ACHIEVING TRAINING OBJECTIVES

Training objective should be specific for the particular segment of the even or an organization. As mention above, the training objectives may different from the one organization to another; but the objective should be specific for that organization and or specific to part of that organization. i.e. Implement ISO 9000:2001 quality system for Research and Development Division. The above objective is specific, and the employees should be trained for achieve that objective. Even the above objective can be different from a Testing services division. R & D is trial and error method or product development basis and testing services is based on evaluation methods or quality assurance of developed product basis. It definitely may different from marketing and sales division of an organization.

Another important thing of the establishing training objectives is it should be measurable. From a specific method or a process or generally, the objective can be measured. If the objectives can not be measure, the evaluation of the training is difficult. Therefore a good training objective is should be measurable. If the training can not be measure then it will go in to wide area rather than expected, and the trainees may confused because of that. The confusion of a trainee in a training programme may be a reason of lack of participation of the next training programme; and also if the training did not develop the trainee, that will be waste the time of both trainee and trainer. Even that will not make confusion in trainee, but also it happens in the trainer. So the training objectives should be established in measurable way by any one.

The training objective should be achievable by trainees. If the training objectives can not be achievable by trainees, it is also an error of setting training objectives. The training programmes should be motivating employees of an organization; not makes frustration in them. For motivate people and training them in correct way, there should the objectives are achievable. i.e. Implementing ISO 9000:2001 quality system among R & D Division that should be achievable. If the R & D Divisions can not implement the quality system any how, that objective is not achievable for R & D institutes rather than production oriented organization. When setting non achievable training objectives, trainees are may feel that training will not effect for them; and it may only time consuming thing. In organizational level time consuming for non profitable thing is not good. It may reason for profit losses and destroy skillful employees’ skills too. Competence employees may not like to spend their valuable time for non achievable things and it may make stress in their minds too. Then the absenteeism, accidents, and less concerning to work may increase in the organization. So there must to set achievable training objectives when the training is allocating for employees.

The training programme should relevant to an organization or to the employee. Sometimes employees may receive some of training programmes which are not directly relevant to their current fields; but it may have a good opportunity to adapt to new potential field to the employee. Also, some kind of general trainings has involved making employees as “Generalists” not specify to a particular field. That is suitable for most of firms, organizations; but such as medicine, surgeons, and research officers, that is not relative mostly. Those specific job titles have to have a specialization and special abilities. The generalist concept is most suitable to most of organizations because then the employer can rotate employees among the organization in to several types of job responsibilities. To reduce individual stress in an organization, the job rotation is a suitable process. To rotate jobs, employees must have general knowledge and abilities to do assigned tasks well. Training and development programmes can bring the employees up to that standard. In the case of specialized job titles, there have to be a direct relationship between training and the job responsibilities. i.e. to a research officer who is specialized in inorganic chemistry , training related to handicraft or carpentry will not be useful for his research field. That training is useful for a carpenter. When considering nano technology, there is no direct relationship between nano technology and inorganic chemistry, but there is a good potential to apply nano technology in inorganic chemistry such as making free radical coatings with certain materials giving them special properties. Nano technology is related not only to inorganic specialists, but also it’s related to the specialists in organic chemistry. For example nano technology is used in organic chemistry to produce high efficiency hydrocarbons by converting hydrocarbons to nano particles ultimately making high efficiency fuel source. Also, Nano technology is not related to administrative work. Administrative works should have trainings such as PR handling etc. So the relatedness of the training program for employee is an important thing when setting training objectives. The employer or trainer must concentrate on these functions when he or she establishes training objectives to the training programmes.

In both on-the-job and off-the-job training methods, training objectives should be time bound, because the trainee takes time to develop skills in him. When considering off-the-job type trainings, during the training period, the organization may not have a maximum contribution for the production function. Evan in on-the-job type training, there is low contribution from the employee to organization during the training periods. Therefore to minimize this additional time consumption, the trainings should be time bounded. For an employee to achieve a given objective within a given period of time there can be gat efficient automatically. Training programmes and training objectives should be oriented in efficiently. For that purpose, there should be a specific time period to end up the training and develop the trainee.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT - INTRODUCTION

Investing in the training and development of our employees is crucial for the growth and success of any organization. A well-trained and skilled workforce not only increases productivity and efficiency, but it also leads to higher job satisfaction and employee retention.

