Unit 3
Training and Development
Training is viewed as a short term learning process by which employees acquire the technical knowledge and skills necessary to perform effectively their tasks and responsibilities. Wayne Cascio defines, "Training consists of planned programs undertaken to improve employee knowledge, skills, attitudes and social behaviour so that the performance of the organization improves considerably."
Development is viewed as a long term learning process by which managerial personnel acquire conceptual and theoretical knowledge and skills for enhancing general administrative abilities.
Need
Training and development is provided to improve work related knowledge, attitude, skills and social behaviour, so that the performance of the trained employees and that of the organization improves considerably. Training is provided for newly appointed employees so that they perform the tasks as expected by the organization. Training is also provided to the existing employees when they are assigned new tasks or projects. Generally, a training need arises when there is a gap between expected performance of an employee (or a group of employees) and the actual performance. Training needs can be identified through performance reviews and appraisal system, feedback from the supervisors or employees, customer satisfaction surveys, etc.
For example, a sales executive is expected to achieve a target sale of 1000 units in a given period, but the sales executive actually achieves only 600 units; the gap between expected performance and actual performance is 400 units. This situation may require motivation and training to the sales executive.
Process of Identifying Training Needs:
An organization needs to identify its training and development needs so as to provide the right training (qualitative and quantitative) to the right employees and maximize the return on investment in training. The following are the steps in identifying training needs of an organization:
Figure: Process of Identifying Training Needs
1. Analyze Organizational Needs:
An organization must analyze the need for training its employees. The need for training the employees arises as new knowledge and skills may be required due to changes in:
- Products, equipment and technology.
- Economic, legal, and political factors.
- Industry competition and standards.
- Customers’ expectations.
- International Environment, etc.
An organization must conduct SWOT analysis to identify the organizational needs, so as to plan for its training needs.
2. Analysis of Strategies and Tasks:
Management must frame effective strategies in all functional areas (marketing, production, finance, HR, etc.). Clear goals and targets must be set for all strategies. Also, tasks or activities must be listed to achieve the goals.
At this stage, the tasks requirements must be compared with the existing employee knowledge and skills. This comparison enables to identify the potential gaps. The potential gaps will indicate that there is a need for training to improve the knowledge and skills so as to cope up with the tasks requirement. Management can conduct this analysis by setting up assessment centres, aptitude and ability tests, observation of employees undertaking key tasks, etc.
3. Analysis of Training Needs of Individual Employees:
Management needs to find out the training needs of individual employees. This is because; some employees may be fully equipped with the knowledge and skills to cope up with tasks requirements, whereas, others may lack the required knowledge and skills. This information can be obtained through the performance reviews and appraisal systems, Observation of employee performance by superiors, feedback from employees, etc.
4. Develop a Training Plan:
The HR manager needs to prepare a training plan. The training plan should indicate:
- The number of training programmes, which employees have to undergo.
- The objective of each training programme.
- The duration of each training programme.
- The place of training-in-house or otherwise.
- The number and quality of training faculty.
- The funds to be utilized for training, etc.
5. Decision on Training Method:
Training method is an important element of training plan. The HR manager must select the right training method depending upon the tasks requirement and the existing level of knowledge and skills of the employees. There are various methods of training which include:
- Seminars and workshops.
- Conferences.
- E-learning/webinars
- Mentoring programmes
- Coaching and Counselling
- Assessment Centres
- Job Shadowing
- Classroom methods such as case study, role playing, etc.
6. Communication with Employees:
The HR manager needs to inform the employees of the reasons for attending certain training programmes. The findings of training needs analysis must be communicated to the employees. Also training plans need to be informed to the employees. The FR manager may invite suggestions from the employees to make training programmes more effective.
7. Implementation of Training Programme:
There must be effective implementation of training programme. Implementation of training programme involves:
- Appointment of effective trainers.
- Arrangement of place and training material.
- Relevant instructions to the trainers.
- Instructions to the trainees.
- Provision of necessary facilities to the trainers to train effectively.
- Arrangement for food and refreshments
- Recording of training sessions, if necessary.
- Obtaining feedback from the trainers and trainees.
8. Review of Training Outcome:
The HR manager needs to review the outcome of the training programme. The impact of the training programme must be evaluated in terms of knowledge and skills gained by the employees, productivity outcomes, customer/client satisfaction level, and so on. The HR manager may evaluate impact of the training on the employees by comparing their performance before and after the training. The HR manager needs to provide feedback to the top management regarding the effectiveness of the training programme. Based on the review, necessary changes can be incorporated in the future training programmes.
