Introduction
Giving workers the right training makes them more productive on the job. Knowing the right training needs for workers and making them to undergo them will boost workers competency, confidence and skills in delivering efficient and effective performances. Training can either be on-the-job or off-the-job. On-the-job training entails that workers will continuing their tasks while in addition they undergo the training. On the other hand, off-the-job training entails that the worker will not be on his work station or on his/her desk while undertaking the training. This type of training could be training at seminars, workshops, conferences or training institutions etc.
Identified performance gap
Using the case of International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation, the practice of effective communication and teamwork is identified as a performance gap. Hence to address this on-the-job training is recommended. Here, the democratic leadership style should be emphasized and practiced to some greater extend. This will encourage members of the organization to contribute individual inputs and teamwork is encouraged.
A well coordinated and developed team helps in increased in productivity and also enable rapid attainment of targets and organization’s set goals. In this view, an IDC report has shown that high team’s skill is the most important factor for decisive success for IT organizations or projects (IBM, 2010).
Effective communication is germane for the growth of the IBM Corporation. Workers that communicate effectively can work as a team in attaining the corporation’s set objectives and goals.
Recommended training to address performance gap
A team is usually comprised of a leader; he/she has the task of directing other members of the team on the best way to accomplish assigned tasks.
Teamwork, sometimes referred to as espirit-de-corp, becomes an essential factor in accomplishing goals and objectives the organization has set. Then as an organization operating in the IT and hardware industry, IBM needs a formidable team where communication is encouraged and effectively utilized in simplifying tasks and delegating functions as the team moves to attain those set targets and objectives. Some tasks have varied specifications. Hence, they cannot be accomplished individually, but need team efforts. Therefore, using training sessions to instill effective communication and teamwork to effortlessly achieve this set of tasks is very germane.
Furthermore, the recommended training session to address the performance gap in teamwork and effective communication in IBM should set tasks for the workers who are divided in teams. They will be assessed based on the set objectives and targets assigned to them. Each team is anticipated to realize the assigned task. Thus, how effectively each team could accomplish such task would be a criteria to evaluate them as having passed in the training. It is significant that this model of training should encourage high level of communication among team members. In addition, the teams during the training sessions should be assessed based on how efficiently and effectively they utilize assigned resources in meeting set targets.
When incoming staff are recruited they should be made to undergo training for them to master the job.
The way to identify that workers are in dire needs of training, it is when they productivity is becoming low.
The importance of human resource in an organization means that management of organization should plan for them to be well compensated. Hence, selecting the best candidate for the personal assistant job and applying adequate incentives to motivate the right candidate will bring about increased productivity and cause the organization to attain its objective.
According to Heller (2006), the IBM leadership is based on teamwork and consensus whereby to encourage the membership and management in serving the organization: it is not the other way round. If the leader's weaknesses endanger the long-term interests of the corporation, he is swiftly dispatched: preferably, before lasting damage has been done, and not afterwards. IBM Global Services has developed, planned, and delivered a tailored management course for more than 100 managers in the Nordic SAP organization. The education combines e-learning with traditional classroom sessions. The courses have the clear objective of developing general leadership skills and competencies (IBM, 2006).
The management of IBM should train and develop human resource to make them attain the organizational goals and work effectively towards contributing to the growth of the organization in contemporary times has taken a new dimension from the traditional way of personnel management. Human resource is considered as the most valuable resources in the organization; without which other resources cannot be coordinated and utilized to the optimal use of the organization. The formation of effective relationship with workers and enabling a working environment where there is informal relationship goes a long way to motivating workers to performance. According to Farrazzi & Gatti (2007), “developing deep, genuine relationships- both internally among co-workers is one of the most important skills need for performance in workplace” Thus, Human Resource Development (HRD) is a vital process used in contemporary times to make an organization Human resource inapt and adequately equipped to face the challenges of the time. To address the training performance gap in IBM, workers should be allowed to establish targets for which they should be encouraged to achieve within the effort of working as a team. In addition communication from management to bottom level staff should be unobstructed and be clear with encouragement for feedbacks. According to Wilson (1999, p. 27), “An alignment between strategy and training and development is now commonly regarded as a good business sense in all corners of the globe”. This is more adduced to the limited resources and finance to aid an organization in the attainment of its goal. Thus, the IBM human resources development and training will enable the organization to attain effectively set goals in the most efficient way.
Conclusion
While human resource in organization is very important for the attainment of organization growth, it has been shown in this essay that training of staff enables quick realization of this growth and brings about higher productivity. The identified performance gap in effective communication and teamwork in IBM can be addressed when training sessions encourage top to bottom communication in the establishment and training of workers in their different teams are encouraged to imbibe close communication, set targets that they will joyfully attain with incentive for encouraging better performance.
References
Ferrazzi, Keith. & Gatti, Lisa. (2007). “The Human Element of Successful Training” June Volume 61, 6c ABI/ INFORM Global P. 68
Hussey, D. (1995). “Human Resources: Strategic Audit” In International Review of Strategic Management Vol. 6 Pp. 157-195.
IBM. (2006). “SAP Nordic” http://www-304.ibm.com/jct03001c/services/learning/ites.wss/zz/en?pageType=page&c=a0001195 (1 December, 2006)
IBM. (2010). “IBM Training News” http://www.ibm.com/vrm/bin/tools/linkTrack.cgi?prospect (27 Nov. 2013)
Wilson, John, P. (1999). Human Resource Development: Learning and Training for Individuals and Organizations London: Kagan Page