Training can be introduced simply as a process of assisting a person for enhancing his efficiency and effectiveness to a particular work area by getting more knowledge and practices. Also training is important to establish specific skills, abilities and knowledge to an employee. For an organization, training and development are important as well as organizational growth, because the organizational growth and profit are also dependent on the training. But the training is not a core of organizational development. It is a function of the organizational development.

Training is different form education; particularly formal education. The education is concerned mainly with enhancement of knowledge, but the aims of training are increasing knowledge while changing attitudes and competences in good manner. Basically the education is formulated with in the framework and to syllabus, but the training is not formed in to the frame and as well as syllabus. It may differ from one employee to another, one group to another, even the group in the same class. The reason for that can be mentioned as difference of attitudes and skills from one person to another. Even the situation is that, after good training programme, all different type skilled one group of employees can get in to similar capacity, similar skilled group. That is an advantage of the trainings.

In the field of Human Resources Management, Training and Development is the field concern with organizational activities which are aimed to bettering individual and group performances in organizational settings. It has been known by many names in the field HRM, such as employee development, human resources development, learning and development etc. Training is really developing employees’ capacities through learning and practicing.

Training and Development is the framework for helping employees to develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. The focus of all aspects of Human Resource Development is on developing the most superior workforce so that the organization and individual employees can accomplish their work goals in service to customers.

All employees want to be valuable and remain competitive in the labour market at all times, because they make some demand for employees in the labour market. This can only be achieved through employee training and development. Hence employees have a chance to negotiate as well as employer has a good opportunity to select most suitable person for his vacancy. Employees will always want to develop career-enhancing skills, which will always lead to employee motivation. There is no doubt that a well trained and developed staff will be a valuable asset to the company and thereby increasing the chances of his efficiency in discharging his or her duties.

Trainings in an organization can be mainly of two types; Internal and External training sessions. Internal training involves when training is organized in-house by the human resources department or training department using either a senior staff or any talented staff in the particular department as a resource person.

On the other hand external training is normally arranged outside the firm and is mostly organized by training institutes or consultants. Whichever training, it is very important for all staff and helps in building career positioning and preparing staff for greater challenges in developing world. How ever the training is costly. Because of that, people who work at firms do not receive external trainings most of times. The cost is a major issue for the lack of training programmes in Sri Lanka. But nowadays, a new concept has come with these trainings which is “Trainers through trainees”. While training their employees in large quantities, many countries use that method in present days to reduce their training costs. The theory of this is, sending a little group or an individual for a training programme under a bonding agreement or without a bond. When they come back to work, the externally trained employees train the employees who have not participated for above training programme by internal training programmes.

Employers of labour should enable employees to pursue training and development in a direction that they choose and are interested in, not just in company-assigned directions. Companies should support learning, in general, and not just in support of knowledge needed for the employee's current or next anticipated job. It should be noted that the key factor is keeping the employee interested, attending, engaged, motivated and retained.

For every employee to perform well, especially Supervisors and Managers, there is a need for constant training and development. The right employee training, development and education provides big payoffs for the employer in increased productivity, knowledge, loyalty, and contribution to general growth of the firm. In most cases external trainings for instance provide participants with the avenue to meet new set of people in the same field and network. The meeting will give them the chance to compare issues and find out what is obtainable in each others environment. This for sure will introduce positive changes where necessary.

It is not mentioned in any where that the employers, managers and supervisors are not suitable for training programmes. They also must be highly trained if they are expected to do their best for the organization. Through that they will have best abilities and competencies to manage the organization. Training employees not only creates a more positive corporate culture, but also add a value to its key resources.

Raw human resources can make only limited contribution to the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. Hence the demands for the developed employees are continuously increasing. Thus the training is a kind of investment.

SETTING TRAINING OBJECTIVES - WHAT ARE THE TRAINING OBJECTIVES

Training objectives are some kind of statements of what training is expected to achieve at the beginning. Setting training objectives must be in according to SMART theory; because of the training is one of important function in human resources management and also it is a costly process. So the training objectives should be expected level of an employee by employer.

