14.1 Topics for employee training
There are numerous topics that are now part of employee training. These include the following:
Communications based on the diversity within today's workforce and the variety of customs and languages which need to be taken into consideration. Computer abilities and skills based on the fact that office and administrative tasks will rely on computers and the ability to use different programmes. Customer service which is imperative to any company, especially in a competitive global marketplace.
All employees need to understand the importance of providing outstanding customer service and what they need to do in order to meet customers' unique needs. Diversity training requires helping employees understand different views and perspectives along with techniques they can use to value diversity. Ethics are important when it comes to corporate social responsibility. With such a diverse workforce, continued training in ethics, morals, and values is imperative to the company's success.
Human relations helps employees work together with ease within a working environment. It teaches them how to deal with conflict and misunderstandings daily. Quality initiatives focus on training about concepts, standards, and guidelines regarding quality control within the company. Safety is essential in all companies and health and safety training should be provided as part of every employee's orientation. This includes lifting of heavy equipment, repetitive injuries, and more. Sexual harassment within the work place should provide employees with detail on appropriate behaviours and policies regarding sexual harassment within the company.
14.2 Benefits of training and development
The benefits of employee training and development are endless, but the most common benefits include:
-Job satisfaction is improved and morale is increased
-Employees are more motivated
-Productivity is improved
-New technologies are adopted
-Strategies and products are innovated
-Employee turnover is reduced
-Company image is enhanced
-Risk management is improved through diversity, ethics, and sexual harassment training.
The working environment is constantly changing, which is one of the challenges you are going to have to face when it comes to training and development of employees. Changes mean you need a knowledgeable team of employees who are flexible and adaptive and willing to focus on the future. It is your responsibility as a member of the HR team to develop the team and help them achieve the company's goals moving forward. Growth can be encouraged, career development can be achieved, and so much more through effective training, development, and employee coaching.
Working with staff to identify their skills and then use this to put a training and development plan in place is the most effective way to ensure they remain productive and the company achieves its objectives. Employees need to take the initiative to identify their development and ensure that they have the skills to meet their needs. This can be discussed in detail in performance reviews and coaching sessions. Providing an open book policy for employees helps you identify the training and development objectives for each employee with ease.
14.3 Career development
Career development is ongoing and refines the knowledge and skills each employee needs as part of their professional development to help them achieve success on a daily basis. Mastering a job is not always easy and it takes training and development to provide the employee with the skills they need to meet their job description and improve performance. Career development is a dynamic process and it means encouraging employees, reviewing and reassessing goals, and more to ensure that the employee is steered in the right direction. This also means gaining valuable feedback from the employee on activities and resources to help them work towards the company's goals on a daily basis. Training away from work and formal training is very effective when it comes to providing new information. You will also find that learners need to use their new skills in order to understand them property.
Principles
Supporting career development within the company is essential due to the following:
Employees can be more realistic in terms of their developmental goals when they have up to date information regarding the company. Keep in mind that learning opportunities can lead to skill development. Career satisfaction is a result of promotional opportunities and career development moving forward. Self-confidence is boosted when employees feel responsible for their own career. Career development provides a cost effective solution using your own staff to provide training. You can attract new staff and retain members of your team.
Support
As a member of the HR team, it is essential that you support career development at all times. There are so many benefits to career development that you can achieve. You can support this in the following manner:
Look for relevant online and in-class courses that may be effective for the employees based on your company's goals and objectives. Conduct career discussions with employees. Work with supervisors in various departments to help them support developmental efforts in their departments. Create activities and programmes to increase skill development. Always support any requests you may receive from staff to alternate their working schedules. Be a role model and participate in developmental opportunities. Embrace applications from staff members for promotional positions and see this as a healthy work dynamic Support moves within the company.
How you can play a role
You can be a coach and help employees to identify their interests, strengths, and weaknesses. This can be done through ongoing communication. You can be an advisor and focus on providing employees with resources and company information. You can help them develop career goals which are realistic and help them understand what career opportunities there are within the company moving forward. You can play the role of an appraiser.
You can evaluate each employee's performance in an open manner to identify their potential. In order to achieve effective appraisals, you must provide regular feedback, conduct appraisals to identify weaknesses, strengths, and needs, and identify current performance levels based on realistic goals and objectives.
Finally, you can play a role as a referral agent, helping employees achieve their goals by putting them in contact with the right resources and people. You can improve your skills as a referral agent by helping employees put their development plans in place and providing assistance on their strategies. You can provide opportunities to the employee to improve their exposure and experience and you can use your own personal resources to create opportunities for employees while helping them find the right promotional position in the future.
