Abstract
This paper deals with an effective training strategy at CEMEX. The strategy will cover such areas as customer service, technology, leadership, sustainability, communication, and special attention will be paid to diversity. The training will be held with the use of a constructivist approach and return driven strategy. Technology will be extensively used during the processes of learning, testing, and evaluation.
Introduction
CEMEX is a company that faces a number of issues related to its growth, as well as some external factors. The company needs the change, and the implementation of a training program can facilitate this process. The curriculum will include such areas as customer service, the use of technology, leadership, and involvement, sustainability, diversity, communication. It is noteworthy that the company is operating in many countries of the world, providing services to people of different backgrounds as well as employing people pertaining to different cultures. The major focus of the learning strategy, therefore, will be made on diversity issues. To develop an effective training strategy addressing the areas mentioned above, it is possible to employ a mix of the constructivist approach, return driven strategy, and e-learning, which will be held with the use of advanced technology.
Major Topics of Curriculum
Curriculum Description
The training has to address a wide range of areas and utilize diverse tools. The curriculum will include seven major topics. Each of them will start with an introductory session, discussion, and lectures, workshops, and seminars as well as assessment. There will also be a final assessment at the end of the course. This assessment will include completing questionnaires as well as tests. Importantly, the training will be integrated into the business process by inclusion of current issues and problems faced by employees into the course (usually through discussions though the training course will also be flexible to accommodate to arising challenges).
Deiser (2009) claims that this integration will make the course effective and beneficial for employees who will also understand what gaps in their knowledge exist and how to fill them in. Employees will be committed to working hard during the course as it will actually help them complete their tasks more effectively. It is also necessary to note that issues of diversity will be incorporated in each session irrespective of the topic. These issues will be discussed at lengths during the corresponding session.
Learning to learn
The concept of a learning organization: The sessions deal with the major principles of learning organizations.
How to self-develop: The need to learn and acquire new skills is discussed.
The use of technology
Training: Using the technologies of the training.
Work: The use of technology that will help fulfill various tasks.
Customer service
Latest trends in the area: Effective methods to address customers’ needs are discussed.
Applicable strategies: Most efficient strategies will be chosen to use in the organization. Employees will practice using these strategies.
Development of new ways: Employees will develop new methods, strategies, and ways to meet customers’ expectations.
Diversity
Diversity in customer service: Employees will learn about, discuss, share experiences, and acquire new skills in addressing diversity in customer service (linguistic issues, cultural peculiarities, and so on).
Diversity in the working place: Employees will learn about different cultures and ways to diminish misunderstanding and tension resulting from cultural differences.
Leadership and involvement
Different types of leadership: Employees will learn about the peculiarities of different types of leadership and will choose a type of leadership that best fits them.
Development: Employees will learn about possible strategies to develop leadership skills, and will be encouraged to develop these skills.
Applying leadership skills: Employees will practice to apply the skills they have gained.
Sustainability
Social responsibility: Employees will learn about the concept of social responsibility and the way it is applied in the company.
Organization’s culture: Employees learn about organizational values and culture, the importance of compliance with ethical rules developed.
Communication
The importance of proper communication: Employees will learn about hazards of improper communication and benefits of the use of effective communication strategies.
Effective communication: Employees will learn about effective and advanced communication strategies.
Technology and communication: Employees will earn about the ways technology may facilitate effective communication and will acquire skills on using these skills.
Instructional Development
As far as instructional development is concerned, it is necessary to note that return driven strategy will help trainers create the need and make goals clear for the trainees. Frigo (2008) claims that successful experience of leading companies can help trainers develop effective training strategies. Admittedly, this approach will be effective in this case as employees will see particular ways various strategies can be applied.
It is also necessary to add that the training should be based on the three-dimension principle suggested by Senge (1990). These dimensions will include generative, responsive and reactive. Thus, the first dimension is generative as employees will gain knowledge. There will be discussions and seminars as well as workshops where new information and skills will be applied. The third dimension (reactive) will be based on employees’ use of the acquired skills in their day-to-day activities.
It is also essential to make sure that hierarchical structures will be minimized during the training. Kontoghiorghes, Awbre and Feurig (2005) stresses that hierarchical barriers may undermine the learning process. It is essential to create cross functional teams which will also be self-managed (Kontoghiorghes et al., 2005). Thus, discussion will be effective as it will involve employees who are at different levels and often address different issues. Clearly, this will also positively affect development of teamwork.
The Use of Technology
It is necessary to note that technology has contributed greatly in the process of globalization. It can facilitate training process as well. Elkeles and Phillips (2007) note that instructional software can make training effective and less time-consuming. Employees will be able to access certain materials at any time which will make the training process more efficient.
Each employee should have access to the timeline and curriculum to remain updated all the time. It is also crucial to use the software to improve communication among employees. The software can be similar to a social network as this platform is ideal for sharing ideas and getting in touch. Finally, assessment should also be implemented with the help of appropriate software. This will make the process easier for employees as well as evaluators.
Conclusion
On balance, it is possible to state that an effective training strategy will cover such areas as customer service, technology, leadership, sustainability, diversity, communication and will be implemented with the help of a combination of constructivist approach, return driven strategy and the use of technology. The training will be multidimensional and horizontal which will be beneficial for the learning process as well as team building.
Reference List
Deiser, R. (2009). Designing the smart organization. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Elkeles, T., & Phillips, J. (2007). The chief learning officer: Driving value within a changing organization through learning and development. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Frigo, M. (2008). Return driven: Lessons from high-performance companies. Strategic Finance, 90(1), 25-30.
Kontoghiorghes, C., Awbre, S., & Feurig, P. (2005). Examining the relationship between learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation, and organizational performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 16(2), 185-211.
Senge, P.M. (1990). The leader’s new work: Building learning organizations. Sloan Management Review, 32(1), 7-23.