Training and Development Chapter 3

The Process Used in Developing a Competency Model (Figure 3.5)

1. Identify Business Strategy & Goals 2. Identify Jobs, Positions, or Job Families 3. Conduct Interviews and Focus Groups w/ Top Performers 4. Develop Competencies and a Competency Model 5. Validate and Review the Model

Skills

Competency in performing a specific task

Advantages of focus groups and collaboration tools

Useful with complex or controversial issues that one person may be unable or unwilling to explore Questions can be modified to explore unanticipated issues

Advantages of using observation

Generate data relevant to work environment Minimizes interruption of work

Advantages of interviews

Good at uncovering details of training needs, as well as causes of and solutions to problems Can explore unanticipated issues that come up Questions can be modified

Advantages of documentation

Good source of information on procedure Objective Good source of task information for new jobs and jobs in the process of being created

Situational constraints

include lack of proper tools and equipment, materials and supplies, budgetary support, and time

Person analysis

involves determining whether performance deficiencies are due to a lack of knowledge, skills, or abilities to problems with motivation or work design; and determining employees' readiness for training

Focus groups

type of SME interview that involves meeting in person with a group of SMEs and asking questions related to specific training needs

Communication

Plays a large role in being aware of one's training needs. It should be communicated by managers and can include holding feedback sessions or completing a self-evaluation. This identifies one's strengths and weaknesses. To be motivated to learn in training programs, employees must be aware of their skill strengths and weaknesses and of the link between the training program and improvement o their weaknesses.

Competencies

Defined as a set of skills, knowledge, abilities or other personal characteristics that enable employees to perform their jobs successfully.

Knowledge

Defined as facts or procedures

Readability

Difficulty level of written materials. Lack of appropriate reading level can impede performance and learning in training programs. Material used in training should be evaluated to ensure that its reading level does not exceed that required on the job. A readability analysis usually involves analysis of sentence length and word difficulty.

Motivation to learn

Employee's desire to learn the content of a training program

Job incumbents role in a needs assessment

Employees currently performing the job. Most knowledgeable about the actual job. While their input is important to have, it is also important to show them they have a role in the process.

Self-efficacy

The employee's belief that they can perform their job, or in this case, learn the content of the training program successfully. You can improve self-efficacy by letting employees know that the training is to improve performance, rather than identify weaknesses. Also by showing employees the success of past training programs, you can give them confidence that the learning is under their control.

Competency Model

Identifies the competencies necessary for each job. These models provide descriptions that are necessary for an entire job family, organization, or specific job. Competency models typically include the name of each competency, behaviors that represent proficiency, and levels with descriptions that discriminate between proficiency and mastery. Competency models are more likely to link to company goals, and have a wider range of application.

Problems that could occur from a needs analysis not being properly conducted

Implementing training that is unnecessary Having the wrong content Training will be unrelated to business strategy

Needs assessment

The first step in the training design process. Refers to process of determining learning needs and opportunities and whether training is necessary.

Trainers role in a needs assessment

Trainers focus on gathering information they will need to administer, develop, and support the training program. They determine whether training should be outsourced or built in house, what tasks employees will be trained on, and whether training is supported by management.

Strategic direction

In companies where training is directly related to the achievement of business goals, they're going to be more likely to allocate resources towards training. Example: Companies focusing on disinvestment will be more focused on outplacement assistance than skill development. Companies who use the business-embedded or corporate-university model will be more likely to use training and see it as a way to help solve business problems.

Personal characteristics

Unique to an employee and include basic skills, self-efficacy, person awareness, and age.

Upper management's role in a needs assessment

Upper management (CEOs, directors, presidents) will assess how training fits in with other HR practices (like selection) to see if it aligns with business strategies, and determine if the company has the skills, knowledge, and abilities in their workforce.

Organizational analysis

involves determining the appropriateness of training, given the company's business strategy, resources, and managerial and peer support for training

Task analysis

involves identifying the important tasks performed as well as the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that are required to perform those tasks

Advantages of historical data reviews

Provides data related to performance and practices

Disadvantages of documentation

You may be unable to understand technical language Materials may be obsolete

Steps in a task analysis

1. Select job 2. Preliminary list of tasks performed on the job These can be gathered by various methods, including interviewing and observing SMEs. 3. Validate or confirm list of tasks This involves surveying multiple SMEs and having them rate each task on multiple dimensions. These include task: frequency, time spent, importance, difficulty, and if its expected of entry level employees. 4. After identifying tasks, identify the KSAOs necessary to perform each task. Also, identifying whether these KSAOs are learned on the job or expected to have before taking the job is important for training purposes.

What three factors does the organizational analysis focus on?

1. The company's strategic direction 2. Support of training activities by managers and peers 3. Training resources

Person Analysis

A person analysis helps identify employees who need the training. Depending on the "pressure point", the individuals who need training may vary. This analysis also helps determine employees readiness for training.

Disadvantages of historical data reviews

Available data may be inaccurate, incomplete, or not fully represent performance

Key to Conducting a Rapid Needs Assessment

Choose and use methods that will give you the richest and most data while also using the fewest resources. As a rule of thumb, when you get to the point that you have not gathered any new information after meeting with multiple people, information collection can probably stop. Also, consider using pre-existing data such as sales data.