FACT
15% lower turnover rates for companies who implement regular feedback
Source: officevibe.com
14.4 Management development
The management developmental process is a flexible one that is ongoing and it links to the employee's developmental goals and objectives. Management development programmes provide you with the change to improve your knowledge and skills which can be used in numerous positions within the company. This will include supervisory training, performance management tools, and so much more.
Principles
When it comes to management development, you want to focus on the following activities:
-Encourage career development and growth of particular employees
-Improve knowledge and skills which can be used in the working environment without delay
-Improve motivation through job satisfaction. Start a colleagues network which can be used for support and problem solving
-Encourage communication throughout the company at all times to improve planning and process.
Support
There are numerous ways you can support the management development within the company, this includes:
-Never neglect your own development
-Create a development plan based on the performance planning cycle
-Encourage employees to attend training to improve their developmental goals
-Speak to employees about what they have learned and support new ideas
-Provide performance feedback and discuss areas to improve
-Help employees through internships, mentoring, associations, and assignments.
14.5 Effective employee training programmes
Effective employee training development programmes are essential to the long-term success of the company. Training programmes offer a number of benefits for both the company and the employee, but it is important that they are planned and implemented correctly at all times. This means a good understanding of the company policies, job functions of employees, company goals, and how to improve motivation and morale are just some of the skills you need to ensure that the right training is implemented and the training programme provides an effective solutions moving forward.
Define needs and goals
1. Define the company needs along with weak areas. Identify what training is needed. This may include hard and soft skills such as how to use certain machinery, which is a hard skill to improving time management, a soft skill.
2. Identify the long and short term goals of the company moving forward and then focus on possible training opportunities that can help the company achieve these goals. This is often to improve productivity, increase customer service levels, or help employee relations in order to improve performance moving forward.
3. Focus on individual training programmes based on each employee's goals. This may be training purchased from outside the company or it may be training provided by a senior member of staff on how to work in a specific area or how to complete a certain task effectively.
Planning
1. Plan all training based on the individual or group that will benefit the most. Some training which may include company policies will be provided to all employees, but skill based training will only be effective for certain employees who are directly impacted.
2. Create spreadsheets which include each employee's name and the training modules variable. You can then link each employee to each training module to ensure that they get the training they need and deserve in order to complete their duties to the highest standard.
3. Plan training schedules on a regular basis. This ensures each employee takes the time to attend training. Focus on training during quieter periods. Remember training is an investment and should be seen as such at all times.
Implementation
1. Implement all training modules based on their importance. If a major issue within the company is customer service, then ensure this is the training that is provided first.
2. Use professional trainers wherever possible, as they have the ability to create an effective training experience.
3. Use slide shows and videos as part of training. Consider games, role playing, and quizzes rather than only providing written materials.
4. Use employee feedback forms to rate training and get feedback on how they feel. This will help you keep effective training programmes and revisit those that don't have good feedback moving forward.
5. Ensure training is part of your orientation programme.
14.6 Development planning
Development planning is often ignored by companies because they focus on the now rather than the future. Many companies try doing more with less. Managers are focused on daily operations and not only long term outcomes. Often, development planning isn't executed due to lack of time. This is not a very good excuse for any company. There is always time when it comes to planning for the future of the company. It needs to be prioritized and time must be made to ensure future success.
Development planning makes good business sense because it shows the company cares about the future and are genuinely interested. This type of solution provides loyalty, increasing productivity. It makes those that are naturally
talented want to advance within the company and it improves staff retention.
Development and turnover
Training and development helps companies invest in their employees. It focuses on employees and the company, their capabilities, goals and objectives, and working together to achieve success. Investing in employees is very different from investing in equipment, while both do play a role in the success of the company. A company that invests in computer equipment will see a depreciation of the equipment over a period of time, but if they invest in employees, they will notice a cost that cannot be depreciated moving forward.
From the accounts department, they will encourage that money is spent on equipment which can be used by employees, thereby investing in the employees and providing them with the resources they need to help the business succeed. New equipment means a company automatically assumes faster production times, less maintenance, and reduces waste, but if they were investing in the employees' knowledge and skills, then the company would benefit even further.
14.7 How to measure the effect
Measuring the success of a training programme should be based on four criteria:
1. The trainees' thoughts on the training programme
2. What principles and techniques the trainee learned in the programme
3. How the training improved performance
4. The overall outcomes such as absence, turnover, and cost. Return on investment should be measured based on how the employee succeeds due to the training provided. Are productivity levels up? Are they meeting their agreed goals? Is their performance improved?
Return on investment for training often ranges up to 2,000 percent. The reason that some companies are concerned when it comes to investing in employee training and development is the fear of high turnover, costing more in the long run. Once an employee has received the training, the concern is that they will use this to secure a position at one of the company's competitors. That is why it is essential that employees are provided with a complete HR function to make them feel secure and valued to reduce turnover.
