Training Program for Employee

Companies that have successfully developed a training curriculum will attest to the effectiveness of their operations. Training means that employees are still up to speed with technological trends in the sector, preventing them from being obsolete (Armstrong, 2014). According to Biech (2009), a successful training program is one that delivers outcomes within the time frame specified. A successful training curriculum should be entertaining, obligatory, and consistent. Coordination between trainers and managers is needed to ensure that the lessons learned during training still comply with the company’s goals. Phillips and Phillips (2016) note that an effective training program ought to be mandatory for all employees. The staff should not, therefore, be given the chance to decide to attend the training or not. There are instances when employees regard the training programs as a waste of time and they are therefore resistant to attend such programs. It is also possible for some employees to boycott work in a day scheduled for training especially when they consider the training to be a waste of time in the office (Phillips & Phillips, 2016). Reinforcing the need to hold a training program should be the company’s objective. It is important that the human resource officer explains to the workers why they need a particular training and the implications of not holding one as a company or attending one as an employee.

Although a training program should be enforced in an organization. It is important that the right mechanisms be put into place so that the employees can also appreciate the value that the training is adding to their work. To begin with, it is important that the company’s leadership is involved in setting up the program. When the junior employees realize that the managers are just as interested in holding and attending the training programs, they anticipate learning the contents of the program (Phillips & Phillips, 2016). Training is evidently beneficial to a company because it impacts new skills to the employees and also helps to add on costs. It is, therefore, important to reinforce the objective of the training to the employees as incentives. The training ought to address the employees concerns and meet their daily needs.

Armstrong (2014) argues that training should be made mandatory as it helps to look after the wellbeing of the employees. Notably, the federal government has set up laws that require companies to train their workers on sexual harassment in the workplace and on safety. Making the training mandatory therefore not only helps to look after the employee’s welfare but also is complying with the legal laws. It is, therefore, important to make the employees understand the legal implications of not getting training and the role the company is making in protecting them from a future harm. For instance, training staff on sexual harassment at the office, therefore, means that the staff will be watchful of such incidences and by extension the cases reported. Also, the training program can enable the workers to know what they can do in instances of an accident in the workplace like fire, terror attacks or even contact with harsh chemicals.

Engaging

An effective training program should be interesting to the participants and engaging. If the training is not engaging, the employees may feel like their time has been wasted and this also translates to poor concentration during the sessions (Armstrong, 2014). Also, ensuring that the employees stay engaged in the training also ensures that the company does not waste resources that it would otherwise use in enhancing the business. The training program enhances the worker’s productivity (Biech, 2009). Moreover, the rate of turnover for companies that are dedicated to training their employees often is evidently lower than that of companies that do not consider the training to be important. It is, therefore, important that the trainer implements a program that will keep the audience entertained at the same time allow them some time to understand the information that they have gathered.

It is important to structure the training in a way that allows the participants to ask questions and even brainstorm in class. The training officer can also include play sessions to enable the employees to unwind and reflect on what they have learned. The management should strive to make the training as interesting as possible to enhance participation and to ensure that the employees benefit maximally from the training program (El-Shamy, 2004). The employees should, therefore, enjoy the sessions and also have their input to make it more successful. Making the training sessions engaging also ensures that the company’s objectives are met on time as the employees can always raise concerns on the training program (Phillips & Phillips, 2016). Moreover, when the new hires are engaged during their training, they will keen to their job because they are aiming at implementing the new information they learned thus benefiting the company.

Workers who are engaged during their training sessions are likely to value their company and by extension stay loyal to it. Workers feel valued when a company invests its resources to impact them with new knowledge. Identifying and even addressing the employees’ needs during the training communicates to the employees that their welfare is being put under consideration and hence choose to perform better in their tasks (Biech, 2009). Engaged workers are also likely to build lasting relationships with each other especially when they discuss the contents being taught during the training sessions (Armstrong, 2014). When a worker appreciated the input that the company has on their knowledge transfer, they may choose to invest more in the company. Engaged employees are likely to retain information and this may save the company finances that may be used in retraining them in the future.

Regular

A training program ought to be made on a regular basis so that the employees can also anticipate attending them and learning new knowledge. A regular training program enables the business to align their objectives with the employee’s performance. Having constant training, therefore, means that the human resource can gauge the worker’s performance in relation to their job description and what the company expects of it in return(El-Shamy,2004). In his case, the company can choose to have a timeline of achieving a certain goal and communicating the same to the employees. The company can in return ensure that the training program satisfies the company’s immediate need and it is a worth investment. Having the regular training impacts confidence to the employees as they believe that they are able to do and even impact more in the company with the new found information.

While companies may at first consider regular training to be expensive, the payoff is evidently greater than the investment. Regular training is in particular important when a company is teaching a new skill to their employees. It is important to constantly assess how the workers are adapting to the new system and the difference in their productivity. Workers that are trained on a regular basis are also likely to grasp the concepts taught better unlike one that is taught on one-time basis (El-Shamy, 2004). The business environment keeps on revolving and it is, therefore, important to ensure that the company’s staff is at par with the changes. Also, the technology keeps on advancing and educating the workers on the changes ensures that they do not become obsolete and also avoid time wastage during on job training. Staying still can indeed bring a business down. Ensuring therefore that the workers are updated on any new information means that their skills are up to date and hence competitive in the market.

Regular training offers the workers with the desire and the need to constantly learn (El-Shamy, 2004). Such workers are likely to be determined at their workplace as they desire to be better in their daily activities. Although most companies train the new employees, it is important to keep on updating their knowledge and also checking the areas that they may be struggling and perhaps need a refresher course. The management is often in touch with their staff in the regular training which also enhances cooperation between them. Training can also serve as incentives to the employees. The employees that are trained on a regular basis are likely to value their companies and it hence unlikely that they are taken away by the competitors in the promise of a better training. Finally, regular training helps a company to attract better staffs who desire to have a company that appreciates their talent and is willing to invest in them.

Conclusion

A training program is a worthy investment because it assures the company of more returns and saves on expenses. Companies that have implemented a training program experience low turnover rates meaning that they save on the costs that would be used to interview a new employee. A training program should be regular to not only keep the workers engaged but also constantly updated on the technological changes in the industry. Also, the program ought to be mandatory. All employees should understand the importance of attending the training sessions and hence adhere to the rules set up by the company. Finally, the training officers should always keep the employees engaged during the training to enhance the knowledge transfer.

References

Armstrong, M. (2014). Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice (1st ed.). London: Kogan Page.

Biech, E. (2009). 10 steps to successful training. Alexandria, Va: ASTD Press.

El-Shamy, S. (2004). How to design and deliver training for the new and emerging generations. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Saks, A. M., Haccoun, R. R., Belcourt, M., & Belcourt, M. (2010). Managing performance through training and development. Toronto: Nelson Education.

Phillips, J. J., & Phillips, P. P. (2016). Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. Routledge.