Training Methods

4 Key excerpts on "Training Methods"

• 

  eBook - ePub

  Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology

  • Ronald E. Riggio, Stefanie K. Johnson(Authors)
  • 2022(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  The next step in our employee training model involves developing and testing the training materials. A wide variety of employee Training Methods are available, ranging from the relatively simple and straightforward to the fairly complex and sophisticated. In actual practice, most comprehensive training programs utilize a combination of several Training Methods and techniques.

  It is important to pilot test the training materials, perhaps by using a group of workers who can provide their reactions to the materials and the program. This process leads to a refinement of the t raining materials and improvement in the program. Let’s look at some of the more common training materials and methods.

  Employee Training Methods can be grouped into two broad categories: the on-site methods—those conducted on the job site—and the off-site methods—those conducted away from the actual workplace.

  On-Site Methods

  On-site Training Methods may be further divided into several categories, including on-the-job training, apprenticeship, vestibule training, and job rotation.

  On-the-job training—One of the oldest and most widely used Training Methods, on-the-job training consists simply of putting an inexperienced worker in the workplace and having a more experienced worker teach that person about the job. This technique thus relies on principles of modeling, with the experienced worker serving as the role model. Also, because actual hands-on learning is involved, the worker can receive immediate feedback, be reinforced for successful efforts, and have a chance to learn how to correct errors.

  On-the-Job Training an employee training method of placing a worker in the workplace to learn firsthand about a job

  Reasons for the popularity of on-the-job training are obvious: it requires little preparation and has few costs to the organization, aside from the time invested by the experienced worker. Moreover, because the trainee is actually working while learning, certain small levels of output offset the costs of the supervising worker’s time. However, problems occur when the organization neglects to consider the abilities and motivations of the experienced workers who serve as trainers. If these trainers do not see the personal benefits of serving as trainers (especially when there are no obvious benefits!), they will not be motivated to do a good job. Also, being a good trainer requires certain qualities, such as patience and an ability to communicate. If the trainer lacks these characteristics, this can interfere with trainees’ learning. For example, one study found that experienced trainers often presented ideas abstractly or spoke “over the heads” of trainees (Hinds et al., 2001). Problems can also arise if the trainer does not know or follow proper work procedures. In this case, the trainer may teach the new worker wrong or inefficient methods.

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  eBook - ePub

  Organisational Behaviour For Dummies

  • Cary Cooper, Sheena Johnson, Lynn Holdsworth(Authors)
  • 2012(Publication Date)
  • For Dummies

    (Publisher)

  In the event of a labour shortage, increasing training activities is a way to retain good employees. Conversely, in times of high unemployment, training may reduce as more skilled workers are available, and organisations have less need to provide training.

  Considering Development

  Some organisations focus more on overall employee development rather than one-off specific training courses. Organisations that place emphasis on training and continuous learning are known as learning organisations .

  Learning organisations

  View learning and training as essential to their overall organisational performance

  Have strategies surrounding learning and training that are linked to organisational development and organisational goals

  See learning and training as providing them with a competitive advantage

  Developing managers Management development is a form of training that is usually planned long term with the aim of producing good managers and facilitating the smooth running of the organisation. Management development

  Ensures that people with the required skills are available to meet the needs of the organisation

  Develops talent from within your organisation (as opposed to hiring in new managers)

  Helps encourage loyalty and commitment from employees, who can see the opportunities for career progression

  Management development training helps individuals to develop the skills they need to hold down management roles. The training and development requirements of managers are related to the type of work they do. A definition of the tasks involved in management work includes four broad areas. Management training would covers aspects of each of the following areas, although specific training may be identified, dependent on the demands of a particular job:

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  eBook - ePub

  Training in Organisations

  A Cost-Benefit Analysis

  • John Talbot(Author)
  • 2016(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  The analysis makes it clear that management training is certainly necessary in the long term and should be provided and encouraged as long as it does not interfere with short-term priorities. There is an indication that priority should be given to the training of managers in a ‘management development scheme’. Much of the learning is expected to take place by the exchange of ideas between participants.

  Training programme

  Private study and business study courses involving some day release are involved as well as special short courses for middle managers allowing particularly for ‘cross fertilisation’. Top-level courses at universities and independent colleges are provided for ‘high flyers’.

  TECHNIQUES APPROACH

  It is clearly recognised that management training pays off in the long term. A techniques revolution is recognised and it is widely thought to be essential to fill the gaps in knowledge bound to occur in this situation as quickly as possible. In some areas a short-term impact is recognised as, for instance, in the harnessing of computer knowledge and skills.

  Analysis

  With this approach the analysis begins to go much deeper than previously and to look for individual knowledge gaps as opposed to the general requirement of a body of managers. Analysis becomes more thorough. Questions concerned with training, particularly specific shortcomings in terms of knowledge and skill, are incorporated in appraisal systems. Knowledge and skill requirements are categorised.

  Training programme

  Internal and external techniques courses are sought at all levels. Wide use is made of general management courses with a teaching and techniques bias. Internally, new techniques are explored which are likely to make a rapid contribution to fill in the gaps of knowledge and skill which have been recognised. Programmed learning material and e-learning is likely to be introduced on a wide scale.

  Most management training systems today will involve some elements of all these approaches and provided that they are in the right perspective they will be entirely sound. On the whole, however, they do represent an early stage in the development of thinking and the important facet to consider at this point is the relationship of the programmes to the background thinking and analysis. Partial analysis can only produce a partially relevant training programme. At all stages it is impossible to emphasise too strongly the need to probe continuously for the real learning problems and training needs, recognising that these needs will stem from the operational requirements and the whole management structure involving a team as well as individuals. The shortcomings of this approach are that the management group is either seen as an amorphous mass with rather vague general training needs, or where an individual analysis is made it is in fact only concerned with certain aspects of knowledge and skill.

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  eBook - ePub

  Adult Learners, Education and Training

  • Richard Edwards, Sandy Sieminski, David Zeldin(Authors)
  • 2014(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  Formal training courses or programmes which helped to prepare trainers for training were sometimes directly and exclusively focused on the training process. In other cases, ‘training’ may have been a primary or secondary aim of technical or management courses, where the overall aim shaped the ‘training’ component. Courses seemed to fall into three categories: industry-skill specific; ‘person-management’ focused; and ‘training process’.

  Informal development activities, some of which included focused ‘training for training’, were often referred to as suiting the company context. They were seen as enabling self-direction, and presenting fewer problems of time and timing.

  When direct trainers were asked to identify the two courses they would choose to go on if given the opportunity, the priorities given to management training were again apparent. Management courses were mentioned 31 times; advanced technical courses 16 times; training skills and methods 15 times; while 7 other types of courses were mentioned.

  Despite this, in approximately one-half of the companies, some training of trainers in training skills and methods had taken place, often in the context of wider management training. In only a small minority however, did there seem to be a systematic programme or ‘policy’ on the training of trainers.

  The managerial emphasis on the development of staff as trainers reflected a trend among sample companies towards new management strategies in which greater importance was attached to the role of first-line supervision in motivation, monitoring and assessment of the work-force.

  In-company training and new management strategies

  The main developments in management strategies brought out through the research were:

  1. An increasingly important role for first-line supervision

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