Important of cognitive ability in training

Cognitive ability influences learning and job performance. The importance of cognitive ability for job success increases as jobs become more complex. Cognitive ability can also influence how well an employee learns in a training program. Paper-and-pencil tests are used to determine cognitive ability.

Buy vs Build decision

Companies decision on whether to internally build training or purchase it from an external organization.

Training resources

Companies need to determine if they have the budget, time, and expertise for training. The must also determine if they want to develop training in house or outsource. Additionally, companies that have similar operations or departments located across the country or world can share practices to identify training resources.

Methods used in a needs assessment

Conducting a needs assessment can be done through a variety of methods, including observing employees performing the job, administering questionnaires using technical manuals and records using online technology interviewing SMEs focus groups crowdsourcing benchmarking

Mid level management's role in a needs assessment

Focus on how training affects financial goals. They identify how much of the budget should go towards training, who should be trained, and for what jobs training can make a difference in regards to pressure points.

Needs Assessment Process

In real life, the needs assessment does not always follow a strict order. The task and person analysis are the most time consuming, therefore the organizational analysis should be conducted first. The person and task analysis are often conducted at the same time, this is because it is difficult to determine where exactly training is needed without fully understanding the tasks and the actual work environment. Companies must consider the information gathered from all three analyses to make a valid and well informed decision.

Readiness for training process

Includes evaluating person characteristics, input, output, consequences, and feedback. All of these influence the employee's motivation to learn.

Advantages of questionnaires

Inexpensive Can collect data from a large number of persons Data easily summarized

Support of training activities by managers and peers

It is critical that peers and managers support training activities, and are also motivated and excited. They need to be willing to share information about how they apply training on the job, and have the opportunity to use training content on the job.

Pressure points

Major events or reasons that may suggest training is necessary. Some of these include introducing new technology, job redesign, new products, or employee's lack of basic skills. However, even if these pressure points are present, it still does not necessarily mean training is the best solution. Again, only the lack of knowledge can be addressed by training, so really narrowing things down and pinpointing where the problem is crucial to ensure the training will be effective and ultimately addresses the problem.

Who should be involved in the needs assessment?

Managers (upper and mid level managers) Trainers Employees (SMEs and job incumbents)

To determine whether training is needed to solve a performance problem...

Managers need to analyze characteristics of the performer, input, output, consequences, and feedback. All of these characteristics need to be taken into account when assessing whether training will actually fix the cause of the problem.

Disadvantages of online technology

May threaten employees Manager may use information to punish rather than train Limited to jobs requiring interaction with customers via computer or phone

Disadvantages of using observation

Needs skilled observors Employees' behavior may be affected by being observed

Advantages of online technology

Objective Minimizes interruption of work Requires limited human involvement

The three levels of needs assessment analysis

Organizational Analysis Person Analysis Task Analysis

Other

Other conditions under which tasks are performed

Feedback

Performance problems can occur when employees do not receive feedback on how they're performing. Training is probably not the best solution when the problem is do to infrequent or inadequate feedback. Feedback needs to be given frequently in order for employees to perform to standards.

Ability

Physical and mental capabilities needed to perform a task

Group norms

Refer to accepted standards of behavior for work-group members, and can also influence how much effort an employee makes to meet performance standards.

Basic skills

Refer to skills that are necessary for employees to perform on the job and learn the content of the training program. It is important for trainers to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of trainees before designing a training program.

Rapid Needs Assessment

Refers to a needs assessment that is done quickly and accurately, but without sacrificing the quality of the process or the outcomes.

Crowdsourcing

Refers to asking a large group of employees to help provide information for a needs assessment

Input

Refers to employee perceptions of: Situational Constraints Social Support

Age or generational characteristics

Refers to the different learning styles that each generation possesses - this encompasses the learning environment, type of instruction, and learning activities that are part of training. Trying to cater to generational differences or having alternative activities can lead to more successful training.

Output

Refers to understanding performance standards and how the results you produce as an employee compare to those standards. In training, it is important that trainees know what level of proficiency is expected of them.

Benchmarking

Refers to using information gathered from other companies and their training practices, which serves as a guideline in determining the appropriate type, level, and frequency of training

Readiness for training

Refers to whether 1. employees have the personal characteristics (ability, attitudes, beliefs, and motivation) necessary to learn program content and apply it on the job 2. the work environment will facilitate learning and not interfere with performance

Disadvantages of questionnaires

Requires time Possible low response rates, inappropriate responses Lacks detail Only provides information directly related to questions asked

Task analysis

Results in a description of work activities. This includes the tasks performed by the employee, and the KSAOs required to complete the task.

Consequences

Rewards or incentives for employees to perform well. If the employee believes that the incentives are not worth the effort of performing well, they will most likely not meet performance standards. The most powerful way to motivate employees is attend and learn from training is through personal value.

SMEs role in a needs assessment

They should be knowledgeable about training issues, what's required for successful performance, and the equipment and condition tasks are performed under. They should be well versed in what's important to do and able to prioritize it.

Disadvantages of interviews

Time-consuming Difficult to analyze Need skilled interviewers Can be threatening to SMEs Difficult to schedule SMEs provide only information they think you want to hear

Disadvantages of focus groups and collaboration tools

Time-consuming to organize Group members provide only information they think you want to hear

Social support

refers to managers' and peers' willingness to provide feedback and reinforcement