You are on page 1of 86

SUMMER TRAINING REPORT ON WORKMAN TRANING AT ESCORTS CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT LIMITED

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of degree of

Master of Business Administration Batch: 2008-2010

Submitted to:
CONTROLLER OF EXAMINATION MDU, ROHTAK

Submitted by: (satvir)

TO WHOM SO EVER IT MAY CONCERN:

This is to certify that Mr. Avinash, bonafied student of M.B.A., II sem of our college has successfully completed the project titled WORKMEN TRAINING at Escort Ltd. under my supervision for the partial fulfillment of Masters Degree in Business Administration from M.D. University, Rohtak during the academic year 2008-09.

Project Guide

Programme coordinator (MBA) Deptt. Of Business Studies

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Any accomplishment requires the effort of many people and this work is no different. It has been my proud privilege to be attached to ESCORTS Ltd. I would like to record my gratitude to the management of ESCORTS LIMITED, AGRI MACHINERY GROUP, PLANT-3 who has given me this wonderful opportunity to be associated with this esteemed org. and be privileged part of this great and wonderful HR FAMILY without whose help I could not have embarked on this journey of knowledge. I take this opportunity to thank Chief Manager (Personnel & IR) for providing me the opportunity to do training in the org. during Jun Jul 2008. I am also desirous of placing on special words of thanks and indebtedness to Mr. Kartar Singh, who acted as my project guide and supported me with his invaluable knowledge , experience, suggestions and insights. I would also like to thanks all the respondents for giving me their precious time and relevant information and experience that I required from time to time.

PREFACE
MBA is stepping stone to management career .In order to achieve practical, positive and concrete results the classroom learning need to be effectively needed to the realities of the situation existing outsides the classroom. This is particularly true of Management. To develop healthy managerial and administration skill in potential managers, it is necessary that theoretical knowledge must be supplemented with exposure to the real environment. Actually, it is life for a management itself is realized. It removes hesitation. The objective of the research is to make the student to go into the deep of a particular situation and to realize hoe difficult the scenario is. It gives the practical understanding to the researcher about such situation. Research is always very important in every field.

TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION 1.1 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 1.3 PURPOSE 1. 4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1.6 LIMITATION OF THE RESEARCH TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE 2.1 PLANNING AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES 2.2 TRAINING INPUTS 2.3 AREAS OF TRAINING 2.4 LEARNING AND TRAINING 2.5 TRAINING POLICY 2.6 POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF TRAINING 2.7 TRAINING METHODS 2.8 OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING METHODS 2.9 CLASSIFICATION OF METHODS 2.10 TRAINING ORGANIZATION 2.11 EVALUATION OF TRAINING 2.12 IS TRAINING THE BEST MEDICINE? 2.13 NEW TRENDS IN TRAINING 2.14 TRAIN, DON'T TELL 2.15 TRAINING: MANTRA OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM THE ORGANIZATION: PGCIL SURVEY RESULTS DATA ANALYSIS CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 6 8 10 1 12 13 13 15 18 19 20 23 24 26 32 57 7 83

BIBLIOGRAPHY ANNEXURE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TRAINEES QUESTIONNAIRE FOR T&D STAFF

8 8

MISSION
For an enterprise, the mission embodies the spirit of its Endeavour, which acts as a guiding light for constant development and growth 1WE WILL ACHIEVE LEADERSHIP IN MARKET SHARE & PROFITABILITY IN THE DOMESTIC TRACTOR MARKET BY THE YEAR 2007-2008 AND SHALL BE THE WORLDS LARGEST SUPPLIER OF SUB 100 hp TRACTORS. 2WE SHALL ROLE PROACTIVELY FOR CONTRIBUTE IN THE TO THE &

PROSPERITY OF THE RURAL ECONOMY BY DEFINING A LARGER OURSELVES FOOD AGRICULTURE SECTOR. 3WE SHALL MAKE LASTING DIFFERENCE TO OUR

SHAREHOLDERS, CUSTOMERS, BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, & EMPLOYEES.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION


For five decades, Escorts has been in the forefront of the countrys development, working in the core sectors like agriculture, transportation, construction and telecommunication. It has emerged as a critical resource for engineering change through optimum product performances. Today with its twenty manufacturing plants spread over various locations, a large networks of dealers and distributors and a group turnover exceeding Rs.14000 million, Escorts group ranks among Indias leading engineering conglomerates. From its inception, Escorts has firmly believed that success impinges on being close to the customers. As early as in 1944, while others were concentrating on selling their goods, Escorts sought to escort its merchandise right up to the customer, understanding his needs, giving him a product that met his needs and ensuring that it also worked smoothly thereafter. To make sure that the finished product delivers on its promise, the company has created an extraordinary distribution and network that stays with the customer and helps him to get maximum out of the product. In the national context, Escorts principle objective has been to acquire, adopt and develop technology that is appropriate to Escorts needs. It believes that while on one hand, national enterprise must aim at improving quality of life in the less privileged areas of society, on the other hand, it must also achieve

technological competence to international business with the sole objective of giving the customer world class value as well as widening marketing horizons for economies of scale. An escort has thus built its leadership in the innovations it has created in every field of its activity. These innovations offer greater value for money and are in every way relevant to the customers needs and environment, for India and the world.

THE ESCORTS LOGO

LOGO RATIONALE
A hexagonal nut (in red) representing a geometric perfection. The nut has been a functional device that has stayed at the core of mankinds engineering adventures. In spite of modern technologies coming in, it still remains unarguably a symbol of technology and all that holds it together.

Locked into the nut is a spanner (in which), the turning force for the symbol of technology. The two pictorial elements are configured to form an E, a pneumonic for ESCORTS. A doctrine of corporate and engineering openness, for Escorts logo allows an aisle, a pathway through which new ideas can walk in any time freely , giving Escorts the Character to listen and absorb new and fresh thoughts. The symbol with its three meanings makes a rebus or visual pun and is red, the color of energy and dynamism. Every time it is used, it represents seal of quality and excellence.

JOURNEY OF ESCORTS
The genesis of Escorts goes back to 1944 when two brothers, Mr. H.P.Nanda and Mr. Yudi Nanda , launched a small agency house , Escorts Agents Ltd. in Lahore. Over the years , Escorts has surged ahead and evolved into one of Indias largest conglomerates. In this journey of six decades, Escorts has had the privilege of being associated with some of the world leaders in the engineering manufacturing space like Minneapolis Moline, Massey Ferguson, Goetze, Mahle, URSUS, CEKOP, Ford Motor Company, JC Bamford Excavators, Yamaha, Claas, Carraro, Lucky Goldstar, First Pacific Company, Hughes Communications, Jeumont Schneider, Dynapac.

HISTORY at Faridabad by developing its own Engines for E-27 and E-37. 1979: Turnover crossed the Rs.50 crore mark. In plant facility for machining center housing and case transmission, on built-in line Stated below is
Escorts corporate history:

1948: Pioneered farm mechanization in the country by launching Escorts Agriculture Machines Ltd, with a franchise from the U.S. based Minneapolis Moline, Wisconsin for marketing tractors, implements, engines and other farm equipments. 1958: Started importing MF tractor from Yugoslavia for marketing the same in India. 1960: A manufacturing plant was set up in Faridabad. 1965: Got industrial license to manufacture URSUS/ESCORT tractors. 1969: Escorts signed a contract with FORD MOTOR COMPANY to manufacture Ford 3000 model tractors. Escorts Institute of Farm Mechanization (EIFM) was establishe at Bangalore.

1973: Escorts Tractors Limited (E T Before Tax of Rs.4.725 million.

L) declared a healthy Profit

1974: Export of 400 tractors to Afghanistan perhaps the worlds largest ever airlift of such equipment. 1977: Escorts Scientific Research Center marked its beginning concept, Installed.

1983: Escorts Tractor Limited (ETL) established a state-of-the-art research and development center to spearhead newer breakthroughs in Farm Mechanization and to maintain industry leadership.

1984: 75000th tractor rolled out. A great occasion for the large family that worked for ETL. Newer challenges and frontiers were out. 1985: In keeping with the stupendous financial success, ETL offered its first Bonus Issue (1:1). 1987: 50hp FORD 3610 was launched, another leap for the Indian Farm Mechanization Industry, the farmers and the people of the land. 1988: ETLS annualized turnover crossed Rs.100 crores. Dividend: 45% for 15 months. 1989: A MOU with CLAAS was signed for manufacturing.

