Work place Training plan
Work place training becomes essential in situations whereby an employee is performing sub optimally due to a lack of knowledge, skills as well as due to inadequate experience. Work place training is also vital when introducing new work place procedures as well as when orienting an old employee to a new position (Rothwell and Kazanas, 2004). This work place training plan is designed for the former situation whereby a new employee in the position of executive assistant in the Department of Transport is not performing up to par due to developmental problems. The job description for the position of executive assistant is as highlighted below:
Provide confidential secretarial, executive and administrative support to the director and other administrative work which support business activities such as arrange travel and accommodation, meeting, catering, agendas, reports and correspondence.
Liaise with staff, client and representatives of other organization and ensure necessary follow up action is taken.
Implement, maintain and update filing procedure and information management system.
Approve and receipt of invoices for purchases including receipting delivery, reconciling delivery against invoices and purchase order, authorizing or receipting payment.
The job purpose for the same position is that the executive assistant is able to work under minimal supervision, displays initiative and is sensitive to the concerns of the various stakeholders involved.
The workplace training plan will discuss certain key elements to include the process used in determining the employee’s training needs, the purpose of the training, the people to be involved in the training, the resources needed for the training exercise. Additionally, it will entail an outline for the monitoring scheme to be utilized in evaluating the employee’s performance during the work place training. It will also explore available options if the performance of the employee performance fails to improve after the work place training to include reassignment and termination.
Body
For the work place training plan to be feasible and successful, it will require the input and cooperation among various key organization stakeholders. The manager’s major role will be to allocate and provide the resources both material, human as well as time for the training and adjust them accordingly when need arises. Trainers will also be required and in this case, the trainer maybe the supervisor or a co-worker to the employee to be trained. The roles of the trainer will be to plan and implement the work place training plan. A representative from the union should also be involved in the employee training majorly as a witness that it actually took place. The last and probably most important person in the work place training is the employee whose performance has been found unsatisfactory (Rothwell and Kazanas 2004, p.8).
The purpose of the work place training is to improve the employee’s level of competency by training him/her on what he/she is supposed to do as per the job description well as how to go about it in a systematic and organized manner. It is also aimed at communicating the importance of the tasks the employee is required to perform, that is, how these tasks assist in the achievement of the organization’s goals and hence the organization’s mission. Further, the workplace training is aimed at making the employee aware of what results are expected following the successful performance of his/her tasks. More importantly, it aims at increasing the employee’s confidence and thereby boost their morale so that they are able to successfully perform their duties. Improved employee performance will translate to an increase in organizational productivity, which is the ultimate goal of work place training (Rothwell and Kazanas 2004, p.9).
The work place training strategy will be in line with the objectives of the organization especially the one pertaining to maximizing individual and overall organizational productivity. In addition, the work place training strategy will be cognizant of the organizational objective on customer retention because a customer’s perception on an organization is normally based on his/her interaction with the organizations employees. Finally, it the training strategy will seek to minimize the rate of staff turnover by equipping the specific employee with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform his roles (Rothwell and Kazanas, 2004, p.10).
The work place training will entail the use of several resources the first one is time in which case the manager will ensure that both the trainer and the employee have ample time to partake in the work place training activities. Organizational material resources needed during the workplace training will include stationery, videos, projectors, slides, graphs, photos and computers. The manager will also provide financial incentives as well as rewards so as to motivate the employee to improve his/her performance. Moreover, input from human resources to include the trainer as well as other co-workers will also be required (Rothwell and Kazanas 2004, p.10).
The work place training strategy will comprise of a 4-step approach that is, preparation, presentation, and application and finally follow up. In the preparation stage, the trainer in consultation with the trainee will identify and reach a consensus on the employee’s training needs by comparing actual performance and agreed performance for the employee in question for the period he or she has been working for the organization (Ramasamy 2005, p.10). Performance appraisal ratings based on feedback from clients and other staff members as well as objective evaluation of the employee performance for the period prior to the training indicate that he has not been maintaining nor updating the information management system as expected, he does not reconcile deliveries against invoices and purchase orders making the processing of payments problematic, he does not liaise effectively with staff, clients or representatives of other organizations and on very few occasions has he initiated follow up with the latter groups despite it being necessary.
