Chapter 8: Orientation and Training Employee Orientation (onboarding) A procedure for providing new employees with the basic background information about: The firm The job Zappos has a great orientation and onboarding Socialization Opportunity to instill company’s values and understanding the culture, background information about the organization, benefits, policies and procedures Reality shock Hoping to reduce the shock and help you fit into the company and outline expectations of the organization and your position Purpose of Orientation Improved job performance – knowing what the expectations are for you, the work you are going to do, how you are going to perform, and the culture of the organization Reduced first day jitters and reality shock – warm people up to the organization Foundation for ongoing performance management – you know the expectations and you have had/will have time to sit down with your manager to talk about job performance expectations Improved productivity – if you know the expectations, you will do it Improved retention levels and reduced recruitment costs – balance supply and demand Special Orientation Situations
Diverse workplace Mergers and acquisitions – one company takes over another, what is the culture going to be like? Union versus non-union employees – unions have contract Multi-location organizations – HR implications for different locations Orientation checklist – departmental policies, workplace safety, introduction and welcome, employment documentation, overview of department and position Problems with Orientation Programs Too much information in a short time leading to an overwhelmed employee Too many forms to fill out little or no orientation provided – some jobs have no orientation and you don’t know protocols, don’t know anything and have not done a good job orienting. HR information too broad; supervisory information too detailed – you want to know specifically what is in it for you and what you get out of it Evaluation of Orientation Programs Employee Reaction – do they understand? Socialization Effects – how they fit in Cost-benefit analysis – what is the cost of orientation in terms of the money invested in them. Executive Integration Integration at senior levels in the organization requires ongoing process that can continue for months as the new executive learns about the unspoken dynamics of the organization that are not covered in orientation programs. The Training Process – training and development
Training – learning of a new skill Development – increasing the skills you have to use it in different ways. The application is a development. Step 1: Training Needs Analysis Step 2: Instructional Design Step 3: Validation Step 4: Implementation Step 5: Evaluation of Training Step 1: Training Needs Analysis Most efficient way to do the training What is the training required if any For new employees, determine what the job entails and break it down into subtasks, each of which is taught to the new employee For current employees, determine whether or not training is the solution Training Needs Analysis Task Analysis (assess training needs of new employees) task list when and how often performed quantity and quality of performance conditions under which performed/ where are they performing it competencies and specific knowledge required where best learned
Performance Analysis (determine training needs of current employees) verify performance deficiency in employees and determine whether deficiency should be rectified through training or some other means Step 2: Instructional Design Prepare curriculum Ensure training materials support learning objectives – meet learning styles (kinesthetic, auditory, visual) – most like to see Ensure quality and effectiveness of program elements Adult learners Address training relevance and value – they need to feel a benefit from it and get a connection from it Involve the trainees in the process – how will they like to learn it, what is the best way to learn it? – meet the needs of the learners or tailor the process to the person’s needs so that they have some ownership Provide safety – physical safety and be safe in the environment they are learning (leave with something valuable) Traditional Training Techniques On the job training Apprenticeship training Informal training Job instruction training – aids, logical sequence Classroom training Audiovisual techniques – multimedia is used Programmed learning – reading textbook Simulated training E-Learning
Delivery and administration of learning opportunities and support via computer Can be done remotely Via-rail used to have terminals for ticket takers so when they were being sold at the counter, they knew when the down times were so set up the system to go through learning modules during downtime Web-based technology to enhance employee performance and development Flexible, personalized, cost-effective Disadvantage: Things are not always complete or clear. No way to ask questions No personal interaction Step 3: Validation How can you validate whether what you have designed and determined as a need is actually effective? Often overlooked step is whether it is doing what it is supposed to do Validated training using representative audience Make revisions based on pilot results Step 4: Implementation Once the program has been validated, it is ready to be implemented by professional trainers How much does it cost? Training is either offered by professionals (internal or external) Invest in train-the-trainer workshops – tutor that gives extra help focus on presentation as well as content
Step 5: Evaluation of Training Reaction – provide snacks during training and ask “How did you like the training” – if comments are about food/beverages, you don’t know if they learned something in the session. Smile sheets Learning – Did they take something away from it and learn what they were supposed to learn – mini assessments Behavior –if you sent someone to training because they had anger management, poor listening…or if they are able to apply what they have learned Results – has there been a result of this training. Return on the investment ($), better morale, some measure is there of the results Sample training evaluation form: one step above a smile sheet; questionnaire with scale system. After filling out evaluation for, you know if the trainee will apply what they learned in the job, will this have an impact on the bottom line, is learning design effective? Training for Special Purposes Literacy and essential skills training – reading/writing, Diversity training – culture of individuals, inclusivity Customer service training Training for teamwork Training for first-time supervisors Training for global business Ethical Dilemma Is it ethical to require employees to participate in weekend and evening training programs if they do not want to because it is going to take time that they would otherwise spend on personal and family responsibilities? If it is pre-determined it is okay, or if training is highly-specialized and only available in weekends, is it one-time or continuous? Do they get paid for it? Unintentional discrimination on family status Individual employees should not be forced to be involved in development activities but failure to do so may restrict them from future promotions If someone is expected to do this and well known in advance, it is fine but employees who are asked to attend training should be compensated in some way