Training and Development

1. What is the importance of Training?

Employees are the valuable asset for an organization and training

enhances the value of the asset. The training program in any organization
strives at improving the employees’ performance. The importance of a
training program is mentioned in the following points:

 Improving the Overall Productivity: Results in increasing the

operational efficiency that ultimately results in increasing
organization’s profile. Training reduces the cost of production by
increasing the productivity of employees and enhancing the
operational as well as the overall organizational productivity.

 Enhancing the Work Quality: Requires that the employees are

well-trained so that they are less likely to make operational
mistakes. If there are fewer mistakes then the quality of work will
definitely improve.

 Enriching Organizational Climate: Demands improved

production and product quality that enhances the financial
incentives the overall morale of the employees. Training provides a
measure to make the planning and control process effective, thus,
ensures better management.

 Increasing in Health and Safety Programs: Means that the

employees are imparted safety training to decrease the number of
accidents on the workplace. Proper training prevents industrial
accidents, as the trained employees handle the equipments
carefully and know the use of various safety devices.

 Boosting the Personal Growth: Involves developing wide

awareness in the employees, enlarging their existing skill base,
equipping them with the latest technology and advance concepts,
 and preparing them for higher-level jobs. This all leads to enhanced
personal growth.

 Bridging the Performance Gap: Implies that training identifies

existing performance gap and overcomes that to fulfil the
organizational objectives. The training program identifies the
training needs by evaluating the job requirements at present and in
future with the existing skill sets of the employees.

 Reducing the Employee Morale: Demands that employees have

more job satisfaction from their work. This ensures that the
employees, after training, perform better than before, and feel a
sense of satisfaction and security.

 Reducing the Need for Supervision: Requires that employees

perform their work carefully and systematically without any
supervision or less supervision. They would not like any type of
interference in their work and may not give any opportunity to the
supervisor for complaint.

2. Distinguish between Training and Development.

Although the two terms; that is, training and development, are often used
synonymously but there is a significant difference in these terms.
Training refers to the teaching of specific skills to the employees,
whereas development specifies the overall development of employees’
personality. The focal point during training the workforce is job; while
developing the workforce, the focus is on the individuals. Training adds
value to specific things and aspects related to the job of an employee. On
the other hand, development adds value to the overall personality and
behaviour of an employee.
Training is usually imparted to the people, who need to enrich their
performance in specific skills to meet the established performance
standards. For instance, learning shorthand typing or taking lessons on
driving are considered as training. On the contrary, development is
comparatively general in approach and intended to cater individual and
organizational needs simultaneously. Development is less concerned with
the particular operational behaviour and more oriented to develop the
 non-operational skills in the employees, such as decision-making,
initiatives, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

The difference between training and development can be interpreted

based on four parameters, which are as follows:

 Who is learning?
 What is being learned?
 Why to learn?
 When learning takes place?

The following table represents the difference between Training and

Development:

Learning Dimensions Training Development

Who Non-managers Managers
What Specific job related Theoretical and
information, mainly to conceptual facts to
perform technical and enrich overall
mechanical operation knowledge and
personality of an
individual
Why Meet current Prepare the workforce
performance gap for future work
requirements
When Immediate Long-term

3. What are the different types of Training?

There are numerous training methods that an organization can use to train
its workforce. Generally, these training methods are categorized into two
broad groups based on the location of the training:

 On-the-job Methods: Refer to the training methods in which

employees are trained in the real working environment
 Off-the-job Methods: Represent the training methods in which
employees are trained at a location away from the workplaces.

The techniques used in training are a medium of imparting skills and

knowledge to employees.
4. Explain Sensitivity Training.

Sensitivity training, also known as T-group training, refers to a specific

training that is conducted under controlled conditions. This training was
introduced by Kurt Lewin, who was a German-American psychologist. In
to this method, a group of 7 to12 trainees meet in a group for a specific
duration. The objective of sensitivity training is to make trainees aware
about their own prejudices and develop sensitivity in them. In addition,
sensitivity training helps the trainees in understanding the impact of their
behaviour on others. The discussion is directed by a behavioural expert
who creates the opportunity for the members to express their ideas,
beliefs, and attitudes. This training is designed to make people more
aware about group dynamics, their own behaviour, interpersonal traits,
and their role within a group. It helps the members to learn how the group
actually works.