After establishing that the employee is not performing up to the expected standards, personality measures, general mental ability tests, social skills tests as well as job-knowledge tests will be conducted so as to correctly pin-point the reason why the employee is performing below par.
Low ratings in the job-knowledge tests with high ratings in the general mental ability as well as in the social skills test strongly indicate that the employee’s less than expected performance is due to lack of job competency. The trainer and the employee will also explore whether organizational factors are the reasons behind the less than average employee performance, for example is the employee unable to perform because of fear of repercussions that may result if they are not able to deliver the expected results or are there inefficiencies within the organizational structure such as communication barriers that are limiting the employee’s ability to perform (Ramasamy 2005, p.10).
After careful evaluation and determination beyond doubt that lack of job-related knowledge is the reason behind the employee’s less than par performance, the trainer together with the employee will prepare a timetable that will detail the skills the employee will be expected to learn as well as the time deadlines for the acquisition of these skills. In addition, they will determine the adult learning approaches that work best for the employee. Other activities at this stage will include preparation of the physical settings as well as the equipment and materials required for the training. Before commencement of the activities programmed for the work place training, the trainer is to always ensure that the employee is put at ease and there are no underlying tensions so as to enhance his understanding (Ramasamy 2005, p.11).
The second step in the on-job training, that is presentation will entail demonstration, explanations and illustrations which are to be encompassed within certain activities like lectures, role plays, question and answer sessions and facilitated through the various resources previously mentioned like computers. The trainer will individualize the training process by using one or a mix of the adult learning approaches identified during the preparation stage as being suitable for the employee (Ramasamy 2005, p.11).
The trainer will demonstrate, illustrate and explain in a clear manner what the employee the procedure the employee is expected to follow when:
Updating and maintaining the information management system
Reconciling deliveries against invoices and purchase orders
Initiating follow up for staff, clients and members from other organizations.
Additionally, the trainer will demonstrate how the employee can liaise effectively with staff, clients and other organizations.
Application of knowledge, skills and attitudes imparted during the second stage will occur during the third stage otherwise referred to as application stage. The employee will be required to demonstrate what he or she has learnt as well as explain the key points in the actual performance of the previously mentioned tasks. The role of the trainer at this juncture will be to provide supportive supervision (Ramasamy 2005, p.11).
During the final stage of the work place training that is follow up, the employee will be expected to implement, maintain and update the filing procedure and information management system autonomously. Moreover, he will be expected to liaise effectively with clients, staff and members of other organizations as well as initiate follow up where necessary. His performance will in the various tasks will be evaluated by the trainer based on the agreed upon standards and periods following which constructive feedback will be given (Ramasamy 2005, p.11). The monitoring scheme is as shown in the table below.
Verbal evaluation
The employee will be required to explain the process followed when receiving deliveries up to the time processing of payments occurs, when and how to initiate client follow up and how to update existing information systems and the subsequent management of the new information system. This evaluation is to be effected after each session of training.
Written evaluation
The employee’s comprehension of how liaising with clients, staff, and other organizations is done in an effective manner will be evaluated via a written test. The employee to be provided with a copy of the results and a summary of the results is to be attached to the training form at the end of the training period. Written evaluations are to be done weekly except during the follow-up period.
Observation
The trainer is to assess the competency of the employee in performing his duties by observing how he goes about performing the various tasks like feeding new data to the information management system. Observation is to be done continuously throughout the work place training.
Review of tasks
The trainer in consultation with the employee is to designate some tasks that the employee is to perform and then his/her work is to be evaluated by the trainer, for example the employee’s documentation in terms of receipts of delivery over a period of two weeks and updating of the information management system. Review of tasks is to be done every two weeks for the length of the training period.
Performance appraisal
This will involve the evaluation of the job performance of the employee through key indicators for example, the employee’s implementation and maintenance of information managing systems, evaluation of invoices and purchase orders completed by the employee and feedback from clients served by and staff who interact with the employee.
Performance appraisals are to be done at the end of every month for the length of the training period and are to continue on a quarterly basis throughout the employee’s tenure at the organization.
