Training and Development Management

Chapter: 01. Introduction

Training
Training is the systematic process of altering the behavior of employees in a direction that will achieve
organization goals. Training is related to present job skills and abilities. It has a current orientation and
helps employees’ master skills and abilities needed to be successful. A formal training program is an
effort by the employer to provide opportunities for the employee to acquire job-related skills, attitudes
and knowledge. Training refers to the process of imparting specific skills. Altering behavior of
employees. Increasing technical knowledge especially for newly appointed employees. It’s a short term
process. It is concerned towards job. The imparting of skills, abilities and knowledge about learning is
known as training. It is concerned with developing a particular skill to a desired standard by instruction
and practice. Training is a highly useful tool that can bring an employee into a position where they can
do their job correctly, effectively, and conscientiously. Training is the act of increasing the knowledge
and skill of an employee for doing a particular job.
Stewart, el. Al. defines training as “The acquisition of skills, behaviors and abilities to perform current
work”
According to Aswathapa, “Training and development refers to the imparting of skills, abilities and
knowledge about their learning. In his view:
T & D = Standard Performance – Actual Performance
Training is a process whereby people acquire capabilities to aid in the achievement of organizational
goals. Training provides employees with specific, identifiable knowledge and skills for use on their
present jobs.

Development
Development is any attempt to improve current or future management by imparting knowledge,
changing attitudes or increasing skills. Development refers to those learning opportunities designed to
help employees grow. Development is not primarily skill-oriented. It is a long term process and
concentrated towards career. The process of increasing conceptual knowledge especially for mid or top
level managers is called development. Employee development is a process of helping employees
progress in their careers by acquiring new skills. Employee development is a process of improving
employees’ existing competencies and skills and developing newer ones to support the organization’s
goals.

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The general management development process consists of-
Assessing the company’s strategic needs

Appraising the managers’ performance

Then developing the managers

Learning
Learning is the act by which the individual acquires skills, knowledge and abilities that result in a
relatively permanent change in his/ her behavior. Any behavior that has been learned is a skill. Therefore,
improvement of skills is what training will accomplish. Motor skills, cognitive skills and interpersonal
skills are targets of training programs. Measurable and relatively permanent change in behavior through
experience, instruction or study is known as learning. Learning itself can’t be measured but its results
can be. Learning is the act by which the individual acquires skills, knowledge and abilities that result in
a relatively permanent change in his/ her behavior. Learning is described as the process of having one’s
behavior modified, more or less permanently, by what he does and the consequences of his action, or by
what he observes. It is a process by which an activity originates or is changed through responding to a
situation. Learning involves change.

In simple:
 Training = Altering behavior
 Development = Increasing knowledge
 Learning = Permanent change in behavior

Objectives of Training
Training is meant for the improvement of employee behavior so that the performance of the trainees
becomes more useful and productive for themselves and for the organization they are serving. A number
of objectives are found behind a training program. Some practical objectives are:
1. To Orient New Employees
During the first few days on the job, new employees may experience surprise or even shock. The
orientation program can reduce the difficulties encountered by new employees. The purpose of
orientation training is to focus on such traditional topics such as company benefits, holidays, vacations,
pay and other ordinary subjects including organizational objectives and philosophy, employee
expectations and relevant legislation.

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2. To Adapt to Technological Development
Employee training is needed to adjust to rapid technological changes. Technological change often means
that jobs change. To cope with this situation, employee skills must be updated. This is done through
training. Thus technological advances are successfully integrated into the organization through training.
3. To Promote Job Competency
New employees or newly promoted employees may not have the skills and abilities required to be
competent on the job. To overcome such deficiencies, those employees undergo company-provided
training that may last for periods ranging between a few hours and several days.
4. To Solve Problems
An organization faces many problems: problems of scarcity of financial, human and technological
resources; abundance of financial, human and technological problems. Other problems may be personal
conflicts, vague policies and standards, scheduling delays, inventory shortage, high level of absenteeism
and turnover, union-management disputes and a restrictive legal environment. Training is often the ways
to solve many of these problems.
5. To Prepare for Promotion
Promotion is movement to a higher position with increased responsibility. Training enables an employee
to acquire the skills needed for promotion. Training also eases the transition from an employee's present
job to one involving greater responsibility.
6. To Provide Greater Job Satisfaction
Employees gain greater sense of worth, dignity and well beings as they become more valuable to their
employers because of their improved skills resulted from training. They also receive higher income from
increased productivity. These two factors provide greater job satisfaction. Employees with job
satisfaction would cause a fewer problems and be more cooperative.
7. To Fulfill Social Responsibility
Through training women, minorities and disadvantages group can make themselves qualified for getting
employment.