Objectives of Training and Development
Some of the objectives of training and development are discussed below-
Figure: Objectives of training and development
- Increased Productivity
Training takes the current capabilities of the workers of a brand, polishes it and makes them learn and devise new and effective methods of doing the same thing, in a repeated manner. In other words, the training, if done in a proper way, can give your business a whole new look with a much powerful base as experienced workers at its core.
2. Quality Improvement
Improving the quality of the product is obviously one of the main objectives of training and development. Today’s customer knows what’s better for him and what’s not. Simply said, those old methods of some sweet talk and business won’t work for much long, because once they know the reality behind the curtains through the services and products quality, they will leave the company as it is without giving it, even, a second thought.
3. Learning time Reduction
Keeping an eye on the learning capabilities of employees, and providing them the help which they need, can be highly beneficial in longer runs. This capability of theirs’ is what that determines how quickly an employee grabs the newly discovered fact and so, shape. The future products on this discovery. The weaker the capability, the harder it is to learn. But this scenario can also be supported by the usage of proper learning material and experienced instructors who prefer real-life experience than cramming. So, reducing the learning time is also one of the main objectives of training and development.
4. Safety First
Safety of anyone, either he is a worker, an officer or even a customer, is not something that can be taken lightly, especially in cases, where one knows that even a minute mistake can even lead to life threats. Therefore, providing the knowledge, for using the equipment in a proper way and creating the life-friendly product, also belongs to one of the major objectives of training and development. The higher, the employees are better at handling equipment, the better it is both for the company and for the workers.
5. Labour turnover Reduction
No business can flourish well while it is regularly turning over its workforce since it is obvious that every new workforce will require some time to understand the type of work, its principle and safety precautions, which lead to decreased productivity. Moreover, it also diminishes the feeling of self-confidence among the workers, and this really isn’t a good thing. On the contrary, training ensures that the company doesn’t need to turn over its workforce again and again because it prepares the employees to face any situation which proves helpful in bringing in the feeling of workers. Therefore, the workforce feels safe and secure at a particular job.
6. Keeping oneself Updated with Technology
Computers and mobile phones are the miracles of the past but the world of today is far more advanced than that. It’s time for latest technologies capable of connecting the world in just a blink of an eye. Now, earthlings are trying to reach far off planets to get information about the life force present there. Newer technologies are rolling in and we could continue to list it down but we haven’t got time for that.
7. Effective Management
Training and education to the employees keep them updated with the latest of the additions to the technologies, methods, techniques and processes. Since it also opens a new gateway for them to look for a way which is greater in productivity and efficiency but decreases the need of manual work immensely. One of the primary objectives of training and development process is to give rise to a new and improved management which is capable of handling the planning and control without any serious problem. With the knowledge and experience gathered through training, acting as the guiding light for this newly shaped management, it lets them handle the tough decisions and confusing realities thus opening the way for bigger and better opportunities for business for the cause of the brand.
Benefits/ Importance of Training to the organisation and employees
Training serves various purposes. Training is important to their employees as well as to the organization. The importance of training is explained as follows:
Figure: Importance of training and development
1. Innovation:
Training facilitates innovation in the organization. Due to training, the employees come up with innovative ideas in respect of:
- New Plans,
- New Products,
- New Schemes, etc.
Innovation gives competitive advantage to the organisation in the market.
2. Corporate Image:
Training enhances corporate image of the organisation. Due to training, the performance of the organisation improves greatly. Therefore, the image of the firm improves in the minds of various stakeholders: Customers, Employees, Suppliers, shareholders, Dealers, etc.
3. Efficiency:
Efficiency is the ratio of returns to costs. Training enables the organisation to improve efficiency of its employees. Training helps to improve the performance of the employees. Therefore, the company gets higher returns at lower costs. The returns are in the form of:
- Higher Sales,
- Higher Profits,
- Higher Market Share, etc.
4. Team Work:
Training helps to improve knowledge, skills as well as attitude. Therefore, training facilitates team work in the organisation. Team work brings success to the organisation.
5. Optimum Use of Resources:
Training ensures optimum use of resources such as:
- Physical Resources,
- Capital Resources and
- Manpower.
Optimum use of resources generates higher productivity to the organisation.
