THE NEED FOR STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT THAT AKWA IBOM STATE GOVERNMENT

THE NEED FOR STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT THAT AKWA IBOM STATE GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          Organisations, private and public exist to achieve specific objectives. An organization makes use of such resources as material, machine, money and man to achieve its specific objectives. However, among these organizational resources, the “man” is the most critical because he makes use of the other resources to achieve the organizational objectives. Therefore, organizations must have men who are capable of performing their duties effectively and efficiently in order to achieve the set objectives. Hence, it becomes necessary that these men should acquire the basic skills, knowledge and abilities through training and development process.

Similarly, the organizational environment is constantly undergoing rapid changes due to the effects of globalization of business, technological innovations, social and political changes and increased awareness and demand from customers among others. Therefore, organizations are constantly challenged to increase their productivity, quality of their products and services, and their competitive abilities to enable them survive the tough competitive environment in which they operate.

These environmental changes have made it mandatory for all organizations to embrace training and development of their workforce to keep them adaptable and responsive to these constant changes.

Moreover, for an organization to achieve high performance, the constant improvement of the knowledge, skills and abilities of its employees will enable them to face the challenges arising from their jobs.

Accordingly, Szilaggh (1984) agrees that it is no longer necessary to debate whether training and development activities are luxuries in which large organizations can indulge in prosperous times, it is all accepted fact that training and development are necessary for the spirit, survival and performance of the organization.

Soeze (2002) supports the view of Szilagyl by saying that ‘for an organization to perform optimally, there is need to train and retrain its staffers or labour force to fit properly into various positions, both now and in the future. Research has shown that whereby an organization places little or no emphasis on the training and development of its workers, their performance and productivity would decline’.

Oakland (2000) believes that ‘training is the single most important factor in actually improving quality, once there has been commitment to do so. However for training to be effective, it must be planned in a systematic and objective manner. Quality training must be continuous to meet, not only changes in technology but also changes in the environment in which an organization operates.

Sayles and Straus (1977) observe that ‘training motivates employees to work harder and employees who understand their jobs are likely to have higher morale. They are able to have a closer relationship between efforts and performance.  Furthermore the very fact that management is confident enough to invest in employees training provides an assurance that such employees are highly valued’.

From the foregoing therefore, any investment in training and development is necessary and justifiable for the survival and growth of the organization. Gomez et al (1998) observe that ‘although training is often used in conjunction with development, the terms are not synonymous.

Training, typically focuses on providing the employees with specific skills or helping them to correct deficiencies in their performance. In contrast, development is an effort to provide employees with the abilities the organization will need in the future’.

With the introduction of the civil service reforms in 1988, training has accorded more recognition in the Nigeria Public Service and Akwa Ibom State was not been left out in the quest for training and development of the staff. According to Adebayo (2001) ‘civil service serves as the repository of knowledge and experience in government and it is the machinery that is mainly responsible for the execution and implementation of government policies and programmes’. Therefore, the importance of the role of civil service in government makes it necessary for civil servants to be constantly trained and developed for effective and efficient performance of their functions. Hence, adequate and continuous training and development of civil servants will enable them to successfully cope with the challenges arising from political changes, new government policies and programmes, and other job related tasks. It was in recognition of the need for staff training and development that Akwa Ibom State Government established Bureau of establishment (Now Ministry of Establishment) vested with the responsibility of supervision and control of all training and development activities in the state civil service. However good the intentions of Akwa Ibom State Government may be the benefits of a training programme may not be realized if the trainees or participants cannot transfer the knowledge acquired from the training to the real jobs situation. The importance of a training programme is therefore undermined when there is no corresponding increase in performance.

The study therefore, aims at appraising the staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service from 1999 to 2008 with a view to determining the effectiveness of the training and development programmes towards improving staff performance.