1991-92: Escorts Claas Ltd launched The Crop Tiger range of Combine Harvesters. 1993: FORD 3260 tractor launched. 1996: Disengagement of joint venture collaboration with New Holland and launch of FARMTRAC tractor. 1997: A joint venture with Italian company CARRARO was finalized to establish a company in India for manufacturing and marketing of transmission and axles. 1998: POWERTRAC series of tractors were launched. A MOU was signed with Long Manufacturing Company, USA for setting up a joint venture in USA. 1999 and Ahead: A MOU was signed with a Polish Company POLMOT was signed for assembly, manufacturing and marketing of Farm Machinery. The mission is globalization and the emphasis will be on core sector investments. 2004: Divested Escotel Mobile Telecommunications to Idea Cellular. TS16949 certification for Agri Machinery Group. 2005: Divested Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre (EHIRC) to Fortis Healthcare.

2006 : Divested Carraro India Ltd. Set up new manufacturing facility in Rudrapur for manufacture of new range of railway equipment.

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY


Mr. Rajan Nanda
Chairman

Mr. Nikhil Nanda


Executive Director & Group Chief Operating Officer

Mr. A. K. Chadha
CEO- Agri Machinery Group

Mr. K. S. Havaldar
Business Head Engineering Division

Mr. G. B. Mathur
Vice President Law & Company Secretary

Mr. Shaiendra Tondon


Group CFO

Mr. Yash Yadav


Group Vice President HR & IR

Mr. Kamal Bali


CEO- Escorts Construction Equipment Ltd.

Mr.Amod Thakur
HR Manager

ESCORTS TODAY
Escorts today ranks among the top ten industrial giants in the country. A persistent annual growth of 18% of past decide bears testimony to this fact. It is the 5th largest Engineering Company amongst both Public and Private Companies. Escorts phenomenal growth and success stems from the fact that all its products are geared to meet the care needs of the people , agricultural industry. The group operations includes 14 manufacturing plants, 8 specialized marketing divisions ,an export house, a scientific research center , farm institutes, and a vast network of sales service outlets in the country and representations in some overseas markets as well as they satisfy demands which by their very nature are prudent and vital to the nations continual progress. Throughout the evolution of Escorts , technology has always been its greatest ally for growth. In the over six decades of our inception , Escorts has been much more than just being one of Indias largest engineering companies. It has been a harbinger of new technology , a prime mover on the industrial front at every stage introducing products and technologies that helped take the country forward in key growth areas. Over a million tractors and over 16,000 construction and material handling equipment that have rolled out from the facilities of Escorts complemented by a highly satisfied customer base , are testimony to the manufacturing

excellence of Escorts. Following the globally accepted best manufacturing practices with relentless focus on R & D , Escorts is today in the league of premier corporate entities in India. Technological and business collaboration with world leaders over the years , globally competitive indigenious engineering capabilities , over 1600 sales and service outlets and footprints in over 40 countries have been instrumental in making Escorts the Indian multinational. At a time when the world is looking at India as an outsourcing destination, Escorts is rightly placed to be the dependable outsourcing partner of worlds leading engineering corporations looking at outsourcing manufacturer of Engines, Transmissions, Gears, Hydraulics, Implements and Attachments to Tractors, and Shock Absorbers for heavy trailers and armored tanks. In todays Global Market Place, Escorts is fast on the path of an internal transformation , which will help it to be a key driver of manufacturing excellence in the global arena. For this we are going beyond just adhering to prevailing norms & standards and relentlessly pursuing them to achieve our desired benchmarks of excellence.

GROUP INFRASTRUCTURE
The flagship of Escorts Group is Escorts Ltd. in words of Mr. Rajan Nanda (Chairman, Escorts Ltd.). In the last 50 years, escorts has been more than merely one of Indias largest Engineering Companies. It has been a prime mover on the, industrial front, at every stage introducing products and technologies that helped take the country forward in key areas. Today as the nation engages in its most momentous economic transformations ever, we are once again adapting ourselves towards being catalysts for qualitative growth by engineering change with a Global Perspective.

THE GROUP INFRASTRUCTURE COMPRISES:


123 main Associates/ Subsidiary Companies, 212 Manufacturing Locations, 3A full-fledged R&D Facility, 4Nearly 10,000 Employees, 524 Regional Marketing Offices, 6Nearly 500 Sales & Service Outlets, 7Over 500 Ancilliaries forming the Vendor Base, 84 Financial Service Companies, 9Assias Best Training Institute of Farm Machanization with 100 acre Demonstration Farm ,

THE ESCORTS AGRI MACHINERY GROUP


Escorts Agri Machinery Group is one of the six strategic business units of the largest units of the Escorts Group and largest contributor to the group turnover. Escorts initiated its venture into tractors with an assembly plant in 1961. The first agricultural tractor brand name of ESCORT was produced in 1961. Following the collaboration with the FORD Motor Company, Escort added another brand name in its portfolio the Ford series of tractors in 1969. Escorts get the credit for establishing the brand name in Indian Tractor Market a name that was to Tractor what Mercedes is to cars. Following the disengagement agreement with Ford New Holland, Ford was renamed as FARMTRAC in 1996 and relaunched in the Indian Tractor Market. Escorts Agri Machinery Group enjoys nearly 20% market share. While the share varies from state to state, its share in UP is as high as 30%. The Escort AMG sells through the nation wide network of 500 dealers and 21 major area offices spread over 13 major parts of the country. Now, the AMG has emerged as fraternity of above 50,000 shareholders, 10,000 employees, and 4000 ancilliary suppliers, and stockists engaged in large scale investment and sustained efforts to meet the ever widening horizons of technological competence appropriate to Indias unique changing needs.

OVERSEAS OPERATIONS
In line with the objective of becoming a force to reckon with international arena in 21st century, the Company took Farmtrac tractors across the seas to USA and Europe. In order to underline its market presence, it has acquired a stake in long agri business LLC, a tractor distributing company in USA. This new venture has been named as Farmtrac North America LLC. Over 8000 tractors in 35- 75 HP segment have been exported to USA in last few years.
.

Besides USA and Poland, Escorts have strong presence in Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tanzania, Chile, and Ghana through its dealers network in these countries. Escorts have ambitious plans to expand the dealers network in other potential customers in the coming years. The company is commited to world class quality and total customer satisfaction. Exported to the most advanced markets in the world, they are sophisticated machines designed for the world demanding requirements of the progressive farmers. This range is very well accepted at abroad. The Farmtrac range is ultimate icon in the tractor technology with advanced features for scientific farming and other applications.

THE FARMTRAC RANGE

PRODUCT RANGE

A Tradition Of Trust
Economy Range 27 35 HP The first very range of Tractors introduced by Escort range of Tractors has a tradition of service and trust behind them.

MODELS :Escort 325 and Escort 335 THE SUPPLIER DIESEL SAVER

Value range 30-47 HP The POWERTRAC range of tractors is designed to give spectacular diesel economy. The act as ambrosia during their trying times of rising diesel costs. THE POWERTRAC RANGE Escort 430 Powertrac 30 HP

Escort 435 Powertrac 35 HP Escort 440 Powertrac 40 HP Escort 450 Powertrac 47 HP THE WORLD CHAMPIONS Premium range 30 75 Farmtrac 30 35 HP Farmtrac 35 35 HP Farmtrac 45 42 HP Farmtrac 50 45 HP Farmtrac 60 50 HP Farmtrac 70 60 HP Farmtrac 80 75 HP THE HARVESTER COMBINE RANGE

Crop Tiger Track Version 58 HP Wheel Version 59 HP

COLLABORATIONS
COLLABORATIONS with international organizations of technological excellence, constant research to adopt the emerging technology to the specific requirement of the markets and belief in the philosophy of industrial has made Escort today one of the leading trend setters in Indias New Industrial culture. Escort believe in incorporating the finest existing technology to meet Indian consumers demands by collaborating with internationally renowned companies. Prominent among these are:

In Germany 1. GOETZE AG
Liner 2MAHLE GMBH 3KNORR BREMES GMBH 4FAUN GMBH Piston Railway Break System Hydraulic Cranes Piston Rings & Cylinder

In Japan
1KAYEBA INDUSTRY CO. LTD. Telescope Front Forks

In USA
2HUGHES NETWORK SYSTEM VSAT Satellite Communication

INTRODUCTION
William James of Harvard University estimated that employees could retain their jobs by working a mere 20-30 percent of their potential. His research led him to believe that if these same employees were properly motivated they could work at 80-90 percent of their capabilities. Behavioral sciences concepts like motivation and enhanced productivity could well be used for such improvements in employee output. Training could be one of the means to achieve such improvements through the effective and efficient use of learning resources. Training is a long-term investment in human resource using the equation given below: Performance = productivity and morale, if properly used. WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR TRAINING AND WHY HAVE WE CHOSEN TO STUDY THIS TOPIC? Organization viability and the ability x motivation Training can have an impact on both these factors. It can heighten the skills and abilities of the employees and their motivation by increasing their sense of commitment and encouraging them to develop and use new skills. It is a powerful tool that can have a major impact on both employee transformation process The primary concern of an organization is its viability and hence its efficiency. There is continuous environmental pressure for efficiency, and if an organization does not respond to this pressure, it may find itself rapidly losing whatever share of the market it has. Employee training, therefore, imparts specific skills and knowledge to employees in order that they contribute to the organizations efficiency, and be able to cope with the pressures of the changing environment.

