MODULE INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 7: Employee Training and Development

Learning Objectives:
The student who studies this chapter should be able to:
a.) Define Employee Training
b.) Identify Various Areas of Employee Training
c.) Identify and discuss the fundamental issues in employee training
d.) Outline a model of successful training program

Chapter Summary

Employee training is a planned effort by an organization to facilitate the learning,

retention, and transfer of job-related behavior. Training is not limited to new employees, but
often involves various types of training and development programs offered throughout an
employee’s career.

Specific areas of employee training include new employee orientation, employee

retraining and continuing education, retirement planning and career development, and worker
training for international assignments, for diversity, to reduce sexual harassment, and to
increase ethical behavior at work.

An understanding of learning theories is fundamental in the design of employee training

programs. For example, the concept of modeling, which is imitative of learning, is expressed in
social learning theory.

If training programs are to be successful, a number of key issues will affect their
effectiveness. For example, transfer of training, or how the learning translates into use of the
newly learned behaviors, and the job characteristics of the trainees, such as trainee readiness,
must be taken into account.

Finally, concern must be given to how training programs are structured and how they are
conducted.

The first step in a successful employee training program is assessing training needs,
which occurs on several levels. Organizational analysis considers the organization’s goals,
resources, and the climate for training; task analysis evaluates the specific knowledge, skills,
and abilities that a job requires; and person analysis examines the capabilities and deficiencies
of the workers themselves. Training needs may also have to be conducted through
demographic analysis, which is targeted toward assessing the training needs of specific groups,
such as males versus females or the old versus the young. The second step involves
establishing training objectives, whereas the third step focuses on employee training methods.

The various training methods can be broken down into two general categories: on-site
methods and off-site methods. Of on-site methods, on-the-job training is the most widely used,
consisting of putting inexperienced workers into the work site under the direction of an
experienced teacher–worker. Apprenticeship is a much more long-term on-site method,
combining classroom training with supervised on-the-job training. Vestibule training sets up a

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model training area adjacent to the actual work site, using professional trainers and hands-on
experience. Job rotation is a training technique designed to broaden workers’ experience by
rotating employees among various jobs.

Off-site methods include the common seminar method and audiovisual instruction that
provides graphic depictions of work activities, and Web-based training (webinars). A technique
that uses aspects of both audiovisual technology and concepts of social learning theory is
behavior modeling training, a method of exposing trainees to videotapes of models engaged in
appropriate work behaviors and then having them practice the observed behaviors. Simulation
techniques involve classroom replications of actual workstations. Programmed instruction is a
form of self paced training in which workers can learn at their own pace. A sophisticated version
of programmed instruction is computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Several specific methods and
techniques used in management training include problem-solving case studies, role-playing,
and management games, which all involve simulations of actual management situations. Action
learning is a complicated form of training in which teams are formed to perform a special project
or assignment that benefits the organization, while the team members learn and develop
managerial skills.

A 360-degree feedback is also used as a management development tool. Mentoring is a

management training program in which an inexperienced worker is assigned to an experienced
mentor who serves as a role model. Coaching is where a consultant advises an executive to
improve performance.

Once training programs have been implemented, the evaluation of their effectiveness is
very important. The first step in evaluation is to determine criteria of training effectiveness. Four
types are typically used: reaction criteria, learning criteria, behavioral criteria, and results
criteria. Once the criteria are established, basic research methods and design should be used to
evaluate the training programs.

The pretest– posttest design is a common but inadequate means of assessing a

program in which measures of criteria are collected both before and after a training intervention,
allowing for a comparison of changes in learning or work behaviors. However, this method is
inadequate because of the lack of a good comparison group. Better evaluation designs use both
a training group and a comparison, or control, group that is not subjected to the training
program. A very complex and sophisticated evaluation design is the Solomon four-group design,
which uses two training groups and two control groups.

Finally, certain legal issues must be considered in the design and implementation of
training programs. Training or educational prerequisites and the training programs themselves
must not unfairly discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, age, sex, or disability.

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Definitions

1. Employee training - planned organizational efforts to help

employees learn job-related knowledge, skills, and other
characteristics
2. Social learning theory - learning theory that emphasizes the
observational learning of behavior
3. Modeling - learning that occurs through the observation and
imitation of the behavior of others
4. Cognitive theories of learning - learning theories that emphasize that humans are
information processors
5. Transfer of training - concept dealing with whether training is actually applied in the
work setting
6. Trainee readiness - the individual’s potential for successful training
7. On-the-job training - an employee training method of placing a worker in the workplace
to learn firsthand about a job
8. Apprenticeship - a training technique, usually lasting several years, that combines on-
the-job experience with classroom instruction
9. Vestibule training - training that uses a separate area adjacent to the work area to
simulate the actual work setting
10. Job rotation - a method of rotating workers among a variety of jobs to increase their
breadth of knowledge
11. Seminar - a common training method in which an expert provides jobrelated information
in a classroom-like setting
12. Behavior modeling training - a training method that exposes trainees to role models
performing appropriate and inappropriate work behaviors and their outcomes and then
allows trainees to practice modeling the appropriate behaviors
13. Audiovisual instruction - the use of films, videotapes, and other electronic media to
convey training material
14. Simulation - training that replicates job conditions without placing the trainee in the
actual work setting
15. Programmed instruction - self-paced individualized training in which trainees are
provided with training materials and can test how much they have learned
16. Computer-assisted instruction - programmed instruction delivered by computer that
adapts to the trainee’s learning rate
17. Problem-solving case study - a management training technique that presents a real or
hypothetical organizational problem that trainees attempt to solve
18. Role-playing - a management training exercise that requires trainees to act out problem
situations that often occur at work
19. Management games - a management training technique using scaled down enactments
of the operations and managements of organizations
20. Conference - an unstructured management training technique in which participants
share ideas, information, and problems; also called a group discussion
21. Action learning - teams assembled to work on a company related problem or issue to
learn by doing
22. Mentoring - a training program in which an inexperienced worker develops a relationship
with an experienced worker who serves as an advisor
23. Coaching - a one-on-one relationship where a consultant helps an executive improve
performance
24. Posttest-only design - a program evaluation that simply measures training success
criterion following completion of the training program