6. Motivation:
Training facilitates motivation of the employees in the organisation. Due to training, there is higher performance in terms of sales and profits. Therefore, employees are motivated by giving incentives: Monetary Incentives (salary, bonus, incentives) and Non-Monetary Incentives (working conditions welfare facilities).
7. Competitive Advantage:
Training generates competitive advantage to the organisation Due to training there can be:
- Improvement in Quality and
- Reduction in Costs.
Therefore, the organisation can gain competitive advantage in the market.
8. Customer Satisfaction:
Training may result in customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction takes place when product performance matches with customer expectation. Due to training, the overall performance of the employees improves in terms of product quality, delivery of product, service performance, etc.
9. Absenteeism Reduction:
Training helps to reduce absenteeism. It takes place when employees remain absent without prior performance. Absenteeism creates problems to organisation as well as the co-workers. Training helps to develop positive attitude in workers and therefore, the absenteeism may get reduced.
10. Employee Turnover Reduction:
Training facilitates reduction in employee turnover. Employee turnover takes place when employees leave the organisation Due to training, employees become loyal to the organisation which in turn may reduce employee turnover.
11. Benefits to Employees:
Apart from benefits to the organisation, the training programmes benefit the employees in several ways:
- Training helps to upgrade knowledge and skills. Training develops positive attitude.
- Training may result in higher rewards.
- Training may provide an opportunity for promotion.
- The refresher training programmes refreshes the employee.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- TRAINING IS VIEWED AS A SHORT TERM LEARNING PROCESS BY WHICH EMPLOYEES ACQUIRE THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO PERFORM EFFECTIVELY THEIR TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
- DEVELOPMENT IS VIEWED AS A LONG TERM LEARNING PROCESS BY WHICH MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL ACQUIRE CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR ENHANCING GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ABILITIES.
Training is a highly useful tool that can bring an employee into a position where they can do their job correctly, effectively, and conscientiously. Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skill of an employee for doing a particular job. Some of the common types of training are-
Figure: Types of training
1. Induction training:
Also known as orientation training given for the new recruits in order to make them familiarize with the internal environment of an organization. It helps the employees to understand the procedures, code of conduct, policies existing in that organization.
2. Job instruction training:
This training provides an overview about the job and experienced trainers demonstrates the entire job. Addition training is offered to employees after evaluating their performance if necessary.
3. Vestibule training:
It is the training on actual work to be done by an employee but conducted away from the work place.
4. Refresher training:
This type of training is offered in order to incorporate the latest development in a particular field. This training is imparted to upgrade the skills of employees. This training can also be used for promoting an employee.
5. Apprenticeship training:
Apprentice is a worker who spends a prescribed period of time under a supervisor.
Methods of Training and Development
The methods of training and development are broadly divided into two categories. Such methods are discussed below-
Figure: Methods of training and development
On-the-job training methods are as follows:
Under this method, the employees are trained when they are working on the job. Different methods of the on the job training methods are discussed below-
1. Job rotation:
This training method involves movement of trainee from one job to another gain knowledge and experience from different job assignments. This method helps the trainee understand the problems of other employees.
2. Coaching:
Under this method, the trainee is placed under a particular supervisor who functions as a coach in training and provides feedback to the trainee. Sometimes the trainee may not get an opportunity to express his ideas.
3. Job instructions:
Also known as step-by-step training in which the trainer explains the way of doing the jobs to the trainee and in case of mistakes, corrects the trainee.
4. Committee assignments:
A group of trainees are asked to solve a given organizational problem by discussing the problem. This helps to improve team work.
5. Internship training:
Under this method, instructions through theoretical and practical aspects are provided to the trainees. Usually, students from the engineering and commerce colleges receive this type of training for a small stipend.
Off-the-job Methods:
Under this methods of training which are adopted for the development of employees away from the field of the job are known as off-the-job methods. The following are some of the off-the-job techniques:
1. Case study method:
Usually case study deals with any problem confronted by a business which can be solved by an employee. The trainee is given an opportunity to analyse the case and come out with all possible solutions. This method can enhance analytic and critical thinking of an employee.
2. Incident method:
Incidents are prepared on the basis of actual situations which happened in different organizations and each employee in the training group is asked to make decisions as if it is a real-life situation. Later on, the entire group discusses the incident and takes decisions related to the incident on the basis of individual and group decisions.
