Chapter 8: Designing and Evaluating Training Systems - Interview data are often difficult to quantify

and analyze.
Training 4) Skill and Knowledge Tests
● is the “systematic acquisition of skills, rules, - Few tests are available for this purpose,
concepts, or attitudes that result in improved which are expensive and time consuming.
performance”. 5) Critical Incidents
● is a planned effort by an organization to facilitate the - Sorted into dimensions and separated into
learning of job related behavior on the part of its examples of good and poor performance.
employees.
● is essential for an organization because it ensures Establishing Goals and Objectives
that employees have the knowledge and skills ● Must be obtainable given the time and resources
necessary to perform the job. allocated to the training
● compensates for the inability to select desired ● It should state what the learners are expected to
applicants. do, the conditions under which they are expected to
● To know what aspect of the employee's performance do it, the level at which they are expected to do it
requires a development or improvement. ● Vague objectives must be replaced with specific
objectives
Determining Training Needs
● Need Analysis Choose the Best Training Methods
- is the first step in developing an employee training (A) Conducting Classroom Training
system ● Classroom Instruction, commonly called seminar,
- determine the types of training that is needed in an lecture, or workshop, is the most common training
organization, as well as the extent to which training is method
a practical means of achieving an organization’s goal.
● Organizational Analysis Who will conduct the Training – could be inhouse
- determine those organizational factors that either trainers, outside trainers, videotapes and local
facilitate or inhibit training effectiveness. universities
- focus on the goals the organization wants to achieve, a) In-House trainers – used when training program
the extent to which training will help achieve those will be presented too frequently to justify the cost
goals, the organization’s ability to conduct training, b) External Trainers – when the trainers in an
and the extent to which employees are willing and organization lack the expertise on a particular topic
able to be trained. or when the cost of internally developing a training
- Should also include a survey of employee readiness program exceeds the cost of contracting with an
for training external trainer
c) Videotapes – can be repeated many times
● Task Analysis d) College/Universities – lower costs, access to
– use the job analysis to identify the tasks performed by excellent training facilities, access to well-known
each employee, the conditions under which these tasks faculty, and the potential for employees to receive
are performed, and the competencies needed to perform college credit for completing the training
the tasks under the identified conditions.
● Massed Practice: Also known as "cramming,"
● Person Analysis massed practice involves concentrating study or
– determining which employees needs training and in practice sessions into a short period of time.
which areas
● Distributed Practice: Distributed practice, on the
○ Must use: other hand, involves spreading out study or practice
1) Performance Appraisal Scores sessions over a longer period of time. Sessions are
- the easiest method of needs analysis shorter and spaced out with intervals of rest or other
2) Survey activities in between.
- asks the employees what knowledge and
skills they believe should be included in the B. Preparing for Classroom Training
future training. ● Trainer must consider the size, demographics, and
- Eliminate the problems of performance rating ability of the audience
errors. ● Trainer must research the topic, develop a training
- Common Method: Questionnaire outline, create visuals, obtain or create supporting
3) Interviews materials, and handouts to serve as the trainees
- Can yield even more in-depth answers to guide to take back to their jobs.
questions about training needs.
- Employee feelings and attitudes are
revealed more clearly.
C. Delivering the Training Program ● Computer-Based Training or Web-based
1. Introducing the Trainer and Training session Programmed Instructions (e-learning) –
– introduction must be short and should establish the employees could choose
credentials of the trainer the objectives, training on-site, internet, organization’s intranet, and
schedule, and seminar rules must also be stated complete it at their own pace
○ Interactive Video – most common
2. Using Icebreakers and Energizers ○ Webinars (more interactive) and Webcasts
✓ Jokes or stories, Activities, Open-ended (one-way communication)
questions, Free writes ○ Blogs, wikis, and listservs
● It must accomplish a goal; trainees get to
know each other, wake them up or get them Conducting On-The-Job Training
think about the topic 1) Learning by Modeling Others
● Modeling (Social learning) – employees learn by
3. Making the presentation watching how other employees perform or model a
✓ Make eye contact with the audience, use gestures behavior
effectively, don’t read your presentation, don’t hide ● We tend to model behavior of people who are
behind the podium, Use conversational style, be similar to us, who are successful, and who have
confident, Speak at a pace not so fast or slow, avoid status
Swearing, offensive remarks and degrading remarks,
try to make the presentation interesting. 2) Learning through Job Rotation
● Employee performs several different jobs within an
4. Using Case Studies to Apply Knowledge organization
● The members of a small group each read a case, ● can improve job satisfaction by reducing boredom
either hypothetical or real and then discuss the case,
identify solutions, evaluate the advantages and 3) Learning through Apprentice Training
disadvantages, and arrive at what they think is the ● Individual usually takes 144 hours of formal class
best solution. The use of living case is superior work each year and works with an expert for several
● Case studies should be interesting years to learn a particular trade - for trade union
● The apprentice learns valuable trade =
5. Using Simulation Exercises to Practice new skills expert/organization gets inexpensive labor
● Simulation exercises allow the trainee to practice
newly learned skills 4) Learning through Coaching and Mentoring
● Allowing the trainee to work with equipment under ● Coaching – takes in two forms: experienced
actual working conditions employees and professional coaches
● Effective only psychologically conditions if it a. Experienced Employees – highly effective,
physically and simulates actual job employee learn from the expert
● Pass through Programs – experienced workers
6. Practicing Interpersonal Skills through Role Play are temporarily assigned to training department
● Allows the trainee to perform necessary b. Professional Coaches – similar to consultants
interpersonal skills by acting out simulated roles and hired to coach a particular employee
● Allows to practice what is being taught
● Mentoring – veteran in the organization takes
7. Increasing Interpersonal Skills through Behavior special interest in a new employee = takes him
Modelling under his wing to learn
● Similar to role play except that trainees role-play ● The more similar the training situation is to the
ideal behavior rather than the behavior they might actual job situation, the more effective training will be
normally perform ● Have the trainee practice the desired behavior as
● Learning points – behaviors that is need to be much as possible
corrected ● Overlearning – practicing a task even after it has
been successfully learned
Providing Training through Distance Learning ● Practice many different situations as possible
● May result in increased working hours
● regular working hours + self-paced distance Motivating Employees to Attend Training
learning on their own time ● Relate the training to an employee’s immediate job.
● Make the training interesting.
● Programmed Instruction – known to be effective ● Increase employee buy-in.
✓ Learning is self-paced ● Provide incentives.
● books, video, or interactive videos. ● Provide food.
- Exams at the end of modules to ensure ● Reduce the stress associated with attending.
learning objectives are met
Motivating Employees to Perform Well in Training Putting It All Together
● Providing Incentives for Learning
A. Skill-based pay -an employee participates in a If training is to be the desired intervention, several factors
training program that is designed to increase a should be considered as it affects its success:
particular skill an employee needs either to be ● Employees must have the skills and abilities to
promoted or to receive a pay raise. complete the training successfully.
1. Vertical skill plans ● There should be minimal outside factors that might
2. Horizontal skill plans distract the employee and keep him from
3. Depth skill plans concentrating on the training program .
4. Basic skill plans ● Employees must be motivated to learn.
● The training method (e.g., programmed instruction,
● Interest behavioral modeling, lecture) must be a good match
● Feedback for the employee’s learning style, ability, and
A. Positive Feedback - should be given when an personality.
employee correctly performs a task during training. ● The training method must be a good match for the
B. Negative Feedback - feedback is accompanied by type of material being learned (e.g., knowledge vs. a
specific suggestions for how the employee can physical skill).
improve performance. ● The training program must allow for goal setting,
positive feedback, distributed practice, overlearning,
Motivating Employees to Use Their Training on the Job and the chance to practice and apply the material
● The biggest role in employee motivation to apply learned (transfer of training).
training is the atmosphere set by management ● There must be an opportunity and encouragement to
● The extent to which they are given the opportunity to use the newly acquired knowledge at work.
apply their skills.
● The training program has a reputation among them as
being effective and useful. Evaluating Training Results
● Train all the employees in a work area (team) at the
same time. Research Designs for Evaluations

