Transcript HRM 300

A.U.L 2011/2012
HRM 300
Introduction
What is Human Resources Management?
 What is a Human Resources Manager?

terminology
Human resource management (HRM):
is the utilization of individuals to achieve organizational objectives.
Consequently, managers at every level must concern themselves with HRM.
Basically, all managers get things done through the efforts of others; this
requires effective HRM. Individuals dealing with human resource matters
face a multitude of challenges, ranging from a constantly changing
workforce to ever-present government regulations, a technological
revolution, and the effects of 9/11 and natural disasters such as flooding,
hurricanes, and tornadoes. Furthermore, global competition has forced both
large and small organizations to be more conscious of costs and productivity. Because of the critical nature of human resource issues, these
matters must receive major attention from upper management.
terminology
A human resources manager is responsible for managing and
overseeing the personnel department within a company,
organization or agency. This includes posting advertisements or
approving advertisements for new employees, screening resumes
and applications, setting interview appointments and being involved
in the hiring process. In most agencies the human resources
manager is also key in providing employee supervision and
evaluations, retraining employees, offering mediation services for
struggling employees as well as firing employees that are not
meeting standards.
History of HRM
Workfoce management has become increasingly complex. The heritage and growth of
the human resource management profession is closely linked to people's attitudes about work,
the evolution of employment-related laws and sociological trends. The HR field today
recognizes the dynamic relationship between strategy, people, technology and the processes
that drive organizations. Although this dynamic relationship appears obvious now, the evolution
of the profession has often been slow.
One could argue that the HR field dates back to the first working arrangements between
master craftspeople and their apprentices. Before the industrial Revolution, working
arrangements involved close relationships between mentors and apprentices dedicated to
learning a particular trade. Apprentices were often required to live in the shop or home of the
master craftsperson. If an apprentice was injured or sick, the master's family was responsible
for restoring the young worker's health and welfare. Master and apprentice shared in good
times and bad, in profit and in loss.
The usefulness of this age-old relationship came to an abrupt end with the advent of the
Industrial Age. In one powerful stroke, the notion of work moved from guilds and home shops
to steam-driven factories. The introduction of the assembly line brought a need for low-skilled
employees capable of performing repetitive tasks. Management philosophy at the turn of the
century was epitomized by Henry Ford, who often wondered why workers brought their heads
to work when all he really needed was their hands and feet.
History of HRM
They say that communication is the oldest existential phenomenon on earth. Well, if that's the case
then human resource management would get the second place in the sibling hierarchy. In spite of being
added as a subject in management courses fairly late, HRM has been a concept that was utilized ever since
human beings started following an organized way of life. So shall we start digging up the history of human
resource management?
Some of human resource management's vital principles were used in prehistoric times. Like,
mechanisms being developed for selecting tribal leaders. Knowledge was recorded and passed on to the next
generation about safety, health, hunting, and gathering. 1000 B.C. to 2000 B.C. saw the development of
more advanced HR functions. The Chinese are known to be the first to use employee screening techniques,
way back in 1115 B.C. And turns out it was not Donald Trump who started "the apprentice" system. They
were the Greek and Babylonian civilizations, ages before the medieval times.
HRM has seen a lot of nick naming in its age. Since it was recognized as a separate and important
function, it has been called "personnel relations" then it evolved to "industrial relations", then "employee
relations" and then, finally, to "human resources". I strongly believe, that human resources is the most apt
name for it. It, quintessentially, proves the importance of the human beings working in the organization.
With the Industrial Revolution, came the conversion of the US economy from agriculture-based to
industry-based. This led them to require an extremely well-organized structure. Further, this led them to
recruit a lot of people. More so, the industrial revolution brought in maddening amounts of immigration.
Again, to create employment for all the immigrants, recruitment and management of the recruited individuals
gained vitality. As such, there was a blaring need for Human Resource Management.
History of HRM
Early human resource management, in general, followed a social welfare approach. It
aimed at helping immigrants in the process of adjusting to their jobs and to an "American" life.
The main aim behind these programs was to assist immigrants in learning English and acquiring
housing and medical care. Also, these techniques used to promote supervisory training to
ensure an increase in productivity.
With the advent of "labor unions" in the 1790's, the power in the hands of the employees
multiplied considerably and increased at a rapid pace by the 1800s and furthermore in the
1900s. This led to the HR department being more capable of politics and diplomacy. The two
feats that were quintessential to the importance of HR were; the fact that it was the HR
department that got the management and the labor unions to come on common grounds. They
basically worked on getting the management to see things from the labor perspective and grant
them medical and educational benefits. The other would be Frederick W. Taylor's (1856-1915)
Scientific Management. This book had tremendous impact on attaining better productivity from
low-level production workers.
B.F. Goodrich Company were the pioneers in designing a corporate employee department
to address the concerns of the employees in 1900. National Cash Register followed suit in 1902
by forming a separate department to handle employee grievances, record keeping, wage
management and other employee-related functions. Personnel Managers started seeing more
sunshine since the Wagner's Act (aka National Labor Relations Act) in 1935. There was a shift
in focus from worker's efficiency to efficiency through work satisfaction, thanks to the
Hawthorne studies around the 1930s to 1940s.
Between the 1960s and 1970s, the HRM movement gained further momentum due to the
passing of several acts like the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970. Now, the HR department was the apple of the corporates' eyes because,
the corporates placed a lot of importance on human resource management to avoid plausible
law suit.
So by the end of the 1970s, HRM had taken over the world! Almost all big and medium scale
industries had a department to manage their recruitment, employee relations, record-keeping,
salaries and wages, etc. Towards the 1980s, the importance of HR continued to intumesce for
several reasons like increase in skilled labor, training, regulation compliance, dismissal, etc. The
HR managers were the ones who did the hiring and the firing.
In today's date, HR has the same importance as the other departments, in some corporates, it
has more. With the constant increase in education, technology and frequent fluctuations in
economic status and structures, I believe, HR is the oldest, most mature and yet, the most
efficient of all management styles.