3. Role play:
In this case also a problem situation is simulated asking the employee to assume the role of a particular person in the situation. The participant interacts with other participants assuming different roles. The whole play will be recorded and trainee gets an opportunity to examine their own performance.
4. In-basket method:
The employees are given information about an imaginary company, its activities and products, HR employed and all data related to the firm. The trainee (employee under training) has to make notes, delegate tasks and prepare schedules within a specified time. This can develop situational judgments and quick decision making skills of employees.
5. Business games:
According to this method the trainees are divided into groups and each group has to discuss about various activities and functions of an imaginary organization. They will discuss and decide about various subjects like production, promotion, pricing etc. This gives result in co-operative decision making process.
6. Grid training:
It is a continuous and phased programme lasting for six years. It includes phases of planning development, implementation and evaluation. The grid takes into consideration parameters like concern for people and concern for people.
7. Lectures:
This will be a suitable method when the numbers of trainees are quite large. Lectures can be very much helpful in explaining the concepts and principles very clearly, and face to face interaction is very much possible.
8. Simulation:
Under this method an imaginary situation is created and trainees are asked to act on it. For e.g., assuming the role of a marketing manager solving the marketing problems or creating a new strategy etc.
9. Management education:
At present universities and management institutes gives great emphasis on management education. For e.g, Mumbai University has started bachelors and postgraduate degree in Management. Many management Institutes provide not only degrees but also hands on experience having collaboration with business concerns.
10. Conferences:
A meeting of several people to discuss any subject is called conference. Each participant contributes by analysing and discussing various issues related to the topic. Everyone can express their own view point.
Process/ Procedure for effective Training
The training process involves certain steps to be followed to become effective. Such training procedures are discussed below-
Figure: Training process
1. Identifying Training Needs:
Training need is a difference between standard performance and actual performance. Hence, it tries to bridge the gap between standard performance and actual performance. The gap clearly underlines the need for training of employees. Hence, under this phase, the gap is identified in order to assess the training needs.
2. Establish Specific Objectives:
After the identification of training needs, the most crucial task is to determine the objectives of training. Hence, the primary purpose of training should focus to bridge the gap between standard performance and actual performance. This can be done through setting training objectives. Thus, basic objective of training is to bring proper match between man and the job.
3. Select Appropriate Methods:
Training methods are desired means of attaining training objectives. After the determination of training needs and specification of objectives, an appropriate training method is to be identified and selected to achieve the stated objectives. There are number of training methods available but their suitability is judged as per the need of organizational training needs.
4. Implement Programs:
After the selection of an appropriate method, the actual functioning takes place. Under this step, the prepared plans and programs are implemented to get the desired output. Under it, employees are trained to develop for better performance of organizational activities.
5. Evaluate Program:
It consists of an evaluation of various aspects of training in order to know whether the training program was effective. In other words, it refers to the training utility in terms of effect of training on employees’ performance.
6. Feedback:
Finally, a feedback mechanism is created in order to identify the weak areas in the training program and improve the same in future. For this purpose, information relating to class room, food, lodging etc., are obtained from participants. The obtained information, then, evaluated, and analysed in order to mark weak areas of training programs and for future improvements.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- TRAINING IS A HIGHLY USEFUL TOOL THAT CAN BRING AN EMPLOYEE INTO A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB CORRECTLY, EFFECTIVELY, AND CONSCIENTIOUSLY. TRAINING IS THE ACT OF INCREASING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL OF AN EMPLOYEE FOR DOING A PARTICULAR JOB.
- DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAINING ARE CATEGORISED AS ON THE JOB TRAINING AND OFF THE JOB TRAINING.
Career development involves those personal improvements that a person undertakes to achieve a personal career plan. Career management is the process of designing and implementing goals, plans and strategies to enable the organisation, to satisfy employee needs while allowing individuals to achieve their career goals. The career development involves the process of conversion of personal career plan into action in order to achieve career goals. There are three key heroes who share responsibility for an employee’s career development- the employee, the organisation, and the manager.
The following are the career development actions-
Figure: Career development actions
1. Performance of the job- In career development progress an individual employee must prove that his performance on the job is upto the standard established.
2. Employee exposure- The employees interrupting in their career groups should expose it by their skills, knowledge qualification, achievement outstanding performance etc. to the staff members to take the decision about the career development elsewhere.
3. Resignation by the employee- The employees may resign the present job in the organization, when they get better career opportunities elsewhere.
