Current Developments in Training and Development

Training and development in the workplace has come a long way, from pen-and-paper tests to computerised tests, from intelligence quotient tests to personality tests, the development of this employee resource have been vast and advancing. Many factors come into play where developments are concerned. Let’s have a look at some of the current developments that will have an impact on this important employee resource issue.

The first development is diversity. The workforce is made up of a people of different age, race, religion, profession, sexual orientation, geographic origin, lifestyle, occupation et cetera. The human resources department has to take into consideration the needs of the diverse workforce when planning any training or development programs.

For example, in a training session filled with young people with lower level of education, the trainer may have to explain a point patiently or several times differently to get the message across. Another example is when the training is held in the Ramadan month, training programs should not be too physically exhausting, because Muslims are not allowed to consume food or drinks for 14 hours in the day.

A famous example of an organisation implementing a successful training program is McDonald’s. The fast-food restaurant replaced numbers with pictures of the menu on the cash registers so that the employees are able to quickly register customer orders without having to memorise the menu codes or prices. This sits especially well with elderly workers who may have limited education.

With more working mothers in the workforce, organisations have to develop training programs which can be conducted online so there is no need for the mothers to be physically away from their children, providing them with more time with the children. Also, ex-housewives who are entering the workforce, especially the tourism industry, may be easily trained with housekeeping and laundering skills.

The diverse workforce is a by-product of globalisation. Globalisation is the integration of national economies into international economies through trade, investment, migration and extension of technology. Organisations are trading with the rest of the world, whether directly or indirectly. With increasing competition, organisations are taking measures to drive costs down, by relocating, downsizing and streamlining, among other measures.

When relocating to a lower cost country or city, organisations cannot expect its entire workforce in the previous location to be relocated as well. Thus, a training plan must be devised in advance, incorporating how, when, where, who and what to train the new employees. The same applies to organisations which are expanding and setting up new offices in the same location.

One of the challenges that may arise from relocation or expanding is the difference in languages. If the employees in the different locations are fluent in different languages, steps have to be taken to ensure both parties are able to understand each other. In some instance, companies may offer language proficiency classes or translate working materials. For example, in Japan, it is not common to find English speaking Japanese and thus, work-related documents and materials are translated in Japanese for ease of use.

Now, it is common for organisations to send employees on overseas assignments to expose them to different environment, and pick up new skills and knowledge. When such a decision is made, organisation has to make sure the employee is informed of the new culture and way of life.

Citing a simple example, spitting in public is considered unhygienic in Singapore but is a common habit of the Chinese in China. If not informed accordingly, the expatriates from China may easily offend the locals in Singapore. Another simple example is that the Americans considered tipping a must but not so for the French, who find it insulting to service staff. These habits are not easily found in travel guidebooks, which often only present the places of interests, and therefore, a foreigner has to be mindful to keep his or her behaviour in check.

Technology, and the rapid pace at which it develops, is a major factor contributing to evolution of training and development. As organisations adopt more technologically advanced systems, employees require more training in technological and computer skills.

Technology has also improved telecommunications systems. Online training, or commonly known ad e-learning, has replaced face-to-face training sessions. Employees can now be “at two places at the same time”, reducing time and costs. Although e-learning can be cost-effective, it is not without its challenges. For example, some employees may resist e-learning because they are unfamiliar or uncomfortable