Types of Training
Training in organizations is offered in many different areas, and Figure 10—3 shows typical types of
training done in organizations. Notice that some of this training is conducted primarily in-house, whereas
other types of training make greater use of external training resources.

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Internal Training

Training in on-the-job locations tends to be viewed as being very applicable to the job, it saves the cost
of sending employees away for training, and it often avoids the cost of outside trainers. However,
trainees who are learning while working can incur costs in the form of lost customers and broken
equipment, and they may get frustrated if matters do not go well. Often, technical training is conducted
inside organizations. Technical training is usually skills based, for example, training to run precision
computer-controlled machinery. Due to rapid changes in technology, the building and updating of
technical skills have become crucial training needs. Basic technical skills training is also being mandated
by federal regulations in areas where the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other agencies have regulations. As noted in the opening
discussion, web-based training and intranets also are growing as internal means of training.
One internal source of training that has grown is informal training, which occurs internally through
interactions and feedback among employees. One study found that 70% of what employees know about
their jobs they learned informally from other employees, not from formal training programs. Several
factors account for the amount of informal learning. First, as employees work in teams and on projects
with others, they ask questions, receive explanation, and share information with coworkers. Second,
rather than relying on the employer to train them and keep their capabilities current, employees request
assistance from other employees more knowledgeable or skilled. Third, informal learning occurs among
employees striving to meet organizational goals and deadlines. However, problems with informal
training include the fact that some training done by fellow employees may not be accurate and may miss
certain important details.
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At one company in the southeastern United States, managers initially became concerned about the
amount of time that employees spent talking with each other in the lunchroom. However, an HR
professional who spent time in the lunchroom found that many of the conversations were problem
solving discussions about company projects. Consequently, white boards and flip charts were placed in
the lunchroom for employees to use if they wish to do so.

External Training

External training occurs for several reasons:

● It may be less expensive for an employer to have an outside trainer conduct training in areas where
internal training resources are limited.
● There may not be sufficient time to develop internal training materials.
● The HR staff may not have the level of expertise needed for the subject matter where training is
needed.
● There are advantages to having employees interact with managers and peers in other companies in
training programs held externally.
One growing trend is the outsourcing of training. Vendors are being used to train employees. For
example, many software providers have users’ conferences where employees from a number of
employers receive detailed training on using the software and new features being added. Also, vendors
can do training inside the organization if sufficient numbers of employees are to be trained.
Several computer software vendors offer employees technical certifications on their software. For
example, being a Master Certified Novell Engineer or Microsoft Certified Product Specialist gives
employees credentials that show their level of technical expertise. The certifications also provide
employees items to put on their resumes should they decide to change jobs. These certifications also
benefit employers, who can use the certifications as job specifications for hiring and promotion purposes.
If an employer pays for employees to become certified, employees may view the employer more
positively and be less prone to leave.

Legal Aspects of Training

Training is an area targeted by EEO laws and regulations. One area of concern involves the practices
used to select individuals for inclusion in training programs. The criteria used must be job related and
must not unfairly restrict the participation of protected-class members. Another concern is differences
in pay based on training to which protected-class members have not had equal access. A third is the use
of training as a criterion for selecting individuals for promotions. In summary, equal employment laws
and regulations definitely apply to training, and employers must be aware of them.
Training is a cost, and some employers have gone to court in an attempt to require individuals who leave
their firms after training to repay the cost. For instance, one firm sued a worker in a skilled technical job,
who had signed a promissory note to repay the firm $9,000 if he left the firm voluntarily or was fired for

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cause within 24 months of starting a special training program. The employee contested the suit by saying
that he did not learn anything he had not already known and thus had received no benefits from the
training. In this case the employer prevailed because of the signed note by the employee.

