Human resource management is a process of bringing people and organizations together so that the goals of each other are met. The role of HR manager is shifting from that of a protector and screener to the role of a planner and change agent. Personnel directors are the new corporate heroes. The name of the game today in business is personnel. Nowadays it is not possible to show a good financial or operating report unless your personnel relations are in order.Over the years, highly skilled and knowledge based jobs are increasing while low skilled jobs are decreasing. This calls for future skill mapping through proper HRM initiatives.Indian organizations are also witnessing a change in systems, management cultures and philosophy due to the global alignment of Indian organizations. There is a need for multi skill development. Role of HRM is becoming all the more important.Some of the recent trends that are being observed are as follows: The recent quality management standards ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 of 2000 focus more on people centric organizations. Organizations now need to prepare themselves in order to address people centered issues with commitment from the top management, with renewed thrust on HR issues, more particularly on training.  Charles Handy also advocated future organizational models like Shamrock, Federal and Triple I. Such organizational models also refocus on people centric issues and call for redefining the future role of HR professionals. To leapfrog ahead of competition in this world of uncertainty, organizations have introduced six- sigma practices. Six- sigma uses rigorous analytical tools with leadership from the top and develops a method for sustainable improvement. These practices improve organizational values and helps in creating defect free product or services at minimum cost. Human resource outsourcing is a new accession that makes a traditional HR department redundant in an organization. Exult, the international pioneer in HR BPO already roped in Bank of America, international players BP Amoco & over the years plan to spread their business to most of the Fortune 500 companies. With the increase of global job mobility, recruiting competent people is also increasingly becoming difficult, especially in India. Therefore by creating an enabling culture, organizations are also required to work out a retention strategy for the existing skilled manpower. 

NEW TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL HRM

International HRM places greater emphasis on a number of responsibilities and functions such as relocation, orientation and translation services to help employees adapt to a new and different environment outside their own country.Selection of employees requires careful evaluation of the personal characteristics of the candidate and his/her spouse. Training and development extends beyond information and orientation training to include sensitivity training and field experiences that will enable the manager to understand cultural differences better. Managers need to be protected from career development risks, re-entry problems and culture shock. To balance the pros and cons of home country and host country evaluations, performance evaluations should combine the two sources of appraisal information. Compensation systems should support the overall strategic intent of the organization but should

be customized for local conditions. In many European countries - Germany for one, law establishes representation. Organizations typically negotiate the agreement with the unions at a national level. In Europe it is more likely for salaried employees and managers to be unionized. 

HR Managers should do the following things to ensure success-

Use workforce skills and abilities in order to exploit environmental opportunities and neutralize threats. Employ innovative reward plans that recognize employee contributions and grant enhancements. Indulge in continuous quality improvement through TQM and HR contributions like training, development, counseling, etc Utilize people with distinctive capabilities to create unsurpassed competence in an area, e.g. Xerox in photocopiers, 3M in adhesives, Telco in trucks etc. Decentralize operations and rely on self-managed teams to deliver goods in difficult times e.g. Motorola is famous for short product development cycles. It has quickly commercialized ideas from its research labs. Lay off workers in a smooth way explaining facts to unions, workers and other affected groups e.g. IBM , Kodak, Xerox, etc. 

HR Managers today are focusing attention on the following-

a) Policies- HR policies based on trust, openness, equity and consensus.b) Motivation- Create conditions in which people are willing to work with zeal, initiative and enthusiasm; make people feel like winners.c) Relations- Fair treatment of people and prompt redress of grievances would pave the way for healthy work-place relations.d) Change agent- Prepare workers to accept technological changes by clarifying doubts.e) Quality Consciousness- Commitment to quality in all aspects of personnel administration will ensure success.

Due to the new trends in HR, in a nutshell the HR manager should treat people as resources, reward them equitably, and integrate their aspirations with corporate goals through suitable HR policies.

 

MBA Project Report on Job Satisfaction of Employees

Project Report on Job Satisfaction of Employees

Introduction towards Project Report Job Satisfaction :

The father of scientific management Taylor's (1911) approach to job satisfaction was based on a

most pragmatic & essentially pessimistic philosophy that man is motivation by money alone.

That the workers are essentially 'stupid & phlegmatic' & that they would be satisfied with work if

they get higher economic benefit from it. But with the passage of time Taylor's solely monetary

approach has been changed to a more humanistic approach. It has come a long way from a

simple explanation based on money to a more realistic but complex approach to job satisfaction.

New dimensions of knowledge are added every day & with increasing understanding of new

variables & their inter play, the field of job satisfaction has become difficult to comprehend.

The term Job Satisfaction was brought to limelight by Hoppock (1935). He reviewed 32 studies

on job satisfaction conducted prior to 1933 & observed that job satisfaction is a combination of

psychological, physiological & environmental circumstances that cause a person to say. 'I am

satisfied with my job'. Locke defines job satisfaction as a "pleasurable or positive emotional state

resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences". To the extent that a person's job

fulfils his dominant need & is consistent with his expectations & values, the job will be

satisfying.

Job Satisfaction Project Report Theory :

One way to define Job Satisfaction may be to say that it is the end state of feeling. The word 'end'

emphasises the fact that the feeling is experienced after a task is accomplished or an activity has

taken place whether it is highly individualistic effort of writing a book or a collective endeavour

of constructing a building. These activities may be minute or large. But in all cases, they satisfy a

certain need. The feeling could be positive or negative depending upon whether need is satisfied

or not & could be a function of the effort of the individual on one hand & on the other the

situational opportunities available to him.

This can be better understood by taking example of a foreman in an engineering industry. He has

been assigned the task to complete a special order by a certain, deadline. Person may experience

positive job satisfaction because he has been chosen to complete the task. It gives him a special

status & feeling that he has been trusted and given a special task, he likes such kind of rush job

and it may get him extra wages. The same could be the sources of his dissatisfaction if he does

not like rush work, has no need for extra wages. Each one of these variables lead to an end state

of feeling, called satisfaction.

Sinha (1974) defines Job Satisfaction an 'a reintegration of affect produced by individual's

perception of fulfillment of his needs in relation to his work & the situations surrounding it'.

Another Theories of Job-Satisfaction :

There are 3 major theories of job satisfaction.

Herzberg's Motivation - Hygiene theory.

Need fulfilment theory.

Social reference - group theory.

Herzberg's Motivation - Hygiene Theory :

This theory was proposed by Herzberg & his assistants in 1969. On the basis of his study of 200

engineers and accountants of the Pittsburgh area in the USA, he established that there are two

separate sets of conditions (and not one) which are responsible for the motivation &

dissatisfaction of workers. When one set of conditions (called 'motivator') is present in the

organisation, workers feel motivated but its absence does not dissatisfy them. Similarly, when

another set of conditions (called hygiene factors) is absent in the organisation, the workers feel

dissatisfied but its presence does not motivate them. The two sets are unidirectional, that is, their

effect can be seen in one direction only.

According to Herzberg following factors acts as motivators:

Achievement, Recognition, Advancement, Work itself, Possibility of growth & Responsibility.

Hygiene factors are : Company policy & administration, Technical supervision, Inter-personal

relations with supervisors, peers & Subordinates, Salary. Job security, Personal life, Working

Conditions, & Status.

Herzberg used semi-structured interviews (the method is called critical incident method). In this

technique subjects were asked to describe those events on the job which had made them

extremely satisfied or dissatisfied. Herzberg found that events which led people to extreme

satisfaction were generally characterised by 'motivators' & those which led people to extreme

dissatisfaction were generally characterized by a totally different set of factors which were called

'hygiene factors'.

