Planning training and development

INSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
SUPERSERIES
Planning
Training and
Development
FOURTH EDITION
Published for the
Institute of Leadership & Management by
OXFORD AMSTERDAM BOSTON LONDON NEW YORK PARIS
SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SINGAPORE SYDNEY TOKYO

Pergamon Flexible Learning
An imprint of Elsevier Science
Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP
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First published 1986
Second edition 1991
Third edition 1997
Fourth edition 2003
Copyright © 1986, 1991, 1997, 2003, ILM
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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 0 7506 5860 6
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The views expressed in this work are those of the authors and do
not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Leadership &
Management or of the publisher
Authors: Alison Allenby and Dela Jenkins
Editor: Dela Jenkins
Editorial management: Genesys, www.genesys-consultants.com
Based on previous material by: Joe Johnson
Composition by Genesis Typesetting, Rochester, Kent
Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books, Bodmin

iii
Contents
Workbook introduction v
1 ILM Super Series study links v
2 Links to ILM Qualifications v
3 Links to S/NVQs in Management vi
4 Workbook objectives vi
5 Activity planner viii
Session A The importance of training 1
1 Introduction 1
2 What do we mean by training? 2
3 Effective training 6
4 The benefits of training 9
5 Alternatives to training 14
6 The training cycle 16
7 Summary 24
Session B Identifying training needs 25
1 Introduction 25
2 Types of training need 26
3 Assessing training needs by analysing jobs 30
4 Training needs analysis by task 37
5 Other training needs identification techniques 41
6 Agreeing and recording identified training needs 50
7 Summary 54
Session C Planning successful training 55
1 Introduction 55
2 What are we trying to achieve? 56
3 The way people learn 60
4 Training on or off the job? 63
5 Choosing the best method 65

Contents
iv
6 Designing and using visual aids 68
7 Planning the training 72
8 Conforming to legislative requirements 75
9 Deciding on review and evaluation processes 75
10 Drawing up the training plan 77
11 Summary 80
Performance checks 81
1 Quick quiz 81
2 Workbook assessment 83
3 Work-based assignment 85
Reflect and review 87
1 Reflect and review 87
2 Action plan 90
3 Extensions 92
4 Answers to self-assessment questions 93
5 Answers to activities 95
6 Answers to the quick quiz 96
7 Certificate 98

v
Workbook
introduction
1 ILM Super Series study links
This workbook addresses the issues of Planning Training and Development.
Should you wish to extend your study to other Super Series workbooks
covering related or different subject areas, you will find a comprehensive list
at the back of this book.
In particular, you are advised to look at the companion workbook to this one,
Delivering Training, which, together with this workbook, will give you a
complete understanding of the four-stage cycle which underpins the whole
subject of training preparation and delivery.
2 Links to ILM Qualifications
This workbook relates to the following learning outcomes in segments from
the ILM Level 3 Introductory Certificate in First Line Management and the
Level 3 Certificate in First Line Management.
C7.3 Planning Development
1 Identify development needs in conjunction with the staff
concerned
2 Understand a range of approaches and techniques and their
application in the workplace
3 Agree development plan(s) with staff to meet their identified
needs, taking account of resource implications

Workbook introduction
vi
3 Links to S/NVQs in Management
This workbook relates to the following elements of the Management
Standards which are used in S/NVQs in Management, as well as a range of
other S/NVQs.
C9.1 Contribute to the identification of development needs
C9.3 Contribute to development activities
It will also help you to develop the following Personal Competences:
䊏 communicating;
䊏 thinking and taking decisions.
4 Workbook objectives
As a manager you will almost certainly have some responsibility for coaching
and training your workteam. You will be expected to carry out or organize
different types of development activities. This will include induction training
when new employees start work and need introducing to the environment in
which they are to work, their work colleagues and the job that they are
expected to do. You may also be expected to carry out ongoing job training,
which may include refresher training, introducing new tasks to individuals or
introducing totally new skills to the workteam. Occasionally you may also be
called upon to carry out specific training, such as safety training.
Skills development is a complicated process. The simplest way to approach it
is to divide it into four stages:
Stage 1 – Assessing training needs
Stage 2 – Planning and preparation
Stage 3 – Delivering the training
Stage 4 – Giving feedback, evaluating the results and providing further
support as necessary.

vii
This workbook concentrates on the first and second stages, assessing training
needs, and planning and preparation. The next two stages are discussed in
another workbook in this series, Delivering Training, which also looks at the
ways in which you can support your team members through coaching,
counselling and mentoring.
Imagine that in your workteam you have recently gained two new employees.
One has some experience of the type of work you do but the other is totally
new to it. How would you go about developing them? What tasks and skills
would they need to improve? Who would train them, when and how long
would it take? These are all questions that you would need to answer. You
would also need to look at each individual and decide what each needed to
learn in order to carry out the job he or she had been employed to do.
To carry out this role effectively you would need to develop certain skills
yourself. This workbook will introduce you to and help you develop these
essential skills.
Session A discusses what is meant by training, and its benefits to you, the
organization and the trainees. It also introduces the concept of the training
cycle.
When planning training you need to be able to identify training needs that
would help both individuals and workteams meet work objectives. This
requires you to collect and analyse information and present it to others for
discussion or approval. Training needs analysis is discussed in Session B.
In Session C you will learn how to plan training in an organized and scheduled
manner and take into account all the resources that are available. Planning
training happens in a variety of ways in different workplaces. In some
organizations this is done in a very formal and structured way and in others
it is more simple. However it is done, it is important that it is done well – the
future of your workteam and your workplace may depend upon it.
This workbook will help produce training plans that will be effective.
4.1 Objectives
When you have completed this workbook you will be better able to:
䊏 describe the importance and benefits of training to you, your workteam and
the organization you work for;
䊏 use different techniques to collect and analyse information for training needs
analysis purposes;
䊏 contribute to the identification of training and development needs for
individuals and workteams;
䊏 set objectives for training and development;
䊏 contribute to planning training and development;
䊏 draw up a training plan.

viii
5 Activity planner
The following Activities require some planning so you may want to look at
these now.
䊏 Activity 21 on page 39 asks you to analyse the skills needed to carry out a
particular job.
䊏 Activity 23 on page 44 looks at versatility charts
䊏 Activity 26 on page 49 asks you to look at your organization’s performance
appraisal system
䊏 Activity 30 on page 59 is concerned with initial assessment plans
䊏 Activity 36 on page 74 asks you to complete an induction training planning
form
䊏 Activity 38 on page 77 asks you to record a training plan.
Some or all of these Activities may provide the basis of evidence for your
S/NVQ portfolio. Activities and the work-based assignment are signposted
with this icon.
The icon states the elements to which the Portfolio Activities and Work-
based assignment relate.
The work-based assignment on page 85 is designed to help you meet
Elements C9.1 (Contribute to the identification of development needs) and
C9.3 (Contribute to development activities) of the Management Standards.
You may want to prepare for it in advance.

1
Session A
The importance of
training
1 Introduction
Many organizations invest a lot of time and money in developing their people.
The methods used vary between organizations but will include things like
training courses and coaching. Obviously organizations expect their invest-
ment to pay dividends in terms of increased productivity and profitability. So
what can an organization do to ensure that it gets the results it wants from
its training? This workbook sets out the steps that should be taken to ensure
that the right training is given to the right people at the right time.
In order to do this it is essential that we first clarify exactly what we mean by
training. Although it seems to be a simple enough concept, many aspects of
training do appear to be frequently misunderstood. Some people have trouble
in defining exactly what training is and is not.The benefits of training, both to
the organization and to the individual, are sometimes underestimated.
Training is not just sending someone away on a course. Although sometimes
external training courses are exactly what individuals need to improve their
skills, there are many other effective development methods that can be used.
Coaching or mentoring time given by an experienced person to a less
experienced person can bring about impressive results and has the added
benefit of being delivered internally.
We will start to explain some of these processes to you by introducing you
to the training cycle. This will then prepare the ground for the rest of this
workbook.

Session A
2
2 What do we mean by training?
‘Training’ is a commonly used word that may be applied to a variety of
activities. As a manager you will probably have received some kind of training
and may have given training to others.
Activity 1
3 mins
Tick all those Activities listed below that you would consider to be
training.
a A workteam leader showing a workteam member how to operate
a machine. 䊐
b A new shop assistant learning how to operate a till by observing
how a more experienced assistant does it. 䊐
c An instructor lecturing to a group of nurses on the application of a
new medical procedure. 䊐
d A demonstration of the operation of fire-fighting equipment to a
group of firefighters. 䊐
e A workteam member attending a local training centre on a day-
release scheme. 䊐
f A technician spending a week on a residential course on quality
control procedures. 䊐
g A manager briefing his/her workteam. 䊐
h A personnel expert giving guidance to a manager on appraisal
interviews. 䊐
i A manager watching a receptionist dealing with a difficult caller. 䊐
j Police recruits practising firearm skills. 䊐
k A new sales person accompanying another experienced person on
some sales visits. 䊐
l Attending an evening class for ‘Holiday Spanish Conversation’. 䊐
m Attending a pre-natal child care course. 䊐
n A group of students attending a graduate course in English
literature. 䊐

Session A
3
It would not be unreasonable to tick all these Activities.The list illustrates the
variety of forms that training can take.
However, we can ignore the last three items on the list as they are not
relevant to work (on the whole). Training concentrates on building up
knowledge, skills and attitudes which are directly relevant to work.
As for item (n) – students taking a course in English literature – you may have
decided, quite rightly, that this comes under the heading of ‘education’ rather
than training.Without going into all the meanings of these two words we can
generally reckon education to be less vocationally specific and tending to deal
with hypotheses rather than specific instances.
In this workbook we will only be concerned with work-related training that
contains specific objectives.
Activity 2
3 mins
When you attend training courses or sessions at work, what, in general terms
do you hope to gain from them? Give your answer briefly in the space
below.
You may have said things like:
䊏 ‘knowledge’, ‘expertise’, ‘skills’, ‘knowhow’ or ‘information’;
䊏 the means of doing your job better;
䊏 the means of increasing your earning power;
䊏 the means of developing your potential.
All these would be good answers to the question, and in a sense they all come
to the same thing. We could say that, in broad terms
training is designed to improve the effectiveness of people at work,
because training provides a means of acquiring skills and
knowledge.
Improving effectiveness
at work.

Session A
4
By acquiring skills and knowledge people are better able to:
䊏 carry out their jobs;
䊏 earn more money;
䊏 develop as individuals.
Of course there are lots of ways of acquiring skills and knowledge, but does
it matter how it is done? Read the example below and answer the questions
in the Activity that follows.
Connie, a school leaver, started a new job as an administrative
assistant in an office.There were two other people in the office, Jackie
and Warren. At the interview for the job, Connie was told that she’d
be expected to ‘be generally useful – take messages, that kind of
thing’.
On the first day it became obvious to Connie that the office was a
very busy one. People were coming in and out all the time, leaving
instructions, asking for information and so on. And the ‘phone never
stopped ringing’. Connie was ‘in at the deep end’ from the start.
Neither Jackie norWarren had much time to tell her what to do.They
told her ‘Not to worry – just watch and learn – and if someone gives
you a message, write it down.’ From time to time, when Connie asked
for help, either Jackie or Warren would try to find five minutes to tell
her about a particular form or procedure. Although Connie wasn’t
used to any of this, she was a bright girl and after a while she started
to become a useful member of the workteam.
Connie acquired knowledge and improved her skills through
observation and from the snippets of information she picked up as
she went along. Later on, another new person started work in the
office and Connie was introduced as being ‘fully trained and
experienced in the job’.

