CH-7 Training and Developing Employees – Human Resource Management: A Managerial Tool for Competitive Advantage : Book Guide

Chapter 7 Training and Developing Employees LEARNING OBJECTIVES After reading this chapter, students should be able to: • Understand why effective training and development programs enhance competitive advantage. • Describe how companies assess their training needs. • Explain how companies can present training programs to maximize learning. • Describe the various methods of training. • Explain how companies can ensure that training is transferred to the job. • Describe how training evaluations should be conducted. • Describe the steps involved in management succession planning. • Describe the type of training provided in management development programs. CHAPTER OUTLINE AND LECTURE 7-1 Gaining Competitive Advantage Properly training and developing employees has positive short-term and long-term effects on an organization’s competitive advantage. In fact, the organization’s survival may well depend on how well employees do their jobs, how they support each other and the company’s mission and objectives, and how they treat customers and suppliers. 7-1a Opening Case: Gaining Competitive Advantage at Tesco Tesco, being UK’s number one food retailer with stores worldwide, relies on their numerous employees to ensure continued customer satisfaction. To ensure that their employees recognize their roles and how their actions affect the company’s success, Tesco requires all employees to participate in an orientation program run by their line managers. Delivered in a fun, informal manner, the program covers Tesco’s history and its values, information on market share, strategies on developing and maintaining customer loyalty, and how employees’ everyday actions can demonstrate Tesco’s values to its customers. The new orientation program has received excellent feedback from both employees and managers. Employees understand their roles in customer satisfaction and feel a sense of ownership, thereby increasing their motivation. Good relationships between managers and staff forge, as managers seem more approachable and can gain insight into each employee’s personality and commitment to the job. 7-1b Linking Training and Development to Competitive Advantage Nearly all new and old employees need some additional training to perform their jobs optimally. Training focuses on current jobs and development prepares employees for future jobs. When implemented effectively turnover will be reduced and worker competence will rise. Cost efficiency of the training will increase the bottom line. Quality training programs provide the following contributions to the firm: • Recruitment is enhanced when applicants know there is a quality training program available. Part of worker happiness in a career is to keep building on current skills. • Worker competence is increased because permanent changes in knowledge base, attitudes, and skills are addressed. New workers complete orientation, technical training, and literacy training if necessary. The competency of current workers can be increased through remedial, change-related training, and development programs as needed. • The likelihood of unwanted turnover can be reduced and loyalty can be increased by modifying the behaviors of managers and employees. Improving job performance reduces turnover. • Quality training can improve the image and practice of common dismal programs that exist in most industries today. Poor programs contribute to low morale and low productivity. Bring in a corporate trainer to expound on quality training programs he or she has witnessed. Determine why they worked and how the results were measured. 7-2 HRM Issues and Practices Training and development issues and practices are at the forefront of most industries in the U.S. today. This is evidenced by the increase in dollars and time spent on them. 7-2a The Instructional Process In the past, the training and development practices of many organizations failed to contribute to competitive advantage because they were ineffective. We need to take a closer look at how to carry out the steps in the instructional process. • Step 1: Deciding What to Teach: Training needs must be assessed to ensure the training material is current and relevant. A training need exists when job behavior is inappropriate, knowledge or skill levels are low, or such problems can be corrected through training. A performance analysis can reveal deficiencies and determine if they can be remedied through appropriate training. In some cases, firms ask their employees to identify their own, job-specific training needs. Through Internet research, determine the major training needs for your own state and/or local area. Would these be the same nationwide? Are some universal? If not, what accounts for the differences? Managers and HR professionals must see the “big picture” of the entire firm’s training needs—not just a few. Ability inventories can provide relevant data to assess training needs. Once the needs have been established, training program directors must specify training objectives to describe what the trainee should be able to do as a result of training. Objectives provide input for the design of the training program and help identify the measures of success that will be used to judge its effectiveness. • Step 2: Deciding How to Maximize Participant Learning: Trainers must prepare instructional materials so that learning can take place. Any program should gain and hold the trainees’ attention, provide opportunities to practice the skills, and allow trainees to provide feedback on their performance. Trainers must demonstrate how the content of the program relates to their jobs and how their