Hygiene factors are those factors which remove pain from the environment. Hence, they are also

known as job - environment or job - context factors. Motivators are factors which result in

psychological growth. They are mostly job - centered. Hence they are also known as job -

content factors.

The theory postulated that motivators and hygiene factors are independent & absence of one does

not mean presence of the other. In pleasant situations motivators appear more frequently than

hygiene factors while their predominance is reversed in unpleasant situations.

Need Fulfillment Theory :

Under the need-fulfillment theory it is believed that a person is satisfied if he gets what he wants

& the more he wants something or the more important it is to him, the more satisfied he is when

he gets it & the more dissatisfied he is when he does not get it. Needs may be need for personal

achievement, social achievement & for influence.

a) Need for Personal Achievement :

Desires for personal career development, improvement in one's own life standards, better

education & prospects for children & desire for improving one's own work performance.

b) Need for Social Achievement :

A drive for some kind of collective success is relation to some standards of excellence. It is

indexed in terms of desires to increase overall productivity, increased national prosperity, better

life community & safety for everyone.

c) Need for Influence :

A desire to influence other people & surroundings environment. In the works situation, it means

to have power status & being important as reflected in initiative taking and participation in

decision making.

In summary, this theory tell us that job satisfaction is a function of, or is positively related to the

degree to which one's personal & social needs are fulfilled in the job situation.

Social References - Group Theory :

It takes into account the point of view & opinions of the group to whom the individual looks for

the guidance. Such groups are defined as the 'reference-group' for the individual in that they

define the way in which he should look at the world and evaluate various phenomena in the

environment (including himself). It would be predicted, according to this theory that if a job

meets the interest, desires and requirements of a person's reference group, he will like it & if it

does not, he will not like it.

A good example of this theory has been given by C.L. Hulin. He measures the effects of

community characteristics on job satisfaction of female clerical workers employed in 300

different catalogue order offices. He found that with job conditions held constant job satisfaction

was less among persons living in a well-to-do neighborhood than among those whose

neighborhood was poor. Hulin, thus provides strong evidence that such frames of reference for

evaluation may be provided by one's social groups and general social environment.

To sum up, we can say, Job satisfaction is a function of or is positively related to the degree to

which the characteristics of the job meet with approved & the desires of the group to which the

individual looks for guidance in evaluating the world & defining social reality.

Relationship among Motivation, Attitude and Job Satisfaction :

Motivation implies the willingness to work or produce. A person may be talented and equipped

with all kinds of abilities & skills but may have no will to work. Satisfaction, on the other hand,

implies a positive emotional state which may be totally unrelated to productivity. Similarly in the

literature the terms job attitude and job satisfaction are used interchangeably. However a closer

analysis may reveal that perhaps, they measure two different anchor points. Attitudes are

predispositions that make the individual behave in a characteristic way across the situations.

They are precursors to behaviour & determine its intensity and direction. Job satisfaction, on the

other hand is an end state of feeling which may influence subsequent behaviour. In this respect,

job attitude and job satisfaction may have something in common. But if we freeze behaviour,

attitude would initiate it which job satisfaction would result from it.

Relationship Between Morale & Job Satisfaction :

According to Seashore (1959), morale is a condition which exists in a context where people are :

a) motivated towards high productivity.

b) want to remain with organization.

c) act effectively in crisis.

d) accept necessary changes without resentment or resistance.

e) actually promote the interest of the organization and

f) are satisfied with their job.

According to this description of morale, job satisfaction is an important dimension of morale

itself.

Morale is a general attitude of the worker and relates to group while job satisfaction is an

individual feeling which could be caused by a variety of factors including group. This point has

been summarized by Sinha (1974) when he suggests that industrial morale is a collective

phenomenon and job satisfaction is a distributed one. In other words, job satisfaction refers to a

general attitude towards work by an individual works. On the other hand, morale is group

phenomenon which emerges as a result of adherence to group goals and confidence in the

desirability of these goals.

Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Work Behaviour :

Generally, the level of job satisfaction seems to have some relation with various aspects of work

behaviour like absenteeism, adjustments, accidents, productivity and union recognition.

Although several studies have shown varying degrees of relationship between them and job

satisfaction, it is not quite clear whether these relationships are correlative or casual. In other

words, whether work behaviour make him more positively inclined to his job and there would be

a lesser probability of getting to an unexpected, incorrect or uncontrolled event in which either

his action or the reaction of an object or person may result in personal injury.

Job Satisfaction and Productivity :

Experiments have shown that there is very little positive relationship between the job satisfaction

& job performance of an individual. This is because the two are caused by quite different factors.

Job satisfaction is closely affected by the amount of rewards that an individual derives from his

job, while his level of performance is closely affected by the basis for attainment of rewards. An

individual is satisfied with his job to the extent that his job provides him with what he desires,

and he performs effectively in his job to the extent that effective performance leads to the

attainment of what he desires. This means that instead of maximizing satisfaction generally an

organisation should be more concerned about maximizing the positive relationship between

performance and reward. It should be ensured that the poor performers do not get more rewards

than the good performers. Thus, when a better performer gets more rewards he will naturally feel

more satisfied.

Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism :

One can find a consistent negative relationship between satisfaction and absenteeism, but the

correlation is moderate-usually less than 0.40. While it certainly makes sense that dissatisfied

Sales Persons are more likely to miss work, other factors have an impact on the relationship and

reduce the correlation coefficient. e.g. Organizations that provide liberal sick leave benefits are

encouraging all their Sales Persons, including those who are highly satisfied, to take days off. So,

outside factors can act to reduce the correlation.

Job Satisfaction and Turnover :

Satisfaction is also negatively related to turnover, but the correlation is stronger than what we

found for absenteeism. Yet, again, other factors such as labour market conditions, expectations

about alternative job opportunities, and length of tenure with the organization are important

constraints on the actual decision to leave one's current job.

Evidence indicates that an important moderator of the satisfaction-turnover relationship is the

Sales Person's level of performance. Specifically, level of satisfaction is less important in

predicting turnover for superior performers because the organization typically makes

considerable efforts to keep these people. Just the opposite tends to apply to poor performers.

Few attempts are made by the organization to retain them. So one could expect, therefore, that

job satisfaction is more important in influencing poor performers to stay than superior

performers.

Job Satisfaction and Adjustment :

It the Sales Person is facing problems in general adjustment, it is likely to affect his work life.

Although it is difficult to define adjustment, most psychologists and organisational behaviourists

have been able to narrow it down to what they call neuroticism and anxiety.

Generally deviation from socially expected behaviour has come to be identified as neurotic

behaviour. Though it may be easy to identify symptoms of neuroticism, it is very difficult to

know what causes. Family tensions, job tensions, social isolation, emotional stress, fear, anxiety

or any such sources could be a source of neuroticism.

Anxiety, on the other hand, has a little more clearer base. It is generally seen as a mental state of

vague fear and apprehension which influences the mode of thinking. Anxiety usually shows itself

in such mental state as depression, impulsiveness, excessive worry and nervousness. While

everyone aspires for a perfect state of peace and tranquility, the fact is that some anxiety is

almost necessary for an individual to be effective because it provides the necessary push for

efforts to achieve excellence.

Adjustment problems usually show themselves in the level of job satisfaction. For long, both

theorists and practitioners have been concerned with Sales Persons' adjustment and have

provided vocational guidance and training to them to minimise it's impact on work behaviour.

Most literature, in this area, generally suggests a positive relationship between adjustment and

job satisfaction. People with lower level of anxiety and low neuroticism have been found to be

more satisfied with their jobs.