Technological advances There has been tremendous development in industrial technology.

Mechanization and automation of the plant is necessary for the organizations survival; hence, it has to train its employees for more skilled positions. New skills are required to operate new machinery, or familiarity with new processes and production techniques has to be introduced. Organizational Complexity With increasing mechanization, automation and development in technology, many organizations have emerged as complex organizations that produce a wide range of products or offer a wide range of services. This had led to complex problems of coordination and integration of activities. Eventually the need for training and retraining is felt at the all levels in such organizations, from shop floor to top executives. Human Relations The growing complexity of organizations has led to various human problems, like alienation, inter-personal and inter-group problems. Hence, training in human relations is becoming extremely important for tackling these problems. Due to its great relevance in the current automated, mechanized and extremely competitive business environment, where skills are becoming obsolete faster than ever, we have chosen to study in detail the training and development needs of employees.

1.1 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:


Training is the process of assisting a person in enhancing his efficiency and effectiveness at work by improving and updating his professional knowledge developing his personal skills relevant to his work and cultivating in him appropriate behavior and attitude towards his work and people he is working

with. Development takes place as a result of training and essentially implies growth plus change. Thus, training and development go hand in hand. My endeavor will be to gain an in-depth insight into the process of discovering, harnessing and developing of the human capital to the benefit of both the individual and the organization into days highly dynamic and competitive business world through a comprehensive study and analysis of the latest training and development techniques used by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL).

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY


1To study the Training and development function at PGCIL 2To evaluate the effectiveness of training and development programs conducted at PGCIL 3To suggest measures for improvement programs at PGCIL for Training and Development

1.3 PURPOSE
Never before has the rapid increase in new knowledge and technology and in the base of change and itself demanded a learning response as great as what is now required to remain competitive. Today individuals and organizations must become continuous learners to survive and hence it is not surprising to find that most successful organisations operate in a continuous learning mode. The challenge of globalization, technological innovation increasing competition and growth through expansion, diversification and acquisition has had a wideranging and far reaching impact on HRD. There is a need for a continuous process that aims at providing fresh knowledge and skill inputs to the employees so as to ensure the development of their competencies, dynamism, motivation and effectiveness in a systematic and planned way, thereby improving the productivity and overall organizational effectiveness. As a result, training and

development activities have acquired great significance and are now firmly centre-stage in most of the organizations. Hence it can be said that with the advent of free market economy rapid change in the environment, training and development activities have assumed an importance never before witnessed in Indian corporate history.

1. 4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY


The study was limited to the Training and Development Programs for Seniors Managers and Officers at PGCIL.

1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY


The base on which a study rests is the information that is embedded in it. The data for this study was obtained as a blend of both Secondary and Primary sources. Sources and Methods of Data Collection Primary Sources A sample size of 50 employees of PGCIL was taken, which consisted of 15 Senior Managers and 35 employees in the Officer Level. Primary Questionnaire- A questionnaire was designed and administered to the Training In-charge and employees drawn from various levels and various departments in the organization. Internal Information regarding the training policies and procedures was also be obtained through personal discussions with Trainers, Senior Managers and Officers.

Secondary Sources Secondary data was collected from following sources. 1Internal Sources 2Books 3Training / HRD Manuals, Company reports, House Journals records etc. 2External Sources -This mainly refers to Internet.

Data Analysis: The results of the survey has been tabulated and presented in the final report in form of bars and pie charts. Finally the results have been analyzed and used to draw conclusions.

1.6 LIMITATION OF THE RESEARCH


For every research there are restrictions and limitations. The following are some limitations, which I faced in the making of this research. The study was restricted to the office of PGCIL in Delhi and NCR Time was the biggest constraint. It was difficult to get the questionnaires filled personally from the employees. There may be some people who have different views of Training and Development and so they might give false information in the Questionnaire.

CHAPTER-2 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE


The effective functioning of any organization requires that employees learn to perform their jobs at a satisfactory level of proficiency. An effective organization wishes to have amongst its ranks individuals who are qualified to accept increasing responsibilities. So much so that organizations need to provide opportunities for the continuous development of employees not only in their present jobs, but also to develop their capabilities for other jobs for which they might later be considered. Training refers to the teaching/learning activities carried on for the primary purpose of helping members of an organization to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes needed by that organization. Broadly speaking, training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skill of an employee for doing a particular job. Though it is true that unplanned learning through job experience helps development, the experience of most organizations is that it is advantageous to plan systematic training programmes of various types as a regular part of an adequate personnel development programme. Such programmes are definite assets in helping managers to learn correct job methods, to achieve a satisfactory level of job performance, and to acquire capabilities that would be valuable in possible future jobs.

2.1 PLANNING AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES


The following steps must form the basis of any training activity: 1. Determine the training needs and objectives.

2. Translate them into programmes that meet the needs of the selected trainees. 3. Evaluate the results.

2.2 TRAINING INPUTS


There are three basic types of inputs: skills, attitudes, and knowledge. The primary purpose of training is to establish a sound relationship between the worker and his job- the optimum man-task relationship. Such a relationship is at its best when the workers attitude to the job is right, when the workers knowledge of the job is adequate, and he has developed the necessary skills. Training activities in an industrial organization are aimed at making desired modifications in skills, attitudes and knowledge of employees so that they perform their jobs most efficiently and effectively. SKILLS Training activities nowadays encompass activities ranging from the acquisitions of a simple motor skill to a complex administrative one. Training an employee for a particular skill is undertaken to enable him to be more effective on the job. For instance, new workers can be trained to achieve levels of output attained by experienced older workers. Similarly existing workers whose levels of output are below par can be retrained. ATTITUDE Through orientation (induction) programmes, organization develops attitudes in new employees, which are favorable toward the achievement of organizational goals. Training programmes in industry are aimed at moulding employee attitudes to achieve support for company activities, and to obtain better cooperation and greater loyalty.

KNOWLEDGE Training aimed at imparting knowledge to employees in the organizations provides for understanding of all the problems of modern industry. This knowledge for a worker is specific to his job, and related broadly to plant, machinery, material product, and quality and standard of product. Knowledge for managerial personnel may be related to complexity of problems in organizing, planning, staffing, directing and controlling. In general, training initiated for imparting knowledge to employees should consider three aspects: 1. Knowledge in general about factory and work environment- job context 2. Specific knowledge related to job- job content 3. Knowledge related to quality and standards of product or quality of work.

2.3 AREAS OF TRAINING


Areas of training can be classified into the following categories: 1. Training in company policies and procedures (induction training) 2. Training in particular skills. 3. Training in human relations. 4. Managerial and supervisory training. 5. Apprentice training. Training in company policies and procedures This is a part of the induction of a new employee. The objective is to orient new employees with the set of rules, procedures, management, organization structure, environment and products, which the firm has and/or deals with.