Learning
Learning is an experience that seeks a relatively permanent change in individuals that will improve their
ability to perform their job.
Hilgard says that, "Learning is the process by which activity originates or changed through responding
to a situation."
This can be done through direct experience – by doing – or indirectly, through observation. Regardless
of the means by which learning takes place, we cannot measure learning per se. We can only measure
the changes in attitudes and behavior that occur as a result of learning. For our discussion, we will
emphasize how we learn rather than what we learn.
Two major theories have dominated learning research over the years. One position is the cognitive view.
Its proponents argue that an individual's purposes or intentions direct his or her actions. The other
position is the environmental perspective, whose proponents believe the individual is acted upon and his
or her behavior is a function of its external consequences.
More recently an approach has been offered that blends both of these theories – learning is a continuous
interaction between the individual and the particular social environment in which he or she functions.
this is called social-learning theory. This theory acknowledges that he can learn by observing what
happens to other people and just being told about something, as well as by direct experiences. Since
much of training is observational in nature, this theory would appear to have considerable application
potential.
The influence of models is central to the social-learning view-point. Research indicates that much of
what we have learned comes from watching models-parents, teachers, peers, motion picture and
television performers, bosses and so forth. Four processes have been found to determine the influence a
model will have on an individual:
1. Attention Processes: People learn from a model only when they recognize and pay attention to its
critical features. The degree to which we notice the behavior. A behavior must grab our attention before
it can be imitated. Considering the number of behaviors, we observe and do not imitate daily indicates
attention is crucial in whether a behavior influences imitation.
2. Retention Processes: A model’s influence depends on how well the individual remembers the
model’s action after the model is no longer readily available. How well we remember the behavior. We
cannot perform the behavior if we do not remember the behavior. So, while a behavior may be noticed,
unless a memory is formed, the observer will not perform the behavior. And, because social learning is
not immediate, retention is vital to behavior modeling.
3. Motor Reproduction Processes: After a person has seen a new behavior by observing the model, the
watching must be converted to doing. The ability to perform the behavior. This is the ability to reproduce

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a behavior we observe. It influences our decision about whether to try performing the behavior. Even
when we wish to imitate an observed behavior, we are limited by our physical abilities.
4. Reinforcement Processes: Individuals are motivated to exhibit the modeled behavior if positive
incentives or rewards are provided. The will to emulate the behavior. This mediational process is referred
to as vicarious reinforcement. It involves learning through observing the consequences of actions for
other people, rather than through direct experience

Principles of Learning
1. Learning is enhanced when the learner is motivated
2. Learning requires feedback
3. Practice increases a learner’s performance
4. Learning begins rapidly, then plateaus
5. Learning must be transferable to the job

Transfer of Training
For effective transfer of training from the classroom to the job, two conditions must be met. First, the
trainees must be able to take the material learned in training and apply it to the job context in which they
work. Second, use of the learned material must be maintained over time on the job.
One way to aid transfer of training to job situations is to ensure that the training is as much like the jobs
as possible. In the training situation, trainees should be able to experience the types of situations they
can expect on the job. For example, training managers to be better interviewers should include role
playing with “applicants” who respond in the same way that real applicants would.

Orientation
Orientation is the planned introduction of new employees to their jobs, coworkers and the organization.
However, orientation should not be a mechanical, one-way process. Because all employees are different,
orientation must incorporate a sensitive awareness of the anxieties, uncertainties and needs of the
individual. Orientation in one form or another is offered by most employers.