Identification of the training needs correctly is most wanted thing for setting training objectives. For setting training objectives, there can be done some of analysis of employees. This also is important to the designing of the training programme. An employer can do a task analysis, fault analysis and skill analysis at the beginning of setting training objectives. Task analysis is a systematic analysis of the behaviour required to carry out a task with a view to identifying areas of difficulty and the appropriate training techniques and learning aids necessary for successful instruction. By task analyzing there can be identify what kind of difficulties the employee is facing while doing the given task. Where the incidence of errors of faults in a job can be fairly high, the faults analysis method can be useful for identify the actual faults. Identifying the faults and the frequencies of faults are doing important job on the setting training objectives. Maybe the most common method of analyzing the skills required in work of a non-supervisory nature in industry or commerce is that known simply as skills analysis. There has a good potential to identify skills and abilities by skill analyzing. Knowing of skills of an employee is important to set objectives on trainings.

As a major function of human resources management process, training and development is giving higher contribution to the organization when recruiting new employees to organization. After recruit new employee, training programmes are important to induction part of HRM process. Not only for the induction of HRM has process, but also for other parted of the process, such as performance appraisal etc. When establishing training objectives these kinds of specific things should be conceder, as same as other things.

In setting objectives of training, is depends on the organization. It may differ from an organization to organization. In an organization again the objectives are basically depends on its vision mission and corporate objectives. These have to achieve without any argument. But in operational level, there can be identify most of times employees makes lots of mistakes because the lack of training. Even they are highly paid, highly motivated people; this can not be decrease in large amount. For these types of situations are the indicators of the training needs and the training objectives. Training objectives are should be achieves and fulfill training needs of an organization. Also training objectives should have a power of motivation. Otherwise if the training objectives make stress on the employee, then the out come of training may not be achieves the objectives..

THE TRAINING PROCESS CONT-SELECT THE TRAINEES,SELECT THE TRAINING METHODS AND MODE,EVALUATING OF TRAINING

(e) SELECT THE TRAINEES

There should be a correct procedure to select the employees for training programmes so that the person who really needs the trainings can be select. Otherwise if the trained and well skillful employees were selected for the same training which has no contribution to their improvement, it will cost only money and time.

(f) SELECT THE TRAINING METHODS AND MODE

The training method and mode should be trainee friendly. If the education level of trainee is not in the standard of the training programme, the trainee will be unable to understand the core of the training, and then again the time of both employer and employee will be wasted. Employer should have a sense to identify the methods which are effective for the training programme. The methods and mode can differ from one training programme to other.

(g) EVALUATING OF TRAINING

Once after the training, there should be a procedure or a method to evaluate the training. That will help for further developments and training programmes. After a good training programme, the trainee should be developed. Development after training shows the effectiveness of the training programme.

IDENTIFY TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Identifying the right training and development needs is key to improving employee performance and reaching organizational goals. By understanding what skills, knowledge, and abilities are needed and where and for whom, organizations can provide targeted training and development for their workforce.

The identification of training and development needs is a crucial step in the process of improving the performance and productivity of employees. It involves identifying the specific skills, knowledge, and abilities that employees need to acquire in order to be more productive and to meet the organization's goals. The process of identifying training and development needs can be broken down into three main questions:

a) What specifically must an employee learn in order to be more productive?

This question addresses the specific skills, knowledge, and abilities that employees need to acquire in order to perform their jobs effectively. This may include technical skills, such as how to operate a particular piece of equipment, or soft skills, such as communication and teamwork.

b) Where is training needed?

This question addresses the areas of the organization where training is most needed. This may include specific departments, such as production or customer service, or specific job roles, such as managers or front-line employees.

c) Who needs to be trained?

This question addresses the specific employees who need to be trained. This may include new employees, experienced employees who are taking on new responsibilities, or employees who are struggling to meet performance expectations.

A key formula used to identify training and development needs is:

Training and development need = standard (expected) performance - actual performance.

This formula helps to identify the gap between the level of performance that is expected and the level of performance that is currently being achieved. By identifying this gap, organizations can determine the specific areas where employees need to improve in order to meet performance expectations.

For example, if an employee is expected to produce 100 units per day, but is only producing 80 units per day, the formula would be:

Training and development need = 100 (expected performance) - 80 (actual performance) = 20 units.

In this example, the organization would need to provide the employee with training and development in order to increase their productivity by 20 units per day.

The process of identifying training and development needs can be done through various methods such as performance appraisals, job analysis, employee surveys, and focus groups. Identifying the right training and development needs can help organizations to improve employee performance, increase productivity and achieve their goals.

In conclusion, identifying training and development needs is a crucial step in the process of improving the performance and productivity of employees. By answering the questions of what, where and who needs to be trained, and using the formula of Training and development need = standard (expected) performance - actual performance, organizations can determine the specific areas where employees need to improve and provide them with the necessary training and development to meet their goals.

OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING

Effective training and development programs are essential for any organization to achieve its objectives. By providing employees with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their roles, companies can improve productivity, boost morale, and drive overall business success. Whether you're looking to upskill your workforce, enhance performance, or foster a culture of continuous learning, investing in training and development is a wise choice. 

Objectives of training methods can be determined generally as below.

a) Increase job satisfaction and morals among employees

b) Increase employee motivation

c) Increase efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain

d) Increase capacity to adopt new technologies and methods

e) Increase innovation in strategies and products

f) Reduce employee turnover

g) Enhance company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics training!)

h) Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training

Objectives of orientations are different from other methods, because it is given for the new employees of the organization at the beginning of their career at organization. Orientation training should emphasize the following topics:

(i) The company's history and mission.

(i) The key members in the organization.

(ii) The key members in the department, and how the department helps fulfill the mission of the company.

(iii) Personnel rules and regulations.

Objectives of the telling methods give an idea about the training area. Some times written parts also can be seen in this method, but generally this method gives an understanding about the learning area.

Showing methods create a picture in trainees mind and it helps to bring the trainee to real situations and that helps to practice decision making and general understanding in wide area, than telling method. This method also helps to increase the creativity of the trainee.

Role playing generate leaders and decision makers. Such kind of things help the trainee to get a deep understanding about the learning and working area. These kind of trainings can be used for junior management levels and finally can make a competence, skillful employees. Job rotation reduces the individual stress while training employees as generalists. By this training method, employer or management can assign the trained employee to fill an internal vacancy, with out giving training again. This will help the smooth flow of work at the organization. These kinds of trainings are better to face absenteeism of an employee in any manner.

Technical training is unique for a job. Most of technicians are specialized for their fields. So these technical trainings reduce wastage and accidents while maximizing the profit of a firm or the line. These kinds of trainings create efficiency in the organizational production.

THE TRAINING PROCESS- ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES,NEEDS ASSESSMENT,IDENTIFY THE GAP BETWEEN EXPECTED AND ACTUAL PERFORMANCE,ESTABLISH TRAINING OBJECTIVE

(a) ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES

First the organization has to understand whether their objectives are achieved by employees. If not organization should establish its objectives in employees; and the training also have to helps above activity.

(b) NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Then the employer or organization should estimate the need of the training. There organization can use many of methods such as questionnaires, income expenditure ratio etc. The training programme is based on this training needs assessment.

(c) IDENTIFY THE GAP BETWEEN EXPECTED AND ACTUAL PERFORMANCE

After training needs assessment there have to identify the gap between expected and actual performance of employee. This will helps to identify the weight of training that employee needs. Otherwise even after training the organizational expectation may not be achieved.

(d) ESTABLISH TRAINING OBJECTIVES

This is also an important step of training process. To earn what is needed actually is based on this step. After identify the gap between expected and actual performances they have to identify how to establish the missed objectives in to employees and what would be the objectives that have to be established. The process of this step is helpful for that.

OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES

One major objective of the training is problem solving in ongoing processes. Training can solve a variety of manpower problems including operational problems involving manpower component. If not solved, these problems may lead to the reduction of optimum productivity. These problems can emerge within any group, such as except non-except, line and staff, unskilled, skilled, lower, middle and upper management. These problems are according to natures and all are having a common denominator, the solution required individual to their appreciative backgrounds specific identifiable items of additional knowledge skill or understanding. Organization wide, these problems includes needs to

a) Increase productivity

b) Improve the quality of work, work life and raise morals

c) Develop new skills, knowledge, attitudes and understanding

d) Correct use of new tools, machines, processes, methods or modifications thereof

e) Reduce wastage, accidents, turnover, lateness, absenteeism, and other overhead costs.

f) Implement new or changed policies or regulations

g) Fight obsolescence in skills, technologies, methods, products, markets, capital management etc.

h) Bring incumbents to that level of performance which meets the standard of performance for the job.

i) Develop replacements, prepare people for advancement, improve manpower deployment and ensure continuity of leadership.

j) Ensure the survival and growth of the organization.

k) Optimum utilization of human resources at the organization can be considered as an objective of training programs. The training and development programs further help the employee to achieve the organizational goals as well as their individual goals.

l) Training and development is inculcating the sense of team work, team spirit, and inter-team collaborations. It helps in inculcating the zeal to learn with in the employees.

m) Training programs can be used to building the positive perception and feeling about the organization. The employees get these feelings from leaders, subordinators, and peers.

n) Health and safety is a major factor at the organization. Training programs in the sense of health and safety helps in improving the health and safety of the organization thus preventing obsolescence; and it will helps to create healthy work environment through changing attitudes of the both employees and employers.

o) Finally the training programs are objected to develop human resources at the organization in technically and behaviorally in an organization. It also helps to development of an organization through more effective works, decision making and problem solving too. Training programs reduces the stress of management and employer; because when employees receive good training, they are able to solve their problems and make effective decisions, even under limited resources.

TRAINING METHODS TYPES - THE DISCUSSION TECHNIQUE- (Orientations, Internships and assistantships, Programmed , Laboratory , and Technical trainings

The discussion technique involves the participation of the trainee in actual work. Trainee is allowed to ask any related questions. Some times cases are also used for actual situations. These methods generate discussions between the trainee and the trainer. This can be used in several types of organizations relate to their works.

Some methods can not be determined as a part of above mentioned training types, because they have some specific characters or a combination of above types. Those various specific training methods are discussed below.

a) Orientations - Orientations are for new employees. The first several days on the job are crucial in the success of new employees. This point is illustrated by the fact that 60 percent of all employees who quit do so in the first ten days.

Some companies use verbal presentations while others have written presentations. Many small businesses convey these topics in one-on-one orientations. No matter what method is used, it is important that the newcomer understand his or her new place of employment.

b) Internships and assistantships – These are usually a combination of classroom and on-the-job training. They are often used to train prospective managers or marketing personnel.

c) Programmed learning - Programmed learning, computer-aided instruction and interactive video all have one thing in common: they allow the trainee to learn at his or her own pace. Also, they allow material already learned to be bypassed in favor of material with which a trainee is having difficulty. After the introductory period, the instructor need not be present, and the trainee can learn as his or her time allows. These methods sound good, but may be beyond the resources of some small businesses.

d) Laboratory training – This is conducted for groups by skilled trainers. It usually is conducted at a neutral site and is used by upper- and middle management trainees to develop a spirit of teamwork and an increased ability to deal with management and peers. It can be costly and usually is offered by larger small businesses. Most of research and development institutes are used this method and this will be the most effective training type to such kind of institutes.

e) Technical training – There are numerous fields in which technical training are offered which covers the jobs such as that of draughtsman, machinist, toolmaker, designers, mechanics, electrician, technical officers and technical assistants etc. For training in crafts, trades and in technical areas, apprenticeship training is the oldest and the most commonly used method. Apprenticeships develop employees who can do many different tasks. They usually involve several related groups of skills that allow the apprentice to practice a particular trade, and they take place over a long period of time in which the apprentice works for, and with, the senior skilled worker. Apprenticeships are especially appropriate for jobs requiring production skills.

THE TRAINING PROCESS- Objectives,Needs Assessment,Identify the gap,Establish training objectives,trainees,methods and mode,Evaluate

The training is not a single task. It is a kind of process which is in the organizations. The training process has several steps and that steps can be mentioned as follows.

a) Organizational Objectives
b) Needs Assessment
c) Identify the gap between standard and actual performances
d) Establish training objectives
e) Select the trainees
f) Select a training methods and mode
g) Evaluate the training

Definitions of Training and Development

Training is defined as follows by many expertise and literature.

