TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

Training and Development (T & D) is any endeavor that enhances present or future worker execution by expanding and increasing the capacity of an employee to perform through adapting, which is more often than not executable through changing the nature or developing knowledge, aptitudes, skills, and learning (Biech,2013). For any company and Organization to establish and train their employees effectively, activities and exercises are useful because they are challenging and informative.  This paper seeks to explore the importance of training, employee involvement through interactive means all in the quest of achieving the organization’s goals and objectives.

Goals of Training

Training and development programs should meet the particular needs of the company or organization, stimulate comprehensive information, strengthen comprehension of fundamental skills and increase overall profitability. Excellent training and development activities can advance a common human resource (HR) dialect over the entire organization. Biech 2013 suggests that it is paramount for the HR to set up and prepare the T & D activities within the organization’s budget and plan by eliminating increased travel costs and satisfying proficient improvement of organizational prerequisites.

The facilitators should first provide an overview of the whole training program. Outlining the program objectives and purposes in summary helps in drawing the most important points in the learning programs. This aids in enlightening the employees in the kind of activities they will engage in and the post training benefits.

Team building is a training exercise that any managerial team can use as a form of edification and development (Biech, 2013). Any team building activity that counts as fruitful should have broad and comprehensive significances in an organization. The goals of the team building activities should be to enhance communication skills between employees and improve their problem-solving capacities about the organization’s aims and objectives.

An enhancement in problem–solving denotes better productivity, motivation, confidence, and self-drive among employees. These proficiencies primarily lead to a decrease in working expenses and an increase in turnover costs of the organization. This advantage ultimately affects the public image of the company. Active Team building bolsters this.

Strategies in the Training to Meet Goals and Drive Successful Business Results

The first activity is employee involvement. The effectiveness of a team building activity is necessary so as to involve the employees in designing the activities and exercises that will be conducted (Dyer et al., 2013). This practice will give a benchmark on the key changing aspects of an effective team building which creates better individual/ employee development.

 The organization should tailor the exercises towards building up an employees’ potential. It should also be able to discern what activities the team members will appreciate learning and doing. By involving the employees, the management will have a few proposals at their disposal which can be used on a rotational basis whereby each team member will take part and not feel left out at the end of the T & D activity. In most organizations, there are individuals among the employees who have unique abilities that they would appreciate imparting to others. This first exercise mainly tries to analyze the weaknesses and strengths of the proposed team building activity. It is the first stage/ phase in the team building activity.

Team building activities and exercises to be done should then follow. The objective of this phase is to create content that is in line with the organization’s problem-solving need. These activities include; Change Exploration Analysis (CEA) and Analysis of Stakeholder Needs (ASN). The CEA seeks to explore challenges about prior workplace happenings within the company and resultant effects on special interest groups (Dyer et al., 2013). The ASN makes a deeper analysis of the problem at hand and the strategies that would be put in place to solve it taking into recognition all the aspects of the organization’s business dynamics.

Eventually, there is a significant improvement in the decision-making process due to the enhanced problem-solving skills. Key Performance Indicators are an important aspect of evaluation activities. A change in performance management is seen when delegates adapt to the use of time series graphs which indicate important performance.

Supporting Employees in Training

Team building activities are important as they aid in vital joint skills in the quest of enabling employees to trust each other, enhance their communication, group skills and eventually create a deeper bond amongst them. The principal aim of these training activities is to achieve an improved learning and performance experience that leads to the overall success of the company. Activities that focus on problem-solving, decision-making activities and communication activities are the two most important doings that the organization will adapt (Dyer et al., 2013).

The basic concept is to create undertakings that are challenging but fun. To achieve better and have improved communication amongst the delegates is the life highlights game. This improvement is considered as a great icebreaker undertaking. New employees also get to air their views and grievances under this activity. This concept entails making the participants review their most treasured moments while closing their eyes. For enhanced problem-solving techniques, the team leader should create a small group and make individuals come up with their problem-solving techniques. This activity encourages creativity, time management, trust, and communication.

Visual for Training Exercise

The trainer should develop visual training aids that are clear and comprehensive to the trainees. For any training to take place there has to be a training site.  Among the most critical facets of the successful training session(s), creating a favorable environment for learning is paramount. Close to all training programs nowadays involves physical movement, teamwork, plastic furniture, and equipment, online learning and outdoor activities (Dyer et al., 2013). It is important before choosing any training site for one to keep these key components in mind. The training site should be able to lodge broad range of activities, interactions between the trainers and trainees and content interaction between the trainees.

Fig 1: T & D Objectives and Activities

Fig.2:  Icebreaker Visual Aid

In conclusion, T & D is an important function in the ever evolving corporate world. Proper training ought to be offered to the employees to sharpen their existing skills, help them acquire new ones, increase productivity, perform better, become self-driven and eventually become improved leaders.

References

Biech, E. (2013). Training for dummies. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.

Dyer, W. G., Dyer, J. H., & Dyer, W. G. (2013). Team building: Proven strategies for improving team performance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.