Orientation is a continuous process aimed at the adjustment of all employees to new and changing situations. It aims to impart the facts of company rules and policy, to create attitudes of confidence in the company, prides in the products, respect for company personnel, and to provide information about needs and skills, development, quality of production and work organization. It also enables employees to get the first impression of the culture of the firm and the kind of people he will have to deal with. At no time does it allow for questioning or change of system. It, therefore, in no way contributes to the organizations growth, nor does it enhance an employees ability to contribute to the organizations growth. Induction programs are also used for in-company promotees, who have to be oriented to the demands of their requirements. Induction programs are based on the philosophy that the process of initial adjustment and entry to the organization is a difficult process. Unless a conducive and supportive atmosphere facilitates it, it would leave the new entrant with several uncertainties in his mind and make his assimilation in organizational life more complex and difficult. Many organizations are conscious of this and devote considerable effort to make the initial entry phase a pleasant and cordial one. Training In Particular Skills Training of employees for particular skills is undertaken to enable the employee to be more effective on the job. It is a here-and-now proposition, somewhat like induction training, which does not have a very significant development aspect to it. Its aim is narrow-to guarantee a certain contribution to the job, for instance sales training and machine skills. Human Relation Training This is a broad category embracing many different aspects. Self-learning and inter-personnel competence can be included in this category-all

concerned with generally the same theme. It stresses a concern for individual relationships, for feeling and treating people as human beings, rather than as machines. Not only is this concern and awareness in ones attitudes and behavior conducive to better work-place relations, but also to enhanced productivity. This category of training is oriented towards the development of the individual and consequently the organizations efficiency in terms of better teamwork. Problems Solving Training Many in-company programmes also revolve around organizational units, like divisions of branches, which generally handle a product line. The practice is to hold together all managerial personnel in a particular division/ branch from the both the headquarter and the field of offices and discuss common problems and solutions across the table. This not only helps solve problems, but also serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas and information, which could be utilized in other situations. Managerial and Supervisory Training The managerial job combines both techniques and conceptual knowledge. If it is that of a specialist, it would emphasize some techniques and knowledge like operations, research, finance, production, and personnel management. If on the other hand it is a general management job, then the emphasis would be on the principles of scientific management: organizing, planning, staffing, directing and controlling. Apprentice Training The apprentice act 1961 was based on the philosophy of providing some technical training for unskilled people in order that their employment opportunity is enhanced, or alternatively to help them be self-employed. Industrial organizations in specified industries are required to train apprentice in proportion to their workforce in designated trades. The duration of training is one to four

years.

2.4 LEARNING AND TRAINING


Irrespective of the type or method of training, trainer has to keep in mind some of the principles of learning or motivation, which would enhance internalization of what is taught. Motivation A trainee needs to have a desire to learn and benefit from the programme. If he is not interested, or is demotivated, then the learning outcome is going to be insignificant and the company will have spent its money badly. On the other hand, being too intense about learning and outcome may result in setting overambitious goals for the individual. Reinforcement Following on the concept of motivation is that of reinforcement. For learning to take place and be internalized to the desired extent, a trainee is rewarded or given some encouragement. This reinforcement, or the acknowledgement that what has been acquired is desirable, can be either an extrinsic or intrinsic reward- external praise or some tangible reward, or the individuals feeling of a sense of progress. Current stress is on positive support and helpful behavior, even when mistakes are made. Feedback During the training process, it is useful for the trainee to be told how he is progressing. The knowledge of results is, several researchers have confirmed, an effective motivator. Constant and periodic feedback has positive effects on the trainees learning. Unless the trainee knows how close his performance comes to the desired standard, he will not have an opportunity to improve. Feedback, therefore, provides a basis for correcting oneself. Secondly, feedback helps to

sustain the trainees interest in the task, or in the learning that is taking place, by bringing greater involvement with the learning process. If feedback is to be meaningful, it should follow a learning segment as quickly as possible. Transfer of Training The maximum use of training can be made if the trainee is able to transfer his learning to his actual work role. This is possible if elements are incorporated in the training situation from the job role, either existing or proposed. The more similar the learning situation is to the job situation, the higher the degree of transfer the trainee can expect, and hence the greater the relevance of the training programme. Repetition Repetition etches a pattern into our memory, e.g., when one studies for an examination, it is necessary to repeatedly go over ideas so that they can be recalled later. Relevance Relevance relates to the meaningful use of material, which aids learning, e.g., trainers usually explain in the overall purpose of a job to trainees before assigning them a particular task.

2.5 TRAINING POLICY


A company's training policy represents the commitment of its top management to training, and is expressed in the rules and procedures that govern or influence the standard and scope of training the organization. Training policies are necessary for the following reasons. 1.To highlight the firm's approach to the training function, provide guidance for design and execution, and to provide information regarding programmes to all employees.

2.Formulation of policy helps in identification of priority areas in training, and since resources are scarce, they are prioritized according to felt needs. 3.A training policy document helps to communicate the firm's intent regarding an employee's career development, and also gives the employee the opportunity to better his prospects through training.

2.6 POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF TRAINING


The continued effectiveness and efficiency of an organization is to some extent dependent on the ability of its employees to produce at high levels of efficiency, and keep abreast with their changing job-role demands. Training will provide for an output in this direction. The several positive benefits of training are that: Training helps employees to learn their jobs and attain desired levels of performance speedily thus cutting costs and contributing to better utilization of machines and materials, for example in workers' categories. Training helps to reduce the cost of raw materials and products-reducing losses due to waste, poor quality products and damage to machinery-which would result if an untrained employee were to learn on his own. Employee motivation is enhanced when employees known that the firm would provide them training opportunities to increase their skills and knowledge, thus enabling them to develop and qualify for higher posts. Such practices create favorable attitudes towards the organization, which could result in better adjustment and commitment to one's work and the organization. Thus cooperation could help reduce employee turnover, absenteeism, accidents, dissatisfactions and grievances. Finally, training aids in the development of individual skills, better methods, new equipment, and sometimes new work place relationships. Such a process would also facilitate technological change by updating the versatility of employees.

2.7 TRAINING METHODS


Training methods are a means of attaining the desired objective in a learning situation. Given background work such as identification of training needs, a programme design and its duration (based on these needs), it then becomes pertinent to analyze and select the best method or combination of methods, given the several constraints, to attain the programme objective. The choice of a method several constraints, to attain the programme objective. The choice of a method would depend on a wide variety of factors, such as competence of instructors, relevance to the participants, the programme design, i.e., is a particular method the best vehicle to put across the contents, and finally its cost implications. Numerous training methodologies and techniques have been developed over the years to meet certain specific needs. Each method has structured procedures for conduct that offer certain advantages in developing certain limited facets of a trainee, and suffer from some limitations. In using a particular method, one should know its strengths and weaknesses, given the situation, and analyze its relevance, its purpose, and if it is useful, how to get the most out of it. This would provide the rationale of the various training methods. The trainer should know the rationale of each of the methods before attempting to use any of them.

2.8 OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING METHODS


Training methods have a number of overlapping objectives. As stated earlier, they have to be chosen in relation to the programme design requirements. The main objectives of individual training methods could be: demonstration value, developing interest and finally, appeal to senses. However, more than one, or even all three objectives may be found in one method.

Demonstration value Complete demonstration of job requirements is training of a kind that enables the trainee to grasp the meaning of ideas, concepts, or procedures visually. Such a method can be used effectively as an aid to overcome the "breakdown of communication". People remember things that they see and hear, much longer than they do information they receive through talks or reading, alone. Developing interest One of the factors to be kept in mind in choosing a method is its ability to hold and arouse the interest of the trainee in the learning situation. Much research has been done in the field to test the effectiveness of various methods. A trainer has to consider alternative methods of presenting training material to participants in order to stimulate their interest and facilitate retention of the matter. For instance, if traditionally the matter has been presented through lectures, perhaps audiovisual methods could be used, or instead project work be assigned which would mean learning by doing or researching the subject oneself. Appeal to many senses The statement that "to see a thing once is better than to hear it a hundred times emphasizes the inadequacy of words as a means of communication. Experience indicates that almost 75 per cent of what we imbibe is through the sense of sight and the rest is through the sense of hearing, touch, smell and taste. From the trainer's point of view it would be beneficial to utilize as many of the trainee's senses as possible, in order to improve retention of learning. Application of these basic objectives or guidelines alone would not be enough. For the appropriate use of a method, problem analysis and needs identification are also necessary. The trainer has to understand and identify the problem area; what is wrong, and where is the correction needed? He has to examine whether there is a problem

with the manner in which the task is done, i.e., an operational problem, or whether there is a problem with an individual or individuals, i.e., a humanrelations problem. Secondly, selecting the appropriate method would be dependent on the level of the trainee in an organizations' hierarchy-is he a shop floor worker, supervisor or a manager? Finally, before selecting a training method, the trainer should keep the mind cost effectiveness.

