an entire chapter to discuss the topic of Training, Learning, and Development for they understand the importance and necessity of these activities for both the organization and its employees to be able to achieve their mission, vision, and goals.  As the workplace becomes more complex, competitive, diverse, and technology driven, research suggests that the continual training and development (T&D) of employees in different work-related areas is essential for the successful operation of an organization (Chesser et al., 2001).  However, in order for us to understand the issues concerning T&D, we must first ask these questions: what is T&D and how are these concepts defined in our modern world?  

According to the Encyclopedia of Career Development, T&D are considered to be activities that produce and enhance an individual's knowledge, skills, or abilities (KSAs) to better understand a certain subject or perform a particular task (Callanan & Greenhaus, 2007).  When these two concepts are applied to the workplace, Berman et al. (2013) note separate definitions for each: training is understood as a method that increases and refines a person's KSAs necessary for completing his current job and development is viewed as a continuous process of improving old and acquiring new KSAs that prepare one to confront a new situation or perform an new activity in the future.  In Benefits of Training and Development for Individuals and Teams, Organizations, and Society, Anguinis and Kraiger (2009, p. 452) further define training as "the systematic approach" for improving an employee's KSA's in order to increase both the organization and employee's overall effectiveness while development is considered to be a "systematic effort" designed to promote an individual's acquirement of new KSA's for personal and professional growth.

Given this introduction, we can continue to explore other elements of T&D to gain a better understanding of their importance within the public sector.  In the meantime, be sure to check out Anguinis and Krager's article which provides an extensive literature review on the benefits of T&D at all levels of work:  http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~ajv2/courses/12a_psyc630001/Aguinis%20&%20Kraiger%20(2009)%20ARP.pdf 


References


Anguinis, H., & Kraiger, K.  (2009).  Benefits of Training and Development for Individuals and Teams, Organizations, and Society.  The Annual Review of Psychology.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~ajv2/courses/12a_psyc630001/Aguinis%20&%20Kraiger%20(2009)%20ARP.pdf.

Berman, E., Bowman, J., West, J., & Van Wart, M.  (2013).  Human Resources Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 4th Ed.

Chesser, J., Shah, A., Sterrett, C., & Wilmore, J.  (2001, March 22).  Meeting the Need for Employee Development in the 21st Century.  SAM Advanced Management Journal.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Meeting+the+Need+for+Employee+Development+in+the+21st+Century.-a079630224.

Callanan, G., & Greenhaus, J.  (2007, Septmeber 15).  Training and Development.  Encyclopedia of Career Development.  Retrieved April 12, 2013, from
http://knowledge.sagepub.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/view/careerdevelopment/
n283.xml?rskey=jUC6wM&row=2.