The ever changing environment of doing work has placed quite a number of new demands on the workforce in various organizations and thus so as to keep pace with competition between both local and international organizations, managers have seen it necessary to adopt work-related training for their employees. This is important in ensuring the workers obtain the skills for the successful fulfillment of their duties. Workplace learning has thus been seen as not only essential in the realization of short term objectives but also in the achievement of long term strategies. It refers to the burgeoning inter-disciplinary field which consists of management theory and practice, organizational and individual learning, both formal and informal learning, education, training and development that is undertaken within the work environs.
Encourage a learning environment
(PC 1.1) Why should organisations spend valuable time and resources to support workplace learning opportunities?
Workplace learning is an initiative that helps in equipping workers with skills to be able to deal with new challenges with confidence, to be able to use newer technologies and also help them in handling senior organizational roles when assigned or delegated. In addition to benefiting the individual employee by imparting in him or her new skills and competencies, workplace learning also brings gains to the business organization. It leads to increased productivity, improves the morale of employees and thus increases their loyalty to the organization.
(PC 1.2) Briefly discuss the benefits of individual and team learning plans
Career development occurs as a result of adopting the initiative of workplace learning. Managers can able to determine the future prospects of their staff with regard to where they wish to be several years later and offer them the necessary skills to achieve this. This can be positioned in a way that is in line with organizational objectives as well as the route the business intends to pursue in the future. The organization will become the preferred employer of choice in the long run and thus high quality of workers applying for consideration coupled with much higher levels of staff retention. Job satisfaction because of this initiative together with increase in productivity will benefit the organization. In the case of retiring employees, learning and development will enable other staff to take the senior roles and thus a reduction in the costs of recruitment and training of new workers.
(PC 1.3) Comment on the following statement. “Develop strategies to ensure learning plans reflect the diversity of needs.”
Training consultants and specialists help in employee learning and development by mentoring them and coaching them with the aim of improving their competencies, performance, behaviours and skills. Before undertaking the process of workplace learning, the management should have looked at the organizational situation with regard to such matters as diversity of needs so as to structure the learning process to be aligned with it. The nature of the organization will determine the required type of learning and how the same is perceived by workers.
(PC 1.4) Comment on the following statement. “Individuals and teams should be encouraged access to, and participation in learning opportunities.” Why?
Workplace learning opportunities benefits an individual through career development, development of skills, and thus the ability to handle new challenges and to be competent enough to assume senior roles in the future. As a team it is essential to undertake the initiative for the same benefits as an individual as well as for the benefit of the organization. The organization benefits through increased productivity, team work and staff commitment.
(PC 1.5) Discuss the role of the training consultants and specialists in a workplace learning environment
Training consultants and specialists ensure that workers within the organization undertake self reflection for purposes of systematic self evaluation of their productivity and to enable them evaluate progress in their learning. They offer employees suggestions on how to shape their learning within the workplace. They help, support and provide feedback during the learning process and ensure that the workplace presents an environment that supports learning.
Encourage and promote learning of teams and individuals
(PC 2.1) Briefly research and discuss workplace learning culture
Workplace learning is not just any type of learning; it can either be formal, incidental or informal. An organization’s learning paradigm determines the type and styles of learning within the organization and thus the learning culture. The application of learning and development within the workplace should be linked closely to the learning paradigm of the particular organization. The choice of learning paradigm is however dependent on the strategy, goals, flexibility, ability and willingness to take risks. A workplace learning culture refers to the continuous promotion of learning and development initiatives within the organization with a long term goal in mind. It involves the recognition of learning, training employees about self-education skills, career development, provision of learning resources, and allocation of time, encouragement and learning guidance.
(PC 2.2) Discuss coaching and mentoring for the development of workplace knowledge, skills and attitudes
Coaching is defined as that interactive process which framed in a way that assists in individual development for satisfactory results. These include but are not limited to better decision making, improved goal setting, taking up more roles and full utilization of personal strengths. Mentoring on the other hand is wide in scope and entails the transfer of wisdom, learning, guidance and support for career, personal, life or spiritual growth. The goal of coaching is short term and is useful in helping individuals learn the effective way of doing certain tasks. Mentoring prepares individuals in anticipation that they take up certain roles in the future, either because of promotion or effected changes.