4. Change the Job- Employees those who have better career prospects in some other job in the some organizations, such employees may change the job.
5. Career guidance and counselling- It provides full information, proper advice and encouragement to move from one career to other better career in the same organization or in some other organization where better career opportunities are available.
Steps/techniques in Career Development
The tools and techniques of career development system are discussed below-
Figure: Career development techniques
1. Self-Assessment Tools:
This is the first technique that is widely used by organizations in their efforts to career management of their employees. This is a career exploration tool where individuals complete self- assessment exercises and fill information about their skills, interests, competencies, work attitudes and preferences, long and short term goals and obstacles and opportunities. The whole exercise helps them understand their own desires and aspirations and likes and dislikes.
2. Career Planning Workshops:
Once employees are through their self- assessment, they share their findings with other individuals and their supervisors in career-planning workshops. It allows them to receive feedback from others and check the reality of their plans and aspirations. They may change their plans if they find them unrealistic and move in new direction.
3. Individual Counselling:
It is one of the most common activities that are undertaken by almost all people developing organizations. Generally, individual counseling is provided by career development specialists, HR specialists or life skills development trainers. Some organizations hire them from outside while some have their own fully fledged departments where they recruit and hire trainers for full time. It helps employees in understanding their own goals, making a change in them if required and working on improving their skills and competencies.
4. Organizational Assessment Programs:
Organizational assessment programs include tools and methods for evaluating employees’ potential for growth within the organization. Johnson &, Johnson is one company that uses these programs to assess the careers of their employees and evaluate their potential in order to facilitate the staffing and development of special teams known as “tiger teams”. These special teams are formed to speed up the development of new products. The most popular programs under this category include assessment centers, psychological testing, 360 degree appraisal, promotability forecasts and succession planning.
5. Developmental Programs:
Developmental programs are used by an organization to develop their employees for future positions. They can be internal as well as external and can be performed under the supervision of human resource staff or trainers and specialists from outside. These programs include assessment centers, job rotation programs, tuition refund plans, internal training programs, external training seminars and formal mentoring programs.
Stages of Career Development
The career development process involves the following steps-
Figure: Career development process
1. Identifying Career Needs:
Some large organizations have assessment centres or conduct career development workshops wherein a group of employees are brought together to undergo psychological testing, simulation exercises, and depth interviews. This process helps the employee to make a decision regarding career goals and the steps to be taken to put efforts to attain these goals. The HR manager also plays an important role of providing information and assistance in making decisions about the career needs of the employee.
2. Developing Career Opportunities:
Career opportunities are identified through job analysis. The manager should identify career path for employees in the organization. He/she should discuss with the employees what jobs are available in the organizational hierarchy and at the same time find where the employee would want to go up in the organization in future. The employees should be provided information regarding job postings that are available in the organization and, for future reference, what requirements they will have to fulfill to achieve the promotion which they aspire.
3. Integration of Employee Needs with Career Opportunities:
It is necessary to align the needs and aspirations of the employees with career opportunities in order to ensure right people will be available to meet the organizational manpower requirements. Therefore, emphasis is placed on the training, on- and off-the-job, counselling and coaching by supervisor, and planned rotation in positions of varying functions and in different locations. The process is pursued further with the help of periodic performance appraisals. Training and counselling will be a wasteful exercise if the employee does not make progress along his/her career path.
4. Regular Monitoring:
It is necessary to regularly monitor the progress of the employee towards his/her career development plans and see that the support is being provided to develop those career plans. If there is a discrepancy, steps should be taken to reassign work as necessary to ensure that career development plans are met. In situations where career opportunities are not available due to influence of technology and economic factors, the organization should redesign jobs or make career shifts.
Advantages and Limitations of Career Development
Benefits of career development
The benefits of career development actions are discussed below-
a) Benefits of a Career Development System to Organization:
1. Once organization has a fair idea about employee’s strengths and weaknesses, attitude and behaviour, values and future aspirations and skills and competencies, they are able to make better use of employee skills and put them at the right place.
2. The organization can disseminate all important details and information at all organizational levels in order to ensure effective communication at all levels. It fosters and lays emphasis on better communication within the organization as a whole.
3. It also helps organization retain valued employees by providing them what they want. Since the organization is able to collect all necessary information about a specific individual, it can make efforts to retain them.