I f the performance appraisals indicate that the employee’s performance continues to be below par after the training period, further options need to be explored. The employee will need to be reassigned to other duties and another work place training program organized with an aim of orienting the employee to the roles encompassed within his new job description. The manager will explain to the employee in the presence of a union representative and the human resources manager that in view of his consistent below par performance, he cannot continue to function as the executive assistant. If the employee consents to the reassignment he will be assisted by the trainer or his immediate supervisor to choose the job he feels most competent in amongst the available options. However, if the employee does not agree with the reassignment, the manager will be forced to terminate the employee at this stage.
Reassignment implies that the employee has to sign a new employment contract for his new position. Moreover, he has to contend with the financial and social impacts of the reassignment to other duties, the organization will therefore arrange for counseling for the employee for example, to deal with the social perception that construes reassignment as demotions which might affect his sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Training to orient the employee to his new roles will be done via organized training sessions and on-the job training. Performance appraisals will be done every one month to monitor how the employee is performing his new roles.
Continued poor employee performance even after the reassignment will necessitate termination. The termination of the employee will be handled in a fair manner that complies with local laws pertaining to employee termination. In this regard, the human resource department will be involved and the employee’s privacy and confidentiality respected. The employee will be invited for a termination interview which will be conducted behind closed doors with only four people present; the manager, employee and human resource manager who will act as a witness and a union representative from the labor union to which the employee belongs to. The employee will be allowed to clear his personal property as well as leave the organization’s premises in a dignified manner. Psychological support will also be provided to the employee by arranging counseling sessions for him with the company psychologist. The manager will also inform the employee on when he should expect to receive their remaining payments as well as initiate processes that will enable the employee to receive financial benefits for the unemployed such as health insurance amongst other social benefits. Both the manager and employee together with the two witnesses will sign the interview sheet detailing all what transpired during the termination interview at the end of the interview (Kerley 2002, pp.132-133; Sommerville 2007, pp.301-303).
Documentation to support the employee termination will be availed and reviewed during the termination interview and they include:
The two contracts signed between the organization and the employee upon his employment and subsequent reassignment that detailed the circumstances upon which the employee is to be terminated; the clause on poor performance is the most vital in this case together with the details on expected employee performance.
Results of all performance appraisals, written and verbal evaluations performed prior to and after the two work place training sessions. For the latter to be legally binding, they should entail details on when the performance appraisals were performed, the results, the witnesses present and the signatures of both the appraisal and the employee.
Documents detailing the happenings during the two employee workplace training sessions. Copies of any letters of warning given to the employee during his/her tenure at the organization on dismal performance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the manager, trainer and the employee are the primary people who will be involved in the workplace training. The purpose of the workplace training is to improve the employee’s level of competency, boost his confidence in the performance of tasks, communicate the importance of tasks, and ultimately improve the employee’s productivity and conversely the organization’s overall productivity. Conduct of the work place training is in line with the organizational objectives on customer and staff retention, maximization of individual and overall organizational performance. Time, material and human resources will be needed for the successful implementation of the work place training plan.
The work place training plan will comprise four stages namely preparation, presentation, application and follow up. Continued dismal performance of the employee following the work place training will necessitate the exploration of other options to include reassignment to other duties and termination. Solid evidence in form of documents to support the decision to terminate the employee will be availed during the termination interview.
Bibliography
Kerley, P.N., 2002. Employment law for the paralegal. [e-book] New York: West Delmar Learning. Available at: <http://www.books.google.com> [Accessed 21 May 2011].
Ramasamy, S., 2005. Total quality management. [e-book] Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Education Company Limited. Available at: <http://www.books.google.com> [Accessed 21 May 2011].
Rothwell, W.J. and Kazanas, H.C., 2004. Improving the on-job-training: how to establish and operate a comprehensive OJT program. 2nd ed. [e-book] San Fransisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Available at: <http://www.books.google> [Accessed 21 May 2011].
Sommerville, K.R., 2007. Hospitality employee management and supervision: Concepts and practical applications. [e-book] New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Available at: [Accessed 21 May 2011].