Determinants of Job Satisfaction :

According to Abrahan A. Korman, there are two types of variables which determine the job

satisfaction of an individual. These are :

1) Organisational variables ; and

2) Personal Variables.

Organisational Variable :

1) Occupational Level :

The higher the level of the job, the greater is the satisfaction of the individual. This is because

higher level jobs carry greater prestige and self control.

2) Job Content :

Greater the variation in job content and the less repetitiveness with which the tasks must be

performed, the greater is the satisfaction of the individual involved.

3) Considerate Leadership :

People like to be treated with consideration. Hence considerate leadership results in higher job

satisfaction than inconsiderate leadership.

4) Pay and Promotional Opportunities :

All other things being equal these two variables are positively related to job satisfaction.

5) Interaction in the work group :

Here the question is : When is interaction in the work group a source of job satisfaction and

when it is not ? Interaction is most satisfying when -

(a) It results in the cognition that other person's attitudes are similar to one's own. Since this

permits the ready calculability of the others behaviour and constitutes a validation of one's self ;

(b) It results in being accepted by others ; and

(c) It facilitates the achievements of goals.

Personal Variables :

For some people, it appears most jobs will be dissatisfying irrespective of the organisational

condition involved, whereas for others, most jobs will be satisfying. Personal variables like age,

educational level, sex, etc. are responsible for this difference.

(1) Age :

Most of the evidence on the relation between age and job satisfaction, holding such factors as

occupational level constant, seems to indicate that there is generally a positive relationship

between the two variales up to the pre-retirement years and then there is a sharp decrease in

satisfaction. An individual aspires for better and more prestigious jobs in later years of his life.

Finding his channels for advancement blocked, his satisfaction declines.

(2) Educational Level :

With occupational level held constant there is a negative relationship between the educational

level and job satisfaction. The higher the education, the higher the reference group which the

individual looks to for guidance to evaluate his job rewards.

(3) Role Perception :

Different individuals hold different perceptions about their role, i.e. the kind of activities and

behaviours they should engage in to perform there job successfully. Job satisfaction is

determined by this factor also. The more accurate the role perception of an individual, the greater

his satisfaction.

(4) Sex :

There is as yet no consistent evidence as to whether women are more satisfied with their jobs

than men, holding such factors as job and occupational level constant. One might predict this to

be the case, considering the generally low occupational aspiration of women.

Some other determines of job satisfaction are as follows:

(i) General Working Conditions.

(ii) Grievance handling procedure.

(iii) Fair evaluation of work done.

(iv) Job security.

(v) Company prestige.

(vi) Working hours etc.

How Sales Persons Can Express Dissatisfaction

Sales Person dissatisfaction can be expressed in a number of ways. For example, rather than quit,

Sales Persons can complain, be insubordinate, steal organisational property, or shirk a part of

their work responsibilities. In the following figure, four responses are given along to

dimensions : Constructiveness / Destructiveness and Activity / Passivity. These are defined as

follow :

Exit : Behaviour directed towards leaving the organisation. Includes looking for a new position

as well as resigning.

Active

Exit                                 Voice

Destructive                     Constructive

Neglect                         Loyalty

Passive

Voice : Actively and constructively attempting to improve conditions includes suggesting

improvements, discussing problems with superiors, and some forms of union activity.

Loyalty : Passively but optimistically waiting for conditions to improve. Includes speaking up for

the organisation in the face of external criticism and trusting the organisation and its

management to 'do the right thing'.

Neglect : Passively allowing the conditions to worsen. Includes chronic absenteeism or lateness,

reduced effort, and increased error rate.

Exit and neglect behaviours encompass our performances variables-productivity, absenteeism

and turnover. But this model expands Sales Person response to include voice and loyalty,

constructive behaviours that allow individuals to tolerate unpleasant situations or to revive

satisfactory working conditions.

Importance of High Job Satisfaction :

The importance of job satisfaction is obvious. Managers should be concerned with the level of

job satisfaction in their organisations for at least three reasons:

(1) There is clear evidence that dissatisfied Sales Persons skip work more often and are more

likely to resign ;

(2) It has been demonstrated that satisfied Sales Persons have better health and live longer ; and

(3) Satisfaction on the job carries over to the Sales Person's life outside the job.

Satisfied Sales Persons have lower rate of both turnover and absenteeism. Specifically,

satisfaction is strongly and consistently negatively related to an Sales Person's decision to leave

the organisation. Although satisfaction and absence are also negatively related, conclusions

regarding the relationship should be more guarded.

An often overlooked dimension of job satisfaction is its relationship to Sales Person health.

Several studies have shown that Sales Persons who are dissatisfied with their jobs are prone to

health setbacks ranging from headaches to heart disease. For managers, this means that even if

satisfaction did not lead to less voluntary turn over and absence, the goal of a satisfied work

force might be jutificable because it would reduced medical costs and the premature loss of

valued Sales Persons by way of heart disease or strokes.

Job satisfaction's importance is its spin off effect that job satisfaction has for society as a whole.

When Sales Persons are happy with their jobs, it improves their lives off the job. In contrast, the

dissatisfied Sales Person carries that negative attitude home.

Some benefits of job satisfaction accure to every citizen in society. Satisfied Sales Persons are

more likely to be satisfied citizens. These people will hold a more positive attitude towards life

in general and make for a society of more psychologically healthy people.

So job satisfaction is very important. For management, a satisfied work force translates into

higher productivity due to fewer disruptions caused by absenteeism or good Sales Persons

quitting, as well as into lower medical and life insurance costs. Additionally, there are benefits

for society in general. Satisfaction on the job carries over to the Sales Person's off the job hours.

So the goal of high job satisfaction for Sales Persons can be defended in terms of both money

and social responsibility.

TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS - 5p/Training

The game of economic competition has new rules. Firms should be fast and responsive. This

requires responding to customers' needs for quality, variety, customization, convenience and

timeliness. Meeting these new standards requires a workforce that is technically trained in all

respects. It requires people who are capable of analyzing and solving job related problems,

working cooperatively in teams and 'changing hats' and shifting from job to job as well. Training

has increased in importance in today's environment where jobs are complex and change. Rapidly.

Companies that pay lip-service to the need for training, by lazily setting aside a few hours a year,

will soon find themselves at the receiving end when talented employees leave in frustration and

other employees find it difficult to beat rivals with new products, sophisticated designs and

improved ways of selling. To survive and flourish in the present day corporate-jungle, companies

should invest time and money in upgrading the knowledge and skills of their employees

constantly. For, any company that stops injecting itself with intelligence is going to die. The

purpose of this chapter is make the student understand the basic principles, areas, and methods of

training currently in use in the corporate circles.

Need for Training

After employees have been selected for various positions in an organization, training them for

the specific tasks to which they have been assigned assumes great importance. It is true in many

organizations that before an employee is fitted into a harmonious working relationship with other

employees, he is given adequate training. Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and

skills of an employee for performing a particular job. The major outcome of training is learning.

A trainee learns new habits, refined skills and useful knowledge during the training that helps

him improve performance. Training enables an employee to do his present job more efficiently

and prepare himself for a higher-level job. The essential features of training may be stated thus:

Increases knowledge and skills for doing a particular job; it bridges the gap between

job needs and employee skills, knowledge and behaviors

   Focuses attention on the current job; it is job specific and addresses particular performance

deficits or problems

   Concentrates on individual employees; changing what employees know, how they work,

their attitudes toward their work or their interactions with their co-workers or supervisors

    Tends to be more narrowly focused and oriented toward short-term performance concerns.

Training is needed to serve the following purposes:

     Newly recruited employees require training so as to perform their tasks effectively.

Instruction, guidance, coaching help them to handle jobs competently, without any wastage.