Session A
5
Activity 3
5 mins
a So Connie learned how to do the job – but was she trained? Yes/No
b Do you think that most school leavers, being put in the situation
Connie was in, would have succeeded in becoming proficient? Yes/No
c If you were a manager in that office, say briefly what you would have done
differently in introducing Connie to the job.
It seems obvious that Connie was not trained. Few school leavers would have
managed to overcome the difficulties she had to face. Connie learned how to
do her job in spite of the lack of training. ‘Training’ is too grand a word to
use for the casual conversations she had with her colleagues.
To be worthy of the name, and to be effective, training must be planned and
organized.
As was the case with Connie, people sometimes learn to do their jobs in spite
of lack of training. However, it would be foolish to expect this kind of
haphazard method to succeed in most situations. So we can say that:
Training is a planned and organized procedure designed to improve
the effectiveness of people at work.
By ‘planned’ we mean that the training is specifically designed to meet defined
needs. So it is essential that managers be involved in the process and develop
the necessary skills to carry out the task competently.
Training is a planned
and organized
procedure.

Session A
6
3 Effective training
Even when training is planned and organized, there are some occasions when
it is not as effective as it might be. Consider these three cases:
Jeremy Chesterfield was listening to a talk about safety at work. The
lecturer was describing some terrible accidents that had occurred
at other companies similar to his. He was emphasizing the need
for being strict about obeying safety rules and not ‘cutting
corners’.
Jeremy wasn’t convinced. He thought that these accidents had
probably been caused by sheer carelessness or stupidity. Jeremy felt
that if he followed every safety instruction to the letter he would
never get his job done. He let the talk ‘go in one ear and out the
other’.
Shula Evans sat glumly in front of the computer screen. Along with her
fellow supervisors she was taking part in an introductory training
session about the hospital’s new method of keeping patients’ records.
For years Shula had been keeping these records on file cards. She was
efficient, the system worked and she couldn’t see the need to
‘computerize’ everything. Apart from everything else, Shula was not
confident that she would cope with the new system.
Vicky Sikopoulis was having great difficulties. She worked for a firm of
training specialists and she had been called into the Fairweather
Optical Company to give a training session to the company’s
managers on ‘Continuous Improvement Groups’. The problem was
that most of her audience did not seem convinced about the concept.
There was a lot of criticism of the whole idea and she was constantly
being interrupted.

Session A
7
Activity 4
10 mins
In each of the three cases the training wasn’t as successful as it might have
been. What was the problem in each case?
Jeremy Chesterfield’s problem was:
Shula Evans’s problem was:
Vicky Sikopoulis’s audience’s problem was:
The common problem that prevented all these three training sessions being
more successful was the attitude of the trainees.They were not in a receptive
frame of mind.
In Jeremy’s case he didn’t believe what the lecturer was saying and
consequently didn’t take in the information he was being given.
In Shula’s case she didn’t understand the need for computerization
and was afraid that she would not be able to cope with the new
system. This made her defensive and not open to new ideas.
Vicky’s audience would have to be convinced of the value of
Continuous Improvement Groups before they were willing to listen
to her description of their operation.
Human beings aren’t receptive to new ideas if they can’t see their value or
relevance.Therefore before managers start to plan any training they will have
to create an environment in which people want to be trained.
The key to learning is wanting to learn. People who want to learn will learn.
People who don’t, won’t.
The key is wanting
to learn.

Session A
8
Ranjit had been called into the office of David Brierley, his manager.
‘Good news, Ranjit!’ David said.‘That contract we were hoping for has
finally come through. Obviously your workteam will be involved. From
next Monday I want you to hand over your current work to Sarah
Page’s group. The Hersey contract is now your top priority.’
Ranjit was very pleased with this news because he knew what it
would mean to his workteam. It was clearly time that some of them
got a better opportunity to use their skills and experience. They had
all been hoping to have the chance to work on the Hersey contract
because it was ‘state of the art’ technology.
David continued, ‘Of course there will be a great deal to learn. Every
one of you will need to attend training courses on the new equipment
and because of the timescales, you’ll have to be fully acquainted with
lots of new concepts in a very short time. If this thing is to go well it will
need a great deal of commitment on the part of everyone involved.’
Ranjit replied,‘You need have no worries on that score.’
When an organization obtains a big new contract it isn’t only the directors and
shareholders who are pleased. It can mean a good deal to the employees too.
Activity 5
5 mins
Put yourself in the position of one of Ranjit’s workteam.You are a skilled and
experienced worker but have been working on the same kind of equipment
for some time now and you are feeling a little bored and frustrated.
Then your manager announces that you will get the opportunity to learn
about the latest technology, provided you give a high level of commitment to
the training and the work.
1 Is it likely that you will give your heartfelt commitment? Yes/No
2 If you do give this commitment, is your main motivation
for doing so likely to be:
䊏 a desire to see the organization do well? 䊐
䊏 a desire for your own individual development? 䊐
䊏 a combination of these? 䊐

Session A
9
Almost everyone in this position would be willing to give a genuine
commitment to the training and the work. And in most cases, the motivation
would be both a desire for personal development and a desire to promote the
organization’s interests.
This illustrates a strong argument in favour of training.
䊏 A motivated workforce is more likely to achieve organizational
objectives.
䊏 Self-development is a great motivator.
䊏 Training plays an important part in helping individuals develop.
䊏 So training is likely to be good for the whole organization.
The forward looking organization plans for the future. It will aim to meet its
requirements for team leaders, managers and specialist staff from among its
existing employees. By providing the training and resources for individuals to
develop, an employer is not only providing an incentive for the staff – it is
making an investment for the future.
4 The benefits of training
Any case for training will have to be supported by convincing arguments about
the benefits that will result. These have to include business benefits to the
organization as well as personal development benefits to the individual.
Training opens doors.

Session A
10
4.1 Benefits to the organization
Activity 6
5 mins
From your own experience and from what we’ve discussed so far in this
session, what benefits can you think of that training brings to the
organization? Try to note two benefits.
From the organization’s viewpoint, training:
䊏 reduces learning time, so bringing new recruits to full working capacity more
quickly;
䊏 provides a means of getting jobs done more efficiently, effectively and
safely;
䊏 results in a workforce which is more flexible and better able to cope with
change;
䊏 improves the morale and motivation of employees, so making them more
willing to further the objectives of the organization;
䊏 reduces the number of customer complaints and improves relationships with
customers;
䊏 reduces the number of problems with suppliers as goods will be better
specified and defects spotted more quickly;
䊏 makes the organization more profitable through increased output or reduced
costs.
Let’s look at these important points in more detail.
䊏 Training reduces learning time.
When a new employee starts work, or when there’s a new job to be learned
by an existing workteam member, time can be vitally important. Modern
businesses have to be extremely competitive and that often means that they
cannot afford individuals to be less than fully effective for very long.
Reduced learning
time.

Session A
11
We’ve all seen the difference in performance between a trained worker and
one who is untrained.
䊏 Training provides a means of getting jobs done more efficiently, effectively and
safely.
Activity 7
5 mins
Think of your own workteam or section and write down an example of
where training one or all of them resulted in improved performance. State
exactly what positive results the training had.
Your example will obviously be individual but it will probably have included
results like:
䊏 working more quickly;
䊏 reduced waste of material and energy;
䊏 ability to produce new product or service;
䊏 improved delivery times;
䊏 improved quality of service;
䊏 reduction in the accident level.
䊏 Training results in a workforce that is more flexible and better able to cope
with change. It also improves morale and motivation, making employees more
willing to further the organization’s objectives.
䊏 A significant part of any workteam leader’s job is concerned with getting the
workteam to implement management objectives. If morale is low and the
workteam have little motivation that job becomes very difficult.Training often
helps to improve morale and motivation because:
it can trigger a new interest
in the job and open up new
possibilities for the individual
it increases job security
because work output can be
increased and more skilful
tasks can be performed
Getting jobs done
more efficiently.
Trained people tend
to work faster and
have more confidence.

Session A
12
䊏 Training reduces the number of customer complaints. The relationship with
customers is improved because the quality of products is higher, and the
employees are more skilled in customer care.
䊏 Training reduces the number of problems with suppliers because the
employees will be able to provide better specifications for goods ordered and
spot defects more quickly.
䊏 Training makes organizations more profitable through increased output or
reduced costs.
This is the bottom line for any organization. Any investment it makes in
training needs to result in an economic gain.
While discussing the benefits of training to an organization it hasn’t been easy
to separate those benefits between employers and employees.This is because
the benefits aren’t all one way – individuals benefit too.
4.2 Benefits to the individual
Sometimes individuals see training as just more work, so you need to be
prepared to convince them of the personal benefits. What are they likely to
be?
Activity 8
5 mins
We’ve already discussed several of the benefits of training to individual
employees. For the record jot down three of these.
You might have mentioned:
䊏 Increased job satisfaction
Being trained to do a job well generally makes that job much more interesting
and satisfying.

Session A
13
䊏 Improved self-esteem
Trained individuals take more pride in their professionalism.
䊏 A greater potential for promotion
Increased skills and knowledge make employees more valuable to the
organization. Training often gives employees the opportunity to show the
organization what they are capable of doing and what their potential is. This
encourages organizations to look internally when filling vacancies.
䊏 Increased opportunities
One skill can act as a basis for learning another. (For instance, someone who has
trained to carry out stock taking will be better positioned to become a stock
controller in the future.)
This brings us back to the theme of personal development. People at work
generally need to feel that they are making progress in some way. Not
everyone wants promotion and the responsibility which comes with it. But
for most people, it is demoralizing having to do the same job in the same way
for a long time.
4.3 Benefits to the manager
Managers obviously benefit from having a well-trained workteam. Many of the
benefits we have already listed will also be beneficial to the manager, such
as:
䊏 getting work done more safely, efficiently and effectively;
䊏 improved workteam morale;
䊏 greater flexibility, enabling change to be managed more easily.
But there are more specific advantages for someone like you. For example,
how much of your time do you spend ‘fire fighting’ – dealing with urgent
problems which your workteam members can’t cope with? With better
training they might be able to handle things better on their own, rather than
having to call on you every time something unexpected happens.
You will probably be happier about delegating responsibility too, if you know
that the people standing in for you have been well trained.
And of course, a trained workteam is a much more flexible one: people are
able to cover for absent colleagues more easily and deal more effectively with
unexpected situations.

Session A
14
5 Alternatives to training
Consideration of whether to go ahead with training should include an appraisal
of the alternatives and the cost and benefits associated with them.
Activity 9
2 mins
So far we’ve discussed all the positive aspects of training. But it’s often hard to
sell the benefits of training. Make a note of at least two objections you have
heard (or perhaps have made yourself) when training has been suggested.
You might have mentioned the costs of providing training, which can be very
considerable.
Apart from the costs of the training itself – the trainer, the equipment, the
accommodation and so on – there is the fact that, while being trained,
employees are not working. This sort of lost time is a real concern to any
manager. Fortunately on-the-job training and mentoring can greatly reduce the
amount of time that a person needs to spend away from work.You can learn
more about mentoring in DeliveringTraining in this series.
You could also have noted the fact that trained personnel are likely to find it
easier to change jobs. Many an employer has invested a great deal in the training
of key workers, only to find them leave the organization shortly afterwards for
a better paid job elsewhere.

