This paper examines the evolving field of employee training and development, arguing that organizations seeking competitive advantage must move beyond traditional training approaches. Drawing on Sims (1998), the paper outlines four core orientations that should guide the design of effective training programs: strategic orientation, which aligns training with organizational mission and business strategy; customer orientation, which incorporates customer feedback into program design; performance improvement orientation, which addresses both current and future workforce needs; and accountability orientation, which ensures training programs remain cost-effective, relevant, and results-driven. Together, these orientations provide a framework for building training programs that prepare employees for changing responsibilities and organizational demands.
Training is not what it used to be. As organizations continue to change, so does the field of training and development of employees. Employees are an essential tool of the organization in moving toward competitive advantage, and HR must follow through by providing the necessary programs to enhance employee skills and knowledge. As observed in recent years, organizations continue to eliminate hierarchical chains of command and management structures are being flattened. As a result, power is dispersed, giving employees a chance to hold authority over critical decisions — however, they must be prepared to handle such responsibility for the organization to benefit. This is where training and development comes in: to help employees prepare for coming changes and equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to handle new responsibilities brought about by organizational change.
Since training should move away from traditional thinking, any organization that wants to achieve competitive advantage through its people will need to focus on certain key orientations and integrate them into their training and development programs.
Training should be carefully designed in accordance with the mission, business strategy, tools, and culture of the organization. This ensures that the training is aligned with what is happening within the organization — following the same direction as the company. It must address the needs of both employees and upper management, and must be compatible with the type of workforce the organization has. Once employees undergo training, the program aims to make them more efficient, adaptable, accommodating, and motivated. When a training module is designed in accordance with business strategies, it becomes a strategic tool for the organization to develop its employees in the direction it wants to take (Sims, 1998).
In addition to considering internal conditions within the company, HR should also account for external and environmental factors to make the module more comprehensive. In this way, HR can achieve the flexibility needed from employees — not only skilled in dealing with internal issues, but also capable of adapting to external factors (Sims, 1998). To take this strategic approach, the Training or HR department should conduct the following activities: (a) identify existing training programs being executed and assess whether they are still needed; (b) examine which modules within current training programs can be removed; (c) re-evaluate remaining training modules to determine how they can be better aligned with business strategy and reinforce the organization's mission and vision; and (d) identify new modules that can be added to strengthen the training program. The underlying principle of this orientation is that training aligned with existing strategies and the future direction of the organization can greatly increase performance (Sims, 1998).
For training to be fully encompassing and effective, some organizations take time to involve their customers in the design of training programs. This is logical, since customers are among the first to experience the benefits of training. Consider, for example, a sales representative who has just received training about a store's products, etiquette, and conduct. That employee will be better equipped to answer customer questions about products of interest and may offer additional information the customer was unaware of (Sims, 1998). Because etiquette and conduct were included in the training, the representative will also be more cordial and accommodating — potentially resulting in a completed sale and a satisfied customer.
It is therefore important to hear what customers think about the company's service or product in order to identify areas that need improvement. Their feedback should be taken into consideration, since they know firsthand what works for them and what does not. Customer feedback can be gathered through surveys, comment forms, interviews, emails, and other channels made available by advances in technology. Taking this step signals to customers that they are valued and that the organization cares about their experience (Sims, 1998).
"Addressing current and future workforce skill needs"
"Keeping training cost-effective and results-driven"
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