LOS 14 ALERGENOS

Organisations run on long-term basis also termed as ‘enternal basis’ adapting with changing conditions. Hence, they need human resources inter alia at present and future. The process of human resource management (HRM) starts with planning, as seen in the previous section, for how many and what kind of people will be needed at different points of time in the organisation. Therefore, once employees have been recruited and selected, the next step involved in the HRM process is to trans- form them to meet the future requirements of the organisation. Such transformation of employees is done by means of training and development.

Based on skill requirements for job performace, employees required in an organisation are broadly classified into two categories, viz., operatives and supervisory/managerial. Operatives perform rou- tine and repetitive type of jobs. We shall discuss issues involved in training at operative level in this chapter. How an organisation can develop its supervisory and managerial employees will be the subject matter of our next Chapter 11.

10.1 CONCEPT OF TRAINING

What is meant by training? Training is the process of teaching the new and/or present employees the basic skills they need to effectively perform their jobs. Alternatively speaking, training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skill of an employee for doing his/her job. Thus, training refers to the teaching and learning activities carried on for the primary purpose of helping members of an organisation to acquire and also to apply the required knowledge, skill and attitudes to perform their jobs effec- tively.

According to Edwin B. Flippo 1_{, “ training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an}

employee for doing a particular job.”

Michael Armstrong 2 _{points “ training is the systematic modification of behaviour through}

learning which occurs as a result of education, instruction, development and planned experi- ence”.

In the opinion of Michael J. Jucious3_{, “Training is any process by which the attitudes, skills and}

abilities of employees to perform specific jobs are improved.”

Thus, it can be concluded that training is a process that tries to improve skills, or add to the existing level of knowledge so that the employee is better equipped to do his present job, or to mould him to be fit for a higher job involving higher responsibilities. In other words, training is a learning experience that seeks a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve his/her ability to perform his job.

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Difference between Training, Development and Education

Some people consider the three terms namely, training, development and education as synony- mous, i.e., meaning the same thing. But, all the three terms mean different things as explained hereun- der.

Training

The meaning of training has just been explained.

Development

Compared to the term ‘training’, the term ‘development’ has broader scope and aim to develop people in all respects. Accordingly, development covers not only activities/skills which improve job performance, but also those activities which bring about growth of the personality, help individuals progress toward maturity and actualisation of their potential. Thus, development enables individuals to become not only good employees but better men and women also. Clearly, development is an ongoing continuous process, while training is a one-shot deal. In ultimate sense, development refers to behavioural modification of people through continuous learning practices. Development relates to non-technical organisational functions such as problem solving, decision-making and relating to people.

Education

Like the term ‘development’, the term ‘education’ is also wider in scope and broader in purpose when compared to training. Education is the (life-long) process of increasing the general knowledge and understanding of people about the total environment. Thus, education is person and theory- based. Its main purpose is to improve the conceptual understanding of the people about a subject or theme or environment. Education is imparted through schools or colleges or universities, through the contents of programmes aimed at improving the knowledge and understanding of the people about their environment.

Having gone through the meanings of the three terms, education is not found much different from development. However, training is found quite different from development in four ways as stated below:

(i) What is learned: (ii) Who learns;

(iii) Why such learning takes place; and (iv) When learning occurs?

These differences can be stated as follows:

Learning Training Development Dimensions

What? Technical and mechanical operations. Theoretical and conceptu- al ideas.

Who? Non-managerial or operative personnel. Managerial/supervisory personnel.

Why? Specific job related purpose. General knowledge.

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Employee Training

10.2 NEED FOR TRAINING

Training is the act of improving one’s knowledge and skill to improve his/her job performance. Training is job-oriented. It bridges the gap between what the employee has and what the job demands. For that matter, imparting training to employees working in all organised sectors of human activity is no longer a matter of debate. As a matter of fact, of late, the need for training has been recognized as an essential activity not only in the business organisations, but also in academic institutions, profes- sional bodies and the government departments. For example, attending one orientation and two refresher courses has been made cumpulsory for the University/College teachers with an objective to improve their knowledge and skill for improving their job (teaching) performance. Several conditions have contributed to make the organisations realize and recognize the need for imparting training to their employees. Venkata Ratnam and Srivastava 4 _{have listed these conditions as follows:}

(i) Sub-optimal performance of organisations in government, public and private sectors. (ii) The ever widening gap between planning, implementation and completion of projects. (iii) Technological change necessitating acquisition of new knowledge, ability and skills.

(iv) Increasing qualitative demand for managers and workmen.

(v) Increasing uncertainties and complexities in the total environment necessitating flexible and adaptive responses from organisations.

(vi) Need for both individuals and organisations to grow at rapid pace. (vii) To meet challenges posed by the global competition.

(viii) To harness the human potential and give expression to their creative urges. (ix) To enable employees to move from one job to another.

(x) To bridge the gap between what employee has in terms of knowledge and skill and what his/ her job actually demands.

In view of the above needs, employees need training to be imparted in the following areas:

Areas of Training

Knowledge: Training aimed at imparting knowledge to employees provides for facts, information

and principles related to his/her job. In general, training imparted in the knowledge area considers three aspects, namely, job context, job content and quality of work.

Technical Skills: The training in this area aims at teaching the employees the physical acts or

actions like operating a machine, working with a computer, using mathematical tools to take decisions, etc. It is somewhat like induction training.

Social Skills: The training in this area is broader in scope embracing many aspects. This cat-

egory of training aims at the development of individuals and team work.

Accordingly, employees are imparted training to acquire and sharpen such behavioural and human relations skills that help improve inter-personal relationship, better team work and effective leadership.

Techniques: Training in this area involves teaching employees the manners how to apply knowl-

edge and skills to dynamic situations.

Attitudes: This involves orientation or induction programmes that help change the employees

attitudes favourable toward the achievement of organisational goals. Through training programmes, employees attitudes are moulded to render support for the effective completion of company activities and inculcate the spirit of better co-operation and greater loyalty among the employees.

knowledge, skills, techniques and attitudes into use over a period of time in different work situations. Experience makes one perfect.

10.3 IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING

The following two Chinese proverbs highlight the importance of the employee training: “Give a man a fish, and you have given him meal. Teach man to fish, and you have given him livelihood.”

“If you wish to plan for a year sow seeds, if you wish to plan for ten years plant trees, if you plan for life-time develop men.”

The importance of employee training can best be appreciated with the help of various advantages it offers to both employees and employers. These are explained under the following heads: