Why training is necessary in the workplace

            One the most interesting things about Kramden Computers is how there was a lack of proper training for employees who you would assume would need a great amount of training.  The production process involved in assembling computers must require a good amount of skill and understanding of the parts.  And to produce the quality of work Kramden was expecting; several other work skills would most likely come in to play.  Skills most of their employees did not posses, not because of incompetence but because of lack of training. 

            There are several reasons organizations may avoid training, but there might be two common ones that were apparent in this particular company.  Including a fear of making their employees more valuable and the lack of desire to spend money.   Through previous experience, it could be too often that a company approaches their training needs with little assessment and research of what actually needs to be trained.  In this instance, once Kramden decided to offer training they did not fully commit to the delivery of the training.  The workers were concerned the trainers were not aware of what truly occurs on the assembly lines and presented methods not feasible to everyday work.  It was apparent Kramden neglected to think about proper settings for the training and quality of instructors. 

            It is refreshing to come across a company that listens to their employee’s concerns and comments, and then takes the necessary actions.  However, there are too many companies today claiming they listen to their employees but fail when it comes to the follow through.   Employees are not just content with the fact that their bosses may occasionally ask about their concerns.  They expect to see their concerns turned into solutions.  If training efforts are going to produce positive outcomes then there cannot be a lack of an assessment. 

When I applied for my current job, I always thought that I could at least get an interview but once reaching that point I was clueless.  I didn’t have a single ounce of financial aid experience professionally or even as a student.  My experience working within a university system and customer service background eventually did land me an interview, but that is where my worries began.  When it came time to the interview process I just knew that I was going to be hammered with financial aid questions which I would not be able to answer intelligently.  To my surprise and much delight at the time, I wasn’t asked a single question pertaining to any specific financial aid skill.  The whole interview circled around what soft skills I could bring to the office and how I could apply them to the job. 

In the end they really were impressed by my soft skills and offered me the position.  I was extremely excited because I was able to land a job I didn’t think I really was qualified for technically, purely off of the soft skills I could offer.  Around two months have passed since I was hired and it is hard to believe they would hire someone solely off of the fact they are a good team player or have communication skills.  The world of financial aid is an extremely complicated one and there is a large technical aspect which needs to be comprehended to be successful. 

After having gone through several different interviews over the years, I know these specific skills are extremely valued by employers. I can’t help but wonder though if that is all an employer should be concentrating on?  However if they do, then I strongly believe in having the on the job training to backup such hiring decisions.  If an employer doesn’t have the training capabilities to train someone with great soft skills the technical aspects of their job; then you may not allow the employee to completely execute those soft skills. 

My department is currently working on changing their current approach to training.  They have recognized the need for something more structured than in the past and have started the process of a needs assessment.  Everything is still in the beginning stages but they have taken a very typical first step by surveying specific members of the organization.  Being one of the newest employees, I know I am going to be part of the training changes.  It will be interesting to see the changes to training as I continue my own training.          

In today’s working environment, who is receiving the training and who should be receiving the training appeared to be a common topic among all of the readings.  Training is a critical aspect to a successful workplace for several reasons.  It allows a company to retain top employees, produce more knowledgable employees, attracts highly valuable potential employees, and promotes a challenging atmosphere.  As we learned from the reading though, not all companies understand the importance of training or are not using it in a correct manner.

 There are several flaws that plague most businesses in the workforce today regarding training.  The first one is that they are not offering training to those who need it the most.  Most companies are concentrating their training dollars on already educated employees instead of our working class who need the training to better develop their job skill.  Employers also need to be more supporative of employee training in general.  A few things that training develops include job interest, educational growth, more productive employees, and team work.  And why wouldn’t companies want to improve training?  It allows them to be competitive by maintaining a skilled staff. 

There are several forces today influencing the workplace such as globalization and the ever present need for leadership.  In today’s modern company it isn’t unlikely to see products produced over seas or call centers based in a different country.  Afterall, it’s proven to the one of the most cost effective ways of doing business.  So what does that mean for us as employees in the US?  The first possibility is the fact that your job could quite possibly require you to move over seas.  The more your company is setting up offices in other countries, the more likely you might be asked to relocate.  Then there is the apparent need for cross cultural training.  As companies start to build foundations in foreign places, cross cultural training becomes a very important need.  It helps their current employees to become knowledgable of the other cultures they will have some contact with at some point. 

Employee development is extremely beneficial to a company.  There are several different approaches that can be taken towards employee development dependent on your management’s desired outcome.  Through assessment, development,  and evaluation; positions can be developed to promote continuing education, constant improvement, goal oriented employees, and a better experience overall.     

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