4. It establishes a reputation of the organization in the market. More and more working professionals see it as a people developer and get attracted towards it.
b) Benefits of a Career Development System to Employees:
1. The major benefit of career development system to employees is that they get helpful assistance and guidance with their career decisions. They get to know about their own aspirations, objectives and desires and understand how to shape their career.
2. By using this system, they can set more realistic goals and objectives that are feasible to be accomplished over the span of one’s life.
3. It fosters better communication between the employee and the manager as well as at all levels of the organization.
4. The best part is that they can get feedback on their performance. This helps them improve their working style and compels them to upgrade their skills.
5. The process leads to job enrichment and enhanced job satisfaction.
c) Benefits of a Career Development System to Managers/Supervisors:
1. A career development system helps managers and supervisors in improving and upgrading their skills in order to manage their own career. Even they get to where they are heading to and what their aspirations are.
2. It fosters better communication between managers and employees.
3. It helps them in retaining valued employees as they get to know about their skills and competencies and future aspirations as well.
4. It helps in discussing productive performance appraisal of employees and planning their promotions as well as their career graph.
5. It leads to greater understanding of the organization as a whole and cultivate a supportive and conducive culture in the organization.
6. It helps managers in understanding the hidden aspects of employees and guides them to allocate employees the right job that matches to their skills and competencies.
Career Development Cycle
Career development refers to those personal improvements which one undertakes to achieve a personal career plan. The elements of career development cycle are discussed below-
Figure: Career development cycle
1. Exploration:
The exploratory stage is the period of transition from college to work, that is, the period immediately prior to employment. It is usually the period of one’s early 20 s and ends by mid-20 s. It is a stage of self-exploration and making preliminary choices.
2. Establishment:
This career stage begins when one starts seeking for work. It includes getting one’s first job. Hence, during this stage, one is likely to commit mistakes; one has also the opportunities to learn from such mistakes and may also assume greater responsibilities. He/ she accepts job challenges and develops competence in a speculating area. He/she develops creativity and rotates into a new area after three-five years.
3. Mid-Career:
During this stage, the performance may increase or decrease or may remain constant. While some employees may reach their goals at the early stage and may achieve greater heights, some may be able just to maintain their performance. While the former may be called ‘climbers’, the later ones are not very ambitious though competent otherwise. During this stage, an employee tries to update himself/herself technically and develops skills in coaching others. He/she may rotate into a new job requiring new skills.
4. Late Career:
This stage is usually a pleasant one because during this stage, the employee neither tries to learn new things nor tries to improve his/her performance over that of previous years. He/she takes advantage of and depends on his/her reputation and enjoys playing the role of an elderly statesperson. He/she may shift from a power role to one of consultation. He/she starts identifying and developing successors and may also start activities outside the organisation.
5. Decline:
Since it is the final stage of one’s career, it ends in the retirement of the employee after putting up decades of service full of continuous achievements and success stories. As such, it is viewed as a hard stage.
Career Counselling and Self Development
Career counselling is the process of discussing with employees their current job activities/performance, their personal and career interest and goals, their personal skills and appropriate career development activities. Career counselling is usually voluntary. Career counselling may be provided by HR managers, line managers, specialized staff counsellors or consultants outside the organization. Career Counselling has to do with knowing their interest, selection of their subject, formation of their study habit and make them progress in those subject and activities and attain the ultimate aim of getting good career as per their wish. It is concerned primarily with helping the individual to make decisions and choices involved in planning for future and to form career decisions and choice necessary in affecting career adjustment.
Features of Counselling
a) Counselling is interviewing the person being counselled and helping to solve his problems through human approach of sharing and guidance.
b) Counselling is sitting down in private setting for an open discussion with an employee. Sometimes it is to pay a sincere compliment, sometimes it is to solve a problem that is hurting productivity/effectiveness, sometimes it is because an employee violated your discipline line and you need to talk about improvement in his behaviour.
c) It is communicating one to one, in private. It is interviewing- it's a two way dialogue and not one way sermonizing or advising.
d) It is encouraging the other person to talk about himself so that the problem and its reasons emerge clearly and solutions can be worked out.
e) In an organization, counselling can be done by the team leader, supervisor or manager or one can seek the expertise and assistance of an in-house or external professional counsellor.
Objectives of counselling
(i) Counselling is an exchange of ideas and feelings between two persons.
(ii) It is concerned with both personal and work problems.
(iii) Counselling may be performed by both professionals and non-professionals.
(iv)Counselling is usually confidential so as to have free talk and discussion.