14.8 Management
Develop a programme for each individual employee. Select and train each employee and never expect them to train themselves. Work with employees to ensure that their work is completed based on the principles of the company at all times. Divide responsibility between employees and supervisors or managers. Evaluation of training programmes is essential to ensure that you have incorporated the best programmes for the teams. This helps you identify the best programmes and services, improve productivity and effectiveness, and ensure that employees remain with the company for a number of years.
Heroic management
Did you know the way you deal with staff and your management style directly affects how they feel about the company, how long they stay with the company, and their overall performance? Heroic management is when managers feel they are important and separate themselves from those who deliver a service. They are often higher end managers that develop the strategies to be used down the ladder. They implement their management based on a hierarchical structure which can cause problems.
Engaging management
Anyone in a management position should focus on becoming an engaging manager who is important based on how their teams perform. They are effective leaders in the company, engaging, motivating, and helping employees to grow and reach their own objectives and goals. They reward positive results and are trusted and respected within the company.
14.9 Why to train employees
Training and development has become a very important part of human resources in companies throughout the world. Employees that don't see any further development will be negative and they will be tempted to leave the company, potentially costing thousands in the long run.
Employee potential is uncovered
Often, a company will overlook an employee for their full potential. They may be a leader that is waiting to be explored. A company that doesn't provide a leader development programme will never see that employee blossom and their skills will remain hidden during their time with the company. Giving employees a chance to attend developmental programmes will help identify future leaders within the current team, enabling the company to provide promotional prospects rather than overlooking existing team members and employing outside the company. New skills, tools and strategies
Employee development training provides each member with information, skills, and knowledge on new trends within the industry and any latest developments. This may be training on new machinery, helping employees stay up to date with any changes. This will enable team members to accept challenging roles within the company.
Ongoing learning
Providing ongoing learning within the workplace helps to encourage employees to embrace lifelong learning. With technology constantly updating and businesses changing daily, learning will encourage employees to improve their own skills and knowledge to ensure that they give their best to the company at all times.
Confrontation is reduced
In a training environment, it is much easier to discuss potential problems and address them in an open manner than it is when they are at their desk. Giving each individual the opportunity to share their experiences and voice their opinions is a fantastic way to reduce confrontation within the work place. It also enables the employee to feel more relaxed and share their experiences in a less confrontational manner which will then be managed at a higher level and a later stage.
Productivity is increased
Training is a sure fire way to increase productivity within any company. Your staff will have the skills and knowledge they need to do more within the business. They will have confidence and the ability to complete tasks to the highest standard.
Expectations are understood
Training and development programmes provide the human resources department with an understanding of the employees' expectations moving forward. You can reduce disappointment and improve loyalty to the company by managing these expectations in an effective manner.
Vision and goals are revised
Training opportunities and development programmes are ideal to remind employees of the goals of the company in the long run. It is a chance to remind employees of the goals and the results expected. It is also important to remind employees of how each of them will benefit if the company can stay on track and achieve success moving forward.
14.10 Importance of training in the work place
Training is essential to the success of any company of any size anywhere in the world. Without employee training, employees would never develop the skills they need to complete their duties to the highest standard, focusing on achieving the company's goals at all times. The downside is that training will take employees away from their work, but you need to look at the bigger picture in the long run.
Why training is so important
Employees get essential education that they need to complete their duties to the highest standard. The company has a competitive edge over their competitors. Health and safety is promoted within the work place. Opportunities for career development. Employers comply with laws. Improves productivity on a daily basis. There are some laws which require that training is provided to employees and it is recommended. One of these laws falls under the Health and Safety Act, which requires training to reduce accidents and injury within the work place.
The Equity Act also recommends training to reduce the risk of harassment, bullying, and discrimination. Sexual harassment training is essential and should be part of the orientation programme given to new employees. Employers can be held responsible for sexual harassment in the work place and those failing to exercise care to prevent this from happening can be held liable at all costs.
Reasonable care will include everything from ensuring managers understand their responsibility to providing an anti-harassment policy to providing employees with details on who to go to if they are a victim of sexual harassment in the work place. The risk of an employee claiming from their employers' liability insurance is dramatically reduced if the employees have been given adequate health and safety training.
Recommended training topics include:
-Business ethics
-Challenging employees
-Customer service
-Diversity in the work place
-Leave
-Sexual harassment
-Workplace safety
Module summary
This module was brimming with valuable information on training and development within the work place. It provided insight into why training and development is so important and topics that should be covered in training and development programmes. It also provided you with information regarding development programmes, the benefits of training, and so much more.
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