Session A
15
There are other disadvantages. One is the problem of who does the training. If
it is done‘on the job’ the people who are best at doing the work may not be the
best at imparting their knowledge. Also such skilled and knowledgeable
workers are often needed on other tasks.
If training is carried out‘off the job’ using dedicated trainers, there is a difficulty
in making sure that the trainers understand the way your organization
operates.
Activity 10
2 mins
Are there any alternatives to training? Can you think of at least one
alternative?
Assuming that trained workers are needed, one option for an employer is to
only recruit new employees who have already reached the required standards.
This is really taking advantage of the training given by others and you will
probably have to offer higher wages.
Another alternative is work simplification. At one extreme this can consist of
breaking a large job into two or three smaller sections so that it can be
tackled by a workteam, rather than by an individual. At the other extreme it
can mean completely de-skilling a job so that virtually no training is needed to
do the work. The disadvantages, however, are considerable and include low
employee morale and a high incidence of industrial disputes.
One other alternative is to use subcontracted labour who already have the
required expertise. This may be very helpful in the short term but you will
have to pay these people at a higher rate.
So in spite of the apparent costs of training, the alternatives are seldom
cheaper in the long run.And as we’ve already seen, the benefits of training are
many and varied.

Session A
16
6 The training cycle
We’ve already discussed the fact that training needs to be carried out in a
systematic way to be successful. Now let’s be more specific about this.
There are four systematic stages which comprise the training cycle but
before we look at these let’s start by looking at the case of ‘Gwyneth and the
undertrained clerks’.
When Gwyneth Roberts took over as manager of the general office,
she wasn’t very impressed with what she found. For one thing, the
‘training programme’ really existed in name only. On investigation,
Gwyneth found that:
䊏 when new starters joined, after spending a couple of days with the
previous manager, they were for the most part simply left to learn
what they could by sitting next to one of the more experienced
clerks;
䊏 there was no proper record of who was trained to carry out what
task, so it was difficult to say what the office’s training needs
were;
䊏 no-one monitored the progress of clerks as they picked up the
job;
䊏 no-one had much idea of how successful the training was;
䊏 when certain members of staff went sick or took a day off, it was
very difficult to find anyone else in the office who could stand in for
them.
Gwyneth obviously had a big job in front of her to organize the
training.

Session A
17
Activity 11
3 mins
Imagine that Gwyneth asked for your advice about where to start with the
organizing of her training. What would you suggest she did first?
Your response may have been to say that the first thing to be done is to
identify just what training is required. This is correct because until Gwyneth
knows who needs what training, she can’t begin to get anything organized.
To do this systematically Gwyneth will need to be clear in her mind about
what her workteam’s overall objectives are. She will need to ask herself the
question:
‘What does the organization want my workteam to achieve?’
The objectives of the workteam must, of course, be compatible with the
objectives of the whole organization. If Gwyneth isn’t clear about what her
workteam’s objectives are then she will need to talk to her boss and clarify
exactly what they are. These objectives will then give her targets or goals
against which she can measure how well her workteam are doing. It will
enable her to ask questions like:
‘How well is the workteam performing compared with the way I’d like it to
perform?’
‘What more do workteam members need to know and understand?’
‘What skills do individual workteam members have, compared with the
skills they need to do the job well?’
‘Is the workteam actually doing what it should really be doing?’
If the way that things are at present is not the same as the way we’d like them
to be, then there is obviously a performance gap. Here is a diagram to
show these points.

The way we would like
the workteam or the
individual to perform
The way the workteam
or the individual
actually does perform
The
performance
gap
1
Identify the
training needs
Session A
18
Now the way to improve the skills and knowledge of the workteam is through
training. Therefore the performance gap is also the extent of the training
need.
So now we’re in a position to spell out the first stage in the training cycle.
6.1 Training cycle stage 1 – Identify the
training needs
In this first stage Gwyneth must:
䊏 define the objectives of the workteam within the overall objectives of the
organization;
䊏 identify the performance gap or training need between what is being achieved
and what should be achieved;
䊏 pinpoint the differences between the actual skill levels and the skill levels
needed for the job.
The whole subject of identifying training needs is discussed in depth in
Session B.
Gwyneth’s next step is to consider what sort of training programme will meet
the training needs.

1
Identify the
training needs
2
Make plans
and preparations
Session A
19
6.2 Training cycle stage 2 – Making plans
and preparations
In order to make plans and prepare for training Gwyneth must be able to:
䊏 define the training objectives;
䊏 identify the course content;
䊏 decide in what order and to what depth it should be learned;
䊏 decide what methods of training are to be used;
䊏 identify who is to learn what;
䊏 plan where and when the training is to take place;
䊏 identify what resources might be needed;
䊏 estimate costs;
䊏 decide who is to support the trainees at work when they come to try out
their new skills;
䊏 plan how she will manage to keep the office running while the training is taking
place;
䊏 decide who will be involved in giving the training;
䊏 decide how the results will be assessed.
We will consider the answers to these questions in Session C.
Once the plan is in place and the preparations are complete, the training
programme can begin.

3
Implement
the plans
1
Identify the
training needs
2
Make plans
and preparations
Session A
20
6.3 Training cycle stage 3 – Implement
the plans
This stage requires Gwyneth to:
䊏 put the plans into practice;
䊏 ensure the training is carried out, keeping in mind individual needs and
individual capabilities;
䊏 be flexible in the approach to training and methods of learning;
䊏 be patient and avoid judging learners too harshly;
䊏 monitor progress carefully and be prepared to make changes to the plans. No
plan will survive reality unaltered.
Activity 12
2 mins
Bearing in mind that this is a cycle we are completing and that the last stage
must link back to stage 1, what do you think the final stage of this cycle is?

1
Identify the
training needs
3
Implement
the plans
2
Make plans
and
preparations
4
Evaluate and
feed back
the results
Session A
21
The last stage is to evaluate the programme and feed back the results.
As with all well-run projects and programmes, the ‘look back and learn’
principle should be applied. Otherwise, how will we be able to do better next
time?
6.4 Training cycle stage 4 – Evaluate and
feed back the results
This stage enables Gwyneth to:
䊏 measure the performance of the trainees during training and afterwards;
䊏 check the quality and effectiveness of the training;
䊏 keep training records;
䊏 assess job performance;
䊏 feed back the results to the trainees so they know how well they are
progressing;
䊏 note problems and areas of difficulty.
The evaluation and feedback step is invaluable for everyone involved. It is
important to those who:
䊏 made the plans and prepared the training;
䊏 gave the training;
䊏 received the training.
Another reason why feedback is so important is that training can never really
come to an end in a working environment. There are always new things to
learn. People leave and new people join. Others are promoted, creating both
opportunities and learning needs.

Session A
22
In the remainder of this workbook we will concentrate on the first two stages
in the training cycle. We will look at:
䊏 Identifying training needs (Session B)
䊏 Making training plans (Session C).
Activity 13
2 mins
If we follow the four stages in the order above, what do you expect should
happen at the end of stage 4? Tick one of the options.
Option 1 Training should stop 䊐
Option 2 You should go back to stage 1 䊐
Option 3 You should go back to stage 2 䊐
Option 1 isn’t correct because training is a continuous requirement. A
particular programme to train for a particular need may come to a stop,
but there are always new training needs. We should use what we have
learned from the evaluation of one training programme or session for the
next.
Option 3 (i.e. you finish one lot of training and immediately prepare for
the next) assumes that the training needs of your organization have
remained the same. This may well not be true, because as time passes
circumstances tend to change.
The right answer is Option 2 ‘Go back to stage 1’.
Learning is for life: you never become ‘fully trained’. Each trip
around the training cycle presents new learning needs and
opportunities.

Identify the
________ needs
_________
the plans
Make _____
and
____________
Evaluate and
____ ____
the results
Session A
23
Self-assessment 1
10 mins
1 Complete the following sentences with a suitable word or words chosen from
the list below:
DOORS
EFFECTIVENESS
IMPORTANT
KNOWLEDGE
PLANNED
RELEVANT
SKILLS
a Training provides a means of getting and
b Training is a procedure designed to improve the
of people at work.
c For training to be successful trainees may need to be convinced that the
training is and to them.
d Training opens .
2 Training has many benefits – to the organization, to the individual employee
and to the manager. List three benefits you think are important.
3 Fill in the blanks in the following diagram of the training cycle with suitable
words.
Answers to these questions can be found on page 93.

1
Identify the
training needs
3
Implement
the plans
2
Make plans
and
preparations
4
Evaluate and
feed back
the results
Session A
24
7 Summary
䊏 Training provides a means of acquiring skills and knowledge
䊏 Training is a planned procedure designed to improve the effectiveness of people at work.
䊏 For training to be successful, trainees may need to be convinced that the training is relevant and
important to them.
䊏 People who want to learn will learn. People who don’t, won’t.
䊏 Training benefits the organization, the individual and the manager.
䊏 The training cycle has four stages and can be represented as follows:
And don’t forget that:
䊏 Training opens doors.

25
Session B
Identifying training
needs
1 Introduction
Before any plans or preparations for training can take place, we have to find
out what training is needed. It is important that this is done in an organized
and systematic manner. If any errors or wrong diagnoses take place at this
stage then the results of the training undertaken will not be those needed or
desired by the organization.
There are a number of techniques that can be used to identify accurately what
training is required. We will look at some of these techniques in this session.
We will also examine the skills that the manager will need to use when
employing these techniques. Sometimes the needs will be easy to analyse and
determine. In other circumstances it may take skill and patience to discover
the precise needs of each workteam member.
For many organizations, identifying training needs is a regular occurrence.
Often it can be an annual exercise that follows the business planning process
and allows training budgets to be allocated.
The time spent in identifying training needs is time well invested. It will result
in training being directed to the areas where it is really needed. It will ensure
that the investment made in training is not wasted and that the results are real
improvements that make a difference to the operation of the organization.
EXTENSIONS 1 AND 2
Two useful texts which
explore training needs
analysis in greater depth
than we can here.

Session B
26
2 Types of training need
There are three different types of training need:
䊏 organizational;
䊏 workteam;
䊏 individual.
Any training need will be one or another of these.
2.1 Organizational needs
To be fully effective, any analysis of training needs must start with the needs
of the whole organization. Some of the key questions of corporate
strategy that occupy the minds of the top management of any organization
are:
䊏 What are the aims of our business?
䊏 What are our strengths and weaknesses?
One of the major strengths or weaknesses of an organization is its workforce.
This leads to questions of personnel planning such as:
䊏 How well matched is our workforce to the needs of the business?
䊏 What levels of expertise do we have now, and will we need in the future, to
achieve our corporate plans?
Organizational needs tend to be defined in broad terms. Many of the
objectives need to be broken down and further augmented at a more detailed
level before they can be carried out. For many organizational needs this
means that they have to be identified at the workteam level.
2.2 Workteam needs
Each of the levels below top management will normally be expected to
participate in corporate strategy at a departmental or workteam level.
Managers of particular departmental functions – such as production,
marketing, finance and personnel – will often call upon section heads and
workteam managers to identify their training needs in relation to the business
objectives set for their department or workteam. These training needs are
expected to be established in the light of the defined objectives of the group
in question and the specific problems that it has.
EXTENSION 3
A useful book for
developing and training
strategy is Creating a
Training and Development
Strategy, by Andrew
Mayo.