2.9 CLASSIFICATION OF METHODS


Depending on the learning outcome, and the process by which it is attained, it is possible to categorize the various methods into several groups. On-the-job-oriented training methods In this cluster are included methods whose main objective is centered around the job, more specifically, learning on the job itself by a variety of methods. They embrace development through performance on the job, where organizational strength and constraints, human behavior and technological systems have full and free play. Methods, which fall into this category, are: 1.On-the-job training. 2.Job rotation. 3.Guidance and counseling. 4.Brainstorming sessions. 5.Syndicate method (working in small groups).

Simulation methods Real-life situations are simulated for imparting training. The methods falling in this category are: 1.Role-play. 2.Case method. 3.Management games. 4.In-basket exercise. Role Play The role-play method requires participants to enact roles on the basis of a written script or an oral description of a particular situation. The enactment process provides an insight and understanding of the demands and situations of the assigned role, thereby facilitating empathy with another's (actual) role. The main emphasis in management training is in facilitating better understanding of interpersonal problems, and attitude change. If not handled well, however, it could degenerate a childish exercise, where, instead of focusing on the problem to be understood, the situation might be over-dramatized. Case method The case is an actual situation, which is written for discussion purposes. Analysis would need problem identification, analysis of the situation and of its causes. There could be several solutions to the problem, and each of these alternatives and their implications needs to be examined. In the real world, on many occasions, a manager may not have all the relevant information with him before taking a decision. Similarly, the case method approximates this reality and in many situations decisions are taken with limited data, or what is termed decisionmaking under uncertainty. The managerial response in such a situation is explored and understood and learning consists of developing problem-solving

skills.

Management games The game is built around the model of a business situation and trainees are divided into teams representing the management of competing companies. They simulate the real-life process of taking operation decisions. Decisions taken are analyzed by a computer, or manually, and a series of the implications of these decisions are fed back. The game is played in several rounds to take the time dimensions into account. In-basket exercise This is a simulation training technique designed around the "incoming mail" of a manager. A variety of situations are presented which would usually be dealt with by an executive in his working day. His reactions and responses are taken down in writing and then analyzed. Feedback on his decisions forces him to reconsider not only his administrative actions but also his behavioral style. Knowledge-based methods In this method of training, an effort is made to expose participants to concepts and theories, basic principles, and pure and applied knowledge in any subject area. Basically, it is aimed at creating an awareness of the knowledge of fundamentals. The focus is essentially transmission of knowledge which has to be imbibed by the participants. The methods in this category are: 1. Lectures. 2. Seminars, workshops. 3. Educational training programmers at academic institutes. 4. Programmed instruction in which knowledge is disseminated in book form to be learnt at the individual's pace, and where feedback on the learning is a given aspect of the method.

5. Films and TV. 6. Group discussion, especially in have to be taken into account before launching in-house training programme, or combination with some of the above, for assimilation and integration.

2.10 TRAINING ORGANIZATION


There are several administrative aspects that nominating participants to external programmes. In-Company/External Programmes The company needs to formulate its thinking regarding participation in programmes offered by external agencies like educational management institutes, government institutions and consultant programmes, vis--vis conducting its own in-house programmes. Where employee numbers are small, it may not be worthwhile to set up a training establishment and conduct in-house programmes, but as the numbers increase, this options may offer a distinct possibility. There is the cost aspect to be considered: for the cost of sending a participant to an external programme, several employees could be trained within an organization. Yet, the advantage of an external programme would be a breath of fresh air through discussions with other participants and a fresh approach could be brought into the organization and its problems. The skills and techniques learnt might also be different from those offered by one's own inhouse programmes. Training Budgets A training budget for each internal programme has to be prepared, which would include cost of facilities like training room, food, transport, guest faculty, if any, and cost of teaching materials. In fact, the cost to the organization should also include the wages and salaries of employee participants who would be temporarily pulled out of their regular jobs and sent for training. Yet,

organizational requirements would necessitate their jobs being done by someone else. The reason for costing the trainee employee's salary would be that they would not be making any contribution to the company during the training period, and that this is an additional burden on the company's finances.

2.11 EVALUATION OF TRAINING


Evaluation of any activity is important, since in evaluating one tries to judge the "value or worth of the activity, using the information available". What is the purpose of evaluation? Evaluation, by bringing to the fore "weaknesses and failuresstrengths and successes," helps to improve training methods. Evaluation helps management to answer the following questions The relevance of the programmes to the organization's needs-what changes if any should be made in existing programmes to realign to the organization's needs. Feedback on the choice of areas of training will also need to be examined in the context of its contributions to the organization's effectiveness. Should the money continue to be spent on this activity, or another more relevant activity that will improve attainment of the organization's objectives? Reactions from trainees about the training programme can help identify its strengths and weaknesses. These reactions can be used as a base for the improvement of programmes, but those evaluating must first be definite about the aspects they are interested in investigating. An evaluation of a training method or system must also take into account the suitability of objectives. "If the objectives were inadequately formulated in the first place, even a 'good' training programme has really no chance to be effective." Objectives have to be clear-cut, must relate to needs, and make way for changes. Objectives cannot be static and need to be re-appraised frequently so that training may result in improved overall organizational efficiency. Evaluation of objectives helps to bridge the gap between needs and objectives.

THE EVALUATION PROCESS The most useful means of evaluating training are observations, ratings, trainee surveys and trainee interviews. Observation is concerned with observing the behavior of people in a certain situation. To be useful, it must be specific, systematic, quantitative, recorded and expert. Needless to say, observers, must be trained and have specific ideas about what they are looking for. This is the most direct method of "assessing the quality of formal training and of identifying deficiencies". The second method of evaluation is that of ratings. "Various elements of the training system should be rated independently by several qualified raters. These elements include trainees, instructors, equipment, materials, training aids and facilities." The use of rating scales requires supervised practice, as it is easy to commit errors. The third method is trainee surveys where opinions of the trainees are used for evaluation. These opinions should not be used independently, since they cannot always be relied on to be objective. The fourth method is trainee interviews, whereby ideas and views that trainees might not put down on paper can be determined by "skilful questioning". This method allows for more precise information and details to be obtained and prevents ambiguity, especially in interpretation. The final method is that of collecting the observations and recommendations of instructors through surveys and interviews "to ensure that the system is consistent with the needs of the implementers of the training". Interviews with instructors will bring to the surface characteristics that instructors may feel reluctant to put down on paper.

2.12 IS TRAINING THE BEST MEDICINE?


Imagine this: A man is having chest pains. He rush as to his doctor, tells him he

is having a heart attack, and demands that he perform open-heart surgery. He obligingly agrees. It is not until after a great deal of pain and expense that he discovers it was only in digestion. When it comes to training, a similar situation happens all the time. If scrap rates are too high, productivity is too low, and employees neglect to follow standard quality procedures, they must need more training. Before rushing into the pain and expense of interrupting production to send them off to a seminar it is necessary to make sure that training is the proper solution. Just as a doctor must understand the cause of a patients symptoms before he can attempt a cure, one needs to know why employees are not meeting the companys expectations before taking action. Thats where a training-needs analysis will help. It tells how well employees are doing their jobs, where they could use some improvement and how that improvement can best he achieved. Done correctly, it can save the company from wasting a lot of time and money on inappropriate training programs. Gathering the information To do a valid training-needs analysis, one needs to gather as much objective data about employee performance as possible. There are many ways to collect this information, including: Casual conversations Formal interviews Direct observation Work samples Written records Surveys

Tests Focus groups A professional trainer can be hired to perform an analysis but its not just a technique for trainers. Everybody should be trained in this simple process. Its a supervisors or a managers job to make sure people can do their jobs. To do training needs analysis the following steps should be followed: Study current performance: Before tying to change anything, its essential to know what is already happening. What skills and knowledge do employees already have? What tasks are they performing on their daily jobs? Define ideal performance: what standard of performance is necessary for the business and the employees to be a success? What tasks must they do? What level of accuracy or productivity should they achieve? What skills and knowledge must they have? Find the gap: What is the difference between the definition of ideal performance and what the employees are currently doing? Are there any areas that arent functioning as well as they should? Where are there opportunities for improvement? This is the performance gap that the company is trying to fill. One must look for problems or opportunities that may occur in future as well as ones that already exist. Identify the cause: Why are workers not working up to standard? Have they ever performed the job correctly? Where and when do the problems occur? Has anything changed recently that might have instigated the problem? Compare best and worst performers to find the differences in what they do. When these steps have been completed one should be ready to make diagnosis, but it must be remembered that training is not the only medicine for ailing performance. Although it is often mistakenly applied as a cure- all, the only problem that training can solve is a lack of skills and knowledge. Do employees

know how to do the job? Could they do it if their lives depended on it? If so, probably there is no training problem. There are many reasons why a worker might not be doing his job correctly, including unclear expectations, insufficient feedback, lack of incentive and adverse working conditions. These are all management problems that can only be improved by management changes. Too often, people see the gap and they want to just leap right in and fix it. The key is not to jump to the solution, which is assumed to be training. Understanding the situation is the first step. Then, once one understands the situation one can think about why (The problem exists). Only if its because (employees) lack skills and knowledge should training be considered as a solution.