5. Explain the various techniques of on-the-job training method.

In the on-the-job training method, the employees are trained on-the-job at

their workplace. This is a common method of training for employees
performing operative functions. For examples, the employees are trained
on new machines so that they adapt easily to the new working conditions.
The success of this method depends upon the quality of the trainer; thus,
it is essential to properly select the trainer to make the system work. The
following are the most popular techniques of on-the-job training method.

Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching and mentoring constitutes the most commonly used method to

train the employees while they are on their jobs. Coaching involves the
development of one-to-ne relationship between the employees and
supervisors, which ensures continued guidance and feedback of the
employees on how well they are handling their tasks. Mentoring is a
particular form of coaching used by experienced executives to groom the
junior employees. Normally, mentoring involves one-to-one coaching for
a period of several years until the employee is eventually capable enough
to replace the mentor itself.
The following are the merits of coaching and mentoring.

 Provides an excellent opportunity to learn quickly through

continuous interaction
 Offers constant guidance to the trainees to be on track and make
optimal utilization of available facilities

The following are the demerits of coaching and mentoring.

 Creates a feeling of jealousy among other employees who are not

able to show equally good performance.
 Results into unwanted favouritism if mentors form overly strong
bonds with trainees. This can also have demoralizing efeect on
other employees.

Understudy

Understudy refers to the method in which trainees are prepared to

perform the work or fill the position of their superiors. In this
technique, a trainee who is likely to assume the full duties and
responsibilities of the position currently help by his/her superior is
called as an understudy. The understudy fills the position of his/her
superior that is about to leave the job due to promotion, retirement,
or transfer. For instance, the departmental head may pick up one
competent person from the department to become his/her
understudy. This gives the understudy an opportunity to try out
his/her leadership skills.

Job Rotation

Job rotation involves the movement of employees from one job to

another, so that they can attain the understanding of different functions
and processes of an organization. In addition, to release boredom, it
allows employees to build a rapport with a wide range of individuals
within the organization, which further facilitates cooperation among the
departments. The cross-trained workforce provides the organization a
great amount of flexibility when transfers, promotions, or replacements
become inevitable.
Special Projects Assignments

Special project assignments denote a highly useful training

technique, under which trainees are assigned a project that is
closely related to their jobs. Sometimes, a number of trainee
executives are put together to work on a project directly
related to their functional areas. Trainees analyze the
problems and submit the written recommendations, which
provide them with a valuable experience in tackling the
problem. These special project assignments help the trainees
to analyze the organizational problems from different angles
and perspectives. When trainees work as a member of the
team, they not only acquire knowledge but also learn how to
work with others having different viewpoints.

Committee Assignments

Committee assignments refer to the method in which the

trainees are asked to solve an actual organizational problem.
In committee assignments, trainees have to work together in
a team and offer solution to the problem. This method of
training helps the trainees to develop team spirit to achieve a
common organizational goal.

Selective Readings

Selective reading refers to individual self-development

programs that are meant for executives. Some organizations
have a planned reading program under which the executives
are provided books, journals, and articles related to their
functional areas. This helps the executives in enhancing their
knowledge and understanding of various aspects of their
business.

Multiple Management

Multiple management represents a system, under which a

junior board of young executives is constituted that analyzes
major problems of the organization. The junior board makes
recommendations to the board of directors after analyzing
the major problems. In this method, the young executives
 learn decision-making skills and the board of directors
receives the benefit of wisdom of the executive team.
Moreover, in the long-run, the vacancies in the board of
directors can be filled by these junior board members.

6. Explain the various techniques of off-the-job training method.

In the off-the-job training method, training is conducted at the location

that is away from the actual workplace. The commonly used techniques
under the off-the-job training method are as follows:

Special Courses

Special courses refer to the training courses that the executives are
required to attend. These courses are formally organized by the
organizations with the help of experts from various educational
institutions. For instance, trainees are sponsored by employers to attend
courses conducted by various management institutes.