      Training is necessary to prepare existing employees for higher-level jobs (promotion).

      Existing employees require refresher training so as to keep abreast of the latest

developments in job operations. In the face of rapid technological changes, this is an absolute

necessity.

      Training is necessary when a person moves from one job to another (transfer). After

training, the' employee can change jobs quickly, improve his performance levels and achieve

career goals comfortably

       Training is necessary to make employees mobile and versatile. They can be placed on

various jobs depending on organizational needs.

      Training is needed to bridge the gap between what the employee has and what the job

demands.

Training is needed to make employees more productive and useful in the long-run.

Training is needed for employees to gain acceptance from peers (learning a job quickly and

being able to pull their own weight is one of the best ways for them to gain acceptance).

 Importance

Training offers innumerable benefits to both employees and employers. It makes the employee

more productive and more useful to an organization. The importance of training can be studied

under the following heads:

Benefits to the business:

Trained workers can work more efficiently. They use machines, tools, and materials in a proper

way. Wastage is thus eliminated to a large extent.

There will be fewer accidents. Training improves the knowledge of employees regarding the use

of machines and equipment. Hence, trained workers need not be put under close supervision, as

they know how to handle operations properly.

Trained workers can show superior performance. They can turn out better performance. They

can turn out better quality goods by putting the materials, tools and equipment to good use.

Training makes employees more loyal to an organization. They will be less inclined to leave the

unit where there are growth opportunities

Benefits to the employees:

Training makes an employee more useful to a firm. Hence, he will find employment more easily.

Training makes employees more efficient and effective. By combining materials, tools and

equipment in a right way, they can produce more with minimum effort.

Training enables employees to secure promotions easily. They can realise their career goals

comfortably.

Training helps an employee to move from one organization to another easily. He can be more

mobile and pursue career goals actively.

Employees can avoid mistakes, accidents on the job. They can handle jobs with confidence.

They will be more satisfied on their jobs. Their morale would be high.

Thus, training can contribute to higher production, fewer mistakes, greater job satisfaction and

lower labour turnover. Also, it can enable employees to cope with organizational, social and

technological change. Effective training is an invaluable investment in the human resources of an

organization.

Learning Principles: The Philosophy of Training

Training is essential for job success. It can lead to higher production, fewer mistakes, greater job

satisfaction and lower turnover. These benefits accrue to both the trainee and the organization, if

managers understand the principles behind the training process. To this end, training efforts must

invariably follow certain learning-oriented guidelines.

Modelling

Modeling is simply copying someone else's behavior. Passive classroom learning does not leave

any room for modeling. If we want to change people, it would be a good idea to have videotapes

of people showing the desired behavior. The selected model should provide the right kind of

behavior to be copied by others. A great deal of human behaviour is learned by modelling others.

Children learn by modelling parents and older children, they are quite comfortable with the

process by the time they grow up. As experts put it. "managers tend to manage as they were

managed"

Motivation

For learning to take place, intention to learn is important. When the employee is motivated, he

pays attention to what is being said, done and presented. Motivation to learn is influenced by the

answers to questions such as: How important is my job to me? How important is the

information? Will learning help me progress in the company? etc. People learn more quickly

when the material is important and relevant to them. Learning is usually quicker and long-lasting

when the learner participates actively. Most people, for example, never forget how to ride a

bicycle because they took an active part in the learning process.

Reinforcement

If a behavior is rewarded, it probably will be repeated. Positive reinforcement consists of

rewarding desired behaviors. People avoid certain behaviors that invite criticism and

punishment. A bank officer would want to do a postgraduate course in finance, if it earns him

increments and makes him eligible for further promotions. Both the external rewards

(investments, praise) and the internal rewards (a feeling of pride and achievement) associated

with desired behaviors compel subjects to learn properly. To be effective, the trainer must reward

desired behaviors only. If he rewards poor performance, the results may be disastrous: good

performers may quit in frustration, accidents may go up, and productivity may suffer. The

reinforcement principle is also based on the premise that punishment is less effective in learning

than reward. Punishment is a pointer to undesirable behaviors. When administered, it causes pain

to the employee. He mayor may not repeat the mistakes. The reactions may be mild or wild.

Action taken to repeal a person from undesirable action is punishment. If administered properly,

punishment may force the trainee to modify the undesired or incorrect behaviors.

Feedback

People learn best if reinforcement is given as soon as possible after training. Every employee

wants to know what is expected of him and how well he is doing. If he is off the track, somebody

must put him back on the rails. The errors in such cases must be rectified immediately. The

trainee after learning the right behaviour is motivated to do things in a 'right' way and earn the

associated rewards. Positive feedback (showing the trainee the right way of doing things) is to be

preferred to negative feedback (telling the trainee that he is not correct) when we want to change

behaviour.

Spaced Practice

Learning takes place easily if the practice sessions are spread over a period of time. New

employees learn better if the orientation programme is spread over a two or three day period,

instead of covering it all in one day. For memorizing tasks, 'massed' practice is usually more

effective. Imagine the way schools ask the kids to say the Lord's prayer aloud. Can you

memorise a long poem by learning only one line per day? You tend to forget the beginning of the

poem by the time you reach the last stanza. For 'acquiring' skills as stated by Mathis and Jackson,

spaced practice is usually the best. This incremental approach to skill acquisition minimises the

physical fatigue that deters learning.

Whole Learning

The concept of whole learning suggests that employees learn better if the job information is

explained as an entire logical process, so that they can see how the various actions fit together

into the 'big picture'. A broad overview of what the trainee would be doing on the job should be

given top priority, if learning has to take place quickly. Research studies have also indicated that

it is more efficient to practice a whole task all at once rather than trying to master the various

components of the task at different intervals.

Active Practice

'Practice makes a man perfect': so said Bacon. To be a swimmer, you should plunge into water

instead of simply reading about swimming or looking at films of the worlds' best swimmers.

Learning is enhanced when trainees are provided ample opportunities to repeat the task. For

maximum benefit, practice sessions should be distributed over time.

Applicability of Training

Training should be as real as possible so that trainees can successfully transfer the new

knowledge to their jobs. The training situations should be set up so that trainees can visualise -

and identify with - the types of situations they can come across on the job.

Environment

Finally, environment plays a major role in training. It is natural that workers who are exposed to

training in comfortable environments with adequate, well spaced rest periods are more likely to

learn than employees whose training conditions are less than ideal. Generally speaking, learning

is very fast at the beginning. Thereafter, the pace of learning slows down as opportunities for

improvement taper off.

Areas of Training

The Areas of Training in which training is offered may be classified into the following

categories.

Knowledge

Here the trainee learns about a set of rules and regulations about the job, the staff and the

products or services offered by the company. The aim is to make the new employee fully aware

of what goes on inside and outside the company.

Technical Skills

The employee is taught a specific skill (e.g., operating a machine, handling computer etc.) so that

he can acquire that skill and contribute meaningfully.

Social Skills

The employee is made to learn about himself and others, and to develop a right mental attitude

towards the job, colleagues and the company. The principal focus is on teaching the employee

how to be a team member and get ahead.

Techniques

This involves the application of knowledge and skill to various on-the-job situations.

In addition to improving the skills and knowledge of employees, training aims at moulding

employee attitudes: When administered properly, a training programme will go a long way in

obt8ining employee loyalty, support and commitment to company activities.

Types of Training

There are many approaches to training. We focus here on the types of training that are commonly

employed in present-day organisations.

Skills training: This type of training is most common in organisations. The process here is fairly

simple. The need for training in basic skills (such as reading, writing, computing, speaking,

listening, problem solving, managing oneself, knowing how to learn, working as part of a team,

leading others) is identified through assessment. Specific training objectives are set and training

content is developed to meet those objectives. Several methods are available for imparting these

basic skills in modern organisations (such as lectures, apprenticeship, on-the-job, coaching etc.).

