Companies have no choice but to provide their employees with the best possible training they can. Providing training to employees helps the business grow and remain competitive. Employee training is essential to reduce employee turnover while boosting productivity, creating a healthy working culture, and helping the employees feel strong and confident to give their best selves and reach their fullest potential (Sung & Choi, 2018). Because of changing customer trends and evolving technology, businesses must embrace change. Employee training is not as easy as traditional learning, where employees enter a classroom to gain knowledge. Not all employees are satisfied with the training they receive from the company. However, there is room for improvement for the employees who do not find employee training useful.
Learning Issue
The first issue relates to Bob Jones’ learning, where he has not made sufficient progress in grasping the system despite all the training and time spent on it. While working with one of his associates, Bob struggled to complete his procedure while his associate was better at it. Bob used the trial and error process of running through different key combinations to see if they worked (Baumgartner, 2001). On four occasions, Bob had asked how to complete the procedure. In other instances, Bob would ask a customer to wait while he consulted on the procedure or even refer the customer to another associate if the transaction was complicated. When it was suggested that Bob use his manual to learn the process, he said it did not help him much and that he could not remember where he had put it.
Bob finds it challenging to grasp the new system and shows no initiative despite his initial enthusiasm. This affects the company because customers expect Bob’s services, and associates hope to learn from Bob because he is a group manager. Bob’s inability to learn the system impacts the company, and it may lose customers. In one case, a customer is irritated by Bob’s failure to operate the system and his use of the trial-and-error method. Bob disrupts the operations of other associates; he keeps consulting on the same procedures each time rather than learning and understanding them. Bob is not interested in learning the new system since he does not consult his manual, even on operations he would do while using the manual. As a team manager, he presents the wrong impression to his junior associates, who look up to him for his knowledge and experience. This creates a poor working environment, which may lead to employee turnover.
The aspect of learning linked to the issue is critical thinking. Bob’s methods were initially successful, but he struggled with the new system. As a manager and a leader of a group of associates, he should assess the situation and see why he is not succeeding in the new system. He should recognize the abilities of his associate, who operates the system better than he does while using his trial-and-error method, and accept the change.
The issue creates the challenge of continuous learning and succession planning. The increasing demand of business poses a challenge for employees to continuously learn and develop to keep up with the rising ambitions of employees (Sung & Choi, 2018). Bob’s inability to understand the new system challenges his associates, who expect to learn from him. Since the organization can provide the resources for the employees to learn the new system, it should be able to track the impact of the training on the employees’ performance. In this case, employees like Bob will take the initiative to learn the new system, regardless of their interests. The company can also find a way to help employees like Bob who do not need to change to the new system.
Training Issue
The second issue concerns Linda Martinez’s training issue. Linda is confronted with a situation where Bob, his workmate, finds it difficult to learn and adjust to the new system. Initially, Linda is impressed with how Bob approached the program to learn the new system despite his anxiety about working on computers. Linda was troubled to see Bob struggle to use the system despite all the training and time spent learning it. Linda noticed an associate outperforming Bob in operating the system. Linda also remembered Bob consulting her on the system’s operation several times over ten days (Baumgartner, 2001). Linda had suggested that Bob use his manual to operate the system, but he claimed that it was useless and that he had forgotten where he had put it. Linda senses Bob’s discomfort using the system and tries to keep it from her. Despite Bob’s struggles with the system, she takes no action. Linda wants to help but feels that Bob needs to take the initiative and start learning the new system.
The problem is that the company is losing more customers while Linda waits for Bob to take the initiative, which he has demonstrated no interest in. Linda should confront Bob because she notices he is uncomfortable with the process and putting additional strain on other employees and customers. Collaboration is an important aspect of employee training (Sung & Choi, 2018). Employee training is developed in collaboration with the employees. Linda should understand that Bob is of the talent generation and does not consume information as effectively as she does (Rothwell, 2020).
Bob and Linda should collaborate to find an efficient way for Bob to learn the new system. Another aspect of training is the development of mindsets. Bob has fifteen years of experience with the old system, which may make it difficult for him to transition to the new system. Learning his mindset will aid in changing him and his perspective on the new system. Despite his abilities to be effective in the past, he must learn new skills to be effective in the future.
Leaders are critical in any organization for ensuring organizational success and employee satisfaction. Companies frequently overlook the importance of training and grooming their leaders. Lack of leadership training frequently leads to employer-employee conflicts and unhealthy work environments (Sung & Choi, 2018). Linda dismisses Bob’s knowledge of the new system, putting other employees and customers at risk. The company should follow up on developmental feedback to track the leaders’ progress. The aspect of training relating to the issue is hyper-personalization (Rothwell, 2020). Personalization of the workforce is critical because the business model personalizes customer services. Employee training should be tailored to the employees’ specific needs. Bob will learn the system quickly if it is customized to his standards or abilities.
Situation Handling
If I were Linda, I would confront Bob about his inability to operate the new system and his unwillingness to learn it. If Bob does not progress soon, I would notify the appropriate people to take action. If I were in Bob’s position, I would take the initiative and express an interest in the new system. I would ask Linda to walk me through the process of using the new system because she is more familiar with it. If I were on Bob’s team, I would consult with another manager, such as Linda, about how to proceed with Bob’s case.
Some unanswered questions about employee training and learning include the methods used to train employees and the structure of the training programs. A post-training follow-up would help me understand the effectiveness of learning and training. A statistical report on the occurrence of such incidents in the workplace would be critical to understanding workplace learning and training.
References
Baumgartner, L. M. (2001). Four adult development theories and their implications for practice. Focus on Basics.
Rothwell, W. J. (2020). Adult learning basics. Amer Soc For Training.
Sung, S. Y., & Choi, J. N. (2018). Effects of training and development on employee outcomes and firm innovative performance: Moderating roles of voluntary participation and evaluation. Human Resource Management, 57(6), 1339–1353. Web.