Importance of Training and Development in the Workplace

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 20UCO6DE2A Dr. J. Mohamed Sharif Assistant Professor of Commerce (SF-Men) Jamal Mohamed College, Trichy-20

Meaning of Training It is gaining of knowledge, skill and competency as a result of guiding or teaching which increases work efficiency and improves productivity.

Definition of Training According to Edwin B Flippo, "Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job". In the words of Dale S. Beach training is "the organized procedure by which people learn knowledge and / or skill for a definite purpose".

Elements of Training Training is composed of a number of elements. The three most important elements of training are: Purpose Place Time

Elements of Training (i) Purpose It provides the reason for providing training to the employees. All work is done obviously for a purpose and in this context, it enables the employees to perform better. The main reason for providing training and the benefits to be expected should be known in advance to the employees.

Elements of Training (ii) Place The venue of training is very important. It depends upon the nature of training, duration of training, or the method, whether it is on-the-job training or off-the-job training method. The venue should be fully equipped with all modern gadgets and convenient to get full attention of the trainees.

Elements of Training (iii) Time The timing of training should not be very early or quite late. It should be provided at the appropriate time so as to equip the employees to excel in actual work. Also, the duration of training should not be very short or too long.

Benefits of Training Improved job satisfaction and high morale among employees Lesser supervision Fewer accidents Scope for promotion Increased productivity Use of latest technology Training reduces cost of production

Improved job satisfaction and high morale among employees: Training ensures that employees get job security and job satisfaction. The more satisfied an employee is, the greater is his morale. He will contribute significantly to the organizational growth that will reduce employee absenteeism and turnover.

Lesser supervision A well trained employee will be fully aware of the requirements of the job and needs less supervision. Thus, less resources and manpower are required in managing employees. The span of control will be more and there is better supervision and control.

Fewer accidents The more trained an employee is, the occurrence of accidents in the job is less. The employees become fully capable of performing their jobs effectively. Thus, work related accidents are reduced and there is effective utilization of resources. When the resources are utilized properly, there is increased production, paving way for organizational growth.

Scope for promotion Employees acquire the skill and knowledge for efficient performance in work after undergoing the training which enhances their chances of promotion. They become a valuable asset for the organization.

Increased productivity Training improves efficiency and productivity of the employees. The reduction in wastage of resources and increased output are achieved as a result of training. There is also increased efficiency level as a result of training.

Use of latest technology Training in new technologies and methods makes employees equipped in handling their job confidently. It creates positive attitude in the minds of the employees.

Training reduces cost of production As training ensures increased productivity and less wastage of raw materials, the overall cost of production of a product or service becomes less for an organisation which increases its profit and speeds up its growth.

Meaning of Development Development refers to the creation of opportunities for the employees to grow. It is long-term or futuristic in nature in contrast to training, which is short-term and focuses on the job in which the employees are currently employed. So development is concerned with preparing an employee for future assignments and responsibilities.

Significance of Development All development programmes are organized in order to achieve specific objectives and goals. No organization can afford to ignore it. Organizations have realized the role of development and its importance for growth. Development is required for the following reasons:

To give a face-lift to the management culture. To improve individual performance by stimulating creative thinking. To understand the problems of human relations and improve human relation skills. To understand the conceptual issues relating to economic, social and technical areas. To broaden the outlook of employees and equip them to take up future roles and responsibilities. To present an overall view of the functions carried on in an organization.

Aspects of Development The common features of development are: Organizational Development Supervisory Development Team Building Personal Development Management development

Organizational Development All organizations face drastic changes constantly. One prime reason for this is globalization and rapid global advancement in Information Technology. Globalisation has introduced new markets and offered more opportunities for growth. The diverse global markets have a variety of needs and requirements. This has to be understood in order to maintain a good customer relationship and ensure greater customer satisfaction.

Supervisory Development Supervisory development is an attempt to improve the employee's capacity to be a leader or supervisor in future. Supervision often includes practising basic management skills, organizing teams, noticing the need for and designing new job roles, hiring and training be of new employees, monitoring performance management and ensuring policies of the organisation and internal regulations are adhered to.

Team Building The employees must understand the basic nature of groups, their typical stages of development and how to support such groups to evolve through the early stages. The understanding, along with the guidelines, helps the facilitator of a team to support the team and fully enable them to develop.

Personal Development The focus is on resources for personal, professional and organizational development. At the core of these is personal development. Without personal development, it's difficult to sustain professional and organizational development. It is a lifelong process and a good yardstick for measuring one's own skills and qualities.

Management Development Management Development is an effort (planned in nature) that enhances the manger's capacity to manage organizations (or oneself). Simply put, managing includes activities of planning, organizing, leading and coordinating resources. A critical skill for anyone is the ability to manage their own learning.

Training Vs Development Training Development Training imparts skills and knowledge for performing the current job and enhances skills performing the job Development refers to the growth of an employee in prepares him / her for handling future responsibilities challenges all respects and required for It is a short-term perspective .It is a long-term perspective Training is job-oriented in nature Development is career oriented in nature Training imparts technical skills Development conceptual skills enables learning The programme background participants of from a training functional The participants of a development programme are managerial background are invariably from Training focuses on toning the existing skills Development focuses on bringing out the hidden qualities and talents Training apprenticeship, coaching, etc. methods include Development rotation, brainstorming, sensitivity training, etc. methods lectures, include role job play,