Orientation Responsibilities
Orientation requires cooperation between individuals in the HR unit and other managers and supervisors.
In a small organization without an HR department, such as a machine shop, the new employee’s
supervisor or manager has the total responsibility for orientation. In large organizations, managers and
supervisors, as well as the HR department, should work as a team in employee orientation.

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Figure 10—4 illustrates a common division of orientation responsibilities in which managers work with
HR specialists to orient a new employee. Together they must develop an orientation process that will
communicate what the employee needs to learn. Supervisors may not know all the details about health
insurance or benefit options, for example, but they usually can best present information on safety rules;
the HR department then can explain benefits.

Purposes of Orientation for Employers

The overall goal of orientation is to help new employees learn about the organization as soon as possible,
so that they can begin contributing. From the perspective of employers, the orientation process has
several specific purposes, which are described next.
Productivity Enhancement
Both employers and new employees want individuals starting jobs to become as productive as possible
relatively quickly. Texas Instruments found that orientation helps new employees reach full productivity
levels at least two months' sooner than those without effective orientation experiences. Some employers,
including a large accounting firm, give new employees computer and intranet access upon acceptance
of a job offer. That way new employees can become more familiar with the organization and its
operations even before they go through a formal orientation program. This example illustrates that
orientation to the organization really begins during the recruiting and selection processes, because the
way individuals are treated and what they learn about the organization during the first contacts may
shape how they approach new jobs.
Another facet of orientation that affects productivity is training new employees on the proper ways to
perform their jobs. One construction company has found that emphasizing safety and instructing new
employees in safe work practices has significantly reduced the number of lost-time injuries experienced
by new employees.

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Turnover Reduction
Some employers have experienced significant turnover of newly hired employees, and it is common for
over half of all new hires in hourly jobs to leave within their first year of employment. But employers
with effective orientation programs have found that new employees stay longer. Corning Glass identified
that 70% of the employees rating orientation highly were likely to stay at least three years. Another firm
was able to reduce annual turnover rates by 40%, and much of the decline was attributed to more
effective orientation of new employees.
Organizational Overview
Another purpose of orientation is to inform new employees about the nature of the organization. A
general organizational overview might include a brief review of the organization; the history, structure,
key executives, purpose, products, and services of the organization; how the employee’s job fits into the
big picture; and other general information. If the employer prepares an annual report, a copy may be
given to a new employee. Also, some organizations give new employees a list of terms that are used in
the industry to help them learn regularly used vocabulary. The HR Perspective shows the passport used
at ACI Worldwide. It describes an orientation approach that involves executives from throughout the
firm, not just HR staff members.

Designing Employee Training

Employee training is a learning experience that teaches new skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
necessary for successful job performance. Training focuses on enhancing those specific skills and
abilities needed to perform currently held positions. For example, suppose you enter the job market
during your senior year of college, pursuing a job as a marketing representative. Despite your degree in
marketing, you will need some training to learn the company’s policies and practices, product
information, and other pertinent selling practices. This is job‐specific training, designed to make you
more effective in your current job.
As jobs and job descriptions are designed to fulfill the organizational goals and strategy, training must
be designed to provide employees with the skills and attitudes necessary for success in those jobs. For
example, a technology company that depends on innovative and creative employees must recruit, hire,
and train individuals capable of successfully meeting the challenge of those jobs. One model of
instructional design used to focus training efforts on strategy is the ADDIE model, which stands for
Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. Let’s take a look at each step individually.

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Analyze
Once jobs have been designed to align with the organizational strategy, HRM needs to determine how
effectively employees in those jobs are accomplishing the necessary tasks. If deficiencies are discovered,
HRM may conduct a task analysis on the job itself to determine if the tasks are appropriate to complete
the job successfully. A person analysis may also be conducted to determine which employees need
additional training. The questions in Exhibit 4-1 suggest the kinds of signals that can warn a manager
when training may be necessary. Decreased production, lower quality, more accidents, and higher scrap
or rejection rates are indicators that worker skills need to be fine‐tuned. Changes imposed on employees
as a result of job redesign or improved technology also require training.