Before employing these methods, managers should:

      explain how the training will help the trainees in their jobs.

      relate the training to the trainees' goals.

      respect and consider participant responses and use these as a resource.

      encourage trainees to learn by doing.

     give feedback on progress toward meeting learning objectives.

      Refresher training: Rapid changes in technology may force companies to go in for this

kind of training. By organising short-term courses which incorporate the latest

developments in a particular field, the company may keep its employees up-to-date and

ready to take on emerging challenges.

       It is conducted at regular intervals by taking the help of outside consultants who specialise

in a particular descriptive.

         Cross-functional Training: Cross-functional Training involves training employees to

perform operations in areas other than their assigned job. There are many approaches to

cross functional training. Job rotation can be used to provide a manager in one functional

area with a broader perspective than he would otherwise have. Departments can exchange

personnel for a certain period so that each employee understands how other departments are

functioning. High performing workers can act as peer trainers and help employees develop

skills in another area of operation. Cross functional training provides the following benefits

to an organisation (and the workers as well) (1) Workers gain rich experience in handling

diverse jobs; they become more adaptable and versatile (2) they can better engineer their

own career paths (3) they not only know their job well but also understand how others are

able to perform under a different set of constraints (4) A broader perspective increases

workers' understanding of the business and reduces the need for supervision (5) when

workers can fill in for other workers who are absent, it is easier to use flexible scheduling,

which is increasingly in demand as more employees want to spend more time with their

families. Eli Lilly and Company (India), for example, encourages cross-functional

movements to make the organisation equally attractive to both specialists and generalists.

         Team Training: Team training generally covers two areas; content tasks and group

processes. Content tasks specify the team's goals such as cost control and problem solving.

Group processes reflect the way members function as a team - for example how they

interact with each other, how they sort out differences, how they participate etc. Companies

are investing heavy amounts, nowadays, in training new employees to listen to each other

and to cooperate. They are using outdoor experiential training techniques to develop

teamwork and team spirit among their employees (such as scaling a mountain, preparing

recipes for colleagues at a restaurant, sailing through uncharted waters, crossing a jungle

etc.). The training basically throws light on (i) how members should communicate with

each other (ii) how they have to cooperate and get ahead (iii) how they should deal with

conflict-full situations (iv) how they should find their way, using collective wisdom and

experience to good advantage.

       Creativity training: Companies like Mudra Communications, Titan Industries, Wipro

encourage their employees to think unconventionally, break the rules, take risks, go out of

the box and devise unexpected solutions.

  

Postpone judgment: Don't reject any idea

Create alternative frames of reference

Break the boundary of thinking

 

Examine a different aspect of the problem

Make a wish list of solutions

Borrow ideas from other fields

Look for processes to change or eliminate

Think up alternative methods

Adopt another person's perspective

Question all Assumptions.

 

In creativity training, trainers often focus on three things:

(a) Breaking away: In order to break away from restrictions, the trainee is expected to (i)

identify the dominant ideas influencing his own thinking (ii) define the boundaries within which

he is working (iii) bring the assumptions out into the open and challenge everything

(b) Generate new ideas: To generate new ideas, the trainee should open up his mind; look at the

problem from all possible angles and list as many alternative approaches as possible. The trainee

should allow his mind to wander over alternatives freely. Expose himself to new influences

(people, articles, books, situations), switch over from one perspective to another, -arrange cross

fertilization of ideas with other people and use analogies to spark off ideas.

(c) Delaying judgement: To promote creative thinking, the trainee should not try to kill off

ideas too quickly; they should be held back until he is able to generate as many ideas as possible.

He should allow ideas to grow a little. Brainstorming (getting a large number of ideas from a

group of people in a short time) often helps in generating as many ideas as possible without

pausing to evaluate them. It helps in releasing ideas, overcoming inhibitions, cross fertilising

ideas and getting away from patterned thinking.

            Diversity Training: Diversity training considers all of the diverse dimensions in the

workplace race, gender, age, disabilities, lifestyles, culture, education, ideas and

backgrounds - while designing a training programme. It aims to create better cross-cultural

sensitivity with the aim of fostering more harmonious and fruitful working relationships

among a firm's employees.  

            The programme covers two things: (i) awareness building, which helps employees

appreciate the key benefits of diversity, and (ii) skill building, which offers the knowledge,

skills and abilities required for working with people having varied backgrounds.

            Literacy Training: Inability to write, speak and work well with others could often

come in the way of discharging duties, especially at the lower levels. Workers, in such

situations, may fail to understand safety messages, appreciate the importance of sticking to

rules, and commit avoidable mistakes. Functional illiteracy (low skill level in a particular

content area) may be a serious impediment to a firm's productivity and competitiveness.

Functional literacy programmes focus on the basic skills required to perform a job

adequately and capitalise on most workers' motivation to get help in a particular area.

Tutorial programmes, home assignments, reading and writing exercises, simple

mathematical tests, etc., are generally used in all company in-house programmes meant to

improve the literacy levels of employees with weak reading, writing or arithmetic skills.

 

Training Methods

Training methods are usually classified by the location of instruction. On the job training is

provided when the workers are taught relevant knowledge, skills and abilities at the actual

workplace; off-the-job training, on the other hand, requires that trainees learn at a location other

than the real work spot. Some of the widely used training methods are listed below.

1. Job Instruction Training (JlT)

The JIT method (developed during World War II) is a four-step instructional process involving

preparation, presentation, performance try out and follow up. It is used primarily to teach

workers how to do their current jobs. A trainer, supervisor or co-worker acts as the coach. The

four steps followed in the JIT methods are:

1.    The trainee receives an overview of the job, its purpose and its desired outcomes,

with a clear focus on the relevance of training.

2.    The trainer demonstrates the job in order to give the employee a model to copy.

The trainer shows a right way to handle the job.

3.    Next, the employee is permitted to copy the trainer's way. Demonstrations by the

trainer and practice by the trainee are repeated until the trainee masters the right

way to handle the job.

4.    Finally, the employee does the job independently without supervision.

Merits:

• Trainee learns fast through practice and observation.

• It is economical as it does not require any special settings. Also, mistakes can be corrected

immediately. 

• The trainee gains confidence quickly as he does the work himself in actual setting with help

from supervisor.

• It is most suitable for unskilled and semi-skilled jobs where the job operations are simple; easy

to explain and demonstrate within a short span of time.

Demerits:

 • The trainee should be as good as the trainer if the trainer is not good, transference of

knowledge and skills will be poor.

• While learning, trainee may damage equipment, waste materials, cause accidents frequently,

• Experienced workers cannot use the machinery while it is being used for training.

 

2. Coaching:

Coaching is a kind of daily training and feedback given to employees by immediate supervisors.

It involves a continuous process of learning by doing. It may be defined as an informal,

unplanned training and development activity provided by supervisors and peers. In coaching, the

supervisor explains things and answers questions; he throws light on why things are done the

way they are; he offers a model for trainees to copy; conducts lot of decision making meetings

with trainees; procedures are agreed upon and the trainee is given enough authority to make

divisions and even commit mistakes. Of course, coaching can be a taxing job in that the coach

may not possess requisite skills to guide the learner in a systematic way. Sometimes, doing a full

day's work may be more important than putting the learner on track.

When to use coaching usefully? Coaching could be put to good use when:

           an employee demonstrates a new competency

           an employee expresses interest in a different job within the organisation

           an employee seeks feedback

           an employee is expressing low morale, violating company policies or practices or

having performance problems

           an employee needs help with a new skill following a formal training programme.