The objectives of job design
There are clearly many alternative designs
for any given job. For this reason, an
understanding of what the job design is
supposed to achieve is particularly important.
As before, the five performance objectives give
us a guide to what is relevant in job design
decisions.

1. Quality:

The ability of staff to produce high-quality products and services can
be affected by job design. This includes avoiding errors in the short term,
but also includes designing jobs which encourage staff to improve the job
itself in such a way as to make errors less likely.
2. Speed:
Sometimes speed of response is the dominant objective to be achieved
in job design. For example, the way in which the jobs of emergency service
personnel are organised (the range of tasks for which they are trained, the
sequence of activities in their approved procedures, the autonomy which
they have to decide on appropriate action, and so on) will go a long way to
determine their ability to respond promptly to emergencies and perhaps
save lives.

3. Dependability:
Dependable supply of goods and services is usually influenced, in some
way, by job design. For example, in the postal services’ working
arrangements, multi-skilling, accurate use of sorting equipment through
good staff-machine interface design, and the ‘design’ of postal staff’s
clothing, can all aid dependable delivery of letters and parcels.

4. Flexibility:
Job design can affect the ability of the operation to change the nature
of its activities. New product or service flexibility, mix flexibility, volume
flexibility and delivery flexibility are all dependent to some extent on job
design. (See Chapter 2 for a full description of these different types of
flexibility). For example, staff who have been trained in several tasks (multiskilling) may find it easier to cope with a wide variety of models and new
product or service introductions.



5. Cost:
All the elements of job design described above will have an effect on
the productivity, and therefore the cost, of the job. Productivity in this
context means the ratio of output to labour input: for example, the number
of customers served per hour or the number of products made per worker.
In addition, job design will influence two other particularly important
objectives.
6. Health and safety:
Whatever else a job design achieves, it must not endanger the wellbeing of the person who does the job, other staff of the operation, the
customers who might be present in the operation, or those who use any
products made by the operation.
7. Quality of working life:
The design of any job should take into account its effect on job
security, intrinsic interest, variety, opportunities for development, stress
level and attitude of the person performing the job.

Division of labour:
Although it is historically the earliest influence on job design, division of
labour is arguably still the most important. If it were not all of us would do
everything. The fact that we specialise is a tacit recognition of the
advantages to be gained from division of labour. The main issue is the
extent to which jobs are divided up. Although there are still some highly
divided and very repetitive jobs, there has been a general trend in many
jobs for division of labour to be reversed somewhat. But not totally
eliminated, that is the important point, there is still some degree of
specialisation in almost every job. The important objective is to balance the
flexibility and increased job satisfaction which less divided jobs give most of
us, against the degree of efficiency and learning which often goes with
some degree of division of labour.