 

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          The success of any Government depends on the effectiveness of its civil service in the implementation of government policies and programmes. The effectiveness of the civil service can be achieved by well-planned and implemented adequate training and development of the civil servants. However, the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service has constantly been criticized by civil servants as well as by non-civil servants with regard to the “slow” pace of execution of government decisions and the way in which staff training and development programmes are conducted. Some of the issues being raised include:

 

  1. Inadequate funding of staff training and development programmes.
  2. Inadequate planning and poor implementation of staff training and development programmes.
  3. Lack of staff training and development facilities
  4. Unhealthy discrimination in the selection of staff for training and development.
  5. Undue delay in converting the staff who were trained to their appropriate job position and grades.
  6. Placement of much emphasis on paper qualifications or academic training for degrees instead of on functional in-service training tailored to the need of the civil service which has inevitably affected the effectiveness and efficiency of the civil service.

 

Considering the issues raised above among others relating to staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service, the researcher has decided to appraise the staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service from 1999 to 2008 so as to determine the extent to which staff training and development are being carried out and their effect on the performance of the Civil Service and to determine the causes of failure, if any.

 

  • OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is both academic and economic. Considering the importance attached to staff training and development, the researcher has undertaken this study to achieve the following objectives:

 

  1. To determine the extent to which training and development have improved the performance of Akwa Ibom State Civil Service.
  2. To determine whether staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service measure up to the need.
  3. To determine whether staff training and development programmes are adequately funded in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service.
  4. To determine whether Akwa Ibom State Civil Service has the necessary facilities for staff training and development.
  5. To identify the factors that militate against the effective staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service if any, and to suggest feasible solutions.
  6. To contribute to the existing literature on staff training and development.

 

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will serve as a source of information to the following beneficiaries namely, the Akwa Ibom State Government, the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service Commission, the Business Organisation and the Academic Organisations..

 

  1. For the Akwa Ibom State Government, the findings and recommendations will serve as a guide to the policy makers when formulating new policies on training and manpower development.
  2. For the Akwa Ibom Civil Service Commission, the study will assist the authorities to identify the various factors which militate against staff training and development and to make necessary adjustments towards achieving an improved staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service.
  3. For the Business Organisations, the Information which the study provides will educate the managers on the training and development process, and benefits that can be derived from a well planned and implemented training and development programme.
  4. For the Academics, the information which the study provides will serve as a resource material and also as a secondary data for further research work on staff training and development.

 

1.5    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          The researcher has carefully constructed the following research questions as a guide to this study.

 

  1. To what extent have staff training and development improved the performance of Akwa Ibom State Civil Service?
  2. Do staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service measure up to the need?
  3. Are staff training and development programmes adequately funded in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service?
  4. Does Akwa Ibom State Civil Service have the necessary facilities for staff training and development?

 

1.6    THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study was delimited to civil servants in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service. Only the core ministries were involved in the study as staff of boards and parastatals were not considered. All cadre of civil servants (Junior/Senior) and management staff were covered in the study.

 

1.6    STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES

To achieve the objectives of this study, the following alternative hypotheses have been formulated.

 

  1. Staff training and development have improved the performance of the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service.
  2. Staff training and development in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service measure up to the need.
  3. Staff training and development programmes are adequately funded in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service.
  4. Akwa Ibom State Civil Service has the necessary facilities for staff training and development.

 

1.7    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          This study will serve as a source of information to the following beneficiaries, namely, the Akwa Ibom State Government, the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service Commission, the Business Organisations and the Academics.

 

  1. For the Akwa Ibom State Government, the findings and recommendations will serve as a guide to the policy makers when formulating new policies on training and manpower development.
  2. For the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service Commission, the study will assist the authorities to identify the various factors which militate against staff training and development and to make necessary adjustments towards achieving an improved staff training and development in the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service.
  3. For the Business Organisations, the information which the study provides will educate the Managers on the training and development process and the benefits that can be derived from a well-planned and implemented training and development programme.
  4. For the Academics, the information which the study provides will serve as a resource material and also as a secondary data for further research work on staff training and development.

 

  • LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study may be limited by the following factors:

 

  1. Hoarding of relevant information to staff training and development in the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service by some of the respondents (civil servants).
  2. Financial and time constraints
  3. The size and nature of the respondents and their levels of knowledge about the subject under study.
  4. The quantity and quality of information gathered on the subject during the research will affect the reliability of the findings.

 

However, the researcher hopes that the recommendations based on the findings may also be applied to various States Civil Service in Nigeria with minor adjustments where necessary.

 

1.9    DEFINITION OF TERMS

 

Academy: A special training school.

 

Appraisal or Performance Appraisal: A method of accessing or determining the level of performance or output as well as discovering areas of improvement.

 

Bureau: A Government Department or Division.

 

Civil Service: A Government organization, which is responsible for the implementation of government policies and programmes.

 

Civil Servants: Employees of the government engaged in civil service
Conference: A meeting organized  for discussion or exchange of views.
Development or Management Development: A capacity building process aimed at improving the performance of existing managers or preparing the non-managers for further managerial responsibilities.

 

Effectiveness: The ability to determine the appropriate objectives. That is “doing the right things”.
Efficiency: The ability to minimize the use of resource in achieving organizational objectives. That is “doing things right”
Environment: a set of condition or forces, which surround and influence the organization.
Facilities: Training and development facilities other than funds.

 

Funding: Monetary expenses provided for or incurred on a given programme.

 

In-service Training: An off-the-job training sponsored by the employer, ranging from orientation course to capacity building (development) with the full rights of the trainee (employee) being retained during the training and development period.

 

Need: Training and development need.

 

Objective: The end towards which an activity is aimed.

 

Performance: A level of achievement of output in product or service

 

Policy: A statement of aims and ideals made by government that serves as a guide to action.

 

Process: A series of operation that are connected and deliberately undertaken.

 

Productivity: A measure of output per person under a given condition.

 

Programme: A single use plan that covers a relatively large set of organisaitonal activities and specifies major steps, their order and unit responsible for each step.
Seminar: A discussion session with a lecturer as a guide.

 

Study Leave Without Pay: An employee – sponsored off-the-job training with due approval by the employer to re-engage the employee into the service at the expiration of the training.

 

Training: Any learning experience designed to impart necessary knowledge and skills for the trainee present job.

 

1.10  ORGANISATION OF STUDY:

The study is organized under five chapters as follows:

 

  1. Chapter one: This chapter deals with introduction, which discusses the background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, statement of the hypotheses, scope of the study, limitations of the study, definition of terms and brief historical background of the case study.
  2. Chapter two: This chapter deals with the review of related literature on staff training and development
  3. Chapter three: This chapter deals with the research methodology which involves the restatement of the research questions and hypotheses, research design, the population, sampling design and procedures, data collection instrument, testing the validity and reliability of the instrument, administration of the data collection instrument, scoring, model specification and methods of data analyses.
  4. Chapter Four: This chapter deals with the presentation, analysis and interpretation of data.
  5. Chapter five: This chapter deals with the summary, conclusions and recommendations with regards to the findings from the study.

 

 

 

1.11  Akwa Ibom Civil Service

 

Background

Akwa Ibom Civil Service came  into existence immediately after the creation of Akwa Ibom State on 23rd September 1987. Civil service is an important branch of the executive arm of the government which is charged with the responsibility of implementing government policies and programmes. The civil service is a powerful and knowledgeable organization made up of bureaucrats, professionals and other operatives who are called civil servants. Ideally, civil servants are persons who were recruited to serve in the Ministries, Bureau and Extra-Ministerial Departments of which the civil service is composed. Parastatals and Government-owned Companies are not part of civil service but together with civil service, they form what is known as public service.

Civil servants enjoy job security unlike the political appointees whose terms of office terminate with the government that appointed them. The civil service is the instrument of the government of the day but neither the service nor its members are the partisan of any particular political party. The civil service is indispensable irrespective of the type of government, whether military or civilian. Indeed under the military rule or sudden change of government, it is even more incumbent on the civil service to continue its traditional role as a means of ensuring that the orderly administration of the country and State is continuous.