“It is concerned with the knowledge, skill attitude, techniques & experiences which enable as individual to make his most effective contribution to the combined effort of the team of which he is a member”

“Training is the process of assisting a person for enhancing his efficient and effectiveness at work by improving and updating his professional knowledge, by developing skills relevant to his work, and cultivating appropriate behavior attitude towards work and people. Training could be design either for improving present capabilities at work or for preparing a person for assuming higher, responsibilities in future which would call for additional knowledge and superior skills.”

“Training is the formal and systematic modification of behavior through learning which occurs as a result of education, instruction, development and planned experience”

“Development is any learning activity, which is directly towards future, needs rather than present needs, and which is concerned more with career growth than immediate performance.”

“Training is a method whereby people get hold of abilities to aid in the accomplishment of organizational objectives. It occupies planned learning activities premeditated to develop an employee’s performance at her/his recent job.”

“Development is a wide-ranging enduring multi-faceted position of behaviors to bring an employee or an organization up to another entrance of presentation. Development also suggests achieving several jobs or new role in the upcoming.”

TRAINING METHODS- On-the-job training, Off-the-job training

Trainings in an organization can be divided to two broad types. They are on-the-job trainings and off-the-job trainings. These on-the-job trainings are given to the employees while they are conducting their regular works at the same places. In this way they do not lose time while they are training or learning. After a plan is developed for what should be taught, employees should be informed about the details. A time table should be establish with periodic evaluations to inform employees about their progress. On-the-job training techniques include orientations, job instruction training, apprenticeships, internships, assistantships, job rotation and coaching.

Off-the-job techniques include lectures, special study, audio visual conferences or discussions, case studies, role playing, simulation, programmed instructions, and laboratory trainings. Most of these techniques are too costly.

Methods of trainings can be basically divided to four types, namely, a. the telling method b. the showing method c. the role playing method d. the discussion technique

Human Resource Management Process

Human Resource Management (HRM) is a vital function in any organization. It is responsible for managing the organization's most valuable asset – its people. The HRM process is a series of activities that are designed to help an organization achieve its goals by effectively managing its workforce.

HRM process is the backbone of any organization. From human resource planning to recruitment, selection, training and development, performance appraisal, and career development, it's all about managing our most valuable asset.

The following are the key functions of HRM in practice:

1. Human resource planning: This function involves forecasting the organization's future workforce needs and determining the actions necessary to meet those needs. This includes identifying the number of employees needed, the skills they should possess, and the timing of their arrival.

2. Attraction – also called as recruitment: This function involves identifying and attracting a pool of qualified candidates for available job openings. The organization must ensure that it is reaching out to the right candidates and that the recruitment process is fair and equitable.

3. Selection: This function involves evaluating the pool of candidates and selecting the most qualified individuals for the available job openings. The organization must ensure that the selection process is fair, objective and job-related.

4. Directing: This function involves communicating with employees about their roles and responsibilities, providing guidance and direction, and taking corrective action if necessary. This includes setting performance expectations, providing feedback, and coaching employees to help them improve their performance.

5. Training and development: This function involves providing employees with the skills, knowledge, and abilities they need to perform their jobs effectively. This includes both on-the-job training and formal training programs.

6. Performance appraisal: This function involves evaluating employees' job performance and providing them with feedback on their strengths and areas for improvement. This helps employees understand how they are performing and what they need to do to improve.

7. Promote, demote or transfer regarding to performances: This function involves making decisions about employees' career development and advancement within the organization. This includes promoting employees who have demonstrated high levels of performance, demoting employees who have not performed up to expectations, and transferring employees to different roles within the organization.

In conclusion, HRM is a vital function that helps organizations meet their goals by effectively managing their workforce. It's a process that involves multiple activities such as human resource planning, attraction, selection, directing, training and development, performance appraisal, and promoting, demoting, or transferring based on performance. By understanding and implementing these key functions, organizations can create a strong, engaged and motivated workforce that can help them achieve their goals.