Training and Appraisal

Training and Appraisal

What is training?

Training: The process of increasing the knowledge and skills of the workforce to enable them to perform their jobs effectively.

Training is required to:

-       Support new employees (induction training)

-       Improve productivity.

-       Increase marketing effectiveness.

-       Support higher standards of customer service and production quality.

-       Introduction of new technology, system or other change.

-       Address changes in legislation

-       Support employee progression and promotion.

Training can provide benefits to the business:

-       Higher quality

-       Better productivity (=number of products/number of workers)

-       Improved motivation – through greater empowerment

-       More flexibility through better skills

-       Less supervision required

-       Better recruitment and employee retention

-       Easier to implement change in the business

Effective training starts with a ‘training strategy’, the three stages are:

-       Identify skills and abilities needed by employees

-       Make a plan to show investment in training and development will help meet the business goals and objectives.

-       Implement the plan, monitoring progress and training effectiveness

Business don’t invest in training because:

-       A desire to minimise short term costs

-       They cannot make a justified investment case

-       Training takes time to have the desired effect – management are impatient

-       Sometimes the benefits of training are more intangible then tangible

Induction Training

Induction training enable new recruits to become productive as fast as possible.

Areas in induction training:

-       Learning about duties of the job

-       Meeting new colleagues

-       Seeing the layout of the premises

-       Learning the values and aims of the business

-       Learning about the internal working and policies of the business

On the Job Training

The employees are trained in their workplace and not somewhere internal

The main methods are:

·      Demonstration/ instruction – showing the trainee how to do the job

·      Coaching – a more intensive method of training that involves a close working relationship between an experienced employee and trainee

·      Job rotation – where the trainee is given several jobs in succession, to gain experience of a wide range of activities

·      Projects – employees join a project team – which gives them exposure to other parts of the business and allow them to take part in new activities. Most successful project teams are multi disciplinary.

The advantages and disadvantages are:

Advantages

Disadvantages

-       Generally most cost effective.

-       Employees are actually productive.

-       Opportunity to learn whilst doing

-       Training alongside real colleagues.

-       Quality depends on ability of trainer and time available.

-       Bad habits might be passed on.

-       Learning environmental may not be conductive

-       Potential disruption to production

Off the Job Training

This is when employees are trained at an external place.

Methods are:

-       Day release (employees takes time off…