Methods and Techniques for Training

• Methods can be broadly classified as:

(i) On-The-Job Training:
The training methods that are applied in the work
place can be referred to as on-the- job training.

(ii) Off-The-Job Training:

The training methods that are used away from the
work place can be termed as off- the-job training.
 Training Techniques
1. Vestibule Training:
In this technique, training takes place away from the work
place but uses all the equipments, materials and methods
that resembles the actually ones used in job performance. In
this method the actual work conditions are simulated in
classroom.
Advantages:
• Training process that takes place without disrupting the
ongoing operations.
• The trainees are not pressurized by expecting them to
produce while learning.
Disadvantages:
• High Cost
• It will not be possible to replicate the actual pressure that an
employee faces during the job
 2. Role Playing:
• It is defined as a method of human interaction that
involves realistic behaviour in imaginary situation.
This method involves creation of realistic situation
in which the participants assumes and plays the role
of a specific personality in the situation.

• The main intention in this method is the

development of interpersonal relations and thereby
promotes better inter-personal interaction and
attitudinal changes.
 3. Lecture Method
• In this method of training, a group of people freely
discuss and pose ideas, share and examine the
information or idea, test and evaluate them and finally
draws conclusions on various aspects that contributes
towards the improvement of job performance.

Advantages
• There is the involvement of all the participants and
there is two-way communication.

Disadvantages
• There is no practical exposure of real work
environment.
 4. Coaching/mentoring
• Implementing a mentorship program in companies,
along with other training methods, creates
employee development opportunities as well as
develops relationships that help new employees
feel welcomed and supported.

• Mentorship is invaluable, but it does come with its

challenges. Best employees will be asked to take
time away from their work in order to train and
grow newer staff members.
 5. Programmed Instruction (PI):
• It is a method of training there is no intervention of a trainer.
The subject-matter to be learned is presented in a series of
planned sequential units. After reading each part, the learner
must answer a question about it for which feed back in the
form of right answers is provided.

Advantages
• It is self-paced, this method offers much scope for practices
as the study materials are structured and self contained.

Disadvantages
• They are, though there is scope for learning through practice,
the scope of learning offered by other method is much more.
This method is expensive and time consuming.
 6. Audio-Visuals
• Audio-visual training methods are used widely in these days.
This method makes use of slides, overhead projectors,
television, video-tapes, audio-tapes and films.

Advantage
• The quality of the presentation will remain equal for all
training groups.
• Impact of this method is better than other methods like
lectures, seminars etc.

Disadvantages
• It constitutes a one way communication so doubt clarification
is not possible.
• Since the presentations are standard, it may not cater the
specific requirements of the individual audience.
 7. On the Job Training
• Training is conducted at the work site and in the contact of
the job. The trainer who will be an experienced worker
demonstrates the job on to how various tasks are performed.
This method is often used in industrial training where the
workers actually work on the machine.
Advantages:
• It is less costly;
• The effectiveness of the training is very high as it involves
actual demonstration and the trainees actually experience
the job to be done.
Disadvantages
• Since the training process takes place in the work spot, on the
machines, it will affect the smooth functioning of the
production
 8. Simulation
• In this method of training the equipment or techniques
of the actual job is duplicated to create a realistic
decision-making environment for the trainees. The best
example of this is the aircraft simulation. The pilots
undergo this training. The aircraft contacts are
simulated so that the pilots under training feel as
though they are actually flying the aircraft.
Advantages
• Result of the decisions the trainees make are reported
back to them with an explanation.
• This avoids costly mistakes.
Disadvantages
• This method is very expensive.
Training Program Development Model
1. Needs assessment and learning objectives. This part of the
framework development asks to consider what kind of
training is needed in an organization. Once the type of
training needed is determined, you can set learning
objectives to measure at the end of the training.
2. Consideration of learning styles. Making sure to teach to a
variety of learning styles is important to development of
training programs.
3. Delivery mode. What is the best way to get your message
across? Is web-based training more appropriate, or should
mentoring be used? Can vestibule training be used for a
portion of the training while job shadowing be used for some
of the training, too? Most training programs will include a
variety of delivery methods.
4. Budget. How much money do you have to spend on this
training?
5. Delivery style. Will the training be self-paced or
instructor led? What kinds of discussions and
interactivity can be developed in conjunction with
this training?
6. Audience. Who will be part of this training? Do you
have a mix of roles, such as accounting people and
marketing people? What are the job responsibilities
of these individuals, and how can you make the
training relevant to their individual jobs?
7. Content. What needs to be taught? How will you
sequence the information?
8. Timelines. How long will it take to develop the
training? Is there a deadline for training to be
completed?

9. Communication. How will employees know the

training is available to them?

10. Measuring effectiveness of training. How will you

know if your training worked? What ways will you
use to measure this?
 Training Evaluation

• Training evaluation refers to an attempt to obtain

relevant information on the effects of a training
program. It is considered an essential aspect of a
training event to be able to reflect, analyze, and
improve its effectiveness and efficiency.
 Benefits of Training Evaluation
1. Accountability
Training evaluation brings in greater accountability by
ensuring that training programs comply with all the
competency gaps, and there is no compromise on
deliverables.

2. Transparency in Feedback
Evaluation of training programs also acts as a proper
feedback mechanism for the trainer and the overall training
process.

3. Cost-Efficiency
Evaluation of training and development ensures that the
training programs bring in cost-efficiency in the system by
effectively improving the work quality and development of
new employee skills within a certain budget.
 Objectives of Training Program

• Evaluating the training programme to improve the

programme as a whole.
• Evaluating the training process to improve the
training methodologies.
• Evaluating the training execution.
• Evaluate training outcomes.
• Evaluating programmes factors.
 Methods for Training Evaluation
1. The Kirkpatrick Taxonomy

The Kirkpatrick Taxonomy is perhaps the most widely used

method of evaluating training effectiveness.
Developed by Don Kirkpatrick in the 1950s, this
framework offers a four-level strategy that anyone can use to
evaluate the effectiveness of any training course or program.

Level 1: Reaction
Level 2: Learning
Level 3: Behaviour
Level 4: Results
Level 1: Reaction

At this level, you gauge how the participants reacted or responded to the training. Asking
the participants to complete a short survey will help you identify whether the conditions for
learning were present. Feedback forms are the most common way to gauge participant
reactions to training.

Level 2: Learning

The second stage is to gauge what the participants learned from the training. Most
commonly, short quizzes or practical tests are used to assess this; one before the training,
and one afterward.

Level 3: Behaviour

The third stage takes place a while after the training. Using various assessment methods, you
try to assess whether the course participants put what they learned into practice on-the-
job. To assess this, you may ask participants to complete self-assessments or ask their
supervisor to formally assess them.

Level 4: Results

Lastly, you need to evaluate whether the training met the stakeholders’ expectations. In
most companies or organizations, the stakeholders are usually the management or
executives who decided to implement the training in the first place. The goal is to determine
the return on these expectations, known as ROE (Return on Expectations).
 2. The Phillips ROI Methodology
• Level 1: Reaction

In common with the Kirkpatrick taxonomy, the Phillips

methodology evaluates the participants’ reaction.

• Level 2: Learning
The second level evaluates whether learning took place.

• Level 3: Application and Implementation

This addresses one of the central criticisms of the Kirkpatrick

taxonomy: that it doesn’t gather enough data to
help improve training. Phillips’ methodology makes it far easier to
see why training does or doesn’t translate into workplace changes.
If there is a problem, did it lie with the application or the
implementation? For example, was the learning applied
incorrectly?
 2. The Phillips ROI Methodology
• Level 4: Impact

While the fourth level of

the Kirkpatrick taxonomy focuses purely on results, Phillips’
methodology is much broader. It helps in identifying whether
factors other than training were responsible for delivering the
outcomes.

• Level 5: Return on investment (ROI)

Unlike the Kirkpatrick taxonomy that

simply measures training results again stakeholder
expectations (ROE), Phillips’ methodology contains a fifth level
specifically for measuring ‘return on investment’, ROI.
This level uses cost-benefit analysis to determine the value of
training programs. It helps companies measure whether the
money they invested in the training has produced measurable
results.
 3. The CIPP evaluation model
• Developed in the 1960s by Daniel Stufflebeam. Often referred
to as the Stufflebeam model, CIPP is an acronym for the
following four areas of evaluation:
• Context
• Input
• Process
• Product
CIPP evaluates these areas when judging the value of a
program. Unlike the Kirkpatrick Model and the Phillips ROI
Methodology, CIPP is less about proving what you did and
more about improving what you’re doing. Arguably, this
makes it more useful for businesses and organizations.
 Concept of Career

• A career may be viewed as the amalgamation of the

changes in values, attitudes, and motivation an
individual embraces, as he or she grows older. This
constitutes a subjective element of the concept
“career”.
 Concept of Career Planning
“A sequence of jobs that constitute what a person does
for a living.”

• Career planning is a process by which one selects

career goals and the path to those goals.

• Career goals: Career goals are the desired future

positions an employee strives to reach as a part of the
career.

• Career path: Career path is the sequential pattern of

jobs during a career. It can cover 30 years or more until
the retirement of the employee. It takes a long-term
perspective of the job.
 Objectives of Career Planning:

• To identify the positive characteristics of the

employees.
• Develop awareness about each employee’s
uniqueness.
• To respect the feelings of other employees.
• Attract talented employees to the organization.
• To train employees towards team-building skills.
• To create healthy ways of dealing with conflicts,
emotions, and stress.
 Benefits of Career Planning
1. Career planning ensures a constant supply of
promotable employees.
2. It helps in improving the loyalty of employees.
3. Career planning encourages an employee’s growth
and development.
4. Discourages the negative attitude of superiors who
take interest in suppressing the growth of the
subordinates.
5. It ensures that senior management knows about the
capacity of the employees who can move upwards.
6. It can always create a team of employees prepared
enough to meet any contingency.
 Career Development
• Career development is essential to implement
career plan. It is an activity of the organization
considering the long term benefits and success of
personnel and organizational effectiveness.