Ensuring Transfer of Training Two factors differentiate the various methods: practicality and
Use Realistic Training Programs experimental rigor.
○ Research in learning has indicated that the more similar the
training situation is to the actual job situation, the more 1. Practicality refers to the applicability and usefulness
effective training will be of research findings or interventions in real-world
settings.
Have Opportunities to Practice Work - Related Behavior - ensuring that theories and methods are
During the Training feasible and relevant for addressing
○ Another way to increase positive transfer of training is by organizational issues.
having the trainee practice the desired behavior as much as 2. Experimental Rigor pertains to the strictness and
possible. precision of research methodologies and procedures.
- It involves designing studies that control for
Provide Employees with the Opportunity to Apply Their potential confounding variables, use reliable
Training and valid measures, and adhere to ethical
○ For information learned in training to transfer to behavior on standards.
the job, employees must be given the opportunity and
encouraged to apply what they have learned The most simple and practical of research designs implements
a training program and then determines whether significant
Ensure Management Is Supportive of the change is seen.
Training
○ Employees are more likely to be given ● Pre-test - taken before the training
opportunities to perform what they learned if their ● Post-test - taken after the training
supervisor perceives them to be competent and
the organizational climate is supportive Pre-test > Training > Post-Test

Have Employees Set Goals

○ practice in as many different situations as
possible should be provided.
A control group must be utilized consists of employees who will
be tested and treated the same manner but won’t have
training:

● It allows the researcher look at the training effect after

controlling for outside factors
● Although, it is almost impossible to treat the control
group the same as the experimental group.

Solomon four-groups design

- one group will undergo training but won't be taking
pretest; second group will take the pretest and
training; third group will not undergo training but will
take pretest; fourth group will not have pretest nor
training
- This allows the researcher not only to control for
outside effects, but also to control for any pretest
effects. Though, it is not often practical.

Evaluation Criterias

1. Content Validity – comparing training content with

the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform
a job.
2. Employee Reactions – employees are asked their
opinions of a training program.
3. Employee Learning – Evaluating the effectiveness of
a training program by measuring how much
employees learned from it.
4. Application of Training – employees apply the
material taught in a training program.
5. Business Impact – A method of evaluating the
effectiveness of training by determining whether the
goals of the training were met.
6. Return on Investment – The amount of money an
organization makes after subtracting the cost of
training or other interventions.