Effective working, obviously, requires patience and communication skills. It involves:

           explaining appropriate ways of doing things

           making clear why actions were taken

           stating observations accurately

           offering possible alternatives / suggestions

           following up

3. Mentoring :

Mentoring is a relationship in which a senior manager in an organisation assumes the

responsibility for grooming a junior person. Technical, interpersonal and political skills are

generally conveyed in such a relationship from the more experienced person. A mentor is a

teacher, spouse, counsellor, developerr of skills and intellect, host, guide, exemplar, and most

importantly, supporter and facilitator in the realisation of the vision the young person (protege)

has about the kind of 1ife he wants as an adult.

The main objective is to he1p an employee attain psychological maturity and effectiveness and

get integrated with the organisation. In a work situation, such mentoring can take place at both

formal and informal levels, depending on the prevailing work culture and the commitment from

the top management. Formal mentoring can be very fruitful, if management invests time and

money in such relationship building exercises.

           Career functions: Career functions are those aspects of the relationship that enhance

career advancement. These include:

1.             Sponsorship: Where mentors actively nominate a junior person (called 'mentee') for

promotions or desirable positions.

2.            Exposure and visibility: Where mentors offer opportunities for mentees to interact

with senior executives, demonstrate their abilities and exploit their potential.

3.              Coaching: Mentors help mentees to analyse how they are doing their work and to

define their aspirations. Here mentors offer practical advice on how to accomplish

objectives and gain recognition from others.

4.              Protection: Mentors shield the junior person from harmful situations/seniors.

5.              Challenging assignments: Mentors help mentees develop necessary competencies

through challenging job assignments and appropriate feedback. Mentors create

opportunities clients to prove their worth to demonstrate clearly what they have to

offer.

            Psychological functions: Psychological functions are those aspects that enhance the

mentee’s sense of competence, and identify effectiveness in a professional role. These

include:

6.              Role modeling: Mentors offer mentees a pattern of values and behaviours to imitate

7.                         Acceptance and confirmation: mentors offer support, guidance and

encouragement to mentees so that they can solve the problems independently and gain

confidence in course of time. Mentors also help people to learn about the

organisation's culture and understand why things are done in certain ways.

8.                         Counseling: Mentors help mentees work out their personal problems, learn

about what to do and what not to do, offer advice on what works and what doesn't, and

do everything to demonstrate improved performance and prepare themselves for

greater responsibility.

9.          Friendship: Mentors offer practical help and support to mentees so that they can indulge

in mutually satisfying social interactions (with peers, subordinates, bosses and

customers)

Mentoring in India is based on the time-honoured guru-shishya relationship where the guru

would do everything to develop the personality of the shishya, offering emotional support, and

guidance. Companies like TISCO, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, Polaris, Coca-Cola India have

used mentoring systems to good effect in recent times (Economic Times, 25 Oct., 2002).

Organisations like General Electric, Intel, Proctor & Gamble have given a lot of importance to

mentoring programmes, going even gone to the extent of penalising senior managers if they fail

to develop leadership skills among subordinates. Of course, mentoring is not without its

problems. Mentors who are dissatisfied with their jobs and though who teach or narrow or

distorted view of events may not help a protege's development. Not all mentors are well prepared

to transfer their skills and wisdom to their junior colleagues. When young people are bombarded

with conflicting viewpoints - about how things should go - from a series of advisors, they may

find it difficult to get ahead with confidence. Mentoring can succeed if (i) there is genuine

support and commitment from top management (ii) mentors take up their job seriously and

transfer ideas, skills and experiences in a systematic way and (iii) mentees believe in the whole

process and carry out things in an appropriate manner.

4. Job Rotation :

This kind of training involves the movement of trainee from one job to another. This helps him

to have a general understanding of how the organisation functions. The purpose of job rotation is

to provide trainees with a larger organisational perspective and a greater understanding of

different functional areas as well as a better sense of their own career objectives and interests.

Apart from relieving boredom, job rotation allows trainees to build rapport with a wide range of

individuals within the organisation, facilitating future cooperation among departments. The

cross-trained personnel offer a great amount of flexibility for organisations when transfers,

promotions or replacements become inevitable.

Job rotation may pose several problems, especially when the trainees are rolled on various jobs at

frequent intervals. In such a case, trainees do not usually stay long enough in any single phase of

the operation to develop a high degree of expertise. For slow learners, there is little room to

integrate resources properly. Trainees can become confused when they are exposed to rotating

managers, with contrasting styles of operation. Today's manager's commands may be replaced by

another set from another manager! Further, job rotation can be quite expensive. A substantial

amount of managerial time is lost when trainees change positions, because they must be

acquainted with different people and techniques in each department. Development costs can go

up and productivity is reduced by moving a trainee into a new position when his efficiency levels

begin to improve at the prior job. Inexperienced trainees may fail to handle new tasks in an

efficient way. Intelligent and aggressive trainees, on the offer hand, may find the system to be

thoroughly boring as they continue to perform more or less similar jobs without any stretch, pull

and challenge. To get the best results out of the system, it should be tailored to the needs,

interests and capabilities of the individual trainee, and not be a standard sequence that all trainees

undergo.

5                  Apprenticeship Training

Most craft workers such as plumbers and carpenters are trained through formal apprenticeship

programmes. Apprentices are trainees who spend a prescribed amount of time working with an

experienced guide, coach or trainer. Assistantships and internships are similar to apprenticeships

because they also demand high levels of participation from the trainee. An internship is a kind of

on-the-job training that usually combines job training with classroom instruction in trade

schools, colleges or universities. Coaching, as explained above, is similar to apprenticeship

because the coach attempts to provide a model for the trainee to copy. One important

disadvantage ofthe apprenticeship methods is the uniform period of training offered to trainees.

People have different abilities and learn at varied rates. Those who learn fast may quit the

programme in frustration. Slow learners may need additional training time. It is also likely that in

these days of rapid changes in technology, old skills may get outdated quickly. Trainees who

spend years learning specific skills may find, upon completion of their programmes, that the job

skills they acquired are no longer appropriate.

6  Committee Assignments

In this method, trainees are asked to solve an actual organisational problem. The trainees have to

work together and offer solution to the problem. Assigning talented employees to important

committees can give these employees a broadening experience and can help them to understand

the personalities, issues and processes governing the organisation. It helps them to develop team

spirit and work unitedly toward common goals. However, managers should very well understand

that committee assignments could become notorious time wasting activities. The above on-the-

job methods are cost effective. Workers actually produce while they learn. Since immediat.e

feedback is available, they motivate trainees to observe and learn the right way of doing things.

Very few problems arise in the· case of transfer of training because the employees learn in the

actual work environment where the skills that are learnt are actually used. On-the-job methods

may cause disruptions in production schedules. Experienced workers cannot use the facilities

that are used in training. Poor learners may damage machinery and equipment. Finally, if the

trainer does not possess teaching skills, there is very little benefit to the trainee.