attendance will benefit them. Practice is essential to effective learning because it strengthens the stimulus-response bond. Trainers can use distributed practice wherein it is divided into segment or session, or massed practice wherein all of it is conducted in one long session. Trainees need positive feedback when they perform correctly and corrective feedback when performing incorrectly. • Step 3: Choosing the Appropriate Training Method: A variety or combination of training methods can be used effectively to reach training goals. Exhibit 7-3 in the text summarizes common methods and provides pros and cons of each. Examine the various training methods in the text. Assign each of the methods to several students in teams who will then comment on their practical effectives. Perhaps they can relate their method to an actual work or educational experience. Allow time for other teams to respond. • Step 4: Ensuring That Training is used on the Job: Typically only 10 percent of training information transfers to the job. For transfer to occur, the trainees must generalize the learned behavior from the classroom to the job context and maintain those behaviors over time on the job. Both trainers and trainees are responsible for learning to occur. Overlearning and matching course content to the job help to ensure a close link to continued use. Action plans will increase the likelihood of continued use. Follow-up and a supportive work environment complete the job. • Step 5: Determining Whether Training Programs Are Effective: Firms gauge the effectiveness of their training programs through training evaluations to prevent continued use of ineffective or non-cost-effective programs. Unfortunately, research has shown that few are properly, if at all, evaluated. Some measuring instruments include trainee reactions, testing, performance appraisal, and records of organizational performance. These evaluations must be able to detect whether the desirable outcomes have been achieved and, if so, whether they can be attributed to the training. The best evaluation designs include pretests, posttests, and control groups (people who did not participate in the training for comparison). 7-2b Management Development Manager effectiveness has an enormous impact on competitive advantage, especially during growth and maturity of the organization. Management development is important for new managers because they really do need instructions on how to perform. The irony of it is that often they are taken through the transition with little or no training resulting in problems for both the manager and the company. Instead, companies need to provide training for managers at all levels. Most organizations base their management development and training efforts on succession planning. Ill-conceived planning can have disastrous consequences. The following provides some insight into effective succession planning. • Managers and HR professionals must tie management development to HR planning. • Plans should define pertinent individual qualifications needed for each targeted position based on a job analysis. • The next step is to identify people with high potential for promotion into or through the management ranks. • The organization should identify a career path for the high-potential candidate. • Use replacement charts to indicate the availability of candidates and their readiness to step into the various management positions. The organization will follow-up with the timing and content of training and development activities to bridge gaps in what individuals already know and what they need to know. Instruction may be given before or after the candidate has been selected and placed on the job. Both strategies have their advantages and disadvantages. Companies have a choice in designing the instructional program, such as these: • Classroom instruction • Career resource centers • Job rotation • Mentoring • Special projects One or a combination must be carefully chosen to fit the management needs. At this point, students should be knowledgeable enough to point out the advantages and disadvantages of each of the instructional programs. Go around the room in round-robin fashion and brainstorm the two lists. Record them on the board. Vote on the three strongest pros and cons of each. 7-3 The Manager’s Guide No discussion of training and development is complete without specific guidance for line managers. The responsibilities that follow will prove quite valuable in this area. 7-3a Training and Development and the Manager’s Job Line managers must see their jobs as training and developing employees as well as supervising the production of a product or provision of a service. Line managers must provide employees with orientation training. They, along with HR professionals, should assess training needs and plan development strategies. Managers also provide on-the-job training to improve productivity. They need to help ensure the transfer of training to the job. 7-3b How the HRM Department Can Help Many larger organizations create special departments, called human resource departments (HRD) to deal exclusively with the training and development function. The HRD typically provides employee orientation training, contributes to management development programs, provides training and development, and evaluates training. 