 

Structure of Akwa Ibom State Civil Service

 

The Civil Service of Akwa Ibom State is structured in an hierarchical manner such that each category of officers knows whom to report to and on whom authority has been vested with. The integrated structure which exists in the State Civil Service is like a pyramid, from the top to the bottom. The ministerial organizational structure of the State Civil Service places the commissioner as the political head of the Ministry. The Permanent Secretary is next to the Commissioner in hierarchy of leadership position and the reports to the Commissioner accordingly. However, the Permanent Secretary being a civil servant is the Administrative Head as well as the Chief Accounting Officer of the State Ministry. The Directors serve as the heads of the various Departments in the Ministry and report to the Permanent Secretary. The various Departments are further divided into Divisions, Sections and units as the case may be. These subdivisions are headed by various categories of civil servants. The Civil Service Commission which is an executive body established by constitution serves as the main agency for the recruitment, regular appraisal, discipline, retirement of the civil servants while the general day to day supervision of the activities of the civil servants are handled by the various State Ministries and Bureax. The figure 1.1 below shows the standard organizational chart of Akwa Ibom State Ministry in the present civil service.

 

FIG. 1.1      STRUCTURE OF AKWA IBOM STATE MINISTRY IN THE PRESENT CIVIL SERVICE 

 

 

Source: The State Civil Service, Agom Eze (1993), Page 8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES

 

  1. BOOKS

 

Adebayo, Augustus (2001). Power and Politics.  Ibadan: Spectrum Books Limited.

 

Gomez, Louis R., Balkin, David Band Cardy, Robert L. (1998) Managing Human Resources, 2nd Edition, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

 

Oakland, John S. (2000) Total quality Management Text with Cases, 2nd Edition, Oxford: Butherworth-Heinemann.

 

Sayles, Leonard H; and Strauss George (1997) Managing Human Resources,  New York: Prentice Hall.

 

Szilagyl, Andrew D. (1984) Management and Performance, 2nd Edition, Illinois: Freshman and Company.

 

  1. NEWSPAPER

 

Soeze, Charles (2002), “Relevance of Staff Training and Development in Oil Industry”, Daily Champion, August 12.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

 

2.1    Historical Background

In scientific Management school of thought, Frederick Winslow Taylor, known as “father of scientific management analysed management principles to include:

 

  1. The development of a scientific method of designing jobs to replace the old rule of thumb methods. This involved gathering, classifying and tabulating data to arrive at the ‘one best way’ of performing a task or series of tasks.
  2. The scientific selection and progressive teaching and development of employees. Taylor also emphasized the need not only to studying workers strength and weaknesses but also the need to provide training experiences to improve employee performance.
  3. Taylor also believed that new and scientifically developed methods of job design should not merely be put before an employee but that they should be fully explained by management to the employee.

 

These principles brought about the origin of management training and development.

 

2.1.1 Concepts of Training and Development

          Training and development are planned continuous efforts by management to improve employees’ competency levels and keep them abreast of changes in technology and procedure in their jobs. Although training is often used in conjunction with development, the terms are not synonymous. The following definitions of the two concepts will differentiate their meanings.

Onuoha (2008) stated that “the term training refers to teaching lower level or technical employees how to perform their present jobs.

Stoner et al (2007) define ‘training as a process designed to maintain or improve current job performance’  Ugwunna (2000) observes that ‘although training has a general concept of improving employee has a general concept of improving employee performance, it is the method of teaching the new junior staff to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills in specific jobs n a particular organisation’ Mathis and Jackson (1997) define training as ‘a process whereby people acquire skills or knowledge to aid them in the achievement of goals’.

Gomez et al (1998) believe that ‘training typically focuses on providing employees with specific skills or helping them correct deficiencies in their performances’. According to Certo (1997) ‘training is the process of developing qualities in human resources that will enable them to be more productive  and thus to contribute more to organizational goal attainment’.

Frean (1977), specifies the following desirable features that make the meaning of training explicit as follows:

  1. ‘Training should be aimed at enabling people to do specific tasks or achieve specific work objectives.
  2. The outcomes are immediately applicable and relevant to the work to be done.
  3. The learner’s newly gained competence is immediately put to test
  4. All people are trained to reach a pre-determined minimum standard with slower learners given more time and more help if necessary.
  5. It is done within the work environment whenever possible.

