To keep the companies competitive, the staff needs to have the best skills and a broad understanding of the organization and its customers. That is why training and developments are important for employees, which focuses on improving the overall performance of the company.
Training is the process of providing employees with specific skills in helping them improve their performance.
Development is an effort to provide employees with the abilities which will be needed in the future.
Nowadays the organizations face several training challenges. To implement effective training, the question is if the training can solve the current problem of the company. Also, the goals of training need to be realistic. The training should work and the company has to decide beforehand if the training is a good investment.
Training Process consists of three phases:
- Assessment – needs of the organization and people are identified and the goals of the training program are decided.
- Development and Conduct of Training – training can take the place on the job or off the job and can be delivered through different tools, such as computers, virtual reality, classroom instruction, role-plays, and the others. The right type of training should be chosen to achieve the wanted goal For example skills, team, creativity, diversity, crisis,…
- Evaluation – the costs and benefits of the training are assessed
Organizations need to focus also on the socialization of employees. Orientation is the first step, informing new employees what is expected of them. Socialization is a long-term process that needs to be planned.
If the organization wants to survive in a competitive business environment, development must be a key business strategy. Career development is an organized effort that focuses on the development of capable workers.
Before implementation of a career development program, it needs to be decided by management who will be responsible for the development, how much emphasis is appropriate, and how the diverse needs of the workforce will be met. Self Development of the employees is needed, otherwise, there is the risk of stagnation.
Career development is a cycle of 3 phases:
- Assessment phase – employees’ skills, values, and interests are identified. The assessment may be carried out by the workers or organization, or the combination of both.
- Direction phase – determines the types of career wanted and the steps which need to be followed to make the goal a reality. Workers may receive individual career counseling or information from a variety of sources.
- Development phase – takes an action to increase employees´ skills
(Gómez-Mejíja, Balkin & Cardy 2016)
Case 1
Mc Donald´s wants to deliver the best customer experience, that is why it uses gamification techniques to educate employees. They use a 3D environment to learn managers how to behave in a just-in-time production process, which needs a different approach. Learning is effective by learning from their own mistakes in a virtual simulation. Mc Donald´s also developed a game to train front-line staff 5 years ago. The game saved up a lot of training costs.
3 principles were combined in gamification initiatives, which motivate employees to engage. Autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
Last September the company introduced the board game to help recruits. People who have been through this process are much more confident when they start to work, also it has an impact on turnover and customer experience.
In my opinion, these developments of Mc Donald´s can be effective and the new method can save up a lot of costs. Gamification is a long-run investment. I like that they keep track of the changing environment and technology, and implement new processes into their training.
(Diginomica 2016.)
Case 2
An expanding restaurant group Nando´s uses special Coaching which helped the company succeed. The coaching consists of 2 workshops, Situational Leadership and Grow – goal, reality, options, and will. Many of the managers are from different countries and cultures. The implementation of training which keep Nando’s values – pride, passion, courage, integrity, and family, created a family successful environment. I think it is very important to encourage good spirit and teamwork in the working environment. A lot of problems are caused because of bad working relationships, which can later affect the company´s performance and bad customer experience.
(Emeral Insight 2019.)
Goméz-Mejía, Balkin & Cardy 2016. Managing Human Resources. 18th ed. Pearson education. Global edition.
Diginomica 2016. Super-sized Gamification for Training-Mc Donald´s is lovin´ it. URL: https://diginomica.com/super-sized-gamification-for-training-mcdonalds-is-lovin-it/. Accessed: 20 September 2020
Emerald Insight 2019. Nando’s tastes success through training: Expanding restaurant firm retains a family feel. URL: https://www-emeraldinsight-com.ezproxy.haaga-helia.fi/doi/full/10.1108/09670730610656879. Accessed: 20 September 2020
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