Session B
27
Gwyneth Roberts – the manager who had just taken over the general
office – decided to talk with her boss about the problems and
deficiencies she has recognized.
‘There has been so little training done in the past that I hardly know
where to begin’ she said.‘It’s no wonder that the work isn’t being done
very efficiently.’
Michelle Halliday, Gwyneth’s manager nodded.‘I appreciate that things
have gone downhill over recent months. Now you have the chance to
be the new broom and sweep everything clean. What we need you
to do is an assessment of the workteam’s training needs. Let’s start
with short-term problems and then we can gradually start to look at
what we’ll be needing over a longer period. If you can justify your
needs and they fit in with the organization’s objectives, I’ll talk with my
boss to get his backing. I know that higher management are very keen
to develop a comprehensive and realistic training programme for the
whole organization that is in line with the corporate business plan. But
unless we tell them what our problems are – and how training can
help to solve them – they may assume our people don’t need
training.’
Gwyneth left her boss’s office wondering where she should start . . .
Activity 14
10 mins
This Activity may provide the basis of appropriate evidence for your S/NVQ
portfolio. If you are intending to take this course of action, it might be better
to write your answers on separate sheets of paper.
Think about your own workteam. What objectives have been set for them
recently? What development will they have to undertake in order to meet
these objectives?
S/NVQ C9.1

Session B
28
2.3 Individual needs
Individual training needs will differ greatly depending on the jobs people are
doing and the level of skill they possess.Within a workteam of people who are
all carrying out the same job, training needs will vary. Some people may
already operate and carry out many tasks competently. Other people may
have little experience and need to increase their skill and knowledge level.
Both these types of people will have training needs but their type and level will
differ considerably.
Individual training needs mean just that – they are individual!
There are a number of events which trigger the need for individual training.
One is when a new recruit joins the organization.
When someone starts a new job, that person is usually taken through an
induction programme. This process of induction for a workteam member
would normally be arranged by a first line manager.
Activity 15
3 mins
What’s the main purpose of induction for new starters? Jot down a brief
answer in the space below.
You may have given a number of different answers, because the process of
work induction covers a whole range of topics. In general we would say
that:
the main purpose of induction is to make the new starter as
effective as possible as quickly as possible.
You will notice that the purpose outlined above is very similar to the
definition of training that we gave you earlier. That is not surprising as
Induction training
makes new people
effective quickly.

Session B
29
induction is a form of training. During the first few days or weeks a new
starter has to:
䊏 learn about the organization – its history, its products and services, how it is
structured, its people and where the new person fits in;
䊏 learn about the rules – the safety rules, what is allowed and what isn’t, hours
of work, holidays, shift patterns and so on;
䊏 learn about the job – perhaps including a specific job training programme.
Starting a new job is one point in an individual’s working life where there is an
obvious need for training. But there are a number of others.
Activity 16
3 mins
Can you think of another point in the working life of the average workteam
member where individual training needs are likely to arise?
You may have said that training needs are likely to arise when, for instance,
someone:
䊏 moves to a different job, section or department;
䊏 has been selected for promotion;
䊏 has to be instructed in new procedures or safety regulations;
䊏 has been given a new task to carry out;
䊏 is required to cover for another member of the workteam.
In fact we can say that individual training needs arise whenever
change occurs.
Because change is continual in modern working life and also because
‘refresher’ training is necessary from time to time, training is needed
throughout the working life of most people.

The skills and knowledge
the workteam needs to have
The skills and knowledge
the workteam has now
Session B
30
3 Assessing training needs by
analysing jobs
In Session A we introduced you to the idea of using identified performance
gaps to identify training needs. In order to do this you needed to compare
the way your workteam or individual workteam members were actually
performing with the way you would like them to perform. This requires you
to examine or analyse the actual jobs that they are doing.
One way of looking at this is to think of a pair of scales which we need to
balance.
When looking at jobs many organizations now use the standards forming the
basis of the Scottish and National Vocational Qualifications (S/NVQs). These
standards lay down the required job performance for most recognized
occupations and provide an excellent starting point for any organization to
compare their own jobs against.
However, because jobs are not always well defined as S/NVQs, and because
they tend to change as time goes by, it may be necessary to carry out a little
detective work to find out the real training needs of the workteam.
In order to discover the answers to the questions:
䊏 what activities are comprised in the job – what does the job holder actually
do?

Session B
31
䊏 what skills are needed to do the job competently?
䊏 does the job holder have all the skills required?
we may need to:
䊏 refer to any available documentation;
䊏 talk to the job holder or the workteam;
䊏 observe the job holder in action.
Let’s look at each of these options in turn.
3.1 Using documentation
Gwyneth decided to find out whether each workteam member
was fully trained to carry out their job competently. As she wasn’t
very familiar with all the work the workteam did, she had to
think about the best method of discovering what was involved in
each job.
Activity 17
3 mins
What kind of documents might be available in an organization that define
what’s involved in a particular job? Where are such documents likely to be
kept?
Some employees complete diaries or work logs, which could be useful as
background information. However, the most useful document to be used here
would be found in the personnel department.There you would expect to find
a job description for every job in the organization.

Session B
32
A job description can be defined as:
A broad statement of the purpose, scope, responsibilities and tasks
that constitute a particular job.
A job description is a document that describes the activities carried out by
the job holder. It also gives other basic data. The list below gives the typical
information likely to be included in a job description:
䊏 job title;
䊏 the line manager to whom the job holder reports;
䊏 the main purpose or function of the job;
䊏 the main tasks or duties involved (these should be only the most important
duties to be carried out and ideally should not exceed 12);
䊏 details of the work environment;
䊏 any specific responsibilities;
The job description may also include details of:
䊏 department;
䊏 location;
䊏 name of job holder;
䊏 pay details;
䊏 opportunities for promotion;
䊏 unusual conditions;
䊏 the date the job description was written;
䊏 the name of the writer or analyst.
A job description is a snapshot of a job at a particular moment in time. If it
is to be used for training needs analysis purposes it is essential that it is
current and accurate.
The following is an example of a job description:

Session B
33
Job description
Job title: IT Information Developer for Migration Project
Reports to: IT Manager
Responsible for: Trainee Information Developer
Based at: Manningham Road IT Centre
Main role: To maintain technical and other documentation produced by Migration
developers. Documents will include technical functional specifications and
any other technical documents produced by Migration Project.
Key responsibilities and accountabilities: % of job
(time)
Importance
1 Identify:
䊏 new documents being developed by program developers
䊏 existing documents that need to be updated.
5%
High
2 Receive final version of each new or updated document from
authors, then edit for clarity, consistency, completeness and
conformity with house style.
75%
3 Arrange for appropriate people to review and sign off
documents.
4 Send approved copies of documents, together with signed
Quality Review forms, to Configuration Manager for filing.
5 Manage version control. Medium
6 Archive signed-off version of documents.
7 Convert signed-off documents into .pdf format and place on
Corporate website.
5%
8 Inform line manager of instances where a new document will
have an impact on an existing document.
10%
9 Send progress reports to appropriate line manager/s at agreed
intervals.
10 Act as scribe at Quality Review meetings. 5%
11 When requested, provide support to authors in using: Low
䊏 authoring tools such as MS Word and Visio
䊏 the Migration template.
From the job description it should be possible to write down the
kinds of qualities, skills and knowledge expected of the job holder.

Session B
34
Activity 18
10 mins
Briefly note down the qualities, skills and knowledge that you think might be
required from someone taking the job of IT information developer as defined
in the job description above.
You might have said that people doing this job should be:
䊏 reliable – because they need to be consistent in checking all documentation
which has, or might in the future, change. They are also responsible for
reporting regularly on their progress;
䊏 meticulous – because they are responsible for checking that very complicated
technical documents are accurate, consistent and complete;
䊏 diplomatic – because they need to build good relationships with the authors
whose work they are editing;
䊏 able to work on their own initiative – because they are not working as part
of a team, and are not closely managed by their line manager;
䊏 good communicators – as they also have a training role;
䊏 familiar with the appropriate software applications (i.e. MS Word and Visio);
䊏 able to remember complicated facts clearly – because they need to be able to
remember the general content of each document.
There are many more skills and qualities which you could have mentioned for
a job like this. It would build up to quite a long list.
This statement of the required skills and characteristics (or ‘aptitudes’) is
called a person profile, that is it specifies the skills and aptitudes that a
person doing that job should have.
By looking carefully at the job description and person profile, you can obtain
a good overall understanding of what the job consists of – or at least what it
was intended to consist of.You are one step nearer knowing what the training
needs are because you now know what you need from the person carrying
out this role. Any shortfall from this could be a training need.
However, there are some occasions when it would not be wise to rely
entirely on the job description and person profile as your only sources of

Session B
35
information about a particular job. Although they are written with the
intention of describing the job roles accurately, they may not always do so
because:
䊏 many jobs change over a period of time, and there is often a delay in
updating a job description;
䊏 sometimes the emphasis given in a job description can be rather misleading
when it comes to assessing training needs. For example the job description
for the information developer emphasised the tasks relating to editing and
reviewing the new documents, but one of the most difficult skills to master
in such a job is template management – which has only been given a low
priority.
3.2 Using discussion
When discussing training needs with a job holder the first thing to inform
them about is what you are doing and why. You will need their
involvement and co-operation to proceed and so it is vital to gain their
commitment at this stage.
You may choose to have this discussion with the workteam or privately
with each individual. However you choose to carry out the discussion you
will need to ensure that the information you receive is of the right quality
and quantity. To do this you will need to adopt a constructive questioning
approach.
To ask constructive questions you will need to ask open questions. These
are questions that people cannot answer with just a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. They
require them to give some information and join in a discussion. Open
questions are very useful for establishing rapport, opening up topics or
discovering feelings. Very often this type of question will begin with the
words:
䊏 What?
䊏 Where?
䊏 Why?
䊏 Who?
䊏 When?
䊏 How?
You might ask questions like:
What activities take up most of your working day?
What ideas have you got about . . .?
How do you feel about . . .?
Keep people informed
about what you are
doing and why.

Session B
36
3.3 Observing the job holder
The next obvious step, if you are still in doubt about what is involved in the
job, is to observe the job holder in action.
This can be done formally or informally.
䊏 Formal observations
This would happen if you put aside a set period of time, perhaps a day or so, and
sit or stand near to the job holder and watch what tasks are performed. While
watching you would also make notes of what you see.
䊏 Informal observations
As part of the normal routine you will usually observe your workteam in action.
You can therefore observe them over a period of time without seeming to do
so. You should not take notes when you are observing informally.
Activity 19
3 mins
Can you think of one advantage and one disadvantage for each method of
observing the job holder?
Formal observation:
Informal observation:
If you are observing people formally some of the advantages are that it allows
you to discuss the process with the job holder and explain the reasons for
carrying out the observation. The job holder is then able to prepare him/
herself for the event. It also enables you to put aside set time to carry out the
observation.

Session B
37
Some of the disadvantages are that people do not always behave normally
when they are being watched – they may feel that they should do what they’re
expected to do, rather than what they usually do. Another problem is that it
may arouse feelings of resentment.
You may have mentioned some of the following advantages of observing
informally. It allows managers to spread the time needed for the task of
observation over a period of time and it also allows them to get more
involved with the work of the workteam.
Some disadvantages of this method, however, are that is it not such a systematic
approach and thus may not be so accurate. Managers may also find themselves
distracted from the task by other events and so not accomplish it.
Observation allows managers to analyse a task because it allows them to see
it actually being carried out. It also allows managers to assess the competence
of the person carrying out the job. This can be extremely useful when
analysing training needs.
4 Training needs analysis by task
In order to specify training needs very precisely, it may be worthwhile
analysing jobs task by task.
Gwyneth, in her efforts to identify the training needs of the
workteam:
䊏 read the job descriptions very carefully;
䊏 talked to each member of the workteam in some depth about
what they actually did, what they needed to know and what skills
they felt they were lacking;
䊏 observed them in action over a period of time and learned as much
as she could about the workteam’s duties and activities.
At the end of all this, she felt that she understood the training needs
of most workteam members and she took steps to get the
appropriate training organized.
However, there was still one job that she was uncertain about – that
of the receptionist, DebbieWilson. Debbie worked alone, outside the
main office, and so it wasn’t so easy for Gwyneth to observe her in

Session B
38
action. Gwyneth decided she would have to sit down with Debbie for
a period and record what she did and how well she did it. She would
then list every task that Debbie carried out.
Gwyneth used the following chart to record her findings.
Task Analysis Assessment Chart
Job title Receptionist
Job holder Debbie Wilson
Task description Knowledge/Skill Required Proficiency reached and training
advised
Task 1:
Dealing with visitors
Skill in dealing with
callers, trades people, job
applicants etc.
Carried out efficiently. No further
training required at this time.
Task 2:
Operating the
telephone
switchboard
Skill in handling callers,
knowledge of and skills at
operating switchboard,
knowledge of
organizational procedures
in handling callers.
Job holder not fully conversant
with new switchboard operation
– training needed. Not familiar
with procedures for handling
difficult callers – instruction
needed (if procedures exist).
Task 3:
Operating the
computer to access
status of stock
figures for
organizational sales
staff
Skills in and knowledge of
computer inputting and
interpreting display.
Does a reasonable job in spite of
lack of training. Background
training in system operation
would aid understanding.
Task 4:
Typing when not busy
Skills in typing. Not very good. Job holder is not
a trained typist. External training
could be recommended but
frequent interruptions mean this
aspect of the job may have to be
re-evaluated.