Role Playing

Role playing denotes the method of human interaction that demands

realistic behaviour in imaginary situations. This method of training asks
the trainees to act, do, and practice. In a role play, the trainees are asked
to play the role of certain characters, such as the department manager,
support engineer, supervisors, or quality auditors. This method mainly
focuses on the development of the interpersonal skills and practical
understanding of the problem.

Conferences/Discussion Approach

The conferences/discussion approach refers to the training method in

which the trainer delivers a lecture and initiates a discussion with the
trainees to clear their work-related doubts. In large organizations, a
trainer uses audio-visual aids to conduct conference and discussions. The
examples of audio-visual aids are blackboards, mock-ups, and power
point presentation slides. In some cases, lectures are recorded so that they
can be used to train the other batches of trainees to save time and effort.
Even the trainee’s presentation can be recorded for self-confrontation and
self-assessment.

Simulation Exercises and Management Games

Simulation exercises, also known as management or business games,

represent actual business situations where trainees are asked to
comprehend these situations and behave accordingly. For instance,
trainees may take part in a simulation exercise that involves two or more
hypothetical organizations competing in a given product market. The
trainees are assigned different roles, such as managing director, general
manager, and marketing manager. They make decisions affecting price
levels, production volume, and inventory levels. In this method, the roles
are able to see how their decisions affect the performance of the other
groups, and vice versa.

The merits of simulation exercises are as follows:

 Promote teamwork among participants

 Enable the participants to learn from their mistakes, take a different
course of action by looking at the consequences, and improve their
performance
 Ensure instant feedback and facilitate learning

The demerits of simulation exercises are as follows:

 They are difficult to develop

 They are expensive
 Sometimes, they are far from the reality

Sensitivity Training

Sensitivity training, also known as T-group training, refers to a specific

training that is conducted under controlled conditions. This training was
introduced by Kurt Lewin, who was a German-American psychologist. In
to this method, a group of 7 to12 trainees meet in a group for a specific
duration. The objective of sensitivity training is to make trainees aware
 about their own prejudices and develop sensitivity in them. In addition,
sensitivity training helps the trainees in understanding the impact of their
behaviour on others. The discussion is directed by a behavioural expert
who creates the opportunity for the members to express their ideas,
beliefs, and attitudes. This training is designed to make people more
aware about group dynamics, their own behaviour, interpersonal traits,
and their role within a group. It helps the members to learn how the group
actually works.

Programmed Instructions

Programmed instructions represent the most popular training method, in

which the trainees are trained to perform a sequential task or procedure,
such as operating the machines. The core feature of this method is the
participation by trainees and reception of the immediate feedback where
trainers can evaluate whether the trainees’ responses are correct or not.
This method uses programmed books, illustrations, printed materials, and
diagrams to train the trainees.

In-Basket Exercises

In-basket exercises denotes the method that is used to develop the

decision-making skills of the trainees. In this method, the trainees are
provided a tray of papers and files related to their functional areas; and
they are required to study the material and make their recommendations.
The various recommendations received from the trainees are compared
and the result is compiled in a report format. This method is mostly used
to train employees on executive management and supervision.

7. Discuss the training process.

In most of the organizations, HR managers play a crucial role in ensuring

that the inclusive activities of the training program are performed as per
the training schedule on a regular basis. It is essential for the HR
managers to consider the vision and mission of the organization
thoroughly while developing the strategy for a training program.
 The training process in every organization mainly consists of five steps,
as follows.

 Training Need Analysis

 Training Objectives’ Design
 Training Program Development
 Training Program Implementation
 Training Program Evaluation

A comprehensive training process begins with the training need analysis, which
involves identifying the need for the training. Training need analysis determines
the areas on which employees need training through the identification of
potential performance gaps within the organization. After identification of
training needs, the objectives of the training program are designed. These
training objectives serve as the basis to develop the training program. The
development of training program involves recognizing the trainers and the
trainees; methods and techniques of training to be used; and the desired level of
learning. Development of the training program is followed by implementing the
training program.

