Problem
A lack of a performance problem is a gap that arises when an employee does not perform to the level required by the organization. Here, a training program is designed to solve a specific performance problem identified in a firm: managers who are not being as productive as their company wants them to be. It focuses on improving their leadership skills, knowledge, and aptitudes to succeed across all managerial levels.
Target Learners
The focus of the training is on adult learners with management training needs. They include team leaders or supervisors and junior (first-line), middle, and senior managers in the company – a local bank. The program is ideal for building key management skills in these leaders.
Stakeholders
The training will benefit both internal and external stakeholders through increased management efficiency, leadership skills, and productivity. It will result in direct gains to managers, employees, and company shareholders. The external stakeholders expected to benefit include customers, suppliers, creditors, and the community.
Case Scenario
A financial institution has experienced a drop in customer service rating in recent months. It recruited and deployed new line managers in several branches opened recently. Its low rating is attributed to poor handling of retail clients calling the bank for support. The customers complain of long hold time and queues in the branches. Employees mention that the managers often use autocratic leadership style and have low product knowledge. The training program will seek to improve customer service rating (subject matter).
Project Focus
A prescriptive document is developed outlining how to plan, design, develop, implement, and evaluate the training in the next section. These procedures will be useful to trainers, instructors, and implementers of this program. The training and assessment are designed to address the performance gap in customer service at the bank.
Project ID Approach
The ADDIE model is the ID approach used to meet the training’s purpose (improving customer service rating). It will result in an effective program that addresses the performance problem from the organizational, managerial, and employee perspectives. A description of how each phase of this ID model is incorporated into the program is outlined below.
Phase I. Analysis
Front-end Analysis
- The performance problem to be resolved by the training is poor customer service rating of the bank. According to Owens and Kadakia (2020), an effective analysis reveals the problem to which the designed program is a solution. The analysis of customer feedback suggests that longer hold time and queues are the likely causes of the low rating – performance gap. Additionally, poor employee morale resulting from autocratic leadership styles could account for the performance gap. Poor management and customer service skills are the two issues that will be resolved through training.
- The training project entails developing leadership competencies for day-to-day management activities at the bank. The aim is to enhance the managers’ efficiency in their role. The ultimate goal is to improve employee morale and customer satisfaction rating.
- The bank and its key stakeholders will benefit from the improved management efficiency and leadership style. Having effective branch managers will increase employee morale and productivity, leading to a better customer service.
A Survey Sample
The training needs of target trainees will be identified through a survey. Data will be collected from a sample of bank managers. The needs analysis will be based on organizational reports, external evaluations or appraisals, and annual performance reviews (Owens & Kadakia, 2020). It will help identify performance gaps, including poor customer service and employee morale, which can be resolved by training.
Overall Goal Statement
- The training aims to provide participants with various management techniques and customer service skills crucial to attaining high performance
- Learning outcomes and benefits – at the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Name and practice key skills in managing teams
- Explain and implement the framework for improving customer service
- Describe the procedure for handling customer complaints
Phase II. Design
Training Objectives
- Provide managers with skills in effective day-to-day supervision of employees
- Equip participants with knowledge and skills necessary for delivering quality customer service
- Provide managerial skills and tools for mentoring employees to achieve the desired performance targets
Task Analysis
Phase III. Development
Training Delivery System
The training will be delivered using the face-to-face mode in a workshop organized for the managers. The setting will be a conference room fitted with a projector and public address system. Three modules will be delivered in separate sessions during the workshop.
Training Structure
Training Strategy
POC will be presented using three methods: lecture, case study, and group exercises. The training content to be covered includes systems approach to management, transformational leadership styles, and POC concepts and principles. Participants will practice through case studies, group exercises, and demonstrations. Performance assessment will involve employee surveys on satisfaction with the manager’s leadership styles. The training content for quality customer service will include frameworks for delivering high-quality service and complaint handling steps. The practice and feedback strategies for this segment are role-plays and passive observation. Performance will be assessed based on number of customer reviews or feedback after the training.
Training/Instructional Materials
- Learning objectives and content of each segment
- Supplementary reading material
- Visual aids presented on flip charts
- Instructions for activities
- Session notes, including definitions of concepts and terms
Phase IV. Implementation
Training Manual and Implementation Plan
The instructions and guidance for instructors for face-to-face training are included in the table below.
Phase V. Evaluation
The Kirkpatrick model is a useful framework for evaluating the program’s strengths and aspects that need improvement. It includes four levels of evaluation: the trainee’s reaction, learning, behavior change, and the training results (Reio et al., 2017). A survey instrument with items for each component of this model is provided below.
Reaction
- To what extent did you find the training valuable?
- Was the training aligned to your day-to-day managerial role at the bank?
- Did you find the training interesting?
Learning
- Which new skills, knowledge, or abilities did you acquire from the training?
Behavior
- To what extent were you able to apply the learning in your job?
Results
- Did customer service rating improve after the training and, if so, to what extent?
- Did employee morale increase after the program?
References
Owens, L. M., & Kadakia, C. (2020). Designing for modern learning. Association for Talent Management.
Reio, T. G., Rocco, T. S., Smith, D. H., & Chang, E. (2017). A critique of Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. New Horizons in Adult Education & Human Resource Development, 29(2), 35-53.