Exhibit 1-1: Determining Training Needs

Design
The results of the analysis are used to plan training that corrects deficiencies. Effective training design
establishes training objectives that will be used to measure the results of the training, much the same
way the learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter of this textbook are used to plan and evaluate
student learning. It is not adequate to say we want change in employee knowledge, skills, attitudes, or
behavior; we must clarify what is to change and by how much. These goals should be tangible, verifiable,
timely, and measurable. For instance, a firefighter might be expected to jump from a moving fire truck
traveling at 15 miles per hour, successfully hook up a 4‐inch hose to a hydrant, and turn on the hydrant,
all in less than 40 seconds.
Develop
HRM then develops a format to deliver the training in the most effective way, considering the tasks to
be learned and the target audience for the training. Instructional materials are created or purchased and
an appropriate setting is selected. Trainers should be selected and coached in effective training methods.
The old saying, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, then you tend to see every problem as a nail,” is
quite applicable to employee training. If you’re familiar with one type of training, such as classroom
lectures, it may seem to be a good way to deliver training for many types of topics. However, what works
best for teaching one type of skill may not work well for another. For example, teaching employees

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computer skills necessary for a newly automated process would require much different training methods
than teaching employees about the skills and attitudes necessary for better customer service, diversity
training, or preventing sexual harassment. Fortunately, many different types of training methods are
available and explained in the next section.
Implement
This step is where the actual training takes place. Trainers conduct the selected training activities with
employees needing to learn specific skills and attitudes. A few basic principles can make training more
effective.
 Know the audience. Understanding the age, gender, background, attitudes, education, and
training needs will help trainers tailor the training session to their needs. If the information isn’t
available prior to training, introductions or an ice‐breaker activity may help.
 Apply adult learning principles. Adults are self‐directed learners that bring a wealth of
experience to the training that can be shared and used to make training more valuable. They
expect their time to be used wisely and learn best when they feel respected and confident.
 Use a variety of activities to increase retention.
 Practice the presentation and prepare the room in advance. Rehearse with the technology used in
the presentation and have a back‐up plan.
 Use effective verbal and nonverbal communication to add meaning and hold interest.
 Engage participants with open‐ended questions.
 Use visual aids often and effectively. Learn how to use presentation slides properly.

Evaluation
Any training or development implemented in an organizational effort must be cost‐ effective. The
benefits gained must outweigh the costs of the learning experience. HRM must develop substantive data
to determine whether the training effort is achieving its goals. HR can calculate a return on the
investment (ROI) by comparing the gains achieved by the training (improved productivity, fewer
employee complaints, and better sales) to the cost of the training.

Training Practices in Bangladesh

Most of the employers in Bangladesh want to hire trained personnel and very few are interested in
developing people through investing in them. Education over-emphasizes humanities and concentrates
less on the type of training, which develops skills for industrial development. Here are some common
problems at the macro level in Bangladesh:
 Training expenditure has a low priority in company budget.
 Aggregate expenditures by business on training are inadequate.
 Management training in our country has not accepted as a top management activity.
 Corporate commitment about training is lacking. Most companies spend nothing at all on
training.
 Training is not viewed as an investment; rather it is treated as an expense.
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A large number of training institute and centers in the country are working for the development of HRM
including the development of managerial and technical skills of human resources. Public Administration
Training Centre (PATC) is offering training to the government officers. Similarly, many other institutes
mentioned below are rendering training services to the job incumbents of different sector:
i. Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) – for training bank people.
ii. Bangladesh Insurance Academy – for training human resources of insurance companies.
iii. Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) former (BMDC) – for training Government official,
autonomous body and sector corporation personnel.
iv. National Institute of Education Management (NAEM) – for training of Government college
teachers.
Other than these institutes, Industrial Relations Institute (IRI), Planning and Development Academy
(PDA) and Institutes of Personnel management (IPM) are conducting training programs. In Bangladesh,
there are more than 50 vocational training institutes, 12 technical training centers that are also involved
in the skill development of human resources.

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