Any process is incomplete without monitoring and evaluating it; and the same is
also true for typical training program. The most important step of the training
program is evaluation. The evaluation program is a continuous process that
starts with the designing of training objectives. The evaluation phase identifies
the probable loopholes and potential problems that can affect the success of a
training program. The identification of any loophole is considered as a
triggering event that demands the improvement in the training program.

Identification of Training Needs

Identification of training needs helps identify the critical gaps between the
expectation and realities of the employer. Without the identification of this gap,
it is very difficult to design a training program. Moreover, with the rapid
changes in technology and the introduction of modern working methods in
organizations, it becomes necessary for the workforce to upgrade their skills.
For the same reason, organizations, spend vast sum of money on training. Thus,
it is recommended for the benefit of organizations to assess the training needs of
their employees before investing large amount of money.
Usually the training needs are identified on three different dimensions, such as
organizational, human resource, and task. This is explained in the following
points:

 Organizational Analysis: Represents the study of organizational

objectives, resources utilization, environmental scanning, and
organizational climate.
 Task Analysis: Denotes a careful study of jobs within the organization to
develop the specific content of training. Task analysis requires the
systematic collection of data about the job, role, or position; and the
identification of the type of behaviour, skills, and knowledge that the
jobholder must have to perform the job.
 HR Analysis: Refers to the analysis that is conducted through
appropriate observation and supervisory evaluation. HR analysis is
undertaken to identify the specific areas in which the employees need
training.

The training needs in an organization are analyzed at the group and individual
levels.

Setting Training Objectives

Setting training objectives constitutes the most important step in designing a

training program. After identifying the training needs, it is essential for the
organizations to set the goals and objectives of training in tune with the needs
and demands of the organization. Every training program aims at increasing the
organizational effectiveness by fulfilling specific objectives. The relationship
between the specific objectives and overall purpose of training can be explained
through the following figure.
 Increased productivity
Improved quality
Better HR planning
Enhanced morale
Specific
Better health & safety
objectives Prevention of
of training obsolescence
Enhanced personal
growth

Overall Increased Organizational

Purpose Effectiveness
of
Training

The preceding figure shows that each training program must have specific
objectives, such as

 Increased productivity
 Improved quality
 Better Human Resource Planning
 Enhanced morale
 Better health and safety programs
 Prevention of obsolescence
 Enhanced personal growth.

All these objectives aim to increase the overall organizational effectiveness.

Development of a Training Program

After setting the training objectives on the basis of training need identification,
the training program is designed, developed, or formulated. To develop a
training program, trainers are required

 To set the specific objectives of training

 To develop the content of training
 By preparing the training manuals
 Arranging the training aids
 Selecting the appropriate training methodology

There are various training methodologies, such as

 Presentations
 Workshops
 Role-plays
 Simple lectures

which are used for designing or developing a training program.

A training program should be interactive, sufficient, and effective. It should be

able to fulfil the training objectives. An effective training design is the one that
can hold the interest of the trainees till the evaluation stage and offers them
useful learning.

Implementation of a Training Program

The proper implementation of a training program sabes the time and efforts of
the organization and provides the right direction towards effective training. It
involves planning and arranging for the resources required for the training
program. It involves planning and organizing on various aspects of a training
program, such as identification of the trainer, selection of the trainees,
preparation of the training schedule and dureation, and selection of the training
method.
A well-planned training program is implemented by performing the following
four major steps.

i. Deciding the location of training, and other facilities

ii. Scheduling the training program
iii. Conducting the program
iv. Monitoring the progress of the trainers

The implementation of a training program can be affected by the following

serious problems.

 Lack of Interest of the Managers: Implies that most managers are

action-oriented and reluctant to attend a training program.
 Availability of Trainers: Implies that the trainer’s availability is a
problem as the competent trainers are not easily available. A good trainer
should possess effective communication skills, and know the
organization’s philosophy, its objectives, and goals of the training
program.
 Scheduling Training: Implies that scheduling training in the working
hours of the organization is a problem as it is difficult to maintain the
continuity of the regular activities during the training period.