 

Anao (1987) observes that ‘the training which takes place during courses and which emphasizes mostly the acquisition of knowledge, can at best serve as a foundation and support for the real training which is on-the-job because of its inability to simulate or explore the complexities and difficulties that characterize the real work situation in which the trainee’s competence will eventually be evaluated.

 

  • Concept of Development

Stoner et al (2007) defines development program as a process designed to develop skills necessary for future work activities.

Onuoha (2008) states that Development refers to teaching managers and professionals skills needed for both present and future jobs.

 

2.2    The Purpose of Training and Development

          Onuoha (2008) analysed the objectives of training and development to include the following:

 

  1. To improve the quality and quantity of output
  2. To lower the cost of wastes and equipment maintenance.
  3. To lower the number and costs of accidents
  4. To lower turnover and absenteeism and increase employee job satisfaction since training can improve employees’ self esteem
  5. To prevent employee obsolescence.

 

Schuler and Huber (1993) believe that the purpose of training and development is to remove performance deficiencies, whether current or anticipated, that cause employees to perform at less than the desired level.

Further details of the purpose of training and development are discussed as follows:

2.2.1 The Purpose of Training

 

          The purpose of training is to increase the productivity of the employees by influencing their behaviour. Mali (1981) observes, “the purpose of training is to bring about changes in the behaviour of the employees.” Hence, training as a learning experience, which is aimed at helping the employees to acquire basic skills and knowledge required for their present job, enables the employees to be more committed, more productive and more efficient. Accordingly, Towle et al (1972) perceive the purpose of personnel training as “a means to acquire and maintain basic skills, capabilities and personal capacities to more adequately contribute their services towards the fulfillment of the objectives of the firm”. Also, Longenecker and Moor (1987) see the purpose of training as “to prepare the recruit to perform the duties for which he or she has been employed as well as to improve the performance of current employees through additional training”. Effective training programmes aim at avoiding employees obsolescence by exposing them to the knowledge of current changes in technologies and techniques of performing their current changes in technologies and techniques of performing their current jobs. Scholar and Huber (1993) pointed out that “training for performance improvement is particularly important to organizations that are rapidly incorporating new technologies and consequently increasing the likelihood of employee obsolescence”.  Generally, the purpose of training is to update the knowledge and skill of an employee so as to make him continually relevant and effective in his job position.

 

Staub and Attner (1994), outlined the major goals of training thus:

  1. To increase knowledge and skills;
  2. To increase a motivation to succeed
  3. To improve morale and sense of competence and pride in performance
  4. To improve chances of advancement; and
  5. To increase quality and productivity.

 

 

Concept of Development

          Gomez et al (1998) define development, as “an effort to provide employees with the abilities the organization will need in the future”. Mondy and Noe (1984) define development to include “activities that are designed to prepare employees to keep pace with the  organization as it changes and grows”. Holt (1993) observes that “development is intended to provide general knowledge about theoretical concepts, to enrich organizations through improved human resources programs and to sensitize managers to their responsibilities.”

Ladipo (1981) sees management development as referring to “the process of planning and programming for growth and improvement of individuals in organization”. Drucker (1979) Pigors and Myers (1981) agreed with Ladipo but added that “it also involves the improvement and growth of the organization, it’s philosophy, objectives, and structure.” The above definitions indicate that development is a process targeted to managers with long-term implications for organizational changes. Development programmes ensure that there will be an infusion of fresh talent for responsible positions, and well-run development programmes will accentuate innovative behaviours.

According to Robbins (1982), “Management development activities attempt to instill sound reasoning process to enhance one’s ability to understand and interpret knowledge rather than imparting a body of serial facts or specific skills”. However, well-developed workers acquire good analytical, human relations and conceptual skills which enable them understand causes and effects relationships and to think logically. Higgens (1991), believes that “employee development tends to provide more general skills and knowledge to be used in the current job and later in organization life, as the individual moves through his or her career”. Development is a critical part of strategic approach to the management of human resources.