2.13 NEW TRENDS IN TRAINING


SELF DIRECTED LEARNING Organizational support enhances self -directed learning programs. The term "self -directed learning" describes training in which the learners essentially guides himself through the learning process using workbooks, manuals, or computer based training programs. Many companies are switching to this type of training because it allows for more flexible scheduling, as well as reduced training time and expenses. If we look at the life cycle of classroom type training, 90% of that life cycle cost is in the delivery, not in the development. Plus, as people get up there and start to talk, it takes longer than it does to deliver the training in some other ways. Well-designed self-directed learning will probably take half the time of classroom instruction. But even well -designed programs won't achieve optimum results without proper support. "People [switch to self-directed learning programs] for cost issues, and a lot of them don't recognize that there are organizational issues that they have to deal with, "If they don't deal with them, the theyre not going to get as big a return on their training investment as they could. The following are tips for supporting set directed learning in a company. 1.Learning is work. Many organizations don't recognize training as real

work. Unlike classroom training, which must have a scheduled time and place, self-directed learning is often just squeezed in here and there, or the employee may be forced to take it home. 2.Keep sessions short. All days are much more fragmented than they used to be "So when self directed modules are developed, there is no space for two hour or three hour modules. The training needs to be made into shorter chunks, so that it can fit into the shorter periods of time. "Training should be long enough to get a concept across, but not so long that it involves too many once. 3.People need people. Many managers forget about the learners need for contact with others. Seeing and being seen are very important in the political environments of today's companies and the classroom is where that often went on. If we take that away from the classroom, we have to provide some other way for it to happen, because they learn form each other as well as learning from the class. Meetings, e-mail, and electronic forums are some ways to compensate for the isolation that self-directed learners may feel. 4.Combine delivery methods. Self directed learning has many advantagesbut it is not the best choice for every situation. Self directed learning is much better for knowledge based learning. It can work for some skill based learning, but there are times when one wants to have hands on. A lot of your best programs are a combination. For example, a well-rounded program might start with an introductory session delivered by satellite. Self directed, computer based training could then get everybody up to speed on the basic information. Classroom sessions could then build on that knowledge by teaching hands on skills. The most important thing is to plan ahead in the initial training needs analysis for ways to support the unique needs of your self directed learners. That is a very important part of the needs analysis that is often neglected. We look at what are the learning objectives, but we don't look at what has to be taken care of in the organization and culture in order to

achieve to those learning objectives.

2.14 TRAIN, DON'T TELL


Many companies' so-called training programs are little more than one-way information dumps. Information is transmitted, but the trainees get little guidance on exactly what to do with it or why. As a result, the words float by in isolation, seemingly detached from the employees' real world of paperwork and production quotas. Because the information is never used, it is quickly forgotten. This problem is compounded, because the human brain processes procedural knowledge differently from the way it process declarative (telling) knowledge. The people who are selected [to do training] are often people who have expertise in doing something. They usually got that expertise through trial and error, but they try to teach through telling. In other words, they use declarative methods to teach procedural knowledge. Afterward, they except trainees to perform the task and they become frustrated when it doesn't work that way. Real training is a two way street. It helps the trainee process and practice new skills, rather than simply dumping information on him. By actively engaging the trainee's participation, real training converts lifeless information into meaningful knowledge. The employee understands why the new knowledge is relevant and has a clear idea of how to apply it. Transforming telling into training isn't hard, if one includes these six key elements: Incentives: Employees need to understand what's in it for them. Why should they do it this way? Demonstrate how the new knowledge or skill will solve a problem or make them better, faster, and more effective in their jobs. Objectives: Make sure trainees understand what the companies wants from them. One of the biggest inhibitors of employee performance is unclear expectations. Organization: Organize information to make it easier to remember. Show

how it relates to things they already know. Use analogies, examples, and mnemonics. Dont confuse beginners with a lot of unnecessary details. Instead, focus on the basic steps to gain performance. Participation: Encourage them to ask and answer questions. Get them to try the skills or apply the knowledge for themselves rather than just memorizing what you say or do. The more they participate, the more they will learn. Feedback: Let them know how they're doing. This allows them to correct mistakes before they become habits. It also helps them gain confidence, which will encourage them to feel comfortable applying new skills. Rewards: If they're right, tell them they did well. If they're wrong, praise them for trying. Even if there techniques are applied in small, informal ways, employees will understand what the company wants a lot better, once one stops telling and starts training.

2.15 TRAINING: MANTRA OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM


In today's scenario, change is the order of the day and the only way to deal with it is to learn and grow. Knowledge is the potent symbol of the new millennium and the only way an organization can strive to excel is to realize that success today is not a function of financial muscle or physical assets but of competent workforce. It is the workforce with high caliber, knowledge and skills that is hard to duplicate. Employees have become central to the success or failure of an organization; they are the cornucopia of ideas. Katz and Kahn (1978) have posited that organizations must have three behavioral features. PEOPLE MUST BE ATTRACTED NOT ONLY TO JOIN THE ORGANIZATION

BUT ALSO TO REMAIN IN IT. People must perform tasks for which they are hired and must do so in a dependable manner. People must go beyond this dependable role performance and engage in some form of creative, spontaneous and innovative behavior at work. The most important aspect that guides competitiveness in current turbulent markets in how companies gather, analyze and use information to their advantage. Thus IT capability that processes and manages information in a corporate will be the single most effective weapon in the era of information technology. As organizations shift from being product based to knowledge based there has been a shift, with accent on knowledge. Employees today need to adopt skill sets with ease. The knowledge worker of today is in a constant pressure to compete with redundancy, as knowledge and information is no longer a prerogative of a few. IT is affecting the people, process, structure and strategy of organizations. IT acts as an enabler to capture and disseminate information so that individuals can become knowledge workers. Keeping this in mind ,organizations need to realign their thought process and give training a fresh look. Things will never be the same in the e-era. With the world becoming a global workforce, organizations today have to compete at the international level. This has redefined job requirements in terms of skills, competencies and qualifications. Today development of the employee is a prerequisite to make the employees work for the company rather than in the company. Today it is not the aptitude that guarantees success but the attitude. Employees are being encouraged to learn that it is essential not to control one's emotions but to manage them and channelize them for their effective use. Workshops on emotional intelligence are quiet common in the corporate arena. One offshoot of EQ training is team building. Teamwork is highlighted in most companies and

various outdoor training programs are conducted, even at the induction training stage, to nurture the team spirit. Other topics on which training is being encouraged in the new millennium are communications, computer skills, customer service, ethics and quality initiatives. TRAINING IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS Training is not the panacea for all the friction resulting due to change. Yet efforts in the right direction are definitely worth it, as organizations need to achieve their goals, maintain them internally and at the same time adapt to the ever changing environment. Hay Groups annual survey of the world's most admired companies identified training as one of the best ways to attract, motivate and retain talent. Innovation in training methods seems to be a result of that. Traditional methods of "chalk and talk" are giving way to virtual learning. Global giant Motorola is reaping benefits of virtual learning. Motorola University is the most widely benchmarked corporate university in the world. IBM also has a university for its employees and they are encouraged to learn under the guidance of "dispersed mentors". Usually companies are turned to the WIN FM-whats in it for me. Companies like GE, General Motors have their training department independent of HR. It operates as a separate business center contributing to the company's profit. COMPANY PRACTICE IN TRAINING HCL Comnet Every employee receives training for 8 days on an average. HR policy is built around Employee Development Growth & Empowerment (EDGE). It is a consciously developed program aimed at making Comnet a learning organization. An exhaustive training module is there to create global managers where freshly inducted employee follows a structured path going up with the certification levels from base line to advanced base line to silver club to finally

become a gold club member -with global level expertise. Hughes Software Service New recruits go through 8 weeklong induction programs which consist of both technical & non-technical training. Skill inventories are maintained by line managers and not HR. Line managers are responsible for identifying training needs and ensuring attendance, role of HR is to facilitate choices. IBM Has virtual university. IBM Global Campus provides employees across the globe self-driven learning via the corporate intranet. Extensive Lotus Training modules complete with tutorials and multimedia courseware are available online. Employees are encouraged to develop relationships with dispersed mentors. Infosys Every Infoscion receives an average of 47 hours of training. 2.65% of turnover is spent on education and research. Motorola Every employee receives training for 40 hours annually. Motorola University is the most widely benchmarked university in the world. It is a $ 100 million global service business operating through 99 sites across 21 countries employing 400 staff members. University is run as an independent business operation, a profit center. NIIT 80% of the training is delivered in-house.

No. of training days per employee is 13 days. "Back to School is followed where partial course fee is reimbursed for completion of part time professional courses. In-house tutorials and training procedures are distributed on the network without having to print huge documents. Sat yam Training is conducted to familiarize employee with different cultures and business practices. Tata Consultancy Services It has a training center in Trivandrum where training for new entrants focuses on team building, presentation skills and grooming. It has a 72 days long training program. One way to minimize the danger of a company losing its financial investment in training is to share the cost with the employee. By asking an employee to invest partially, one does increase the intrinsic value of the training to the employee since it is instrumental in career planning and succession planning. BENEFITS OF TRAINING ARE EXPANSIVE Employees and organizations need to realize the importance of contribution and learning for mutual growth and development. An organization with a myopic view cannot realize the importance of training. Organizations that lack vision undergo stagnation, decline and crisis after success. Training is the answer to deal with the stagnation stage by constantly updating it in every field. Other benefits of training include. Hiring appeal: companies that provide training attract a better quality workforce. Assessing and addressing any performance deficiency. Increasing productivity.

Enhancing workforce flexibility. For example, in the IT industry, employees are sent to different countries for diverse projects and assignments. Crosscultural training is essential for them for better adjustment in the new environment. Increasing commitment: Training acts as a loyalty booster. Employee motivation is also enhanced when the employee knows that the organization would provide them opportunities to increase their skills and knowledge. Business is not just about transactions but is about relationships. It gives the organization a competitive edge by keeping abreast of the latest changes; it acts as a catalyst for change. Higher customer satisfaction and lower support cost result through improved service, increased productivity and greater sufficiency. Training acts as a benchmark for hiring, promoting and career planning. It acts as a retention tool by motivating employees to the vast opportunities for growth available in an organization. In certain cases training can also act as a tool for reward and recognition. Candidates showing high potential can be trained for advanced training in their field. Thus one can trace the link of training with performance appraisal and potential evaluation. We have moved a long way from the Machine Age. Today what is required is strategic acumen and cross-functional expertise. Today the workflow is milestone led. Command and control have given way to facilitation. The employeremployee relationship in the networked age is a skill contract and the work is largely cerebral. The benefits resulting due to training prove that it is time for organizations to discard their parochial view and work towards developing their human assets. The people factor is the pivot for organizational growth. Aligning

organizational vision to the development of employee is only possible way to become a success story in an environment which seems to be reverberating with two words: 'perform or perish'.

DATA ANALYSIS

Here, we will analyze and interpret the data and try to reach some final conclusion in the next chapter. We first begin with the analysis of the data collected from the t&d staff. We will analyze the responses to each of the questions in sequence. Methods used for training needs analysis: From the data gathered, we can observe the following: The training needs analysis is done generally by discussion with superiors and departmental heads. However, the participants themselves also play a vital role in identifying their own training needs. Also, performance appraisal sessions and customer feedback are two important ways through which training needs can be analyzed. Areas in which training is imparted: Powergrid provides training in all the areas mentioned. However, the kind of training imparted to the employees is also dependent on their level in the organization. For example, training on company policies and procedures is provided at the executive trainee (entry) level. It may be provided at other levels as well, but only when there are any changes in policies or procedures. Training methods employed: From the data collected, we see that lectures/classroom sessions are the most used methods for training. Again, the method used would be dependent on

various other factors as seen in the next question. Also, on the job training is generally used at induction level.

Basis on which training methods are selected: The choice of training methods at powergridis largely dictated by availability of resources. Also, training methods are selected on the basis of depending on the type of training to be imparted. For example, they generally use lectures for sessions on company policies and procedures. Also, for training on problem solving, more of case studies are used. Basis for conducting training externally: Training is outsourced very rarely. The only times when it is outsourced is when resources are not available or the workload at PowerGrid is more. Also, in areas where PowerGrid does not have the expertise (for e.g., computers), training is outsourced to reputed organizations like NIIT, Aptech, etc. Advantages of conducting training externally: Most of the staff at powergrid feels that conducting training externally has its advantages. They think that by attending training sessions outside the organization, the trainees acquire a broader perspective of looking at situations, since they get an opportunity to interact with others outside the closed walls of the organization. Frequency of the training program: Training programs are conducted at powergrid throughout the year. However, the frequency of training programs depends on the type of training being imparted and also the level of employees to which it is being imparted. For example, capsule course for managers is conducted around 9 times in a year. Training sessions on computer basics are conducted weekly. Also, executive trainee programs are conducted once a year.

Duration of a training program: Again the duration of a training program would depend on the type of training being imparted. Training sessions on computer basics last for around 3-5 days. Training of executive trainees lasts for a year. Changing trends in t&d today: From the data, it is clearly seen that the focus of training today has the right attitude. Even in a company like powergrid, where training was largely concentrated on imparting technical knowledge, the focus today is on overall development of the employee, so that he is ready to face challenges posed by the fast changing environment. Also, sophistication of technology has made t&d easier, effective and also faster than before. The aids used for training today are such that keep up the interest of the trainees and involve them in the process by appealing to as many senses as possible. Roles and responsibilities of trainer and trainee to make a training successful: The trainer and the trainee have to work in co-operation in order to make a training program successful. A good trainer must understand the needs of his trainees and listen to his problems and queries patiently. But, this can happen only if the trainee takes interest in the program and wants to gain something substantial from the program. He should look upon the trainer as somebody who can guide him and help him with his problems, and not as someone who is there to lecture him on a subject. Thus, the right attitude is required-both on the part of the trainer and the trainee. Elements that go into making a training program successful: The data tabulated in the previous chapter is reproduced here for convenience:

Ranks Clear objectives

Final Ranks

Good faculty Right training method Physical arrangement Duration of training program Contents of TP Rewards/inc entives after the TP

The tally bars represent the number of respondents who have given specific ranks to each of the parameters. The above table can be used to obtain rankings of the elements in the order of importance. From the above table, we can clearly see that a clear objective is the most important element that goes into making a training program successful. Also, the least important element, according to the t&d staff is

rewards/incentives after the training program. From the table, we can see that there is a tie between good faculty and contents of the program for the second rank. However, as two respondents have ranked good faculty as the most important element, whereas, contents of the program has not been ranked first by any respondent, we have assigned second rank to good faculty and third rank to contents of the program. Here, we have used the method of moving averages. The other rankings have also been obtained in a similar way. Main problems in training of individuals: The main problem the trainers come across while training of individuals is that many a time the trainees are sent for training not because they need it, but to satisfy the statistics of 7 days of training each year for each employee. As a result, most of the times, the trainees are not interested in the program and this creates a major problem in getting the trainees involved in the process. Methods used to overcome learning blockages: One of the ways to overcome learning blockages is to have a good icebreaker at the beginning of the session. Also, most trainers think that it is necessary that the trainer understand the level and capacity of each trainee, and deal with each accordingly. This would help the trainee open up to the trainer convey his problems and difficulties without any hesitation. Potential areas of training in future: It is clearly seen from the data gathered that in future the emphasis would not be on developing functional skills. Instead the emphasis would be on human relations. Also, with most of the processes at powergrid being automated and computerized, the knowledge of computers would be extremely essential. Thus, this would be a main area of training in future.