Evaluation of a Training Program

The evaluation of training provides useful information about the effectiveness

of the training program, competency of the trainer, and helps in the design of
future training programs. Evaluation is performed after the completion of
training through various ways, such as feedback forms and Kirkpatrick model.
The feedback questionnaire should have both open-ended and close-ended
questions, by which the effectiveness of the training program can be evaluated.

Evaluation helps in identifying the loopholes in the training program. The basis
of evaluation and the mode of collection of information necessary for evaluation
should be determined at the development stage.

Conceptually, the process of examining a training program is known as training

evaluation as it checks whether the training has made the desired effect or not. It
also identifies whether the trainees were able to implement their learning in
their respective jobs or not.
8. Discuss the meaning, purpose, and steps of training evaluation.

The evaluation of training provides useful information about the

effectiveness of the training program, competency of the trainer, and
helps in the design of future training programs. Evaluation is performed
after the completion of training through various ways, such as feedback
forms and Kirkpatrick model. The feedback questionnaire should have
both open-ended and close-ended questions, by which the effectiveness of
the training program can be evaluated.
Evaluation helps in identifying the loopholes in the training program. The
basis of evaluation and the mode of collection of information necessary
for evaluation should be determined at the development stage.
Conceptually, the process of examining a training program is known as
training evaluation as it checks whether the training has made the desired
effect or not. It also identifies whether the trainees were able to
implement their learning in their respective jobs or not. Training
evaluation is mainly performed to point out the areas of improvement in
the training program and check how far the training program has met the
training objectives. There are five common purposes behind the
evaluation of a training program, as shown in the following figure:

Research

The
purpose
of Training
Evaluation

Feedback Control
The purposes behind the evaluation of a training program are explained in the
following points:

 Feedback: Constitutes the most important aim of the training evaluation,

as it helps in knowing what the trainees felt about the training program.
 Research: Forms another objective of the training evaluation process.
The evaluation of the training program aids in determining the
relationship between the knowledge acquired, knowledge transferred, and
knowledge applied at the workplace.
 Control: Determines the effectiveness of the training program. The
evaluation of the training program helps in controlling the training
program. For instance, if the training is not found effective on evaluation,
then some changes can be incorporated in the training program to make it
effective.

Kirkpatrick defines four steps of training evaluation, as shown in the following

figure.

Reaction

Levels of
Training
Results Learning
Evaluation

Behaviour

The following points explain the steps involved in a training program.

 i. Reaction: Refers to the trainees’ reactions to the overall usefulness of the
training.
ii. Learning: Denotes the extent up to which the trainees have gained the
desired knowledge and skills.
iii. Behaviour: Implies the competence/ability of a trainer to perform the
skills while on the job. This evaluation measures the mode and extent, to
which trainees have applied their learned skills and gained knowledge
about their jobs.
iv. Results (Ultimate Value): Represents the final results that the training
has achieved. It involves measuring the total contributions of the training
program to accomplish the organizational, individual, and social goals.
The ultimate results could be survival, growth, increased productivity,
increased sales turnover, and profitability of the organization; personality
development and morale enhancement of the individual; and
maximization of social benefit.

9. Explain the functions of a trainer.

The functions performed by a trainer during training can be outlined and

explained as follows:

i. Identifying the training needs of individuals: Constitutes the

very first function of trainers, where they identify the individual
training needs. Trainers require accumulating the information
about the individuals’ qualifications, skills, professional degrees,
previous training attended, and tenure in the organization. The
information deduced from this data helps trainers to plan and select
the appropriate training methods.

ii. Designing the training program: Involves decision about the

location, schedule, and number of individuals attending the
training. It also helps in deciding the training method to be used,
such as orientation or induction training, apprenticeship training,
and on-the-job or off-the-job training.
iii. Planning and coordinating the required resources: Specifies
that the trainer should plan and coordinate the training resources to
make training an effective tool for the organization. In this
function, the trainer analyzes each training method and technique
that has to be followed.

iv. Evaluating the training program: Represents the comparison of

planned objectives with the achieved objectives. The trainer acts as
an evaluator and finds out the shortcomings of the training.

v. Maintaining administrative records: Denotes the last function of

a trainer that involves recording the training data, the training
resources, the trainer, and the feedback from trainees.