Scientific management:
As far as scientific managements influence on job design goes, method
study and work measurement are its twin legacies. Both are still practiced,
though neither are as popular as once they were.
Method study has some advantages in its systematic approach to
questioning why jobs are design in a particular way. Indeed, the
conventional method study approach is very close to some more modern
approaches such as business process reengineering. The main criticisms of
method study (and indeed business process reengineering) centre around its
limited objectives. It pays little attention to even the most obvious aspects
of motivation. But the principles of method study are still valid for most
jobs. For example, compare the way an experienced cook moves around the
kitchen, automatically sequencing tasks so as to save effort or time or both.
Compare that with the less experienced cook who does not have the innate
ability to perform his or her tasks in an efficient or effective manner.
Work measurement is less widely used now. Time standards are still
important of course. Any business still needs an estimate of how long jobs
will take, if only for planning and control purposes. However, the use of time
standards to underpin payment systems or control work rate is less
common. Again though, it is still practiced in some operations. Supermarket
check-out staff for example, or call centre operators generally work against
time standards. And where they do, the practice can still be contentious.
The boxed example on NUMMI on pages 272 and 273 is an interesting
example of how some of the basic principles of work study have been used
by staff rather than on staff. The idea of thinking about staff from a
physiological point of view, but in a systematic manner, goes back at least
half a century. As such it was once regarded as a little ‘old fashioned’ in job
design circles. However, health and safety legislation in many countries has
prompted a renewal of interest in the subject. So, for example, on
automobile assembly lines the car is normally positioned at a height
convenient for the assembly line staff to do their job without excessive
bending or lifting. This not only eases strain on the assembly staff
themselves but also helps to promote smoother, faster and higher quality
working.
The way in which controls and displays are designed is also treated by
ergonomists. The figure below demonstrates what ergonomists call the
‘person-work place loop’.
A much quoted but illustrative example of how the design of displays can affect the
effectiveness with which the operator senses the information displayed by them is shown in the
figure below. The seemingly obvious way of laying out a bank of dials would be toarrange them
so that the zero mark is at the top. When switched on the dials are all likely to display different
levels but often the ‘normal’ range is marked on the dial. However, detecting a dial which is
displaying an ‘out of normal’ reading still takes some effort by the operator. Alternatively, the
dials could be arranged so that their normal ranges are all pointing in the same way when the
dials are switched on rather than off. Any deviation from the normal range then is very easily
detected.

Behavioural approaches to job design:
The title ‘behavioural’ approaches in clumsy but reasonably descriptive.
This approach is the first so far to take the feelings and motivation of
individual members of staff into account. Now the ideas of job rotation, job
enlargement and job enrichment are well established in job design practice.
Nevertheless it is important to understand that this approach still keeps the
responsibility for designing jobs with operations management (or personnel
management, or human resource management, etc.). It does not pass any
responsibility or power to the people doing the jobs. In that sense it is not
fundamentally different from earlier approaches to job design. Its motivation
and objectives may be different but its practice is still very ‘top-down’.

Empowerment :
The idea of empowerment, for the first time gives some responsibility for job
design to the individuals who will perform the job. But, as the chapter discusses, the
extent of autonomy can vary significantly. At its most limited autonomy can merely
involve asking staff for their suggestions as to how jobs should be designed. At its
maximum, only the broadest and most general of objectives are set by higher
management and the whole nature of the job and its organisation is left to those
who perform it. In between these two extremes there are any number of levels. In
that sense ‘empowerment’ can mean almost anything. What many companies
discovered is that empowerment ‘did not relieve them of the task of job design’. It
has been found to be very important to be clear in drawing the boundary between
those aspects of the job which staff can directly control and those which
management still reserve the right to define. So, for example, an operation might
draw up a list of issues which it reserves the right to impose such as types of
behaviour which are not acceptable (racist, sexist, etc.), safety practices (compulsory
wearing of protective headgear etc.), timing (when the process must start and when
shift changeovers occur, etc.), and so on. However, it may also define a list of
specific job issues which staff can decide for themselves, sequencing of activities,
scheduling of activities, appropriate work methods, and so on.