(PC 2.3) How should team members assess their own competencies, and identify their own learning and development needs?
Cross functional teams are important as they help team members assess their competencies and identify their learning and development needs. While in these teams, individuals are able to interact with team members with the result of which are the enhancement of their individual soft skills. These skills include the ability to influence other people, conflict management, effective communication among other related skills. Employees are also able to understand the functioning of an organization’s various departments and thus increased systems’ thinking in how employees handle tasks. Key competencies of other departments, tools and procedures can be studied by all and thus familiarization of professional standards, requirements for certain positions as well as the regulatory framework.
(PC 2.4) Why should individuals share the benefits of their learning?
Project working also influences the development of individual competencies through task enrichment, mutual learning, job rotation and problem solving processes. When individuals share the benefits of their learning it stimulates innovation within the organization as both complementary experiences and skills are merged thus creation of new products. The optimization of the handling of tasks is possible and the maximization of efficiency and speed is also possible because of this initiative.
(PC 2.5) Discuss the pros and cons of the following statement. “Recognise workplace achievement by timely and appropriate recognition, feedback and rewards.”
Timely and appropriate recognition, feedback and rewards would reflect the achievement of the workplace. This is because it details that outcomes are there unlike in a situation where none is forthcoming. Different employees, such as managers receive rewards for having certain unique skills. This is motivational to them. However, the disadvantage of this is that there’s selfishness at the workplace as individuals tend to defend this skill as it offers them the power, influence or their status at the workplace hence protection. This is not good for organizations as it discourages teamwork and cooperation.
Identify opportunities for improvement
(PC 3.1) Briefly discuss the relationship between the philosophy of continuous improvement and assessing and monitoring team and individual performance
Constant assessment and monitoring of team and individual performance is a sure way of ensuring there’s continuous improvement. However, there should be complementarity with the other means of evaluation. In addition, other things such as cultures, procedures and policies should be in line with the aspect of the already conducted learning initiative. How factors in the organization interfere with the successful realization of learning outcomes should be considered and dealt with. Since most of the aspects of workplace learning are informal, constantly assessing employees is a must.
(PC 3.2) Discuss how individuals and teams use feedback to improve future performance
Feedback refers to the process of letting employees know their performance at the workplace on a timely and ongoing basis. Feedback is a vital tool in an organization. It tells one how his or her actions are having an effect on other and informs an individual how another person perceives his or her action thus giving him or her choice for behavioural change. Effective feedback should consist of encouragements and constructive suggestions. So as to improve performance, feedback should be clear, direct and well targeted. It should not be judgmental as this will be helpful as it makes the receiver able to see the necessity of the feedback and its meaning. The timing of giving this feedback should be right. It should be provided at the earliest opportunity after the act has been committed, for example after an assessment or evaluation. It should consider both the giver’s as well as the receiver’s needs.
(PC 3.3) Why do training and development managers need to determine the effectiveness of their training courses/programs?
Training and development managers need to determine the effectiveness of their training courses so as to ensure they are in line with the organization’s objective of career development, equip workers with skills and generally increased employee turnover.
(PC 3.4) Briefly discuss the importance of maintaining records and reports of training and relevant competencies for future planning
For future planning, maintaining records and reports of training and relevant competencies is important especially for an organization that intends to develop workplace learning as a culture. It is of necessity in constant evaluation and assessment of learning outcomes so that in case the same training might be needed in the future it can be easily availed. The records documenting relevant competencies are needed so as to know the workers qualified for certain roles in case of future changes or for purposes of promotion. It is also necessary in identifying mentors in the organization.
In conclusion, as organizations continue to respond to the changes in the global and technological needs of the business environment, there should be increasing need for workplace learning. Such outcomes as increased commitment by workers, positioning of the organization as an employee of choice and increased productivity should be reason enough for organizations to have workplace learning and development as a long term strategy.
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