In summary, the following are the differences between training and development:

  1. Training focuses on the current job while development focuses on both current and the jobs the employees will hold in the future.
  2. Training is job-specific and addresses particular performance deficits or problems while development is concerned with work force skills and versatility.
  3. Training tends to focus on immediate organizational needs while development tends to focus on long-term requirement.
  4. Training strongly influences present performance levels, while development pays off in terms of more capable and flexible human resources in the long term.
  5. Therefore the goal of training can be viewed as a fairly quick improvement in workers performance while the goal of development can be viewed as the overall enrichment of the organizational human resources.
  6. Moreover, while job training focuses on technical skills, management development programmes enhance conceptual, analytical and problem solving skills.

 

  • The Purpose of Development

The purpose of development is to develop present and future managers for effective leadership role. An organisaiton’s future lies in the hands of management, and managers perform the essential functions necessary for the organization to survive and prosper. Therefore, the purpose of development is to prepare managers to remain attuned to the latest knowledge in their various fields and be capable of managing the work force within a dynamic environment. According to Mondy and Noe (1984). “Management development enables managers to update and upgrade their skills and knowledge required in their current and future positions”. Hence, the purpose of development is to achieve organizational effectiveness through improved managerial performance. Improved managerial performance is achieved by the manager’s ability to take the right decisions, and to deploy the available resources effectively. Management development aims at providing the managers at all levels with the latest information on business theory and practice that seriously affect the operations of the organization within its environment. The provision of useful and timely information by the development process keeps the managers at all levels aware of current changes that seriously affect their operations, thereby discouraging managerial obsolescence. Management Development also aims at developing technical specialists to become general managers. Accordingly, Ubeku (1978) observes that “practice whereby technical experts pursue only their specialized interest is an unfortunate limitation.  They should be developd to widen or broaden their horizon”.

According to Jarman (1973), “management development aims to achieve the following:

  1. To improve the job performance of the managers
  2. To provide adequate “cover” in the event of un-expected short term changes such as death, transfers, resignation, etc or unanticipated new developments.
  3. To raise the current level of management thinking and understanding in all branches and at all levels in the organization.
  4. To provide a supply of managerial talent which will meet the anticipated needs of the future development of the organization in terms of commercial change, growth, and increased technological and managerial expertise.
  5. To extend the frontiers of knowledge in the understanding of the management functions.

 

  • THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The training and development processes are relatively complex and challenging activities partly because of the multitude of relationships training and development have with other human resource activities. The determination of training and development needs ranges from subjective beliefs about the value of training and development to systematic identification of problems requiring solutions. For training and development programmes to be effective instead of adopting intuition or personal judgment approach. The general training and development process that will be discussed is presented in the figure 2.1 below:

Figure 2.1: The Training and Development Process

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: R. Wayne Monday and Robert M. Noe (1984)

Personnel: The Management of Human Resources, New York: Alln and Bacon. Page 249.

 

The above figure 2.1 shows that the external and internal environments can affect training and development process. For example, external condition such as new technology leads to changes in skill requirement for production workers, which in turn signal new management systems with commensurate change in leadership. Internal considerations that may influence a company to change include labour relations, employee problems, intraorganisational conflict and a variety of financial ailments. The more intense the situation, the more likely change will occur. Training and  development aim at responding to the need for the change. Therefore, training and development are used to bring about change in both individuals and groups in order to perform their jobs more effectively. The formal process of training and development starts with the determination of training and development needs, which is discussed below.

 

  • Determination of Training and Development Needs

The first step in establishing a viable training and development programme is need assessment, which determines the training and development needs of the organization. Without determining the needs training and development efforts will not achieve the expected result. Assessment of training and development needs involves conducting an organizational needs analysis, job need analysis and sometimes demographic need analysis, to identify the mixture of general and specific training and development needs by revealing the gap between what is required and what is available.

