Employee Development

(HRM-30029)
Employee Training and
Development in
Organisational Contexts

Lecture outline
Defining training and development in
organisational contexts
Learning theories
External and internal triggers of training
Training needs analysis
Models and methods of training
Evaluation of training and development
Training and development and the employment
relationship/Barriers to training and development
Changing context, changing concepts and debates

Training and
development in
organisational
A planned process
to modify attitudes,
knowledge or skilledcontext
behaviour through
(1/3)
learning experience to achieve effective
performance in an activity or range of
activities. Its purpose, in the work
situation, is to develop the abilities of the
individual and to satisfy the current and
future needs of the organisation.
Employment and Training Act 1988 in Beardwell et3 al. (2004) and

Training and
development in
organisational
context
(2/3)
The skilful provision and organization of learning
experiences in the workplace in order that
performance can be improved, that work goals
can be achieved and that, through enhancing the
skills, knowledge, learning ability and enthusiasm
of people at every level, there can be continuous
organizational as well as individual growth.
Employee development, must, therefore be part
of a wider strategy for the business, aligned with
the organizations corporate mission and goals.
Harrison (1992) in Torrington et al. (2005)
4

Training and development

in organisational context
(3/3)
an organisational process to aid
the

development of knowledge and the achievement

of organisational and individual goals. It
involves the collaborative stimulation and
facilitation of learning and developmental
processes, initiatives and relationships in ways
that respect and build on human diversity in the
workplace
Harrison (2002), refer also to the 2009 edition
5

Distinguishing between
training and
development
Training: The need to improve an
employees capacity and performance for
the immediate job
Development:
Future-oriented
growth
process that may not necessarily relate to
the individuals current job, but that could
assist her/him to more easily achieve
transition to anticipated future changes in
job
positions,
market
demands,6

Learning Theories (1/2)

Behavioura
l approach
to
learning:
Cognitive
learning
theory:

Focuses on changes in observable

behaviour and links behaviour to certain
rewards
Limitations: No interest in learners
cognitive perspectives, overly
manipulative

Based on information processing

perspective/ Maps out specific stages of
learning
Strengths and Weaknesses: Stresses
learner motivation and needs and control,
emphasis on feedback, assumes learning
is done without emotions

see various editions of Beardwell et al. and

Learning Theories (2/2)

Social
learning
theory:

Constructi
vist
theory:

Views learning as a social event

Driven by the need to fit in with each
other
Weakness: Tends to ignore role of
individual choice

Emphasises information
development view of learning
Does not view the learning process
as neutral
Potential learning needs need to fit
with meaningful structure

see various editions of Beardwell et al. and

Training Why
bother?
What triggers the need for training?
What are the alternatives to training
and development?
Who is responsible for training and
development?
Is it a cost or an investment?
9

Factors that
trigger the need
Socio economic situation for training
Political situation
Legislation
Internationalisation of business / Globalisation
Competition
Self-induced business-led change
Technological advances
Customerdriven change
10

The Need for

Training:
If you think training
is expensive try
Any alternatives?
ignorance

The alternatives are recruitment and/or

subcontracting
But recruitment is fraught with difficulties and it
may not be cost-effective to subcontract
whenever training need arises
The availability of relevant skills (necessary for
competitive advantage) in the local labour market
may present problems
Cultural change - attitude training and tacit
knowledge difficult to recruit for
11

Who has
responsibility for the
training function

Specialist Training Department: dominant 1950s and 1960s

1980s and 1990s - Training Department criticised for:

being too rigid to respond to changing needs of organisations

being an unnecessary administrative burden
self serving and bureaucratic
providing training in skills that did not match needs of organisation
being too theoretical in its approach to training
not meeting individual needs too much group focus

Increased outsourcing of training function (use of training

consultancies)
The HRM influence: increasing role of line12managers

Approaches to
training needs analysis

Traditional problem centred approach

Focus on performance problems

Assumes problems/difficulties arise from
lack of skills

Profile comparison approach strategic

A broader perspective of training and

learning needs
Assumes problems arise from lack of skills,
but more importantly, broader
organisational/environmental issues
13
Armstrong (2006); Torrington
et al.

Profile comparison
approach
of training needs analysis
For the job

Competence profile
Job description
Job analysis
Interview with job holder
Interview with manager
and supervisor

For the individual

Person specification
Personal profile
Appraisal (individual)
Assessment centres
Global training review and audits
Relate resources to individual
training objectives

14

A strategic model of learning and

training
Business
E
n
v
i
r
o
n
m
e
n
t

Strategy
People Development
Strategy
Identify

Evaluate
development
/
training

Carry out
development
/
training

development
al/
training
needs

Design
development
al/
training
activity
15

Identifying developmental/training needs:

A systematic approach (1/2)

Organisational analysis: Involves determining which

units and/or individual employees need training to
achieve specific organisational goals.