7-3c HRM Skill-Building for Managers Managers are often asked to specify the training needs of their employees. An effective way to accomplish this is to conduct a performance analysis to identify performance problems and decide whether training or intervention can provide a solution. The analysis should concentrate on four steps: • Step 1: Examine the job requirements to determine what is expected or desired of the individual. • Step 2: Assess the individual’s performance in relation to expectations. • Step 3: Analyze any discrepancy between the two and determine whether it is caused by knowledge deficiency or execution deficiency. • Step 4: Implement changes for improving performance. Assign students to create a mini case that illustrates these four steps. This can be a graded or non-graded work. Provide feedback as soon as possible. KEY TERMS Action learning: A management development activity in which management gives candidates real problems to solve. Action plan: A plan developed by trainees at the end of a session that indicates the steps they will take on the job to apply the new skills. Behavior modeling: A training method in which trainees are shown how a task should be performed and then practice the task with feedback until they are competent. Career resource centers: A location in which companies make learning opportunities available to interested managerial candidates. Case method: A training method in which trainees analyze realistic job situations. Change-related training: Training that enables employees to keep up-to-date with various types of changes dealing with technological advances, new laws or procedures, or a change in the organization’s strategic plan. Computer-based instruction (CBI): A training method that uses a computer to instruct students through drills/tutorials, games, and simulations. Distributed practice: A training procedure in which trainees practice a skill over several sessions. Feedback: Information given to trainees that lets them know whether their behavior is correct. Interactive video training (IVT): A training method in which a TV screen and a videodisc (or videotape) player are hooked to a microcomputer, and trainees interact with the screen through a keyboard or voice command system. Job instruction training (JIT): A training method in which trainers demonstrate each step of a task, discuss its key points, and then provide the trainees with guided practice. Job rotation: A method of management development in which companies rotate trainees through a number of departments to serve managers. Lecture: A training method in which the trainer teaches a topic by verbally communicating the information. Massed practice: A training procedure in which trainees practice a skill in one session. Mentors: Experience supervisors who are assigned to new managers to teach, guide, advise, counsel, and serve as role models. Multiphase training program: A training program administered in several sessions in which trainees are given “homework” that requires them to apply that lesson back on the job and to discuss this experience during the next training session. On-the-job training (OJT): A training method in which trainees are taught how to perform their jobs in the actual job setting. Orientation training: Training designed to inform new employees about their jobs, the company, and its policies and procedures. Overlearning: Learning training material so well that it will be long remembered, even without frequent practice. Performance aids: Devices given to trainees to help them remember training material when they return to their jobs. Performance analysis: A method of training needs analysis in which managers identify their employees’ performance deficiencies and determine which of these deficiencies can be effectively remedied through training. Remedial training: Training designed to correct deficiencies in employee skill or knowledge levels or to improve employee attitudes. Replacement charts: Charts indicating the availability of candidates and their readiness to step into the various management positions. Role-playing: A training method in which trainees spontaneously act out some problem involving human interaction. Succession planning: A systematic process of defining future management requirements and identifying candidates who best meet these requirements. Task force: A management development activity in which a team of trainees tries to resolve an actual organizational problem. Training evaluation: An assessment of the effectiveness of a company’s training program. Training need: A problem, such as poor job performance or inadequate skill level that can be rectified through training. Training objectives: Statements describing what the trainees should be able to do as the result of training. Web-based training: A type of training for which students can download courses with a Web browser or run the courses interactively while connected to the Internet using computer software.. REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Training needs analysis takes place during which phase of the training process? a. deciding what to teach b. deciding how to maximize participant learning c. choosing appropriate instructional methods d. determining whether training programs are effective Answer: a Rationale: A training need exists when (1) employees’ job behavior is somehow inappropriate, or (2) their level of knowledge or skill is less than that required by the job, and (3) such problems can be corrected through training. 2. A method of training needs analysis often used to identify organization-wide training needs is a. performance analysis. b. task analysis. c. ability inventory. d. none of the above. Answer: c Rationale: Ability inventories ask employees to indicate the abilities for which they need training. Abilities identified by the greatest number of employees would go to the top of the priority list. The company then offers the employees training programs based on those needed abilities that are highest on the list. 3. Which of the following training program attributes is least effective at maintaining the trainees’ attention? a. long lectures b. audience participation c. role-playing d. sense of humor Answer: a Rationale: Trainers can maintain the attention of the trainees by varying the pace and kind of material presented. They should avoid using prolonged lectures and other passive learning methods. 