Session B
39
When she studied the receptionist’s job Gwyneth in fact found out more
information than simply the training needed. For one thing, she learned that
Task 3 on the chart above (using a computer) did not appear on the job
description.The reason for this was that this was a recently introduced task and
the personnel department had not yet updated the document.
Activity 20
3 mins
Can you spot one other point which appears in the chart above which was
perhaps both very surprising and was very useful information to the
organization?
You may have noticed two points. One was the fact that no instructions had
been given about the way to handle‘difficult’ telephone callers, which probably
means that no such instructions existed.
The other point was that Task 4 (typing when not busy) needed to be re-
evaluated because Debbie was not a skilled typist and had so many
interruptions that it is doubtful whether she could have done a good job in any
case. Training was feasible here but not a very practical solution to the
problem.
Activity 21
15 mins
portfolio. If you are intending to take this course of action, it might be better to
write your answers on separate sheets of paper.
You may like to try your hand at analysing a job using our chart. For this activity
pick a job that you are very familiar with but that is also one that you know you
will be required to arrange some training for in the near future. List three or
four tasks that are included in the job and summarize the skills and the
knowledge required for each task.Then make a judgement about how well the
task is being performed and suggest any training you feel would help the job
holder in performing the task better.
S/NVQ C9.1

Session B
40
Task Analysis Assessment Chart
Job title
Job holder
Task description Knowledge/skill required Proficiency reached and training
advised
Task 1:
Task 2:
Task 3:
Task 4:

Session B
41
You may not have found this activity too easy to do. In a real-life situation, you
may spend quite some time analysing a particular job before you feel you can
properly assess the training needs. And, of course, training needs analysis is
not something you do once and forget about.
It isn’t usually a question of ‘clearing up all the training needs’ and then
forgetting all about training. Training never stops. Once you’ve identified the
needs of your workteam and instituted one training programme you will
probably find yourself having to think about the next lot of training. Don’t
forget that a workteam either develops or stagnates.
Training is one way to help your workteam continue to develop.
5 Other training needs identification
techniques
The remainder of this session will explore other ways of identifying and
agreeing training needs.
5.1 Versatility charts
Coping with unexpected absence is a problem nearly every manager has to
deal with from time to time. It may be caused by a temporary absence like
sickness, but it may be of a more permanent nature, like an employee
suddenly leaving.
A manager who can cope without too many difficulties in this kind of situation
probably has a well-organized and well-trained workteam. Having the capacity
to deal with absence depends upon:
䊏 good communications and a good record-keeping system, so that the
workteam and the manager are not too reliant on information that is only
carried around in the head of the absentee;
䊏 having people trained to do more than one job.
What about training? How can a manager be sure that there is enough cross-
training among workteam members so that absenteeism won’t normally
result in an unacceptable level of disruption?
A workteam either
develops or stagnates.

Session B
42
The easy way to find out is to make a versatility chart that shows who’s
trained in what. In simple terms a versatility chart is an employee/job matrix
which lists all the individuals from a workteam across the top of a grid and
lists all the main departmental tasks down the side. Against each name the
manager can mark the tasks that each individual is able to perform using a
code such as the following:
M main person normally undertaking this task
S person required to stand in
C person is competent to carry out the task
Gwyneth’s workteam consisted of eight people, seven of whom
worked in the General Office. Felix was her Chief Clerk and he had
been with the workteam the longest. Gwyneth realized that if Felix
went sick there would be no-one to cover for him. She decided she had
better make a summary of which workteam members were trained to
do what jobs. She drew up the following versatility chart.
Versatility Chart
General Office Staff
Jean Felix Martha Aracea Cathy Eddie Max
Wages S C S C S C M C S C
Purchase ledger S C M C
Sales ledger S C S C M C
Stock control S C M C S C S C S C M C
Work allocation M C
Control and checking M C
Customer complaints M C S C
Payment authorization M C
Customer enquiries S C M C S C
Data input S C S C S C M C M C S C M C
General admin M C S C S C S C S C S C S C
Word processing M C

Session B
43
To complete the final estimate with the versatility chart Gwyneth will need to
calculate the following.
a How many people carry out this job competently at the present time?
b How many competent people are required with skills in this area to ensure
adequate cover?
c How many people are currently competent to stand in for this task?
The number of people requiring training, which we will call (d), is worked out
as follows:
b – a + c = d
Activity 22
5 mins
Using the information provided below work out (d), the number of people
who require training in each task. Sometimes the calculation will produce a
minus figure (see Wages). That means there are more than enough people to
cover the task and the number requiring training is zero.
Training Required
Calculation
Task a b c d
Wages 1 2 4 0 (–3)
Purchase ledger 1 3 1
Sales ledger 1 3 2
Stock control 2 4 5
Work allocation 1 2 0
Control and checking 1 2 0
Customer complaints 1 2 1
Payment authorization 1 2 0
Customer enquiries 1 4 2
Data input 3 5 4
General admin 1 4 6
Word processing 1 3 0
Answers to this Activity can be found on page 95.

Session B
44
You will see that it’s possible to tell quite a lot from a simple versatility chart.
The chart is easy to draw up and very useful when it comes to rearranging
cover for different job functions.
Of course it won’t tell the manager who to train to cover for the necessary
tasks. That will be a matter of considering things such as:
䊏 the present workload of the employees;
䊏 their existing skill levels;
䊏 their ability to learn new tasks;
䊏 their willingness to learn new tasks.
Activity 23
15 mins
Complete the versatility chart below for your workteam or section.
Versatility Chart
Jobs or tasks Workteam or section member
Once you have completed the versatility chart you will now be able to decide
which tasks or jobs require additional cover.
S/NVQ C9.1

Session B
45
Training Required
Calculation
Task a b c d
You will now be able to decide who should undertake the training required to
make this additional cover available. A chart is provided below to assist you
with this task.
It may be that you will need to refer to your manager before you can make
any recommendations and you will certainly need to talk to the job holders
themselves. A column is included on the form for you to identify further
discussion required.
Training Recommendation Form
Workteam member’s name Training recommended Details of discussions required
Although versatility charts are often useful, they do not always give a
complete picture of training needs.

Session B
46
Activity 24
3 mins
Can you think of one work situation where a versatility chart would not tell
a manager everything he or she needs to know about workteam training
needs?
Versatility charts don’t tell you about the training needs beyond the
normal job functions of the workteam.
䊏 Safety training, for example, may require a completely separate training
programme.
䊏 Versatility charts assume that one task consists of skills that can be learned in
a reasonably short period of time by another workteam member.This is by no
means always true. Some skills can only be learned after years of practice.
䊏 They don’t allow for the range of skills and knowledge that one job might
encompass, nor do they give any indication of the degree of expertise
required by the job holder.
5.2 Diff-rating scales
A diff-rating scale works by specifying tasks and rating them according to
whether you consider them to be:
䊏 important;
䊏 carried out frequently;
䊏 difficult to learn.
This scale should help you to decide which training should be given priority.
Here is an example of a diff-rating scale.

Task
B Frequency
A Importance
Critical
Important
Minor importance
Unimportant
Continuously
Frequently
Occasionally
Rarely
Very difficult
Difficult
Moderate
Easy
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
C Difficulty
Session B
47
It is possible to take a task and to give it a rating of 1 to 4 for each of the three
categories A, B and C.
Activity 25
5 mins
What training recommendations would you make for the following tasks that
have been given the following ratings?
Task Rating Training recommendation
Task 1 A4, B4, C4
Task 2 A1, B1, C1
Task 3 A1, B4, C4
Task 4 A1, B4, C1
䊏 Task 1
This task does not require any training as it is unimportant and rarely carried
out. It is also easy to learn and should be picked up when needed without any
specific training.

Session B
48
䊏 Task 2
This task needs immediate training as it is a critical task and one that is carried
out continuously. It is, however, very difficult to learn and this will need to be
taken into account when planning the training.
䊏 Task 3
Training should be undertaken in this example as it is a critical activity.
However, as it is rarely carried out, a one-off training session may not suffice
and regular refresher training may be needed. This should not be too difficult
to arrange as the task is an easy one to learn.
䊏 Task 4
Immediate training should be arranged for this task as again it is a critical
activity. However, the planning will need to take into account the fact that it
is not an easy task to learn and that it is rarely used at work. This means that
lots of practice will not be available at work and will need to be included in
the training.
5.3 Appraisal interviews
Another method used to identify training needs is the formal performance
appraisal interview which provides a useful opportunity to discuss training
needs with an individual. It gives workteam members the chance to say what
training they think they need or would like. It also gives managers an
opportunity to explain what training is available or is planned.
Performance appraisal is a method of evaluating a workteam member’s
progress and performance. It is usually conducted as part of an annual formal
interview.
In many companies employees are encouraged to prepare for this interview
by completing a pre-appraisal questionnaire. This makes them think about
such issues as:
䊏 self-assessment of past performance;
䊏 strengths and weaknesses;
䊏 areas for improvement in the future;
䊏 key objectives for the next year;
䊏 ambitions for the future;
䊏 training needs.
The employee is then able to participate more actively in the interview.

Session B
49
At the interview, both parties exchange information regarding the job and
the workteam member’s progress. At the end of the interview a summary
is written, including agreed future objectives for the person concerned. A
record of training needs should also be included on the summary
document.
Activity 26
15 mins
This Activity may provide the basis of appropriate evidence for your
S/NVQ portfolio. If you are intending to take this course of action, it might
be better to write your answers on separate sheets of paper.
Obtain a copy of your organization’s performance appraisal documentation
and list below the areas that it covers. What details does it contain about
training needs? Blank forms will give you some information but completed
appraisal documents will give you more insight into the process. However,
you must obtain the permission of the people to whom the appraisals
relate and, if they allow you to use them, remove all names and other
personal information that could identify them. Make sure that they do have
identified training needs on them.
You can learn more about appraising performance in Appraising Performance
in this series.
S/NVQ C9.1

Session B
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6 Agreeing and recording identified
training needs
It is an important part of your role to identify accurate training needs.
However, the task is not completed at this stage. The training needs must be
agreed and approved, perhaps by both your line manager and the individuals
in question. Having reached agreement it is then essential for the agreement
to be recorded. This will allow you to move on to the next stage in the
training cycle – that of planning and preparing for the training.
6.1 Agreeing training needs
We mentioned above that it is possible that two different people will need to
be consulted to agree training needs.
䊏 The workteam member
In Session A we said that the commitment and motivation of individuals is
essential if training is to be effective. This means that the individuals need to
recognize the need for the identified training. For this recognition to occur you
will need to discuss training needs with the individual.We have already suggested
that discussion is one way of identifying training needs anyway, but this discussion
may need to be held after you have reached some conclusions.
The discussion will also enable you to talk over with the individuals any personal
circumstances or special learning requirements they may have.