Task analysis: Clarifying the specific training tasks

based on identified training needs and collecting
information on necessary skills and knowledge,
behaviours and positions to complete the tasks.

Person analysis: Identifying individual training needs

and, crucially, ability and willingness to undertake
training. Motivation to undertake training is, therefore,
crucial.
Sloman (1994)
16

Identifying developmental/training needs:

A systematic approach (2/2)
Sources of data to
analyse training needs

Organisational factors
Environmental influences
Organisational culture
Organisational objectives
HR plan and objectives
Measures of productivity
(sales, cost, health and
safety, etc.)

Task factors
Job analysis
Job description

Person factors
Job specification
P/A data and records
Managers/supervisors
observations
Customer feedback
Ability and willingness
to train
Safety record
17

Training models (1/2)

Systemati
c Model:

Delivery of training undertaken

on planned basis and through a
series of inter-related steps. (See

Consultan
cy Model:

Defining the business needs as

well as the competences and
skill gaps that need addressing.
Leading change through training
implementation.

previous slides)

Sloman (1994)

18

Training models (2/2)

Transition
al Model:

Double-loop model corporate strategy

and learning
The inner loop akin to traditional
systematic training model
Outer loop - crafted strategy of learning
that focuses on broader organisational
vision, mission and values

Continuou
s Training
Model:

Training is the centre of all organisational

activity

Sloman (1994)

19

Training methods
On-the-job training methods(1/2)
Manager coaching and teaching: informal and
based on close relationship with immediate
supervisor Sitting by Nellie
Mentoring development of protg coaching
Shadowing useful for succession transition
Job rotation developing functional flexibility
Action learning learning by doing and
evaluating
Self-development learning from experience of
the task
E-Learning increasing use with organisational
20

Training Methods (1/2)

21

Training impact and

change management

Provision of knowledge and skills

Facilitation of attitudinal changes
Investment in commitment of employees
Impacts on internal and external labour

markets
Changing role for trainers and managers as
change managers and facilitators
22

Evaluating training

What is the rationale?

How to do it?

Issues to consider:
What to measure?
Who evaluates?
How and when?

23

Kirkpatricks model of
training evaluation (1959)

24

Hamblin Model
(1974)

25

Evaluating and monitoring

training:
Examples of evaluation tools and
Questionnaires: happiness sheets
methods
Direct assessment: Tests or Examination
Projects: evaluation through action
Structured exercises and case studies
Interview of trainees
Post-training on-the-job observation
Participant discussion groups (during and after training)
Formal periodic appraisals
Use of assessment centres
26

Evaluation:
Some issues to
Causality making the links consider

Evaluation is a political activity

Measuring the effectiveness of training?
Pay-back vs. pay-forward approach
Linking training to competitiveness
The paradox of Human Capital
Roles in evaluating training: who does it, for

what purpose and do they know what they are

doing?
27

Employment relations &

training and development
Relationship between training and
competitiveness
Why do some organisations invest in training
and others dont? Cost or investment?
What impact and implications for
employment relations
Training and work modernisation
Recognise the complexity of the workplace
From Rainbird (2000) Training in the workplace
28

Barriers to Training and

Development

29

Changing contexts:
New concepts, terminologies
and
intense competition
Globalisation, debates
about training

Knowledge work and knowledge workers

Renewed emphasis on Human Capital Theory
From traditional to strategic notion of learning cycle
Responsibility for training function
Management development: Focus on managers
Training as strategy: Strategic HRD
The learning organisation: a new pressure on
workplace/organisational learning? (see following slides)
30

The idea of the

learning organisation
It assumes that organisations need to enhance
knowledge & learning where they face uncertain,
changing or ambiguous market conditions
(Moinegeon and Edmundson, 1996 in Wilkinson and Redman 2001, 2006 )

An organisation that is continually expanding its

capacity to create its future. For such an organisation it
is not enough to merely survive for a learning
organisation adaptive learning must be joined by
generative learning, learning that enhances our
capacity to create
(Senge 1992 in Torrington et al. various)
31

Key characteristics of
the
approach to strategy organisation
and learning from decisions
A learning learning

Encouraging participative policy making

Informating: use IT to inform and empower members
Encourage internal exchange of ideas and knowledge
Reward flexibility and learning to promote performance
Develop structures that remove barriers to learning
Encourage inter-company learning
Create self-development opportunities for all members
Beardwell et al. (various)
32

Critique of the
learning organisation
Although some templates, or ideal forms, have

been suggested for organisations to emulate,

there are hardly any examples of a LO
So, the concept is either too ideal, or irrelevant to
the requirements and dynamics of organisations
Often confused with organisational learning (OL),
but actually different OL may be the activities
and processes for reaching the ideal of LO
So, fundamentally, LO is an ideal, towards which
organisations are asked to evolve in response to
various pressures
33