4. The method of practice that is akin to cramming for an exam is called a. massed practice. b. distributed practice. c. the whole method of practice. d. the part method of practice. Answer: a Rationale: Massed practice means providing all the practice in one longer session. Trainees that use massed practice may not retain the information for a long-time. Distributed practice refers to dividing the practice into segments or sessions, and is the preferred method because it leads to better long-term retention. 5. On-the-job training is often ineffective because a. employers are not willing to devote sufficient resources to it. b. rapid technological changes make the learned skills obsolete. c. it is conducted haphazardly. d. it fails to maintain learner attention. Answer: c Rationale: Unfortunately, on-the-job training (OJT) is often conducted haphazardly; in the typical OJT program, a trainee is expected to learn the job by watching an experienced worker and by asking questions. 6. In the typical training program, __________ percent of the training information transfers to the job. a. 10 b. 25 c. 50 d. 75 Answer: a Rationale: Typically only 10 percent of the training information transfers to the job. 7. Which of the following is not a measuring instrument used for evaluating training programs? a. trainee reactions b. control groups c. testing d. records of organizational performance Answer: b Rationale: A control group is identical in makeup to the group trained, except that these people have not received the training. Because these people have not received the training, they cannot evaluate the training program. 8. A systematic process of defining future management requirements and identifying candidates who best meet these requirements is called a. managerial planning. b. succession planning. c. executive planning. d. career pathing. Answer: b Rationale: Most organizations base their management development and training efforts on succession planning, a systematic process of defining future management requirements and identifying candidates who best meet these requirements. 9. A management development trainee is asked to study the company’s budgeting procedures and prepare a written technique. This type of learning technique is called a. job rotation. b. mentoring. c. action learning. d. budget analysis. Answer: c Rationale: Action learning derives its name from the fact that the trainees learn by doing. Candidates are given real problems generated by management. Trainees might be given a written assignment that specifies objectives, action plans, target dates, and the name of the person responsible for monitoring the completion of the assignment. 10. Overlearning is most appropriately used when teaching a. motor skills. b. verbal skills. c. tasks that are frequently performed on the job. d. tasks that are infrequently performed on the job. Answer: d Rationale: Overlearning is especially appropriate when trainees are learning skills that will not be used very often on the job, such as how to handle an emergency situation. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Describe the ways in which effective training and development practices can increase worker competence. Training and development programs are designed to make workers better employees by bringing about permanent changes in their knowledge base, attitudes, and skills. • Increasing the competence of new employees by: ○ Technical training ○ Orientation training ○ Literacy training • Increasing the competence of current workers by: ○ Remedial training ○ Change-related training ○ Developmental programs 2. What is a training need? Describe how HR professionals assess organization-wide training needs. • Training Need—a problem, such as poor job performance or inadequate skill level that can be rectified through training. • A training need exists when: ○ Employees’ job behavior is somehow inappropriate, or ○ Their level of knowledge or skill is less than that required by the job, and ○ Such problems can be corrected through training. • One method consists of distributing ability inventories to employees asking them to indicate the abilities for which they need training. HR professionals should collect additional information to supplement that obtained from ability inventories. This information can be collected by examining company records for problems that can be remedied by training, such as customer complaints, EEO charges, employee grievances, and the like. It can also be collected by interviewing a cross-section of managers (individually or in groups), conducting customer satisfaction surveys, or simply observing employees as they perform their jobs. It is best to use a combination of these methods. 3. Describe three things a training instructor can do to ensure that a trainee’s attention is gained and maintained. • To gain their attention, trainees must realize the importance and relevance of the training. Trainers must demonstrate how the content of the program relates to their jobs and how their attendance will benefit them. • Trainers can maintain attention of the trainees by varying the pace and kind of material presented. They should avoid using prolonged lectures and other passive learning methods. Training programs should be presented in short segments and involve frequent opportunities for audience participation. • Trainers should also structure the learning experience in order to allow the employees to practice the skills and to receive feedback on their performance. 4. Describe the method of behavior modeling. How does this method differ from role-playing? • Behavior modeling is a training method in which trainees are shown how a task should be performed and then practice the task with feedback until they are competent. A behavior modeling program typically consists of the following steps: (1) present an overview of the material; (2) describe the procedural steps; (3) model or demonstrate the procedural steps; (4) allow guided practice. • Behavior modeling differs from role-playing in the following ways: ○ First, behavior modeling teaches trainees the “right way” to perform a task. ○ Second, the interactions occurring during behavior modeling are practice sessions, not role-plays. The trainees only practice the right way. If they make a mistake, the trainer immediately corrects them and asks them to repeat the step correctly. 5. What is interactive video training? Give an original example of how such a program could be used in industry. • Interactive video training is a training method in which a TV screen and a videodisc (or videotape) player are hooked up to a microcomputer, and trainees interact with the screen through a keyboard or voice command system. • Student answers will vary. 6. What is meant by “transfer of training”? What can be done to help ensure transfer? • “Transfer of training” refers to employees applying what was learned in training to the job. • For transfer to occur, the trainees must generalize the learned behavior from the classroom to the job context and maintain those behaviors over time on the job. • Companies can do the following to ensure transfer of training to the job setting: ○ Overlearning ○ Matching course content to the job ○ Using action plans ○ Mult phasing programming ○ Utilizing performance aids (e.g., checklists, decision tables, etc.) ○ Post training follow-up resources (e.g., hot-line number and instructor visits) ○ Building a supportive work environment 7. Why are pretests, posttests, and control groups important components of a training evaluation study? The use of pretests and posttests is important because they allow an evaluator to gauge whether expected improvements have occurred. The use of a control group allows organizations to gauge the success of the training program and whether improvements are attributable to the training program. 8. Briefly describe the steps involved in succession planning. • The steps in succession planning are: ○ Human resource planning ○ Defining managerial requirements ○ Assessing management potential ○ Identifying career paths ○ Developing replacement charts 9. Describe three methods of management training done outside the classroom. Describe the roles of the manager and the HR professional regarding orientation training. • Classroom instruction—a location in which companies make learning opportunities available to interested managerial candidates. • Job rotation—a method of management development in which companies rotate trainees through a number of departments to serve managers. • Mentoring—experienced supervisors who are assigned to new managers to teach, guide, advise, counsel, and serve as role models. • Special projects ○ Action learning—a management development activity in which management gives candidates real problems to solve. ○ Task force—a management development activity in which a team of trainees tries to resolve an actual organizational problem. • Line managers play key roles in orienting new employees. Specifically, it is the line manager’s responsibility to: ○ Provide the employee with a tour of the company facilities and introduce them to key organizational members working in other departments. ○ Introduce the new worker to coworkers within the department. ○ Discuss the employee’s job responsibilities and the manager’s performance expectations of the employee. ○ Explain the nitty-gritty aspects of the job of immediate concern to the employee, such as meals, breaks, parking, job procedures, and so on. • Orientation training provided by HR professionals focuses on organizational rather than departmental, concerns. Topics typically covered during this HRM phase of orientation training include the following: ○ Corporate history ○ Corporate products and services ○ The role and importance of each employee to the corporation ○ Corporate policy and procedures, such as those related to pay, benefits, work schedules, overtime, career advancement, and equal employment opportunity. 10. What is a performance analysis? Describe the steps involved. • Performance analysis—Premised on the idea that a variety of factors may cause individuals to perform their jobs unsatisfactorily. To determine the training needs of their employees, managers must identify specific causes of employees’ performance problems and decide whether training or some other intervention can provide a solution. • When conducting a performance analysis, one should follow these steps: ○ Examine the job requirements to determine what is expected of desired of the individual. ○ Assess the individual’s performance in relation to expectations. ○ Analyze any discrepancy between the two and determine whether it is caused by knowledge deficiency or execution deficiency. ○ Implement changes for improving performance. EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES Developing and Implementing a JIT Program 1. Divide into groups of five. 2. Each group should choose a training topic. Pick one that would take about 15 minutes to teach; make it one that most other people would not know how to do. Some examples are shooting a free throw, putting, serving in tennis, changing a diaper, tying a tie, or giving CPR. 3. Develop a job breakdown of the task, that is, a step-by-step JIT training guide. 