Session B
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Activity 27
15 mins
Can you think of an example of when a discussion about training needs with
one of your workteam has resulted in you modifying your recommendations
for training? Give details below.
Ask the employee involved to sign a statement to say that this is a true record
of what took place.
䊏 Your line manager
There may be several occasions when you might need to refer to a higher level
of management for guidance on analysing training needs. For example you might
need to talk about:
䊏 information on organizational or workteam objectives;
䊏 details of training budgets available;
䊏 guidance on stand-in cover requirements;
䊏 policy on techniques to use when identifying training needs;
䊏 advice on problems encountered.
If you are compiling an S/NVQ portfolio, and have a specific example of when
you have needed guidance, write a record of the circumstances and ask the
manager involved to sign it. You may then be able use this as testimony
evidence.
6.2 Recording training needs
Once agreement has been reached the next step is to record that agreement.
There is no set way of doing this, although it is important that it is in
writing.
S/NVQ C9.1

1
Identify the
training needs
3
Implement
the plans
2
Make plans
and
preparations
4
Evaluate and
feed back
the results
Session B
52
A short memo, letter or report giving details of the final decisions arrived at
is all that is needed before moving on to the planning and preparation
stage.
In this session we have given you three examples of ways in which training
needs can be recorded:
䊏 a task analysis assessment chart as used in Activity 21
䊏 the training recommendation form used with the versatility chart in Activity
23
䊏 the performance appraisal documentation discussed in Activity 26.
This concludes the task of identifying training needs and allows the record to
be passed on to the relevant personnel. We can now start stage 2 of the
training cycle in Session C.

1
17
24
18
15
10
16
23
20 21
2
5
22
8
3
12
4
14
9
13
25
6
11
19
7
Session B
53
Self-assessment 2
20 mins
Complete the crossword below using the clues given.
Across
1 One of the three types of training need. (10)
5 Training will always be needed when this is happening. (6)
8 If workteams don’t do this they will stagnate. (7)
9 Training needs may affect the whole work ----. (4)
11 Training needs analysis is a systematic method and should be
completed ---- by step. (4)
12 The training at the beginning. (9)
14 Versatility charts show the ---- person normally undertaking a task
and the person required to stand in. (4)
15 and 4 down It is important that managers ------- what the ----
benefits of training are. (7, 4)
17 The question that it’s OK to say no to. (6)
18 See 3 down. (4)
20 When being observed formally some job holders ----- in a
resentful way. (5)
23 When analysing jobs and tasks it is important to look at both ------
and knowledge. (6)
24, and 1 and 16 down Part of the ----------- job is to --------
training -----. (11, 8, 5)
25 Because of organizational needs it is not always possible to give
individuals the training they ----. (4)
Down
1 See 24 across. (8)
2 The job description is this. (13)
3 and 10, and 18 across Diff-rating scales work by rating
the ------ of difficulty in a task. Tasks are rated as very
difficult, difficult, -------- or ----. (6, 8, 4)
6 and 17 The matrices that help identify training needs.
(11, 6)
7 The annual interview that monitors progress. (9)
10 See 3 down. (8)
13 and 21 You should try to ------- job holders in their
own ---- of work. (7, 4)
17 See 6 down. (6)
19 It’s important at the ----- of the identification process
to decide what methods are to be used. (5)
21 See 13 down. (4)
22 The performance --- identifies the training need. (3)
Answers to this crossword can be found on page 94.

Session B
54
7 Summary
䊏 Training needs arise from three sources: organizational needs, workteam needs and individual
needs.
䊏 Training needs can be analysed by:
䊏 referring to any available documentation, including job descriptions;
䊏 talking to job holders;
䊏 watching the job holder in action;
䊏 carrying out a formal performance appraisal interview.
䊏 Individual training needs arise whenever change takes place.
䊏 Training is one way to help your workteam continue to develop.
䊏 Training needs identification techniques include:
䊏 job analysis;
䊏 task analysis;
䊏 versatility charts;
䊏 diff-rating scales;
䊏 performance appraisal interviews.

55
Session C
Planning successful
training
1 Introduction
As with so many management activities planning is the key to success.
This is certainly true of training. To be effective it must be carefully thought
out in a logical and clear way. At the beginning we need to have clear
objectives.We need to have a precise understanding of what we are trying to
achieve. Once we are clear about this we can then start looking at the details
of the training.
We need to look carefully at the training methods to be used and to consider
which methods would assist with the learning. We also need to plan the
content of the programme to ensure that it is logical and sequential and that
the most important elements are included. All the administrative arrange-
ments must be carried out to ensure facilities, equipment, materials and
trainees are available. And finally we need to plan the way in which we aim to
evaluate the effectiveness of the final result.
Induction training is a good example of training that needs to be well planned.
A new employee’s introduction to the organization needs to contain
everything that the person will need to know in order to settle down quickly
and fit in. It is not something that will just happen, nor will it be complete and
interesting if it is not planned.
During this session we will look at each of these issues in turn.
EXTENSION 4
For help in designing
clear training objectives
and much more, read
How to Write and Prepare
Training Materials.

Session C
56
2 What are we trying to achieve?
When drawing up plans and projects, it’s best to start at the end.
What we mean by this apparently paradoxical statement is that any plan or
project must have a purpose (or end) and, until you are clear about what you
are trying to achieve, you can’t expect to succeed.
What’s more, before you start, you need to know how to measure the
success of your venture. Otherwise, it may be difficult to know whether it has
succeeded.
To do this thoroughly you need a defined method of measurement. Writing
training objectives will provide you with this necessary measure.
When writing objectives it is important that they conform to the SMART
principle. This states that objectives should be:
S pecific
M easurable
A chievable
R elevant
T ime bound
䊏 Specific
Training objectives must be precise and exact in explaining what is to be
achieved. This means that the specific objectives of a particular training
programme must be defined in terms of the desired improvement in work
performance. Specific objectives should describe both performance and
standards, i.e. what is to be done and how well it is to be done.
䊏 Measurable
The purpose of setting objectives is to enable some measurement of success to
take place.This means that objectives must be written in terms that are easy and
possible to measure.
When drawing up
plans start at the end.
When writing
objectives use the
SMART principle.

Session C
57
䊏 Achievable
Objectives should only state what it is reasonable to expect the trainee to
achieve. It would not, for example, be realistic to expect someone to pass a
driving test after just one lesson. This could not be achieved in the time scale.
Again, if the necessary resources were not available, the objective would not be
achievable.
䊏 Relevant
The training objectives set must be relevant both to the work the trainees are
carrying out and to the training content of the programme.There is no point in
teaching someone spreadsheets if they are only going to be involved in word
processing.
䊏 Time bound
Training objectives should clearly state the time in which the trainee is expected
to achieve the desired results. If the programme is a one-week course are they
expected to achieve the results at the end of that time? Will they need further
practice? If so, how much longer might this be reasonably expected to take?
Activity 28
10 mins
Examine the training objectives of the one-day training course below. Decide
whether you think they meet the SMART principles.
1 Understand the basic principles of health and safety. Yes/No
2 Conduct health and safety audits to meet the standards of the Health and
Safety Executive. Yes/No
3 At the next team meeting explain clearly their management responsibilities
under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Yes/No
4 Draw up an accurate plan of their area of work showing where all fire exits
and fire extinguishers are located in readiness for the next safety committee
meeting. Yes/No
Objectives 3 and 4 are both good objectives. They are specific, measurable,
achievable, relevant and time bound.

Session C
58
Objective 1 is not measurable because the verb used (‘understand’) is not
measurable. The objective should be written using a verb such as ‘state’ or
‘explain’, so that the learner has to do something which can actually be seen
and measured.
Objective 2 is not an achievable objective. In a one-day course it would be
impossible to achieve the standard set.
Activity 29
15 mins
Imagine that you have been asked to design an induction programme for your
organization or section. This is a programme that all newcomers to the
organization or section will need to go through. Write down the training
objectives you would choose.
You may have included objectives like these.
At the end of the induction training newcomers will be able to:
䊏 accurately complete the organization chart;
䊏 fully explain the organizational mission statement;
䊏 quickly locate the staff canteen, rest rooms and medical centre;
䊏 explain the main features of the organization’s policy on paid and unpaid
leave.
In addition to writing objectives you will have to give some thought to the
people you are designing the training programme for. You will need to
consider their:
䊏 current competence;
䊏 potential competence;
䊏 learning ability;
䊏 work activities.

Session C
59
You will also need to consider what skills:
䊏 you require the individual to have;
䊏 you require the workteam to have;
䊏 the organization may require of the individual or the workteam in the
future.
Activity 30
15 mins
Consider one member of your workteam who has a training need over and
above induction training. What are his or her current and potential
competence, learning ability and work activities? Use the chart below as a
framework for your thinking.
Initial Assessment Plan
Name of workteam member and details of training need:
Assessment of current competence:
Assessment of potential competence:
Assessment of learning ability:
Details of work activities:
Signed Date
S/NVQ C9.3

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60
3 The way people learn
Why is it that some things you are told just don’t stick, yet other things which
are useful or important to you are there for life as soon as you have learned
them?
3.1 Participative learning methods
Compare these two learning situations.
1 You are attending a lecture on a subject that doesn’t really interest you and that
doesn’t seem to be very relevant to what you do at work.
2 You are taking part in a discussion with an expert on a topic which has a great
deal of bearing on your everyday work activities and which you find very
interesting.
The main differences between these two learning situations are that:
䊏 the subject of the lecture is not relevant to what you do but the subject of the
discussion is.
䊏 the subject of the lecture does not interest you but the subject of the
discussion does.
䊏 the lecture is a passive training situation that you are not able to get
involved in apart from listening, but you can take an active part in the
discussion.
In these circumstances you are more likely to learn from the discussion than
from the lecture.
This illustrates three important principles of learning:
People learn better when they:
䊏 can relate what they are studying to something they already
know and understand;
䊏 are interested in the subject being taught;
䊏 take part actively in the learning process, rather than simply
listening or watching passively.

Experience
a learning
activity
Draw conclusions
from what
you now know
Review the
learning
experience
Plan the
next steps
Session C
61
Activity 31
2 mins
Imagine you are instructing members of your workteam about a new job. It
is important that the workteam members learn and remember certain
information.
Tick one box to show whether you think it would it be better to:
䊏 collect the information yourself and present it to the workteam
members or 䊐
䊏 get them to find out the information for themselves. 䊐
From the learning point of view, it would be far better to encourage the
workteam members to seek out the information for themselves because:
People learn better when they discover information for themselves
rather than being presented with it.
3.2 Learning styles
When learning any new piece of knowledge or skill a learner needs to go
through four separate stages (rather like the training cycle). These stages
make up the learning cycle, which can be illustrated as follows.
Although there is no best way of learning it is possible for the trainee to join
the learning cycle at any stage and learners usually have one (or possibly two)
stages within the learning cycle where they prefer to start. These stages are
their preferred styles of learning. Let’s look at four trainees with different
preferred styles of learning.