 

Organisational Need Analysis

          The purpose of organizational needs analysis is to identify both overall organizational needs and the level of support for training and development. It begins with the examination of the short and long term objectives of the organization and the trends that are likely to affect these objectives. The effectiveness of the organization and its success in meeting its goals are analyzed to determine where differences exist. For example, members of a department with a high turnover rate or a low performance record might require additional training. Training needs may also be indicated by information about new positions, retirements, absenteeism, grievances, accidents, customer complaints, etc. According to Calhoon (1987), “overall problems of employee relations demonstrate a need for improvement in the area”.

Ubeku (1975) observes that “no organization can plan a realistic training programme unless a thorough diagnosis of the present manpower position has been made and the organisation’s future plans and type of manpower requirement have been decided upon.”

 

Job Needs Analysis

The purpose of job needs analysis is to examine the content of present or anticipated jobs and to determine the kinds of training needed for the job. The job requirements which include the job specifications and the job descriptions provide information on the performance expected and the skills necessary for employees to accomplish the required job. By comparing the requirements of the jobs with the knowledge, skills and abilities of the employees, training needs can be identified.

 

Employee Needs Analysis

          Employee needs analysis may be carried out comparing actual employee performance against established standard. There are various approaches of making these employee needs analysis. The most common approach is the use of performance appraisal data, which include productivity, customer complaints, accident, as well as performance appraisal rating in providing evidence of performance deficiencies. Another approach is by employee survey. Both managers and non-managers can be surveyed, interviewed and tested. The results can inform the organization about what employees believe their problems are and what recommendations can be offered for solutions. According to Mescan et al (1985), “the need for training is revealed when a person first joins the organization, when an employee is assigned to a different position or given new tasks to perform and when performance appraisal reveals that a person lacks certain skills required to do the job effectively”.

 

Demographic Needs Analysis

In addition to organizational, job and employee needs analysis, organizations can also conduct demographic studies to determine the training needs of specific population of workers. Research indicates that different groups have different training needs. For example, first line supervisors need more technical training while middle – level managers rate human relations course as most important for meeting their needs, and upper-level managers rate conceptual courses as critical to their development.

 

2.3.2 Establishing Specific Objectives

          Specific objectives for training and development are established to relate to the training and development needs identified in the need analysis. Hence, clear, concise, achievable and measurable objectives should be formulated and understood by all concerned. The objectives serve as a means of assessing the effectiveness of training and development efforts.

 

The specific objectives of Training and Development include the following:

  1. To improve the quality and quantity of output.
  2. To reduce the cost of waste and equipment maintenance.
  3. To reduce the number and cost of accidents due to errors in operating machines.
  4. To reduce labour turnover and absenteeism and increase employee’s job satisfaction since training can improve employee’s self-esteem.
  5. To prevent employee obsolescence.

 

Generally, training and development does not only help the organization to become more effective and efficient but also help the employees to develop and become more satisfied and self-actualized.

 

2.3.3 Selection of Appropriate Method(s)

The next step after establishing training and development objectives is to select appropriate training and development method(s). There are many approaches to training and development. Mondy and Noe (1984) classify training and development into three major groups as follows:

  1. Training methods for operatives only.
  2. Training methods for both operatives and managers.
  3. Development methods for managers only.

 

Furthermore, training and development methods are broken down into whether they are conducted on-the-job or off-the-job. Therefore, while a large number of training and development takes place on-the-job, many training and development programmes occur away from the job. However, the decision on where the training and development will take place depends on the type of learning that is to occur (basic, inter personal, or conceptual) as well as by cost and time consideration.

On-the-job training, off-the-job training, and the three major groups of training and development methods are discussed as follows:

 

On-the – Job Training (OJT)

          On-the-job training approach involves the trainee working in the actual work setting usually under the guidance of an experienced worker, supervisor, or trainer. It is probably the most common and widely used method of training employees today because it is flexible and relevant to what the employees are doing. Reilly (1982) describes on-the-job training as “a system of tutelage in which an officer is assigned to a particular job in a normal working situation and has a more experienced officer supervising his activities, pointing out his mistakes and instructing how to perform the job more efficiently”. This requires a competent supervisor who is able to communicate his knowledge and skills and willing to provide the time and energy to the training. One advantage of on-