• Career development consists of personnel

improvement undertaken by the individual
employee through the training, education and
development programme arrange by the
organization.
 Objectives of Career Development
1. Fostering Better Communication in Organization
2. Assisting with Career Decisions
3. Better Use of Employee Skills
4. Setting Realistic Goals
5. Creating a Pool of Talented Employees
6. Enhancing the Career Satisfaction
7. Feedback
 Potential Appraisal
• The potential appraisal refers to the appraisal
involving identification of the hidden talents and
skills of a person. The person might or might not be
aware of them.

• Potential appraisal is a future-oriented appraisal

whose main objective is to identify and evaluate the
potential of the employees to assume higher
positions and responsibilities in the organizational
hierarchy.
 Techniques for Potential Appraisal

1. Management by Objectives (MBO)

2. 360-Degree Feedback
3. Assessment Centre Method
4. Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS)
5. Psychological Appraisals
6. Human-Resource (Cost) Accounting Method
 1. Management by Objectives
• MBO is the appraisal method where managers and
employees together identify, plan, organize, and
communicate objectives to focus on during a
specific appraisal period.

• After setting clear goals, managers and

subordinates periodically discuss the progress made
to control and debate on the feasibility of achieving
those set objectives.
 2. 360-Degree Feedback
• 360-degree feedback is a multidimensional
performance appraisal method that evaluates an
employee using feedback collected from the
employee’s circle of influence namely managers, peers,
customers, and direct reports.

• This appraisal method has five integral components

like:
1. Self-appraisals
2. Managerial reviews
3. Peer reviews
4. Subordinates Appraising manager (SAM)
5. Customer or client reviews
 3. Assessment Centre Method

• The assessment centre method enables employees

to get a clear picture of how others observe them
and the impact it has on their performance.

• The main advantage of this method is that it will

not only assess the existing performance of an
individual but also predict future job performance.
 4. Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale
(BARS)
• Behaviourally anchored rating scales (BARS) bring out both
the qualitative and quantitative benefits in a performance
appraisal process. BARS compares employee performance
with specific behavioural examples that are anchored to
numerical ratings.

Steps
1. Generation of critical incidents that depict typical workplace
behaviour.
2. Editing these critical incidents into a common format and
removing any redundancy.
3. The critical instances are randomized and assessed for
effectiveness.
4. Remaining critical incidents are used to create BARS and
evaluate employee performance.
 5. Psychological Appraisals

• This method focuses on analyzing an employee’s future

performance rather than their past work.

• These appraisals are used to analyze seven major

components of an employee’s performance such as
interpersonal skills, cognitive abilities, intellectual
traits, leadership skills, personality traits, emotional
quotient, and other related skills.

• Qualified psychologists conduct a variety of tests (in-

depth interviews, psychological tests, discussions, and
more) to assess an employee effectively.
6. Human-Resource (Cost) Accounting Method
• This method analyses an employee’s performance
through the monetary benefits he/she yields to the
company.

• It is obtained by comparing the cost of retaining an

employee (cost to company) and the monetary benefits
(contributions) an organization has ascertained from
that specific employee.

• When an employee’s performance is evaluated based

on cost accounting methods, factors like unit-wise
average service value, quality, overhead cost,
interpersonal relationships, and more are taken into
account.
 Succession planning
• It is an ongoing process that identifies necessary
competencies, then works to assess, develop, and
retain a talent pool of employees, in order to ensure
a continuity of leadership for all critical positions.

• It is a specific strategy, which spells out the

particular steps to be followed to achieve the
mission, goals, and initiatives identified in
workforce planning. It is a plan that managers can
follow, implement, and customize to meet the
needs of their organisation, division, and/or
department.
 Reasons for Succession Planning
1. Superannuation: Employees retiring because they
reach a certain age.
2. Resignation: Employees leaving their current job to
join a new job
3. Promotion: Employees moving upward in the
hierarchy of the organization.
4. Diversification: Employees being redeployed to
new activities.
5. Creation of New Position: Employees getting
placed in new positions at the same level.
 Concept of Employee Compensation

• R. Wayne Mondy defines compensation as, “Compensation is

the total of all rewards provided to employees in return for
their services. The overall purposes of granting compensation
are to attract, retain and motivate employees.”

• Gary Dessler States, “Compensation means all forms of pay or

rewards going to employees and arising from their
employment.”

• Terry Leap opines, “Compensation is a broad term pertaining

to financial rewards received by persons through their
employment relationship with an organisation.”
Objectives of Employee Compensation

1. To attract well-qualified and competent personnel.

2. To motivate them for higher levels of performance
by making arrangement of incentive payments.
3. To retain the present workforce by keeping their
pay levels at the competitive levels.
4. To raise the morale of workforce.
5. To maintain the labour and administrative costs in
line with the ability of the organization to pay.
6. To project a good image of company.
Factors Affecting/ Determinants Employee Compensation
 New Trends in Compensation Management

✓Group medi-claim/personal accident insurance

✓Company leased accommodation
✓Recreation facilities
✓Corporate credit card
✓Pay equity
✓Hot jobs