4. List the key points associated with each step. 5. Deliver the training program in class. Choose a trainee from another group. It should be someone who does not know how to do this task. Train that person following the five-step process described in the text. Developing an Orientation Program for Freshmen 1. Divide into groups of five. 2. Pretend that your group has been asked to develop an orientation session for freshmen business majors at your school. This orientation program will be given to them the week before classes start. 3. Your group must perform the following tasks: a. List the topics that should be covered during the program. b. Indicate how these topics will be taught (e.g., lecture, walking tour, PowerPoint, etc.). 4. The instructor will lead a class discussion of the value of orientation training. Be prepared to discuss the advantages of providing freshmen with orientation training. Do you think that orientation programs hold the same advantages at the workplace? CASE Delivering Bread at the Helton Baking Company Objective: Engage students in critical thinking regarding the application of learning principles to an actual training situation. What to do: Discuss this case prior to your coverage of OJT. 1. Analyze the effectiveness of this training program. In what ways does it successfully follow the steps in the instructional process? In what ways does it fall short? • Positives ○ One week of observation is probably enough time for the trainee to observe all of the different types of job situations they may encounter. ○ Trainees are asked to help the manager, which gives them practice in performing tasks. ○ Quizzing the trainee between stops helps the trainee remember and think about what they have already learned. • Negatives ○ Students should refer to the text’s discussion regarding the five components of an effective OJT program. ○ The weakest part of the training program is that the trainees are given an insufficient opportunity to perform each of the important aspects of the job. 2. How would you redesign the program to make it more effective? Be specific in your recommendations. Include a rationale for each of your suggestions. Student answers may vary. Possible suggestions include: ○ Provide trainees with a second week of training in which they will lead the manager through the tasks. The manager will then be able to observe the trainee and give feedback as necessary. ○ Provide trainees with a map of the route as well as a set of written instructions that can be used as a reference. CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISES 1. Bring in a corporate trainer to expound on quality training programs he or she has witnessed. Determine why they worked and how the results were measured. 2. Through Internet research, determine the major training needs for your own state and/or local area. Would these be the same nationwide? Are some universal? If not, what accounts for the differences? 3. Examine the various training methods in the text. Assign each of the methods to several students in teams who will then comment on their practical effectiveness. Perhaps they can relate their method to an actual work or educational experience. Allow time for other teams to respond. 4. After understanding the various instructional methods, students should be knowledgeable enough to point out the advantages and disadvantages of each of the instructional programs. Go around the room in round-robin fashion and brainstorm the two lists. Record them on the board. Vote on the three strongest pros and cons of each. 5. Assign students to create a mini case that illustrates the four steps in conducting a performance analysis. This can be a graded or non-graded work. Provide feedback as soon as possible. ESSAY QUESTIONS 1. Distinguish between training and development. Training focuses on enhancing specific skills and knowledge for a current job, often through structured programs. Development, on the other hand, emphasizes long-term growth and personal improvement, preparing employees for future roles and responsibilities. 2. Describe three ways that training can prevent unnecessary employee terminations. 1. Skill Enhancement: Training equips employees with the necessary skills to perform their jobs effectively, reducing performance-related issues that can lead to terminations. 2. Improved Job Satisfaction: Well-trained employees tend to feel more competent and confident in their roles, which boosts morale and decreases turnover. 3. Adaptability to Change: Ongoing training prepares employees for organizational changes, making them more adaptable and less likely to feel overwhelmed or underperform, thus reducing the likelihood of termination. 3. Outline three points that alert a manager that a training need exists. 1. Performance Gaps: Consistent underperformance in tasks or metrics indicates that employees may lack necessary skills or knowledge. 2. Employee Feedback: Requests for additional training or expressed frustration about job challenges suggest a need for further development. 3. Changes in Technology or Processes: New tools or procedures that employees are struggling to adapt to signal the need for updated training. 4. Explain why job instruction training was developed and what its purpose is. Job Instruction Training (JIT) was developed to provide a structured approach for teaching employees how to perform tasks effectively and safely. Its purpose is to ensure consistency in training, improve job performance, reduce errors, and enhance workplace safety by breaking down tasks into clear, manageable steps. 