(v) It tries to improve organisational performance by helping the employees to cope with their problems.
Types of career/employee counselling
Different types of career counselling are discussed below-
1. Directive Counselling:
It is full counselling. It is the process of listening to an employee’s problem, deciding with the employee what should be done and telling and motivating the employee to do it. This type of counselling mostly does the function of advice, reassurance and communication. It may also perform other functions of counselling.
2. Non-Directive Counselling:
In non-directive counselling, the employee is permitted to have maximum freedom in determining the course of the interview. It is the process of skilfully listening and encouraging a counselee to explain troublesome problems, understand them and determine appropriate solutions. Fundamentally, the approach is to listen, with understanding and without criticism or appraisal, to the problem as it is described by the employee.
3. Cooperative Counselling:
Is the process in which both the councillor and client mutually cooperate to solve the problems of the client. It is not neither wholly client cantered nor wholly counsellor cantered but it is cantered both councillor and client equally. It is defined as mutual discussion of an employee’s emotional problem to set up conditions and plans of actions that will remedy it. This form of counselling appears to be more suitable to managerial attitude and temperament in our country.
4. Participative Counselling:
Participative is a counsellor-counselee relationship that establishes a cooperative exchange of ideas to help solve an employee’s problems. It is neither wholly counsellor cantered nor wholly counselee-cantered. Counsellor and counselee mutually apply their different knowledge, perceptions, skills, perspectives and values to problem into the problems and find solutions.
5. Desensitization:
According to Desensitization, once an individual is shocked in a particular situation, he/she gives himself/herself no chance for the situation to recur. This method can be used to overcome avoidance reactions, so as to improve the emotional weak spots. If an employee is once shocked by the behaviour, approach or action of his superior, he would continue to avoid that superior.
6. Catharsis:
Discharge of emotional tensions can be called catharsis. A Catharsis is an emotional discharge through which one can achieve a state of moral or spiritual renewal or achieve a state of liberation from anxiety and stress.
7. Insight:
Insight is the ability to acquire a new accurate awareness or comprehension about a thing or person. Insight therapy is a type of therapy that helps the employee to understand how events in the past are negatively influencing the current thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. This type of treatment can be quite empowering for employees, because it is identifying the source of their problems. Identifying the reasons for low self-esteem, insecurity, depression, anxiety, etc., is the first step towards resolving those conflicts and issues.
8. Developing the New Patterns:
Developing new patterns becomes very often necessary when other methods to deal with weak spots remain ineffective. In order to develop new, more satisfying emotional reactions, the individual needs to expose himself to situations where he can experience positive feelings. The manager who deals with such individuals may motivate or instigate them to put themselves into such situations, so that their self-confidence may increase.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- CAREER DEVELOPMENT INVOLVES THOSE PERSONAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT A PERSON UNDERTAKES TO ACHIEVE A PERSONAL CAREER PLAN. CAREER MANAGEMENT IS THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING GOALS, PLANS AND STRATEGIES TO ENABLE THE ORGANISATION, TO SATISFY EMPLOYEE NEEDS WHILE ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO ACHIEVE THEIR CAREER GOALS.
Case study
Nestle is world’s leading food company, with a 135-year history and operations in virtually every country in the world. Nestle’s principal assets are not office buildings, factories, or even brands. Rather, it is the fact that they are a global organization comprised of many nationalities, religions, and ethnic backgrounds all working together in one single unifying corporate culture.
Culture at Nestle and Human Resources Policy
Nestle culture unifies people on all continents. The most important parts of Nestle’s business strategy and culture are the development of human capacity in each country where they operate. Learning is an integral part of Nestle’s culture. This is firmly stated in The Nestle Human Resources Policy, a totally new policy that encompasses the guidelines that constitute a sound basis for efficient and effective human resource management. People development is the driving force of the policy, which includes clear principles on non-discrimination, the right of collective bargaining as well as the strict prohibition of any form of harassment. The policy deals with recruitment, remuneration and training and development and emphasizes individual responsibility, strong leadership and a commitment to life-long learning as required characteristics for Nestle managers.
Training Programs at Nestle
The willingness to learn is therefore an essential condition to be employed by Nestle. First and foremost, training is done on-the-job. Guiding and coaching is part of the responsibility of each manager and is crucial to make each one progress in his/her position. Formal training programs are generally purpose-oriented and designed to improve relevant skills and competencies. Therefore they are proposed in the framework of individual development programs and not as a reward.
