Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

The purpose of this chapter is to increase your effectiveness in

training employees. The main topics we’ll cover include orienting
employees, the training process, analyzing training needs, implementing
training and development programs, and evaluating the training effort.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Employee orientation (often called “onboarding” today) provides new

employees with the information they need to function; ideally, though, it
should also help new employees start getting emotionally attached to
the firm.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

An orientation typically includes information on employee benefits,

personnel policies, the daily routine, company organization and
operations, safety measures and regulations, and a facilities tour.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

A supervisor could use an orientation checklist such as Figure 8-1 to

explain to a new employee the organization and workings of the
department.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Training means giving new or current employees the skills they need
to perform their jobs. Training is a hallmark of good management.
Employers today must make sure that their training programs are
supporting their firms’ strategic goals.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Training programs consist of four steps.

1. In the needs analysis step, identify the specific knowledge and skills
the job requires, and compare these with the prospective trainees’
knowledge and skills.
2. In the instructional design step, formulate specific, measurable
knowledge and performance training objectives, review possible
training program content (including workbooks, exercises, and
activities), and estimate a budget for the training program.
3. Implement the program, by actually training the targeted employee
group using methods such as on-the-job or online training.
4. In the evaluation step, assess the program’s success (or failures).
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Task analysis is a detailed study of the job to determine what

specific skills the job requires. Performance analysis is the process of
verifying that there is a performance deficiency and determining whether
the employer should correct such deficiencies through training or some
other means (like transferring the employee).
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

As Table 8-1 illustrates, the task analysis record form consolidates

six types of information regarding required tasks and skills that is helpful
for determining training requirements.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

The competency model consolidates, usually in one diagram, a precise

overview of the competencies (knowledge, skills, and behaviors) someone
would need to do a job well. As an example, Figure 8-2 shows an illustrative
competency model for a human resource manager.
In this case, the model shows three things: At the top of the pyramid, it
shows four roles we would expect the human resource manager to fill—line,
staff, coordinative, and strategic. Beneath that, it shows the areas of expertise in
which he or she must be expert to fill these roles, such as an expertise in HR
practices and strategic planning. Next step down are basic competencies one
would need to exhibit the required expertise and to fill the HR manager’s roles.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Performance analysis is the process of verifying that there is a

performance deficiency and determining whether the employer should
correct such deficiencies through training or other means (motivation).
The heart of performance analysis is determining why performance
is down. It is futile to train an employee whose work actually is deficient
because of insufficient motivation. Distinguishing between can’t-do and
won’t-do problems is therefore crucial.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

With the program designed and budgeted and objectives set, you
can turn to implementing the training program. This means actually
doing the training, choosing and using one or more of the simpler, low-
tech methods and, then perhaps, proceeding on to computer-based
ones.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

On-the-job training (OJT) means having a person learn a job by

actually doing it. Every employee, from mailroom clerk to CEO, gets on-
the-job training when he or she joins a firm. In many firms, OJT is the
only training available.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Don’t take the success of an on-the-job training effort for granted.

Train the trainers themselves (often the employees’ supervisors), and
provide the training materials. Trainers should know, for instance, the
principles of motivating learners.
Because low expectations on the trainer’s part may translate into
poor trainee performance, supervisors/trainers should emphasize the
high expectations they have for their trainees’ success.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Figure 8-3 lists popular recent apprenticeships. Apprenticeship

training is a process by which people become skilled workers, usually
through a combination of formal learning and long-term on-the-job
training. It traditionally involves having the learner/apprentice study
under the tutelage of a master craftsperson.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Many jobs (or parts of jobs) consist of a logical sequence of steps

that one best learns step-by-step. This step-by-step training is called job
instruction training (JIT). Figure 8-4 shows the step-by-step graphical
instructions UPS uses to train new drivers in how to park their trucks
and disembark.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Lecturing is a quick and simple way to present knowledge to large

groups of trainees, as when the sales force needs to learn a new
product’s features. Here are some guidelines for presenting a lecture.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Programmed learning (or programmed instruction) is a step-by-step,

self-learning method that consists of three parts.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Intelligent tutoring systems are computerized, supercharged,

programmed instruction programs. In addition to the usual programmed
learning, intelligent tutoring systems learn what questions and
approaches worked and did not work for the learner, and therefore
adjust the suggested instructional sequence to the trainee’s unique
needs.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Table 8-2 summarizes the main terminology of computer-based

training.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Learning management systems (LMS) play an important role in