Trainees Methods used for training needs analysis: Training needs analysis is generally done by discussions with superiors and departmental heads. The participants are also involved in the analysis of their own training needs. Thus, the decision on what type of training is required by an individual is not taken by his superiors alone, but by the trainee and his superior together. The superior analyzes what kind of training is required by the individual and the trainee gets an opportunity to assess his strengths and weaknesses and decide in which area he requires additional expertise.

Identification of Training Needs


IDENTIFICATION OF TRAINING NEEDS
10% Yes No 90%

90% of the respondents said that they were involved in the identification of their training needs, whereas only 10% respondents said that they were not involved. Potential areas of training in future: According to the trainees, the stress in future would be definitely on people skills and communication skills. Also, training in coping with change in this fast changing environment would be a key training area. And of course, the focus would also be on computers, since survival without computer skills would be difficult in this highly automated environment.

Effectiveness of Training Methods


EFFECTIVENESS OF TRAINING METHODS USED
15% Yes No 85%

85% of the respondents said that the training methods used were relevant and effective.

Objectives in attending a training program: Majority of the respondents had gaining knowledge as the main objective in attending a training program. Achievement of Training Objectives
ACHIEVEMENT OF TRAINING OBJECTIVES
5%

Yes No

95%

95% of the respondents felt that their main objective in attending a training program was satisfied, i.e. they gained what they expected to gain from the training program.

Continuing Training

CONTINUING TRAINING

40% 60%

Yes No

Almost 40% of the respondents felt that they were not being provided adequate training to keep them abreast of the changing environment. Although they agreed that they benefited from training programs, they thought that emphasis should be on training individuals to prepare them for future uncertainties, for example, managing change.

Involvement in Program Planning


INVOLVEMENT IN PROGRAM PLANNING

45% 55%

Yes No

45% of the respondents said that the management does not take into consideration their opinion on the training program planning. They are involved in it, but not in the program planning.

Communication of Problems to Management COMMUNICATION OF PROBLEMS TO MANAGEMENT

30% 55% 15%

Yes No NA

Out of the 9 respondents who said that they were not involved in the tp planning, only 6 (30%) have communicated their dissatisfaction to the management.

Ways in which the trainees would like to be involved in improving/planning the training program in future: The table is reproduced here for convenience: R 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Total Responses Rankings Individual views Commn. meeting Survey Suggestion box F/b on PA

9 6 10 3 V 4 IV

II

III

R: RESPONDENT Depending upon the number of responses obtained by each parameter, we will obtain a final ranking for the various parameters. From the table, we see that conducting a survey of the participants for planning a training program has got the most responses. Hence, it has been ranked first. The other rankings have obtained in a similar manner.

Elements that make a training program successful: The table from the earlier chapter is reproduced here for convenience.
Ranks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final Ranking Clear objectives Good faculty Right training method Physical arrangement 6 5 3 2 1

Duration of training program Contents of TP Rewards/inc entives after the TP

From the above table, we can obtain the rankings for each of the elements. For example, we can clearly see that clear objectives has been ranked first by most of the respondents, hence we place it at the first position, as the most

important element in making as training program successful. rewards and incentives has been ranked 7 by most respondents, hence we assign it rank seven. Good faculty is ranked 2. By using the method of moving averages, we can see that contents will be assigned rank 3 and right training method will be ranked fourth. Other rankings can be obtained similarly.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS


From the analysis done in the previous chapter, we can arrive at the following conclusions: Training needs analysis is done taking into consideration the views of not only the superiors, but also the trainees themselves. This was confirmed from the responses of both the trainees and the trainers. The trainees felt good that they were involved in the analysis of their own needs and also said that the management was very co-operative and tried to incorporate their views and suggestions to the extent possible. Thus, as far as this aspect is concerned, the trainees were satisfied with the procedures followed. Both the trainers and the trainees felt that the thrust in future should be on developing people skills and not only functional skills. They also said that IT would be a focus area. Many trainees felt that they were not being given adequate training to keep them abreast of the changing environment. Most of the times trainees were not involved in the training program planning. Both the trainees and the trainers were in agreement on the most essential elements that go into making a training program successful. The final ranking obtained is the same in both the cases. This only goes to show that POWERGRID is aware of the needs of the participants and also understand what elements are most important for a trainee. For both, clear objective is the most important element that makes a training program successful. We can conclude that POWERGRIDs efforts towards training and

development have been quite successful. The employees are satisfied with the training activities, but they only feel that they should be involved in the planning of the Training Program. According to them, their views should be taken on all issues instead of just informing them that they have to attend a training program. They should have a say in deciding on the contents, physical arrangements, etc. This would involve them further in the exercise and they would be more open to learning. RECOMMENDATIONS Training should be imparted on current issues like change management, because although the employees are quite satisfied with the training programs as a whole, they still feel that training should be imparted on issues that are relevant in the current business scenario. Training sessions should not be too long, long sessions should be split up into modules. Self-directed learning in some areas should be encouraged. This would save the companys time and also reduce costs.

ANNEXURE
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TRAINEES
What are the methods used for the analysis of your training needs? Are the employees involved in identifying their training needs/areas of training? Yes No What are the various areas in which training is imparted? Company policies and procedures Functional skills Human relations Problem solving Managerial and supervisory training Apprentice training Any other, please specify ___________________ In future, what according to you would be the potential areas of training? What are the various training methods employed? On the job: Off the job:

Do you think the methods used are relevant and effective? Yes No If no, which methods do you think should be selected? Give reasons.

What are your objectives in attending a training program? Gain knowledge in your area Get promotion Get free holiday To enjoy social get together Any other, please specify ____________________ Do you think your objective of attending the training program is normally achieved? Yes No What according to you are the key areas in which training should be imparted?

Are you provided with adequate continuing training to keep you abreast of the changes in the environment? Yes

No If no, in what areas do you think the company should impart continuing training? What are the methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program? Feedback after training Improvement in performance Promotion / increment Written test / exam Any other, please specify_____________________________________ Does the management take into consideration your opinion on the training program planning? Yes No Identify the shortcomings in the training programs, if any, regarding the following: 1. Physical arrangements: 2. Faculty: 3. Training methods: 4. Contents of the program: Any other, please specify__________________________________ Have you communicated these problems to the management? Yes

No In what way would you like to be involved in improving / planning the training program in future? Take our views individually Hold a communication meeting Conduct a survey Suggestion box Feedback session on performance appraisal Any other, Please specify _____________________________________

In your opinion what are the inputs that would make a training program successful? (Rank the following in order of importance) Clear objectives (gain knowledge/skills) Good faculty Right training method Physical arrangements Duration of training program Content of the training program Reward/ incentive after the training program.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR T&D STAFF


What are the rules and procedures that govern the standard and scope of training in your organization? What methods are used for training needs analysis? What are the various areas in which training is imparted? Company policies and procedures Functional skills Human relations Problem solving Managerial and supervisory training Apprentice training What are the various training methods employed? 1On the job: 2Off the job: On what basis do you select the training methods to be used? Training is conducted In house Out-sourced If out-sourced, what agencies and consultants are involved?

On what basis do you decide to conduct training externally? On what basis do you select the external agencies? What according to you are the advantages of external training? What generally is the frequency of a training program? 1Quarterly Half yearly Yearly What normally is the duration of a training program? How do you decide on the training budget? What methods to do you use to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program? 1Observation 2Ratings 3Trainee survey 4Trainee interview 5Tests before and after 6Comparative study between trained and non-trained groups 7Classroom presentation 8Any other, please specify _____________________________ What are the changing trends in T&D today? How is it different from what was done five years ago?

What according to you are the roles and responsibilities of trainer and trainee in order to make a training program successful? a)Trainer: b)Trainee: What are the essential elements that go into making a training program successful? (Rank them in the order of importance)

Clear objectives Good faculty Right training method Physical arrangement Duration of training program Contents of the training program Reward/ incentive after the training program
What are the main problems you come across while training individuals? What methods are used to detect and overcome learning blockages that may be present? How important is training as a tool for employee retention? In future, what according to you would be the potential areas of training

You might also like