Team-working and job design:
The significance of this influence on job design is that the ‘unit of
analysis’ of job design changed. So, rather than automatically assume that
job design involved defining the content of a job for each individual, a
further variable was introduced – the team. A team is a group of individuals
who, together, have a set of tasks to perform. From the point of view of the
staff who form the team there may be a number of advantages in working
on a team basis rather than an individual basis. The interest, motivation and
fun which can be gained from working closely with colleagues can make any
job more attractive. From the operations point of view several people
working together can be not only more efficient and more flexible but also
more creative in the way they seek solutions to continually improve their
part of the operation.

Flexible working:
Three types of flexible working are described in the chapter,
 skills flexibility
 time flexibility
 location flexibility.
In some ways this sequence of different types of flexibility is in order of
difficulty. Skills flexibility involves individuals being able to do more than one
job. This allows the operation to be more responsive as markets or other
conditions change and also (arguably) makes jobs more interesting. It is not
always easy to achieve skills flexibility, but at least most people are together
in the operation at more or less the same time. Time flexibility, on the other
hand, can present more difficulties because (by definition) not everyone will
necessarily be together at the same time. Location flexibility can present
even more problems, especially if individual members of staff rarely, if ever,
meet up.
Questions?
Training Employees
Importance of Training
Training is crucial for organizational development and success. It is fruitful to both
employers and employees of an organization. An employee will become more efficient and
productive if he is trained well.
Typical Reasons for Employee Training and Development
Training and development can be initiated for a variety of reasons for an employee or
group of employees, e.g.,:
-When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement is needed
-To "benchmark" the status of improvement so far in a performance improvement effort
As part of an overall professional development program
As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role in the
organization
-To "pilot", or test, the operation of a new performance management system
-To train about a specific topic
Training Employees
Typical Topics of Employee Training
1- Communications: The increasing diversity of today's workforce brings a wide variety of
languages and customs.
2- Computer skills: Computer skills are becoming a necessity for conducting administrative and
office tasks.
3- Customer service: Increased competition in today's global marketplace makes it critical that
employees understand and meet the needs of customers.
4- Diversity: Diversity training usually includes explanation about how people have different
perspectives and views, and includes techniques to value diversity
5- Ethics: Today's society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility. Also,
today's diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace.
6- Human relations: The increased stresses of today's workplace can include misunderstandings
and conflict. Training can people to get along in the workplace.
7- Quality initiatives: Initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Quality Circles,
benchmarking, etc., require basic training about quality concepts, guidelines and standards for
quality, etc.
8- Safety: Safety training is critical where working with heavy equipment , hazardous chemicals,
repetitive activities, etc., but can also be useful with practical advice for avoiding assaults, etc.
9- Sexual harassment: Sexual harassment training usually includes careful description of the
organization's policies about sexual harassment, especially about what are inappropriate
behaviors.
Training Employees
General Benefits from Employee Training and Development
There are numerous sources of online information about training and development.
Several of these sites (they're listed later on in this library) suggest reasons for supervisors to
conduct training among employees. These reasons include:
1- Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees
2- Increased employee motivation
3- Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain
4- Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods
5- Increased innovation in strategies and products
6- Reduced employee turnover
7- Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics
training!)
8- Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training
Training Employees
Ways/Methods of Training:
Training is generally imparted in two ways:
On the job training- On the job training methods are those which are given to the
employees within the everyday working of a concern. It is a simple and cost-effective training
method. The inproficient as well as semi- proficient employees can be well trained by using
such training method. The employees are trained in actual working scenario. The motto of such
training is “learning by doing.” Instances of such on-job training methods are job-rotation,
coaching, temporary promotions, etc.
Off the job training- Off the job training methods are those in which training is
provided away from the actual working condition. It is generally used in case of new
employees. Instances of off the job training methods are workshops, seminars, conferences,
etc. Such method is costly and is effective if and only if large number of employees have to be
trained within a short time period. Off the job training is also called as vestibule training,i.e.,
the employees are trained in a separate area( may be a hall, entrance, reception area,etc.
known as a vestibule) where the actual working conditions are duplicated.
Training Employees(Ways/Methods of Training)
Employee Orientation
Employee orientation is part of a long-term investment in a new employee. It is an initial
process that provides easy access to basic information, programs and services, gives
clarification and allows new employees to take an active role in their organization.
Introduce new employees to their new environment
-Make new employees feel welcome and comfortable
-Retain a pool of new, capable employees
Benefits:
Establish clear standards that help reduce disputes and limit liability
Promote consistent management
Inform new employees of the company’s policies
Demonstrate a commitment to equal treatment of personnel
Provide protection from claims of discrimination and sexual harassment
In some organizations an employee handbook is available to all employees. The content of the
handbook covers the key topics covered in an orientation session for new employees.
What should employee orientation programs include?
An orientation program helps the employee understand their assigned duties, terms and
conditions of employment as well as the organizational culture. It provides the following
information:
Welcome employee to company
Training Employees(Ways/Methods of Training)
Welcome employee to company
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Orientation to business:
history , mission statement , goals and objectives , organizational structure, e.g. own job
description and relationship of position to other positions ,future plans