Session C
62
Stephen Bryant likes to learn in an active way – he likes to learn by
doing. He is not afraid of making mistakes and will try anything once.
He has an ‘activist’ style of learning.
Jean Walsh likes to stand back and think about things before she tries
them out. She likes to collect information and data and carefully
analyse it before she applies it in practice. She has a ‘reflector’ style.
Graham James likes to adapt information gained and put it into sound
logical theories. He likes to gather facts together, and is keen on basic
principles and models. He needs to be given the basic theories before
he can start to think about how they can be applied in practice. He
has a ‘theorist’ style.
Margaret Hill is a very practical person who likes to try out ideas and
theories to see how they work in practice. She needs to take ideas
and then plan how they can be applied before she actually tries them
out. She has a ‘pragmatist’ style.
Activity 32
5 mins
Consider two members of your own workteam. What preferred styles of
learning do you think they have and what are the reasons for your choice?
Record your answers in the space provided.
Workteam member Learning style preferred Reasons

Session C
63
Once you have identified the learning styles of individuals, what should you do
about it? Well, it might affect the training methods you plan to use. For
example a theorist might prefer a more formal training session, whereas an
activist might prefer some practical training.
4 Training on or off the job?
Both on-the-job training and off-the-job training have advantages and
disadvantages. They can usefully be combined to create a comprehensive
training programme.
4.1 Training on the job
One common approach to job training is the ‘sit by Nellie’ method. You
probably know the kind of thing.
‘Oh, you must be the new starter. Here, come and sit by Nellie for a few days.
She’ll show you the ropes.’ And Nellie, being a patient and kind person and
used to‘showing the ropes’ to trainees, tries her best to pass on her skills and
knowledge. At least we hope she does.
In truth, if the job really is simple and can be learned quickly by most people
then the ‘sit by Nellie’ system often works well enough. Otherwise it does
have its drawbacks.
Activity 33
3 mins
Can you think of two disadvantages to the ‘sit by Nellie’ approach to
training?

Session C
64
There are a number of disadvantages, even if Nellie enjoys being used in this
way and makes every effort to be a good trainer.
䊏 Nellie may not have received any formal training herself, either in the job or
in the skills of training.
䊏 The ‘watch me do this’ method can omit any explanation to the trainee about
the underlying principles involved.
䊏 The training may be unstructured, not planned and not prepared.
䊏 An unskilled trainer may pass on bad habits as well as good ones.
䊏 The ‘pool of knowledge’ in the workteam may diminish after time because of
a lack of fresh ideas and a dilution of skills.
䊏 Mistakes made can be very costly.
You probably came up with still more drawbacks to the system.
If you are currently using the ‘sit by Nellie’ approach you may want to ask
yourself if you can improve the learning techniques but still allow trainees to
learn on the job.
Activity 34
5 mins
What circumstances need to be present in an on-the-job training programme
to ensure its success? Try to list at least three things.
Some of the circumstances you may have mentioned are these.
䊏 The people undertaking the training should themselves be trained, not only in
the job but also in training skills.
䊏 There should be a structured, planned and prepared training programme,
which includes some explanation about the underpinning knowledge and
theories.
䊏 A number of different trainers need to be involved in the training.
䊏 Adequate time must be built into the programme for practice.
Mistakes can be very
costly.

Session C
65
Well-planned and well-prepared on-the-job training takes a lot of time to
organize if it is to be done well. But it can also result in excellent outcomes.
Training provided on the job is often seen as being more relevant and directly
related to the job the person is doing.
4.2 Training off the job
Training away from the job also has a number of benefits, such as giving:
䊏 a better chance to think clearly and to concentrate away from the noise and
the bustle of the workplace;
䊏 freedom from interruption and from the pressures of work;
䊏 an opportunity to practise where it does not matter if mistakes are made;
䊏 an opportunity to think through the principles behind actions and perhaps to
question why the work is done in the way it is.
As with on-the-job training there are some disadvantages with this method of
training. Off-the-job training requires people to be away from work for
periods of time, it requires the provision of training facilities such as a room
and flipchart, and it often has to rely on simulation-type practice.
5 Choosing the best method
There are numerous methods of training. Your choice will depend on:
䊏 the needs of your trainee(s);
䊏 the demands of your task;
䊏 the constraints of your budget;
䊏 the resources you have available.
This section will introduce some of the more commonly used techniques so
that you can decide which ones you would like to build in at the planning
stage. In the workbook entitled Delivering Training we will look at these
techniques more closely and explore delivering training using some of these
methods.
Some methods, such as demonstrations, will normally take place at work, but
on the whole these methods can be used flexibly in the workplace or away
from the immediate pressure of the job.

Session C
66
䊏 Demonstrations
The purpose of a demonstration is to pass on skills by imitation and practice. It
differs from the‘sit by Nellie’ approach in that it is planned, and is combined with
clear explanations of what’s involved and the reasons behind the actions.
The procedure is best carried out in the following four stages:
䊏 preparation
䊏 introduction
䊏 demonstration and explanation
䊏 practice.
䊏 Coaching
Coaching is sometimes thought of as an extension of the demonstration
technique already described. However, it is also a process of developing the
experience and abilities of partially trained individuals through:
䊏 issuing specific, planned tasks that are assessed on completion;
䊏 continuously monitoring and appraising progress;
䊏 holding regular review sessions.
䊏 Presentations and discussions
A presentation is a prepared speech, and is usually followed by discussions on
specific topics.
Presentations are a way of imparting information to a group rather than simply
to individuals.They can be used for a variety of purposes besides giving direct job
instructions, for example, for conveying news about the organization.
The idea of a discussion is to get a group of people actively participating in
learning.
䊏 Videos and DVDs
You may have access to training videos or DVDs. These can be very helpful
training aids, provided they are well made and relevant.
Their main advantage is that, as the saying goes, ‘a picture can be worth a
thousand words’. It is possible to show on video or DVD what cannot otherwise
be seen, perhaps showing a process in slow motion or an interview or appraisal
situation which would normally take place in private.
One disadvantage is that they can quickly become out of date.
The best way to use videos and DVDs is to combine them with another form
of training. It’s a good idea to hold a discussion session immediately after a video
showing, in order to review and reinforce ideas.

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䊏 Mentoring
A mentor is a person who agrees to act as an adviser or guide to a person with
less experience than themselves. The general aim is to help the inexperienced
person to develop his or her long-term goals.
䊏 Open/flexible learning
We shouldn’t forget the method you are using for training at the moment –
open/flexible learning.
Open/flexible learning has several advantages, assuming you can find a course
suitable to your needs. These advantages include:
䊏 working at your own pace, in your own time and wherever suits you best;
䊏 interactive design, so that you can respond to questions and activities and are
given feedback and analysis.
䊏 the frequent use of printed materials, which are easily portable and accessible
anywhere, relatively cheap and may be preferred by some users to working
on screen.
䊏 Computer-based learning (CBL)
Computer-based learning is a type of open learning in which the information is
displayed on a computer screen rather than on paper. The training is normally
interactive, i.e. the program contains information, case studies, assessment tests,
etc. and learners are able to input responses via their keyboards.
The main formats are as follows.
䊏 Computer-based training (CBT) packages – These are interactive learning
programs which contain text, diagrams and, often, audio and video. They
provide information, interactive exercises, assessment and feedback. CBT
programs can be loaded onto a pc from the Internet, from the organization’s
own intranet, a CD-ROM disk or, increasingly in the future, from a DVD
tape.
The benefits of CBT include the fact that it is usually developed in a modular
format, i.e. the subject matter is presented in separate modules that can be
studied alone or as part of a series and, from which either the trainer or the
learner can select the topics required for a particular course.The learners can
learn at a time convenient to them, and take as long as they need. Possible
drawbacks are that they will need a pc, and some people find that they
become isolated and demotivated if they are not working in a group. Again,
unless you can arrange for tutorial support to be provided, there is no one
to ask if things go wrong.

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䊏 Online reference manuals – reference documents, such as operations
manuals, can be accessed online in .pdf format by anyone who has Adobe
Acrobat Reader software on their pc. Again, this format is not
interactive.
䊏 PowerPoint presentations – these are useful for displaying diagrams and
other important points for a presentation. They can be delivered to
learners via the organisation’s intranet or displayed from the computer
onto a wall screen by means of a projector. They are not interactive, i.e.
the learner cannot key in information, select options from a menu or
answer on-screen assessment questions.
6 Designing and using visual aids
Any training session can be made more visual and thus more interesting by
using visual aids. There are a large number of aids available to you. In this
section we have selected a few of the most commonly used ones. We will
give you some more information on, and examine the uses of, the
following:
䊏 overhead projectors
䊏 overhead transparencies
䊏 flipcharts
䊏 handouts.
6.1 Overhead projectors
Overhead projectors (OHPs) can be invaluable training aids. They are used
to display text or graphics from a transparency (OHT) onto a large screen
fixed to the wall. In this way the information is magnified and it is possible
for a larger number of people to view the information.
The transparency is placed on a glass plate on the OHP and a strong light
is shone through it from below to reflect the image via a mirror onto the
screen.

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Before using the OHP it is important for you to be familiar with the way it
works. You must ensure that:
䊏 the projector is working, is clean and that there is a spare bulb;
䊏 the projector is properly focused so that the image is clear;
䊏 the image is directly projected onto the screen and that it fits the space
available;
䊏 the trainees can clearly see the screen.
There are a few simple rules to follow when you are using the OHP that will
help your presentation to look more professional and proficient. These rules
are as follows.
䊏 Place the transparency onto the machine first and then switch the machine
on.
䊏 Always face the trainees. Do not turn around to look at the screen.
䊏 Have a paper copy of the information on your transparency in front of you.
䊏 Point to the transparency on the projector, not to the projection on the
screen.
䊏 Switch off the machine when the information is finished with.
䊏 Only remove transparencies from the projector after it has been switched off.
This is to avoid blurring and distorting the images.
It is also possible to project images onto a screen using a computer
presentation system. This is a computerized version of the OHP and has the
added advantage of allowing you to prepare or alter images instantly on the
computer screen.

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6.2 Overhead transparencies
The overhead transparency (OHT) is a clear sheet of acetate onto which text
and graphics can be recorded. The completed transparency can then be
placed onto an OHP for projection onto a screen.You can then read directly
off the projector or from a paper copy produced for the purpose.
Transparencies can be used a number of times and can also be a great aid to
you as training notes. They also give professionalism and add impact to any
presentation.
There are basically three types of transparency – those that can be written on
with special pens, those that can be put through the photocopier and those
that can be run through a computer printer. It is essential to read the
recommendations for use on the transparency box to make sure that you are
using the correct type.
To be effective, transparencies should be kept simple and should list key
points only. They should also be bold and interesting to look at. Following a
few simple rules will ensure this. The example reproduced below explains
how to prepare an overhead transparency.
Preparing Overhead Transparencies
䊏 Keep the message simple
䊏 Strictly limit the amount of information
䊏 Use large size type
䊏 Use different type size for headings
䊏 Use bullet points for effect
䊏 Use graphics for interest
䊏 Where possible, use colour
Activity 35
5 mins
Think about the type of training that you may be doing at present or any that
you may be asked to do in the future. Give one example below of where you
could incorporate the use of the overhead projector and transparencies into
your training.