5. Compose a brief summary about what the case method consists of. The case method is an instructional approach that uses real or hypothetical scenarios to engage learners in problem-solving and critical thinking. Participants analyze the situation, discuss potential solutions, and apply theoretical concepts to practical contexts. This method encourages active participation, collaboration, and the development of decision-making skills. 6. When role-players are given feedback by the trainer, the issues addressed typically revolve around four types of questions. Name three of these questions. 1. Content Questions: Addressing the accuracy and relevance of the information presented. 2. Process Questions: Focusing on the methods and techniques used during the role play. 3. Outcome Questions: Evaluating the effectiveness of the actions taken and their impact on the desired results. 7. What is computer-based instruction? Computer-based instruction (CBI) refers to learning delivered through computer systems, utilizing software or online platforms. It provides interactive and self-paced learning experiences, often incorporating multimedia elements, assessments, and feedback to enhance understanding and retention of information. 8. Outline the different responsibilities of first-line managers, middle managers, and executives. First-Line Managers: Oversee day-to-day operations, manage employee performance, provide training, and ensure team productivity. Middle Managers: Bridge the gap between first-line managers and executives, coordinate departmental activities, implement strategies, and manage resource allocation. Executives: Set overall organizational goals, develop long-term strategies, make high-level decisions, and represent the organization to stakeholders. 9. During orientation programs, workers are provided with information to acclimate successfully to their new jobs. Distinguish these goals of orientation. Orientation programs aim to achieve several key goals: 1. Familiarization: Introduce new employees to the company culture, values, and policies to help them understand their work environment. 2. Role Clarity: Provide clear information about job responsibilities, expectations, and performance metrics to ensure employees know their specific duties. 3. Resource Access: Inform new hires about available resources, tools, and support systems to facilitate their integration and productivity in the organization. 10. Chapter seven covers eight main ideas. Describe the importance of these points. a. Why do effective training and development programs enhance competitive advantage? b. Describe how companies assess their training needs. c. Explain how companies can present training programs to maximize learning. d. Describe the various methods of training. e. Explain how companies can ensure that training is transferred to the job. f. Describe how training evaluations should be conducted. g. Describe the steps involved in management succession planning. h. Describe the type of training provided in management development programs. Here’s a brief overview of the importance of each point: a. Competitive Advantage: Effective training and development programs enhance competitive advantage by equipping employees with the skills and knowledge needed to innovate, improve efficiency, and adapt to market changes. b. Assessing Training Needs: Companies assess training needs through performance evaluations, employee surveys, and analysis of skill gaps, ensuring that training aligns with organizational goals. c. Maximizing Learning: Presenting training programs through engaging methods—like interactive workshops and real-world scenarios—helps maximize retention and application of knowledge. d. Methods of Training: Various training methods, including on-the-job training, e-learning, simulations, and mentoring, cater to different learning styles and job requirements. e. Transfer of Training: Companies ensure training transfer by providing ongoing support, follow-up sessions, and opportunities to apply skills in real work situations. f. Training Evaluations: Training evaluations should be conducted using feedback forms, assessments, and performance metrics to measure effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. g. Succession Planning Steps: Steps in management succession planning include identifying key positions, assessing potential candidates, providing developmental opportunities, and creating a clear plan for leadership transitions. h. Management Development Training: Management development programs typically include training in leadership, strategic thinking, communication, and conflict resolution to prepare future leaders for organizational challenges. OTHER RESOURCES I. Websites www.workforce.com. Research articles on training and development from many issues of this magazine. www.hrmagazine.co.uk. Research articles on training and development from many issues. II. Articles “Training Needs Analysis Report,” Workforce Magazine, March 2003. This article contains useful tips and data on analyzing company training needs. III. Discussion Groups Yahoo! Groups trdev: Human Resources Management Discussion Group dedicated to the exchange of ideas between HR professionals. This is a specific group that discusses training and development needs. Contact http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trdev. IV. Books How to Identify Your Organization’s Training Needs: A Practical Guide to Needs Analysis, J. McConnell, 2003, AMACOM Books, New York, NY. A supplement to your textbook containing a wealth of information on the subject. V. Associations American Society for Training and Development Phone: 703-683-8100 1640 King Street, Box 1443 Alexandria, VA 22313-2043 www.astd.org Solution Manual for Human Resource Management: A Managerial Tool for Competitive Advantage Lawrence S. Kleiman 9781426649189