Company policies and procedures, for example:
dress code ,reporting procedures ,smoking restrictions ,expense claims

Legislation
Safety procedures, Emergency procedures, operating telephone system, who to call for repairs

Explanation of benefit package
group insurance, sick leave, holidays

Tour facility and work areas:
introduce employees , identify amenities, e.g. washrooms, shower , explain emergency
procedures identify safety equipment

Describe job responsibilities and performance expectations
review job description , review product standards ,discuss applicable legislation , provide
manuals for operating equipment
Finalize employment documentation
Training Employees(Ways/Methods of Training) Canada
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is an agreement between a person (an apprentice) who wants to learn a skill and an
employer who needs a skilled worker -- "earning while learning." Apprenticeship is a proven industry-based
learning system that combines on-the-job experience with technical training to produce a certified
journeyperson. Upon completion of the specified training period, apprentices receive a Certificate of
Qualification. On average, 85% of the apprentice's two to five years of training is spent in the workplace; the
rest is spent at a training institution.
Apprenticeship Grants
Apprenticeship grants are designed to make a career in the trades an attractive choice and encourage more
apprentices to complete their training.
Interprovincial Standards "Red Seal" Program
The Red Seal Program was established to provide greater mobility across Canada for skilled workers.
Through the program, apprentices who have completed their training and certified journeypersons, are able
to obtain a "Red Seal" endorsement on their Certificates of Qualification and Apprenticeship by successfully
completing an Interprovincial Standards Examination.
Contacts for Apprenticeship Information
Apprenticetrades.ca is a comprehensive inventory of information on apprenticeship training across Canada.
The primary sources of information about apprenticeship are the provincial/territorial government
Departments or Ministries responsible for education, training, or labour. This page contains links that will take
you directly to the apprenticeship branches in each province/territory.
Mentoring and Coaching
Mentoring and Coaching
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a formal or informal process for more experienced workers to share their knowledge
about a business or industry to achieve the business goals of the organization and personal goals of the
individual.
What is a mentor?
A mentor is a close personal contact, who has an in depth knowledge of an industry or activity and
can assist another person.
What is a mentee?
A mentee is a person who is mentored by a close personal contact, usually within their industry, to assist the
mentee in achieving their objectives.
Why should I consider mentoring for my business?
Mentoring is an ideal way for a more experienced mentor to pass on:Skills Business practices ,
Knowledge about the business culture , Efficiencies already found by more experienced workers in work flow
Explanations about the business history - what worked what did not , Mentors relish the role of
passing on their knowledge and learning. They take pleasure in nurturing less experienced employees and
exchanging information and ideas. The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses recently surveyed its
members and stated that mentoring is a great way to train and attract students into their business.Mentees
appreciate "learning the ropes", value the investment made in them and thrive on the knowledge. When
employees are learning in their jobs it makes it less likely that they will leave. Benefits of mentoring
include:Increased stability
Increased profitability ,Decreased turnover , Higher motivation , Higher productivity because
employees are more invested in the business , Job satisfaction increased , Ability to phase retirement for
experienced employees
Mentoring and Coaching
Illustrative examples of how business uses mentoring
Business A has projected growth in their business with a concurrent need for more employees. They are
finding it harder and harder to find workers with the right skills. Strategies that Company A is using is passing on
responsibilities to other employees, functioning with fewer employees, ignoring business opportunities, hiring
temporary help and improving salaries and the work environment They have also adopted a tactic of hiring people
with potential and training them into the jobs they need filling. This has all helped but projecting into the future
Company A sees that fewer employees with the right skills is not a temporary condition. They also see that the need
to increase training will only rise in the future. They have adopted informal training but need something else to fill in
the gaps and find that mentoring is a great way to train as well as make both the participants benefits in the process.
Company A is finding that employees are getting up to speed faster than ever before and discovering mentoring
couldn't have happened at a better time.
Is there a business case to be made for mentoring?
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) in its recent survey of businesses in the Availability
of Labour and Training Survey identified that having sufficient labour of the right quality is an ongoing concern for