Off-the-Job Methods

Under this method of training, the trainee is separated from the job situation and his attention is

focused upon learning the material related to his future job performance. Since the trainee is not

distracted by job requirements, he can focus his entire concentration on learning the job rather

than spending his time in performing it. There is an opportunity for freedom of expression for the

trainees. Off-the-job training methods are as follows:

a. Vestibule training: In this

method, actual work conditions are simulated in a classroom. Material, files and equipment -

those that are used in actual job performance are also used in the training. This type of training is

commonly used for training personnel for clerical and semi-skilled jobs. The duration of this

training ranges from a few days to a few weeks. Theory can be related to practice in this method.

b. Role playing: It is defined as a method of human interaction that involves realistic behaviour

in imaginary situations. This method of training involves action, doing and practice. The

participants play the role of certain characters, such as the production manager, mechanical

engineer, superintendents, maintenance engineers, quality control inspectors, foreman, workers

and the like. This method is mostly used for developing interpersonal interactions and relations.

c. Lecture method: The lecture is a traditional and direct method of instruction. The instructor

organizes the material and gives it to a group of trainees in the form of a talk. To be effective, the

lecture must motivate and create interest among the trainees. An advantage of lecture method is

that it is direct and can be used for a large group of trainees. Thus, costs and time involved are

reduced. The major limitation of the lecture method is that it does not provide for transfer of

training effectively.

d.         Conference/discussion approach: In this method, the trainer delivers a lecture and

involves the trainee in a discussion so that his doubts about the job get clarified. When big

organisations use this method, the trainer uses audio-visual aids such as black boards,

mockups and slides; in some cases the lectures are videotaped or audio taped. Even the

trainee's presentation can be taped for self confrontation and self-assessment.

The conference is, thus, a group-centered approach where there is a clarification of ideas,

communication of procedures and standards to the trainees. Those individuals who have a

general educational background and whatever specific skills are required such as typing,

shorthand, office equipment operation, filing, indexing, recording, etc. - may be provided with

specific instructions to handle their respective jobs.

e.          Programmed instruction: This method has become popular in recent years. The subject

matter to be learned is presented in a series of carefully planned sequential units. These

units are arranged from simple to more complex levels of instruction. The trainee goes

through these units by answering questions or filling the blanks. This method is, thus,

expensive and time-consuming.

Behaviourally Experienced Training

Some training programmes focus on emotional and behavioural learning. Here employees can

learn about behaviour by role-playing in which the role players attempt to act their part in respect

of a case, as they would behave in a real-life situation. Business games, cases, incidents, group

discussions and short assignments are also used in behaviourally-experienced learning methods.

Sensitivity training or laboratory training is an example of a method used for emotional learning.

The focus of experiential methods is on achieving, through group processes, a better

understanding of oneself and others. These are discussed elaborately in the section covering

Executive Development Programmes.

Evaluation of a Training Programme

The specification of values forms a basis for evaluation. The basis of evaluation and the mode of

collection of information necessary for evaluation should be determined at the planning stage.

The process of training evaluation has been defined as any attempt to obtain information on the

effects of training performance and to assess the value of training in the light of that information.

Evaluation helps in controlling and correcting the training programme. Hamblin suggested five

levels at which evaluation of training can take place, viz., reactions, learning, job behaviour,

organisation and ultimate value.

1.        Reactions: Trainee's reactions to the overall usefulness of the training including the

coverage of the topics, the method of presentation, the techniques used to clarify things,

often throw light on the effectiveness of the programme. Potential questions to trainees

might include: (i) What were your learning goals for the programme? (ii) Did you achieve

them? (iii) Did you like this programme? (iv) Would you recommend it to others who have

similar learning goals? ( v) what suggestions do you have for improving the programme?

(vi) Should the organisation continue to offer it?

2.        Learning: Training programme, trainer's ability and trainee's ability are evaluated on the

basis of quantity of content learned and time in which it is learned and learner's ability to

use or apply the content learned.

3.        Job behaviour: This evaluation includes the manner and extent to which the trainee has

applied his learning to his job.

4.        Organisation: This evaluation measures the use of training, learning and change in the

job behaviour of the department/organisation in the form of increased productivity, quality,

morale, sales turnover and the like.

5.        Ultimate value: It. is the measurement of ultimate result of the contributions of the

training programme to the company goals like survival, growth, profitability, etc. and to the

individual goals like development of personality and social goals like maximising social

benefit.

Methods of Evaluation

Various methods can be used to collect data on the outcomes of training. Some of these are:

          Questionnaires: Comprehensive questionnaires could be used to obtain opinions,

reactions, views of trainees.

          Tests: Standard tests could be used to find out whether trainees have learnt anything

during and after the training.

          Interviews: Interviews could be conducted to find the usefulness of training offered to

operatives.

          Studies: Comprehensive studies could be carried out eliciting the opinions and

judgements of trainers, superiors and peer groups about the training.

           Human resource factors: Training can also be evaluated on the basis of employee

satisfaction, which in turn can be examined on the basis of decrease in employee turnover,

absenteeism, accidents, grievances, discharges, dismissals, etc.

           Cost benefit analysis: The costs of training (cost of hiring trainers, tools to learn,

training centre, wastage, production stoppage, opportunity cost of trainers and trainees)

could be compared with its value (in terms of reduced learning time, improved learning,

superior performance) in order to evaluate a training programme.

Feedback: After the evaluation, the situation should be examined to identify the probable causes

for gaps in performance. The training evaluation information (about costs, time spent, outcomes,

etc.) should be provided to the instructors, trainees and other parties concerned for control,

correction and improvement of trainees' activities. The training evaluator should follow it up

sincerely so as to ensure effective implementation of the feedback report at every stage.

Training Programme of Company

Purpose-

To establish and maintain a documented procedure for identifying and providing training to all

the employees of the organization with essential skill and knowledge so as to achieve desired

quality and productivity goals.

Scope-

This procedure is applicable to all employees. Company's personnel involved in quality system.

 

Training Process

Training is provided both “In House” and through “Outside Agencies” Which could be for an

individual or for group of persons as a collective training.

Training is conducted either through “Planned Training Programme” “Emergent Training

Programme” which is organized by the HRD Department

Planned Training-

The planned training programme is drawn on annual basis both for individual and group of

persons for collective training at the beginning of Calendar Year by Manager HRD and HRD

Executive of factory. The departmental Heads drawn out the training requirements on the

training requisition slip and sent it to HID Dept. Training of the senior personnel at Factory Is

also catered for at Head Office on receipt of requirement from HRD Executive.

The annual Training Prog. at Head office is approved by from Chairman cum Managing

Director.

Annual training Prog. is prepared on format and circulated to all heads of department and is

updated. If required in case of additional training needs.

Emergent Training –

The Emergent training programme is a supplementary training programme both for individual

and collective persons which is imparted during the course of work to take care for unforeseen or

uncatered training requirements arisen due to installation of new machine, system, procedure etc.

Identification of such training need is done by the concerned HOD at Head Office and

HOD/Supervisor at factory and accordingly forwards their request. The procedure as in case of

planned training is followed there after.

Conduct of Training

HRD Head at HO & HRD (Executive) at factory ensures that identified training in their

respective areas is conducted as scheduled.

In case of External training, liaison with the agency is done and dates, venue

etc. is fixed up and concerned person is intimated through Heads of

Department.

For In-House training, date/Venue is fixed up with identified faculty and

concerned individual is informed through Heads of Department. Besides,

necessary resource/infrastructure is also provided for effective training.

External Trainers for the Company are:

                       Father Son & Company

       Skill & Thoughts

       Logic Consultant

  

Topics covered under Training Programme

EFT Act & Scheme Provisions

    Rigid and Semi Rigid Packaging

Principles of Contract Labour Act

    Self-motivational & Attitudinal Seminar

Organic farming

Training about operations in the company.

Processing of Rice (value addition In Rice)

Knowledge about rice trade

Operational and maintenance of dryer & Cleaning Plant

Silo storage Techniques

Scientific Instrumentation

Finished goods quality control

    Trouble shooting

 

PURPOSE OF PROJECT

To know the effectiveness of the training programme conducted by the company.

To know whether employees are aware about their responsibilities and authorities

or not.