Internet training. They are special software packages that support
Internet training by helping employers identify training needs, and in
scheduling, delivering, assessing, and managing the online training
itself.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

When an employer contracts with applications service providers

(ASP) like those listed in Figure 8-5, employees can go to their firm’s
learning portal to access a menu of training courses that the ASP
company contracted with the employer to offer.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Lifelong learning means providing employees with continuing

learning experiences over their tenure with the firm, with the aims of
ensuring they have the opportunity to learn the skills they need to do
their jobs and to expand their horizons.
Many employees have learning disabilities that make it challenging
to read, write, or do arithmetic. The current emphasis on teamwork and
quality requires that employees read, write, and understand numbers.
Employers use both public and private sources to provide literacy
training for their workers.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Training programs consist of four steps.

1. In the needs analysis step, identify the specific knowledge and skills
the job requires, and compare these with the prospective trainees’
knowledge and skills.
2. In the instructional design step, formulate specific, measurable
knowledge and performance training objectives, review possible
training program content (including workbooks, exercises, and
activities), and estimate a budget for the training program.
3. Implement the program, by actually training the targeted employee
group using methods such as on-the-job or online training.
4. In the evaluation step, assess the program’s success (or failures).
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Management development is any attempt to improve managerial

performance by imparting knowledge, changing attitudes, or increasing
skills. The management development process consists of (1) assessing
the company’s strategic needs (for instance, to fill future executive
openings or to boost competitiveness), (2) appraising managers’ current
performance, and then (3) developing the managers (and future
managers).
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Development is usually part of the employer’s succession planning.

Succession planning refers to the process through which a company
plans for and fills senior-level openings.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Managerial on-the-job training methods include job rotation, the

coaching/understudy approach, and action learning.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

There are also many other off-the-job techniques for training and
developing managers.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

The aim of role playing is to create a realistic situation and then

have the trainees assume the parts (or roles) of specific persons in that
situation. Figure 8-6 presents a role from a classic role-playing exercise
called the New Truck Dilemma.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Behavior modeling involves (1) showing trainees the right (or

“model”) way of doing something, (2) letting trainees practice that way,
and then (3) giving feedback on the trainees’ performance.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Faced with the need to change, managers can change one or more
of five aspects of their companies—their strategy, culture, structure,
technologies, or the attitudes and skills of the employees.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Knowing how to deal with resistance to change is the heart of

implementing an organizational change program. Implementing change
can mean either reducing the forces for the status quo or building up the
forces for change.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Psychologist Kurt Lewin formulated a model of change to summarize

what he believed was a three-step process for implementing a change
with minimal resistance.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

This slide details Lewin’s three-step change process.

 Human Resources Management 12e
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Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Organizational development (OD) is a change process through which

employees formulate the change that’s required and implement it, often
with the assistance of trained consultants.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Table 8-3 lists the four basic categories of OD applications: human

process, technostructural, human resource management, and strategic
applications.
Action research—getting the employees themselves to review the
required data and to design and implement the solutions—is the basis of
all four.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

There are two basic issues to address when evaluating training

programs. The first is the design of the evaluation study and, in
particular, whether to use controlled experimentation. The second issue
is of “What should we measure?” and involves choosing which training
outcomes to assess.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Figure 8-7 illustrates the assessment of a training program’s effects

by a series of measures taken before and after the training program.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

Figure 8-8 presents one page from a sample evaluation

questionnaire for assessing trainees’ reactions to training.
 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education

 Human Resources Management 12e
Gary Dessler

Human Resources Management 12e

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education