business. As well, the survey identified that compared to three years ago; the business's training costs as measured
by time and money per employee have increased 56.5% on average in Canada. Further the survey indicates that
almost half of businesses believe that the training needs will only increase in the next three years. Not only do new
hires need training but all employees, from basic level skills training to technical skills training. For one third of
businesses, new employees take almost a year to train.Who wants to lose an employee in this business environment?
The business case for mentoring can best be made through the cost savings to businesses that know how to retain a
good employee or keeping an employee who feels that they have contributed all they can in your setting. Why do
employees leave companies? It is because they feel they are not learning, lack satisfaction with their jobs, are not
recognized and valued for the experience they bring. Employees stay with businesses because they are recognized
and valued. It is rarely the money. The types of costs you need to take into consideration are the turnover
costs:Administrative function related to termination
Mentoring and Coaching
Separation or severance pay , Any increase in employment compensation , Cost of the vacancy during
which you do not have an employee and need to hire temporary help or increase the responsibilities of other
employees. Replacement costs include:Advertising for new applicants , Interview and review time , Skills
testing , The one area that is difficult to measure but just as tangible in cost are the:Increased workloads for
others , Employee stress and anxiety , Morale decline , Productivity costs , Loss of customers , Loss of
intellectual capital , Negative impact on customer loyalty
What will mentoring cost me?
Very little. Setting up a system can takes time and resources but by and large, these are minimal.
Experienced employees very often appreciate volunteering to be a mentor. Being a mentor can become part
of a person's job. Costs may include:Time to set up the mentoring which may take as little as half a day to
up six months
The time of the people I involve to help me set up mentoring Your mentor(s)' time of a minimum of two
hours a month for one year
Your Mentee(s)' time of a minimum of two hours a month for one year
Your time to adjust the mentoring process as needed but evaluation minimum of two hours annually
Can I hire someone outside my business to mentor?
It depends on what you want the mentoring to achieve. Later in the module you will be able to assess
what kind of mentor you need based on your expectations of outcomes from mentoring.
What is the difference between a consultant and mentor?
A mentor is someone who supports an individual on a personal basis to achieve his or her goals, often
over a longer period of time of at least a year. This person understands the business the person is in.A
consultant is someone who works for a shorter period of time on a specific issue or project to achieve a
business outcome and charges for services rendered. x
Mentoring and Coaching
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What are some ways to use mentoring in my business?
It can be used to:Transfer business knowledge from experienced workers to more junior
workers
Decrease job turnover by increasing work satisfaction
Build morale, pride and job satisfaction by integrating new employees quickly and giving
current employees a stake in developing new talent
Build the skill capacity of employees
Facilitate the succession planning process
Give a message to the business, community, and potential employees that my business
endorses certain behaviours. For example attracting and retaining women into the organization,
or valuing experienced employees
To meet equal opportunity goals by effectively integrating disadvantaged groups
Training Needs Checklist
Training Needs Checklist
Determine training needs of employees:
 review job descriptions
 identify training required by legislation, e.g. correct handling of chemicals
 consider training needs required because of change:
 consider technological changes
 invite employee input on training needs
 review common complaints and problems
 identify employee's strengths and areas needing improvement, for example:
customer service
cash handling
safety
prioritize training needs, e.g. evaluate existing skills of staff
identify training objectives, e.g. description of skills to be learned
determine evaluation methods, e.g. how skills will be tested
determine resources available, e.g. professional seminars, private trainers, occupational standards, cost-sharing
programs
Training Needs Checklist
determine method of delivery, considering:
 budget
 options available, for example:
on-the-job demonstrations
coaching
practice sessions
training seminars, e.g. in-house, external
staff or individual meetings
learning activities, e.g. role playing, hands-on experience
finalize details of training sessions, for example:
 session content

prospective participants: arrange for staff to cover for participants in training, e.g. re-organize work
date, time and location
 training tools, e.g. videos
 instructors
inform prospective participants of details:
 communicate expectations, e.g. consider requiring participants to share knowledge with co-workers
after training