To improve Organizational Climate and increase the morale of employees.

To know whether training programme is conducted successfully or not.

To know about the work culture of the organization.

Job satisfaction

Job satisfaction is in regard to one's feeling or state of mind regarding the nature of their work. It

can be influenced by a variety of factors e.g.: quality of one's relationships with there supervisor,

quality of physical environment in which they work, degree of fulfillment in there work etc.

Locke gives a comprehensive definition of job satisfaction as involving cognitive, effective and

evaluative reactions or attitudes and states it is "a pleasurable or positive emotional state

resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experience." Job satisfaction is a result of

employees' perception of how well their job provides those things that are viewed as important.

There are three generally accepted dimensions to job satisfaction.

First, job satisfaction is an emotional response to a job situation, as such it cannot be seen; it can

only be inferred.

Second, job satisfaction is often determined by how well outcomes meet or exceed expectations.

For example if organizational participants feel that they are working more harder than others in

the department but are receiving fewer rewards, they will probably have a negative attitude

toward the work, the boss or the coworkers. They will be dissatisfied. On the other hand, if they

feel they are being treated very well and are being paid equitably, they are likely to have a

positive attitude toward the job. They will be job - satisfied.

Third, job satisfaction represents several related attitudes.

Factors determining job satisfaction

• Factors affecting jobs are the main factors of job satisfaction, which may be challenging work,

reward systems, working conditions, colleagues, learning and personality. Skill variety autonomy

and significance are challenging tasks, which provide maximum satisfaction to employees. Many

people feel bored if a job is too simple and routine, but many employees also enjoy simple and

routine jobs.

• The job characteristics are important factors for providing satisfaction. Reward systems,

equitable rewards, equal pay for equal work, promotion avenues, etc are satisfaction factors.

Money is important to employees having unfulfilled basic needs, i.e. they require more award

and recognition.

• Fairness in promotion, unbiased attitude of management, responsibilities and social status are

the factors that are said to be providing satisfaction to employees.

• Working conditions influence employee's level of satisfaction. Under conducive working

condition, people prefer to work hard while in an adverse atmosphere people avoid work.

Working condition not only include physicals of the work but also the working relationships in

the organization. The physical conditions, for example, are the light, temperature, willingness,

etc. A clerk working under routine conditions likes to work hard in an air - conditioned

atmosphere with computer facilities. It increases the working capacity of the employee.

        The relationships between the employees and the managers have an important bearing on

job satisfaction.

        Job satisfaction is greater in case the higher authority is sympathetic, friendly and willing

to help the employees. Employees feel satisfied when their views are listened to and regarded

by their higher authorities

        Personal attitude and perceptions are the employees' angles of satisfaction, which should

be taken into consideration while motivating people to arrive at job satisfaction

        Feedback from the job itself and autonomy are two of the major job-related motivational

factors. A recent found that career development was most important to both younger and

older employees.

        Supervision is another moderately important of job satisfaction. There seem to be two

dimensions of supervisory style that affect job satisfaction. One is employee centeredness,

which is measured by the degree to which a supervisor takes a personal interest and cares

about the employee.

It commonly is manifested in ways such as checking to see how well the employee is doing,

providing advice and assistance to the individual, and communicating with the associate on a

personal as well as an official level . The other dimension is participation or influence, as

illustrated by managers who allow their people to participate in decisions that affect their own

jobs. In most case, this approach leads higher job satisfaction.

        Friendly, cooperative coworkers or team members are a modest source of job

satisfaction to individual employees. The group, especially a "tight" team, serves as a

source of support, comfort, advice, and assistance to the individual member.

Outcomes of job satisfaction

To society as a whole as well as from an individual employee's standpoint, job satisfaction in and

of itself is a desirable outcome. It is important to know, if at all, satisfaction relates to outcomes

variable. For example, if job satisfaction is high, will the employee perform better and the

organization be more effective? I f job satisfaction is low, will there be performance problems

and ineffectiveness? The following sections examine the most important of these.

Satisfaction and performance:

Most assume a positive relationship; the research to date indicates that there is no strong linkage

between satisfaction and performance. Conceptual, methodological, and empirical analyses have

questioned and argued against these results.

The best conclusion about satisfaction and performance is that there is, definitely a relationship.

The relationship may even be more complex than others in organization behavior. For example,

there seem to be many possible-moderating variables, the most important of which is reward. If

people receive reward they feel are equitable, they will be satisfied, and is likely to result in

greater performance effort.

Satisfaction and turnover:

Unlike that between satisfaction and performance, research has uncovered a moderately

negatively relationship between satisfaction and turnover. High job satisfaction will not, in and

of itself, keep turnover low, but it does seem to help. On the other hand, if there is considerable

job dissatisfaction, there is likely to be high turnover. Obviously, other variables enter into an

Employees decision to quit besides job satisfaction. For example, age tenure in the organization,

and commitments to the organization, may playa role. Some people cannot see them selves

working anywhere else, so they remain regardless of how dissatisfied they feel.

Another factor is the general economy, typically there will be an increase in turnover because

will being looking for better opportunities with other organization.

Satisfaction and absenteeism:

Research has only demonstrated a weak negative relationship between satisfaction and

absenteeism. As with turnover, many variables enter into the decision to stay home besides

satisfaction with the job. For example, there are moderating variables such as the degree to

which people that there job are important. For example, research among state govt. Employees

has found those who believed that there was important had lower absenteeism than did who did

not feel this way. Additionally, it is important to remember that although job satisfaction will not

necessarily result in absenteeism, low job satisfaction more likely to bring about absenteeism.

Significance of Study

Every organization desires that it will grow continuously and make and retain its position in the

competitive and continuously changing market environment. For this purpose the employees of

the organization must be skilled and talented. But all the employees may not have the desired

skills. Their skills can be improved with the help of training programs. It is an important activity

for the origination to conduct appropriate and related programme for its employees, so that may

be able to understand the terms required for the completion of his job. This also helps the

employees of the organization to know about his job and organization very well. This also helps

in better communication and relation among the organization wants to grow rapidly, then it is

essential for it to conduct periodically training programmes for its employees to improve the

skills and knowledge.

So the top management must concentrate on the training programs and organize

them in such a way that maximum number of employees wants to attend these programs. These

must be related to employees and their jobs.

 

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      P   a   g   e    4    9 BIBLIOGRAPHYBooks: K. Aswathappa, Human Resource Management, New Delhi, Tata McGrawHill, 2010, Journals & Articles:1. Articles by T.V Rao Learning Systems.2. Policies of CMC Ltd.3. Documents of CMC Ltd.Websites:www.cmcltd.comwww.ask.comwww.wikipedia.comwww.hrgroup.comwww.ppspublishers.com

      P   a   g   e    5    0 ANNEXURE1)  NAME OF THE CANDIDATE:2) COLLEGE NAME:3) PROGRAMME ENROLLED :4) YEAR:5) SOURCE OF INFORMATION:Friend LeafletPoster InternetTelecall ReferralOther6) HOW MUCH WOULD YOU RATE CMC LTD ON A SCALE OF 1-5?7) ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE TRAINING IMPARTED TO YOU?YES NO8) ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE PLACEMENTS OPPORTUNITIES?YES NO9) ARE YOUR QUERIES OR PROBLEMS ATTENDED?YES NO10) DO YOU FEEL THAT THE PROGRAMME TRAINERS/ FACULTY ARE GOODCOMMUNICATORS?YES NO

      P   a   g   e    5    1 `11) WOULD YOU LIKE TO REFER ANYONE TO OUR PROGRAMMES ANDCOURSES?YES NO NO13) SUGGEST ANY TWO AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT?