Communication Plan in the Training
In an attempt to do an overhaul of the organizational systems, an adequate training plan is required. This makes the ultimate result of the training process to be effectively achieved and thus enhance adequate transfer of knowledge. Very proper channels of communication are required in the bid to make a training plan to be effective (Chasen & Putnam, 2012). The main reason for the establishment of proper communication plans is to ensure that each and every member of the organization reaps the maximum benefits out of the training.
Several communication modes can be employed when executing the training plan. First, it is important to ensure that there has been a proper communication via the mails for all the people who are to be involved in the training (Krempl & Pace, 2001). The mails should include the schedules as well as all the relevant stakeholders who are to be part of the training. Essentially, when the schedules are effectively communicated, the trainees will be aware of the need for that training program and will also be very well conversant with the objectives. Consequently, there is the need for circulation of the remainder mails (Pace et al., 2001). This is primarily done by the individual or those individuals who are to oversee the coordination of the training process. The aim of this circulation is to ensure that all the participants attend the training sessions.
Collaboration in the Training Plan Execution
Collaboration is an essential element in the execution of the training plan. For a training activity to be fruitful, it has to bring all involved stakeholders together especially during the planning execution. The training organizers, the trainers as well as the trainees need to be part of this activity right from the word go. Therefore, there is the need for the coordinator to effectively collaborate with all the involved stakeholders and inform them about the pros and cons associated with the training program. There is also the need for the communication of whether the training will be conducted in phases or just in a single sitting. This is done as to ensure that the trainees set their minds appropriately so as to be able to participate fully and grasp something out of the training (Pace et al., 2001).
The entire training plan will be discussed sufficiently and collaborated with those in the higher managerial positions so that they could be abreast with all that is taking place in the training. As soon as the training program has been given a go ahead by those in the higher authority, its execution can commence immediately. This happens by communicating the goals and objectives of the training program to all the stakeholders involved (Pace et al., 2001). There is a need for collaboration amongst all the parties that are involved in the training program. Thus, the project coordinator needs to collaborate effectively with the trainer and the trainees. This is to ensure the trainer keeps updating the trainees on the concepts involved in the training process and also coordinate with the top management functions on the progress of the training.
There is a need for an appropriate communication between the stakeholders that are involved in this training program. Effective communication mechanisms like the application of emails, or sending of SMS can be used (Pace et al., 2001). To enhance collaboration among the members of a training program, there might be the formation of interpersonal groups in the organization so that they can have discussions within themselves on what has been taught at the training forums (Vickery & International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 2011). This ensures that they have completely understood what has been going on in the training forum.
Methods of Training
There are many methods that can be used during training. These methods range from one-to-one, lectures, discussions, brainstorming, demonstration, self-directed learning, case studies, debates, mentoring, in-basket exercises, entertainment/ games, role playing, simulation, panel discussions, assignment of projects, dialog, discussion groups and multimedia.
One-to-one training: this happens to be the best training method because of the personal contact and the interaction that occurs between the trainer and the trainees. This method of training facilitates for immediate feedback. However, it tends to be more expensive when compared to other methods because it requires that every trainee be handled by his/her trainer and sometimes this may not be possible (Shackelford, 2004). .
Discussion groups: in this method of training the trainees are divided into various smaller groups which will then focus on having discussions on specific topics that they are assigned. The different groups may or may not be required to report back to the plenary session.
Brainstorming: Brainstorming is an open expression of the different viewpoints that different individuals have. Brainstorming involves listing down the different ideas in the first place without having to screen them out. After now the discussions have been held, the various ideas are then sieved through and the individuals involved land into a conclusion.
Debates: in debates the two sides of a subject are presented where two defenders defend them. Debates can even occur between more than two debaters but not exceeding a maximum of four. The trainees happen to be the audience who is allowed to ask some questions or even to make some contributions and comments. The aim of the debaters or the debate is to convince the audience (trainees) that their viewpoints are the correct ones (Vickery & International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 2011).
Dialog: dialogs may be applied in one-to-one settings, or they could also be carried out by two or more people in front of the trainees. Demonstration: demonstration is among the best training methods that are most effective. This method involves direct experiencing of those skills that have been taught. This method can be executed in four different ways- the first manner is where the trainer makes an action, he then explains whereas the trainees are observing. The second manner is where the audience (trainees) read out the instructions while the trainer(s) does the actions. The third manner is where the trainer(s) gives the instructions while as the trainee does the actions. The fourth manner is where the audience (trainees) does the actions until they finish and the trainer gives the feedback at the end (Vickery & International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 2011).
Role playing: this is a training method where the trainee plays out the roles that he/she has been assigned by the trainer(s) in given situations. After the trainee has role-played the trainers now make their comments based on their observations. Simulation: this is a close method to role playing. It is a real life situation that is recreated where the observation of the reactions as well as the behaviors of the individuals involved takes place and then criticism. The simulation method is best suited for the crisis management training (Vickery & International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 2011).
The assignment of projects: this is the kind of training that the trainees are assigned some different tasks; they are expected to learn from a practical project where they are guided by the trainer. After they perform the project, they then present it. The trainers and other trainees are given the chance to comment. Entertainment/games: there is a lot of learning that can occur for the young as well as the adults especially at those activities that they consider as entertainment. This is because of the fact that they are relaxed in the informal setting/atmosphere. Training during the entertainment activities is very effective as it helps a great deal in internalization by the trainees. However, this training method may not be too appropriate for the training lessons that require too much concentration (Shackelford, 2004).
Training Plan Execution
Practical training- as soon as there is a theoretical analysis of all the concepts that have been learned during the training, then plans are made on how to apply this theoretical knowledge.
Periodic Assessment- one of the most important elements in a training program involves conducting a periodic assessment of whether the trainees are reaping something substantial out of the training or whether they are not.
Specific Guidelines for training plan execution
There are some set of rules that needs to be followed when conducting a successful training plan execution (Vickery & International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 2011). Below are some of the rules that need to be adhered to while ensuring the training objectives have been achieved;
Use an effective and proper medium for communicating on the important elements of the training.
Ensure the training plan has been designed effectively, and most of all apply an approach referred to as the modular approach.
Ensure there is a periodic assessment.
Ensure you take care of those individuals who are not performing to the expectations (Shackelford, 2004).
Training and Organization Culture
Firms use a lot of money every year for development and training. Institutions also devote most of their resources, including time to enroll their employees to training forums with the aim of impacting their performance. However, a lot of this investment is usually misused on interventions that are ill or poorly planned and implemented processes.
Reasons why training and development fails
In most cases, these trainings end up failing due to one issue or another. One of the factors that can cause training failure is the culture of an organization as well as the trainer. An organization culture is necessary for supporting the learning process during training. However, sometimes culture training may be unsuccessful based on different elements of the firms. Training is essential since it allows employees to improve their skills and knowledge so that they can enhance their performance and contributor to the overall performance of the organization. However, training alone does not amount to an improvement or the anticipated changes. There is much need for organizations to ensure that they frequently evaluate the impacts that training has had as far as the trainee's execution of tasks is concerned. It is very important for organizations to assess whether their employees have incorporated the skills or the tactics that they are always taught during the training sessions. Evaluating whether the attitudes of the trainees has changed is also very important because training is all about effecting change with regards to how issues are handled in an organizational context (Bunch, 2007). In other words, organizational culture is more of what has been done in the organization and not a question of what is being/has been said in the organization. This is what an organizational culture is all about.
The failure to recognize non-training solutions is another reason as to why the training and development fails. This is basically to say that, when the wrong solutions are implemented then we can always expect so little or even no payoff. More often, training is perceived to result in viable solutions for many of the performance-related problems when even it may not be an issue. Training should also not be perceived as one instance or a series of events. The positive impact is always a result of each's behavior change, this having been said; you can bet that it does not come that quickly. Training should not be a single event, like many firms tend to assume, such as the trainees attendance to a one day workshop. You can bet that the training will always bear no fruits and the expected result too slim. It is also very prudent whenever an organization is undertaking a training program to ensure that the training program being undertaken matches the needs of the trainees, there is no need to train people on what they are already good at. That is why there is the need to ensure that the training programs are collaborative undertakings, knowing the areas that the trainees think they should be trained on is vital if at all the training programs are to result in some positive change regarding performance (Bunch, 2007).
My real-situation experience
I had an experience where an organizational training program was unsuccessful. In this case, a bank prepared a training program that was focused on training customer relationship managers dealing with commercial loans to sell and market the bank’s capital market products.
This program had failed because of the organization’s culture, which required that employees could be trained to undertake specific tasks within the organization even if those tasks do not fall under their job specifications. In this case, the relationship managers underwent the training process but did not bring much change to the bank. Minimal change was experienced in the relationship managers’ behavior, and there were not many capital market products sold by the group of employees that were trained.
The relationship managers seemed to understand a little about the capital market products or the way they could sell these products. It appeared that the trainees though they went through the training process they did not learn and acquire all the insight that they were supposed to gain from the training. Also, these trainees did not have any motivating factor like compensations on the extra task they would undertake that could have encouraged them to be interested in gaining the knowledge that they were supposed to learn from the training program (Karve, 2015).
The issue with this training program was with the organization culture and the trainers. The organizational culture needed the relationship managers to undergo training programs and be involved in carrying out extra tasks and responsibilities without being paid for it. The fact that the relationship managers were required to train and undertake additional tasks on what they were originally paid without any compensations or reward made the training program unsuccessful. This unsuccessful event was attributed to the organization not being able to come up with strategic plans to ensure that the culture of the organization is also considered compensation for extra skills and tasks obtained after training (American Society for Training and Development, 2008).
The trainer in this training program was supposed to teach the relationship managers new skills on how to sell other bank’s products other than commercial loans like capital market products. The trainer was also meant to ensure that the trainees are better equipped to take up the new task by the end of the training program as well as encouraging them to take up the new knowledge and apply it where necessary. The content that the trainer was supposed to deliver to the relationship managers was achieved through training sessions that involved three-hour lectures that the trainees took every Saturday. Apart from the lectures, the training was offered through resources such as e-learning materials and books and presentations. The trainer was able to deliver the content within the given time limit. However, the instructor failed to use training technique that would provide the trainees with real life experience that are good for the trainee to gain expertise in the new skills that they are learning. To address this issue, the trainer was supposed to facilitate this training program in a manner that allows the trainees engage themselves in practical settings related to the subject matter. The trainer should have also used better training techniques rather than lectures and the use of teaching materials to enhance the delivery of the necessary content. Training techniques like fieldwork and research, group sessions and discussions would have been appropriate (American Society for Training and Development, 2008).
Considering the way the training was taking place, the trainer was an actual expert on the subject matter. However, his way and techniques of delivering the training were not as effective as they were meant to be. The first thing that this trainer failed to do is to understand the needs as to why the organization needed the training program. The trainer also neglected to use activities that would have reinforced the learning process making it more interesting and exciting to capture the curiosity of the trainees. The trainer also failed to evaluate the trainees to see if they are learning anything from the program. No assessments or tests were done during the training period, making it hard for both the trainees and the trainers to identify if learning was taking place. Though the trainer was an expert in the subject matter that the training program was based on, he failed to use the right techniques to give to the trainees the best learning experience that would have motivated them and made them more interested in the program (Karve, 2015).
Building a successful organization culture
Organizations need to build strong organizational cultures that will ensure that the fruits of the training programs are enjoyed; this will make the training programs shift from being additional costs programs to being resourceful activities that result in improved performance not only by the trainees but also the organization. To build a successful organization culture, institutions need to teach the culture. The most effective way of doing this is to teach the employees who are also the trainees as well as the trainers on what as an organization you are looking for in your culture. This makes it even easier to making it a reality. You need to talk to the employees and the trainers also what it is that as an organization you envision. As far as training is concerned you need to explain to the trainers the objectives of the training programs that you come up with (American Society for Training and Development, 2008).
As an organization you will also need to define what your culture is, that is, how do you do things around your institution. Then you also need to live that culture. For the training programs to work, all the involved individuals need to live the culture. This is beginning with the senior staff and the leaders; these are the people who set the pace for the juniors and the middle-level employees. Training is not an issue of a single event; it is what we see every day that we are at the organization's environment (American Society for Training and Development, 2008).
When we see particular standards been put into practice every day at the workplace, we are more likely to change to the positive even where there are no training forums been put in place. Building a successful organization culture requires that we measure our culture. This involves identifying our key elements of the culture that we desire. We finally need to reward our culture; I mean there should be no single mismatch with what we have put down as an organization and whatever it is that we do (American Society for Training and Development, 2008). Where the organization's culture insinuates that teamwork is basic and vital; we should reward the teams that perform best and meets the organizational objectives. When there are rewards or when what is in the paper is honored then it is a matter of fact that the desired results will be witnessed. There is going to be a desire for positive change; the teams will be willing always to implement the skills that they gained from the training programs. This means that with a positive culture that meets the employees' expectations and needs the training programs will always work for the organization (American Society for Training and Development, 2008).
References
American Society for Training and Development. (2008). Train the Trainer: Training Program-A Compliance of Basic Workplace. Infoline ASTD, 3
Bunch, K.J. (2007). Training Failure as a Consequence of Organization Culture. Human Resource Development Review, 6(2), 142-163
Chasen, E., & Putnam, B. (2012). The manager's communication toolbox. Alexandria, Va.: ASTD.
Karve, S. (2013). Planning and Organizing Training Events. Learning and Development, 30(1308),
Krempl, S., & Pace, R. W. (2001). Training across multiple locations: Developing a system that works. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Pace, R. W., Krempl, S., & Kremple, S. (2001). Training Across Multiple Locations: Developing a System that Works. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Shackelford, B. (2004). Project management training. Alexandria, Va.: ASTD Press.
Vickery, C., & International Foundation for Electoral Systems. (2011). Guidelines for understanding, adjudicating, and resolving disputes in elections. Washington, DC: International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