Literacy Training
Most of Nestle’s people development programs assume a good basic education on the part of employees. However, in a number of countries, we have decided to offer employees the opportunity to upgrade their essential literacy skills. A number of Nestle companies have therefore set up special programs for those who, for one reason or another, missed a large part of their elementary schooling. These programs are especially important as they introduce increasingly sophisticated production techniques into each country where they operate. As the level of technology in Nestle factories has steadily risen, the need for training has increased at all levels. Much of this is on-the-job training to develop the specific skills to operate more advanced equipment. But it’s not only new technical abilities that are required. It’s sometimes new working practices. For example, more flexibility and more independence among work teams are sometimes needed if equipment is to operate at maximum efficiency.
“Sometimes we have debates in class and we are afraid to stand up. But our facilitators tell us to stand up because one day we might be in the parliament!” (Maria Modiba, Production line worker, Babelegi factory, Nestle South Africa).
Nestle Apprenticeship Program
Apprenticeship programs have been an essential part of Nestle training where the young trainees spent three days a week at work and two at school. Positive results observed but some of these soon ran into a problem. At the end of training, many students were hired away by other companies which provided no training of their own.
“My two elder brothers worked here before me. Like them, for me the Nestle Apprenticeship Program in Nigeria will not be the end of my training but it will provide me with the right base for further advancement. We should have more apprentices here as we are trained so well!” (John Edobor Eghoghon, Apprentice Mechanic, Agbara Factory, Nestle Nigeria)
“It’s not only a matter of learning bakery; we also learn about microbiology, finance, budgeting, costs, sales, how to treat the customer, and so on. That is the reason I think that this is really something that is going to give meaning to my life. It will be very useful for everything.” (Jair Andres Santa, Apprentice Baker, La Rosa Factory Dosquebradas, Nestle Columbia).
Local Training
Two-thirds of all Nestle employees work in factories, most of which organize continuous training to meet their specific needs. In addition, a number of Nestle operating companies run their own residential training centers. The result is that local training is the largest component of Nestle’s people development activities worldwide and a substantial majority of the company’s 240000 employees receive training every year. Ensuring appropriate and continuous training is an official part of every manager’s responsibilities and, in many cases; the manager is personally involved in the teaching. For this reason, part of the training structure in every company is focused on developing managers own coaching skills. Additional courses are held outside the factory when required, generally in connection with the operation of new technology.
The variety of programs is very extensive. They start with continuation training for ex-apprentices who have the potential to become supervisors or section leaders, and continue through several levels of technical, electrical and maintenance engineering as well as IT management. The degree to which factories develop “home-grown” specialists varies considerably, reflecting the availability of trained people on the job market in each country. On-the-job training is also a key element of career development in commercial and administrative positions. Here too, most courses are delivered in-house by Nestle trainers but, as the level rises, collaboration with external institutes increases.
International Training
Nestle’s success in growing local companies in each country has been highly influenced by the functioning of its International Training Centre, located near company’s corporate headquarters in Switzerland. For over 30 years, the Rive-Reine International Training Centre has brought together managers from around the world to learn from senior Nestle managers and from each other.Country managers decide who attends which course, although there is central screening for qualifications, and classes are carefully composed to include people with a range of geographic and functional backgrounds. Typically a class contains 15—20 nationalities. The Centre delivers some 70 courses, attended by about 1700 managers each year from over 80 countries. All course leaders are Nestle managers with many years of experience in a range of countries. Only 25% of the teaching is done by outside professionals, as the primary faculty is the Nestle senior management. The programs can be broadly divided into two groups:
- Management courses: these account for about 66% of all courses at Rive-Reine. The participants have typically been with the company for four to five years. The intention is to develop a real appreciation of Nestle values and business approaches. These courses focus on internal activities.
- Executive courses: these classes often contain people who have attended a management course five to ten years earlier. The focus is on developing the ability to represent Nestle externally and to work with outsiders. It emphasizes industry analysis, often asking: “What would you do if you were a competitor?”
References
- Personnel and Human Resource Management – A M Sharma (Himalaya Publishing House)
- Personnel Management and Industrial Relations- R S Davar (Vikas Publishing House)
- Human Resource Development and Management- Biswanath Ghosh (Vikas Publishing House)
- Personnel Management – C.B. Mamaria, S V Gankar (Himalaya Publishing House)
- Human Resource Management – AShwathappa