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25. Pretest–posttest design - a design for evaluating a training program that makes
comparisons of criterion measures collected before and after the introduction of the
program
26. Solomon four-group design - a method of program evaluation using two treatment
groups and two control groups

Employee Training

Employee training is a planned effort by an organization to facilitate employees’

learning, retention, and transfer of job-related behavior. In most organizations, training is not
limited to new employees, as various types of training and development programs are offered at
all stages of an employee’s career.

Areas of Employee Training

Training, like learning, is a lifelong process.

Organizations need to provide for the wide variety of
training needs of workers to stay competitive. We will
briefly examine some of these specific focuses of
employee training and development programs.

 New Employee Orientation & Training

Typically designed to introduce employees to

the organization and its goals, philosophy,
policies and procedures

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 Retraining and Continuing Education Programs

To maintain workers’ proficiencies, organizations must encourage and support basic
“refresher courses” as well as continuing education programs that provide workers with new
information

 Retirement Planning and Preparation

Involves retirement decision, plans and options, investment and money handling

 Employee Career Development

Helping workers plan their careers can help lead to a more productive, more satisfied and
more loyal workforce

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 Training Workers for International Business

Training for foreign language skills, knowledge of the host country’s general culture and
knowledge of the country’s specific business culture and work rules

 Team Training
Gaining an understanding of the knowledge and skills of each of the individual group
members, training in teamwork skills and developing shared goals and work procedures. This
should measure both team and individual performance with feedback provided so that team
members can learn to diagnose and evaluate their own performance with the team.
Fundamental Issues in Employee Training

Learning Theories and Principles

 Social Learning Theory – emphasizes observational learning of behavior. It’s key

process is modeling which is an imitative learning that occurs through observing and
reproducing another person’s action
 Cognitive Theories of Learning – views workers as information processors, focusing
on how new information is stored and retrieved and how that information is used to
produce work behavior

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Key Issues in the Success of Training Programs

 Transfer of Learning – concept dealing

with whether training is actually applied
in the work setting. There is positive
transfer of learned tasks when there are
identical stimulus and response
elements found in the training and job
situations

 Trainee Readiness – individual’s

potential for successful training. Does
the trainee have the aptitude to learn?
Giving employees a realistic preview of
what the training program is about and
providing them with personal and career-
related benefit

 Training Program Structure – practice should continue to the point of overlearning. To

be effective, feedback must be immediate rather than delayed and training programs
should be highly structured

Model of Successful Training Program

Step 1: Assessing the Training Needs

In what way can/should worker’s performance be improved?

Different levels of analysis are required: Organizational, Task and Person

Step 2: Establish the Training Objectives

Training objectives should specify what the trainee should be able to accomplish on
completion of the training program

Must use the SMART approach

 Specific – objectives should specify what you want to achieve from the training
 Measurable – you should be able to measure whether you are meeting the
objectives or not
 Achievable – are the objectives you set, achievable and attainable?
 Realistic – Can you realistically achieve the objectives with the resources you
have?
 Time – when do you want to achieve the set objectives?

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Step 3: Developing and Testing Training Material

It is important to pilot test all training materials and consider the methods you will be using
 On-site methods – On-the-job training; apprenticeship; vestibule training; job
rotation
 Offsite methods – seminars; audiovisual instruction; behavior modeling training;
simulation techniques; programmed instructions; computer assisted instructions
 Special management training methods – problem solving case study; role
playing; management games; conference; action learning; mentoring

Step 4: Implementation of the Training Program

Factors to consider in the implementation process:

 Training readiness; expectations and
climate
 Preparation of venue, materials and
refreshments
 Opportunities for feedback


Step 5: Evaluation of the Training Program

Outline the criteria that indicate the program’s

success and develop means for measuring these criteria
Four types of criteria for measuring training
program success:
 Reaction Criteria
 Learning Criteria
 Behavioral Criteria
 Results Criteria

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FILM AND VIDEO REFERENCES

1. HR Basics: Training and Development
2. Introduction to Training
3. Identifying Training Needs
4. Selecting Training Methods
5. Why Invest in Employee Training & Development?

For further reading please refer to ff eBooks: Introduction to Industrial/Organizational

Psychology (Riggio, 2013) pp. 155 – 187.

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