Training

1
Training

• Training processes the systematic acquisition of
  attitudes, concepts, knowledge, roles, or skills
  that result in improved performance at work
  (Goldstein, 1991).
• Training vs. Development
• Historically, managers were developed and
  non-managers were trained. Both refer to skill
  enhancement.
• Training provides employees with the knowledge
  and skills that they do not have when they are
  selected for the job.
• Training and selection complement one another.
• Typically, the better your selection process, the
  less training that will be required for the job,
  and vice versa.

2
Training

• Often, employees are hired on the basis of their
  ability to be trained.
• Why?
• Job is not something you learn in school or in
  vocational training (e.g., operating robotic
  equipment on an assembly line).
• The requirements of the job are constantly
  changing.
• It is difficult to determine exactly what the
  person will be doing on the job and on what basis
  they should be selected.
• Training is a multi-million dollar a year area
  for large companies.
• Training CAN make an organization more effective,
  efficient, and productive.

3
Why is training important today?

• Computer Technology
• Automation
• Teams
• Cultural diversity and multinational
  corporations.
• Nature of work is more dynamic.
• Overall, work today is more complex and dynamic.

4
Why train?

• Competitive advantage
• Training should match the way in which the
  company tries to gain competitive advantage.
• Company strategies
• Speed strategy - designed to offer the customer a
  competitive value in terms of reduced time for
  products or services.
• Training examples teamwork and methods of
  streamlined production.
• Innovation strategy - designed to develop
  products or services that differ from the
  competition.
• Training examples research and development,
  creativeness, and the development of new
  products, services, and technologies.

5
Why Train?

• Competitive strategies (cont.)
• Quality-enhancement strategy - designed to
  provide value by offering a product or service of
  higher quality than that offered by competitors.
• Training examples employees are trained to
  provide a consistently high level of service
  quality with no defects.
• Cost-reduction strategy - designed to gain a
  competitive advantage by being a low-cost
  provider of services.
• Do not focus much on training because it is
  expensive and adds cost to the product. Try to
  minimize training necessary.

6
Learning and Knowledge

• Learning The process of encoding, retaining, and
  using information.
• Skill acquisition occurs in three stages
• Declarative knowledge stage knowledge about
  facts and things a basic understanding of the
  task.
• Rule learning
• Demonstrations
• Slow
• Error Prone
• Frustrating
• Controlled processing

7
Learning and Knowledge

• Skill acquisition (cont.)
• Knowledge compilation individuals integrate the
  sequences of cognitive and motor processes
  required to perform the task.
• The task is simplified and streamlined.
• Performance is faster and more accurate.
• Attentional demands are reduced.
• Task information shifts to long-term memory.
• Procedural knowledge knowledge about how to
  perform various cognitive activities.
• The skill is automatized.
• Performance is fast and efficient.
• Little attention needs to be devoted to the task.

8
Learning and Knowledge

• Different abilities are important at different
  stages of skill acquisition.
• Declarative knowledge --gt general intellectual
  ability.
• High attentional demands.
• Knowledge compilation --gt perceptual speed
  abilities.
• Processing information faster and more
  efficiently.
• Procedural knowledge --gt psychomotor ability
• Performance is limited by things such as
  coordination.

9
Pretraining Environment

• Events that take place prior to training can
  influence the effectiveness of training
  (Tannenbaum Yukl, 1992).
• Managerial Support
• Socialization by other employees
• Beneficial factors
• Supportive supervisors
• Expectations of follow-up or transfer.
• Trainee input and choice
• Detrimental factors
• Job limitations (lack of time, equipment, and
  resources).
• Unsupportive supervisor and co-workers.

10
Assessing Training Needs

• Three-step process (Goldstein, 1991)
• Organizational Analysis
• Examines systemwide factors that facilitate or
  retard the transfer of skills from training to
  the job.
• Asks the question Will the training produce
  behavior that will transfer to the organization.
• What are the goals and needs of the organization?
• What type of resources are available in the
  organization?
• What is the climate? Is it supportive of the
  training program?
• Task Analysis
• Develop Task Statements and Task Clusters
• KSAs
• Direct training toward enhancing those KSAs that
  are critical to job performance. If you provide
  individuals with the relevant KSAs, they should
  be able to perform the job tasks.

11
Assessing Training Needs

• Three Step Process (cont.)
• Person Analysis
• Who within the organization needs training?
• What kind of training do they need?
• Can they be trained?
• The answers to these questions can come from
• Performance appraisal information
• Subject matter experts, usually managers. They
  can also look toward future requirements.
• The goal is to provide employees with helpful
  learning experiences.

12
Training Tips

• Create concrete training objectives - determine
  specific goals of training program.
• Examples
• Replace worn and defective parts of a carburetor
  from memory vs. learn automotive skills.
• List the top reasons for accidents in the
  workplace vs. become more aware of accident risk.
• Other examples.

13
Training Tips

• Massed vs. distributed practice In massed
  practice, training is given all at once. In
  distributed practice, training is spread out.
• Massed practice leads to better short-term
  performance.
• Distributed practice leads to better long-term
  performance. Allows you to integrate the
  material into existing knowledge. Leads to
  greater retention.
• Example One group of truck drivers participates
  in a one-day, eight hour training session.
  Another set of drivers participates in a
  four-day, two hour a day training session.

14
Training Tips

• Goals and feedback - Set difficult and specific
  goals. Also provide detailed and specific
  feedback so trainees can monitor their
  performance and see if they are progressing
  toward their goal.
• Positive reinforcement - Provide positive
  reinforcement (small rewards) for good
  performance. Beware of going overboard, though -
  it may be viewed as manipulative.

15
Training Methods - Theory

• Identical elements - The responses in training
  situation are identical to those in the job
  situation. In other words, the training
  situation mimics the actual job.
• Advantage If the job is relatively stable, this
  is an effective and efficient way of giving
  individuals the skills they need.
• Disadvantage If the job changes, the individual
  may not have the general skills needed to adapt.
  They may only have a very specific set of skills.
• Example A high-fidelity flight simulator uses
  identical elements. Motions on the simulator are
  the same as those in an actual plane.

16
Training Methods - Theory

• Modeling - Learning occurs by watching someone
  perform the target actions.
• Advantages May be easy to learn by observation
  than through formal instruction. May also
  provide a more accurate representation of the job
  than books, manuals, or other types of
  instruction. For example, learn how the job is
  really done and things like shortcuts and tips.
• Disadvantages may learn bad habits. Since
  instruction is not hands-on, there is the risk of
  poor skill acquisition. The person observing
  really needs to pay close attention. Knowing how
  to do something is not the same as actually doing
  it.
• Example Pizza delivery trainee follows a current
  employee and observes him delivering pizzas.

17
Training Methods - Theory

• Overlearning - practice should continue past the
  point where no additional gains are made.
• Advantage Good method for producing low error
  performance. If done properly, the individual
  should be able to consistently perform the task
  correctly.
• Disadvantage - Time consuming. Not efficient.
  Boring. May produce routines and habits that
  will be difficult to break out of should the
  situation or job change.
• Example, pilots repeatedly practice take-offs and
  landings beyond the point at which they can
  execute the maneuvers perfectly.
• Example, have an employee practice reciting the
  restaurants beer selection past the point at
  which they do it perfectly.