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6.3 Flipcharts
A flipchart is a portable easel usually with an A1 size pad of paper attached to
it.When the paper pad is removed most flipcharts have a special ‘whiteboard’
surface.You can write on the white surface with coloured pens and then easily
erase the information.
Flipcharts are an excellent informal training aid. They allow you to
immediately record key points and ideas from the trainees as the session
develops. These key points and ideas, once recorded on a sheet of paper
taken from the flipchart, can be displayed on the walls of the training room
during the training course. Flipchart paper is also ideal to issue to trainees
when they are working on a group exercise. Findings can be recorded on the
paper and then fed back to other groups by re-attaching the sheet of paper
to the flipchart and carrying out a short presentation.
When using the flipchart, you should:
䊏 write on it with flipchart pens in bold colours like red, blue, green and
black;
䊏 stand at the side of the flipchart and write without blocking the trainees’ view
of the information;
䊏 face the trainees at all times when talking – do not face the flipchart;
䊏 write in large clear words and ensure that lines are straight;
䊏 use headings and bullet points.
6.4 Handouts
Handouts provide a permanent record of what has been said during a training
session. They allow people to read and absorb information at a later date, at
their own speed, without having to take notes. Handouts can take the form
of:
䊏 work instructions or procedures;
䊏 summaries of overhead transparencies;
䊏 group exercises instruction sheets;
䊏 checklists;
䊏 worksheets.
Handouts can be visually unattractive if they contain too much information.
To make them eye catching you should:
䊏 avoid unnecessary information;
䊏 use short effective sentences;

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䊏 make sure that the handout is well spaced out and not full of writing – use
plenty of white space;
䊏 give the handout a title (and date of the latest version);
䊏 use diagrams and graphics where these would be helpful;
䊏 use different letter sizing, bold print, underlining, etc.
7 Planning the training
Let’s assume that you have decided on:
䊏 the objectives of the training programme;
䊏 methods of participative learning and learning styles;
䊏 location of the training;
䊏 training methods;
䊏 visual aids.
Planning well means getting the detail right. To complete the planning of your
training there are still a few items that need to be considered. In this section
we will look at the finishing touches that will ensure your training programme
can be delivered effectively. These are:
䊏 course content and order of presentation;
䊏 timing;
䊏 facilities and equipment.
7.1 Course content
The content of the course will depend on your organization and the needs of
your workteam. If we take the induction course as an example, you would
normally include such topics as: company rules, health and safety rules,
location of fire exits, fire drills, a company tour, introductions to other staff,
pay details, pension rights, holiday entitlement, car parking, training available
and details of the job.
You may find that you need to:
䊏 revise your own knowledge and understanding of the subject (you will
probably find that you learn a lot more when you come to do the training;
trying to teach something is an excellent way of learning it);

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䊏 break down the material into manageable chunks;
䊏 go through things stage by stage, bearing in mind what the trainees do and do
not know;
䊏 work out how you are going to explain difficult points;
䊏 plan the stages at which you will summarise the main points and assess the
trainees’ understanding of what they have learned so far.
Don’t forget that trainees may need help with the basics – how to do simple
calculations, help with written and spoken English, and so on. They may also
need help and encouragement to learn in order to overcome any fears they
may have. In some instances they may even need to learn how to learn.
At this stage you will find it invaluable to prepare a training plan. This will
help you to organize each training session, provide a structure for you to
follow, and act as a memory jogger during the training session.
Timing Content Method Visual aids
10.00 Introduce self and trainees Pairs exercise
10.15 Introduction and purpose of
topic
Tutor input
Question/Answer
OHT 1
10.30 HSWA 1974 S.2 Tutor input OHT 2
Handout
Exercise: ‘What does this
mean to you’
Group work. Spokesperson
to report back
7.2 Timing
A number of decisions must be made with regard to the timing of the training.
For example:
䊏 total length of time to be given to the training;
䊏 duration of each session (for example, three hours);
䊏 frequency of sessions (for example, one session on each of five consecutive
days, one day a week for five weeks, etc.).
You may also need to give some thought to how you will cope with the
trainees’ absence and who will cover for them at work.

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7.3 Facilities and equipment
It is obviously important to make sure that all the equipment is available and in
working order. There’s little joy in spending weeks in preparing a programme
only to discover that a vital piece of equipment isn’t working or that another
group has planned a course in the same place on the same day.
You will need to check that the following are available and, where appropriate,
booked:
䊏 trainers;
䊏 trainees;
䊏 training rooms;
䊏 training aids such as OHPs, flipcharts, videos, tables, chairs;
䊏 computers;
䊏 appropriate training software and training databases;
䊏 simulation equipment;
䊏 refreshments.
Activity 36
20 mins
Go back to Activity 29 and look at the objectives that you wrote for the new
induction programme for your team.
Taking just one of the objectives, complete the training plan for it below,
keeping in mind all you have learned so far.

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8 Conforming to legislative
requirements
When giving information to trainees about legislation, codes of practice and
good practice guides it is essential to ensure that your information is accurate
and up to date. For example, an induction course would need to include
information on health and safety, together with the legislation that governs it.
This means that you will have to be familiar with such legislation as:
䊏 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA);
䊏 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR);
䊏 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (WHSWR);
䊏 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 (COSHH);
䊏 Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR).
It is also essential that the training is in line with:
䊏 Sex Discrimination Acts of 1975 and 1986;
䊏 Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978;
䊏 Employment Act 1980 and Social Security Act 1986;
䊏 Equal Pay Act 1970, amended in 1983;
䊏 Race Relations Act 1976;
䊏 Discrimination Disability Act 1995.
In order to do this you must ensure that the materials and messages given do
not discriminate against any trainee on the grounds of sex, marital status, race
or disability. For example, does the timing of the course make it difficult for
people with young children to attend?
9 Deciding on review and evaluation
processes
At the end of the training you will want to measure what the programme has
achieved. Now is the time to think about how you will do that.

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There are a number of different methods you can use, some of which are
listed below.
䊏 Evaluation questionnaires
Questionnaires that ask trainees to rate the training programme under a
number of categories can be issued at the end of training.
䊏 Individual interviews with trainees
Individual interviews with trainees can be run at the end of the training. The
interviewer will ask similar questions to the evaluation questionnaire but can
probe in certain areas for more information.
䊏 Group discussion with trainees
Group discussions allow the trainer to get feedback from all the trainees at one
time. It is quite economical with time but may not highlight problems
encountered by individual trainees, as they may be reluctant to discuss these
issues in front of the rest of the group.
䊏 Mid or end of programme tests
This is a way of testing the retention of underpinning knowledge.Tests can take
the form of assignments, multiple choice questions, case studies or exam type
questions. Trainees will need to be given some feedback on the results.
䊏 Work-based projects
At the end of a training programme trainees can be given a project to carry out
at work that enables them to use the new skills and knowledge they have gained
during the training. It is then possible to see the level of competence they have
gained during training by the results of the project. It is important to make sure
that the project is relevant to the training.
䊏 Observation of trainees at work
It is possible to observe the trainee, either formally or informally, once the
training has been completed.You can then judge if new skills and knowledge are
in evidence and being used at work.

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Activity 37
5 mins
Which evaluation technique(s) will you use for your induction programme?
Write the details in the space below.
The types of evaluation technique you decide to use will obviously depend on
the content of your programme, but hopefully you have selected one or more
of the techniques we have discussed in this section.
10 Drawing up the training plan
The planning part of your course is now complete; all you need to do is to
record it.
There is no set way of recording your training plan but you may find the form
on the next page a useful way of listing all the details.
Activity 38
15 mins
to write your answers on separate sheets of paper. You may need to use
continuation sheets to complete your plan.
Using all the information you have put together during this workbook, use the
Training Plan provided to write a training plan for an induction programme for
new members of your team.
You must record your
training plan.
S/NVQ C9.3

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Training plan
Course title:
Intended audience:
Date: Time:
Trainer: Location:
Objectives: By the end of the course the trainees will be able to:
Assessment methods:
Method of evaluation:

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Self-assessment 3
15 mins
1 In the workbook you were informed that training objectives should conform
to the SMART principle. What does SMART stand for?
2 What are the four stages of the learning cycle?
3 Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with appropriate words taken from
the list below.
Coaching is a process of developing a trained individual’s
and abilities through:
a issuing specific tasks, which are on
completion;
b continuously and progress;
c holding counselling sessions.
APPRAISING
ASSESSED
EXPERIENCE
MONITORING
PARTIALLY
PLANNED
REGULAR
4 Complete the following sentences with suitable words.
a The objectives of training should be defined in terms of the desired
improved work of trainees.
b Training methods will need to be chosen bearing in mind:
䊏 the of the trainees;
䊏 the demands of the ;
䊏 the of the budget;
䊏 the available.
c Planning training effectively means getting the right.
5 List some of the possible evaluation techniques you can build into your
training plan.
Answers to these questions can be found on pages 94–5.

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11 Summary
䊏 The ultimate purpose of all work-related training is to improve work effectiveness.
䊏 Objectives should describe both performance and standards.
䊏 Objectives should be SMART:
S pecific
M easurable
A chievable
R elevant
T ime bound
䊏 People learn better when they:
䊏 can relate what they are learning to something they already know and understand;
䊏 are interested in the topic being taught;
䊏 take part actively in the learning process, rather than simply listening or watching passively;
䊏 discover information for themselves, rather than being presented with it;
䊏 respond actively to what is being learned and are given frequent and prompt reinforcement to
their responses;
䊏 are told the governing principles behind what they are learning;
䊏 are given frequent summaries;
䊏 are allowed to learn at their own pace;
䊏 are motivated to learn;
䊏 are allowed to learn in their preferred learning style.
䊏 Both on-the-job and off-the-job training have advantages and disadvantages.
䊏 Training methods available include:
䊏 demonstrations;
䊏 coaching;
䊏 talks and discussions;
䊏 films and videos;
䊏 mentoring;
䊏 open learning;
䊏 computer-based training;
䊏 interactive video.

81
Performance
checks
1 Quick quiz
Jot down the answers to the following questions on planning training.
Question 1 What is the main purpose of work training?
Question 2 List three benefits of training to the organization.
Question 3 Training consists of passing on skills and knowledge. It also often involves
change. What types of change does it involve?
Question 4 List two benefits of training to the individual.
Question 5 What is meant by the performance gap?

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82
Question 6 Two of the stages of the training cycle are: Identify the training needs and
Implement the plans. Name the other two.
Question 7 What is a versatility chart and what will it tell you?
Question 8 Once you know which person has been trained in what tasks, can you be
confident that you have identified your workteam’s training needs? Give a
brief reason for your answer.
Question 9 Which organizational documents are most useful when it comes to defining
training needs?
Question 10 What terms should the objectives of training be defined in?
Question 11 As well as performance, what else should objectives describe?
Question 12 In what circumstances do people learn better? Can you give two points of
learning theory?

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Question 13 State two advantages of training off the job.
Question 14 When managers are deciding on the best method of training, they must weigh
up a number of considerations. Name two of these considerations.
Question 15 Describe two considerations which may affect the timing of training.
Answers to these questions can be found on pages 96–7.
2 Workbook assessment
60 mins
Read the following case and then deal with the questions which follow, writing
your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
Derek Maloney had recently been placed in charge of a shift of
operatives who worked in the shipping department of a food-
processing organization. There were seven people in the workteam
altogether. The factory produced a number of different food lines,
some of which were perishable. Derek was responsible for:
䊏 keeping account of all the movements on a computerized stock
control system;
䊏 directing traffic into and out of the loading bay areas;
䊏 moving the stock and loading the vehicles;
䊏 ensuring that the perishable lines did not exceed a defined time
limit before being shipped.
Because of these difficult tasks, a multi-skilled workteam was needed.
Some of Derek’s workteam had been with the firm for a number of
years, while others were fairly new. Among the skills and knowledge
needed in the workteam were:

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84
䊏 computer keyboard skills;
䊏 traffic direction;
䊏 stock control clerical work, including processing the paperwork for
the truck drivers;
䊏 reading bar-coded tags and ‘freshness indicators’ with a hand-held
terminal, and entering the data from this terminal into the
computer system;
䊏 loading vehicles in the correct way;
䊏 safety control.
Two of the workteam were trained and experienced fork-lift truck
drivers but all the workteam needed to be able to tackle any of the
other tasks.
One of the problems facing Derek was training his workteam.This
was complicated by the fact that the computer control system was
about to be replaced. Derek was told by his boss that it was up to
him to define the training needs for this workteam for the coming
year.
You only need to write one or two sentences against each question.
1 What are likely to have been Derek’s main training problems?
2 What are the first steps Derek should have taken in identifying the
workteam’s training needs?
3 What organizational documents might be useful to him?
4 Can you suggest some of the possible methods of training needs identification
that he might use?

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3 Work-based assignment
60 mins
The time guide for this assignment gives you an approximate idea of how long
it is likely to take you to write up your findings.You will need to spend some
additional time gathering information, perhaps talking to colleagues and
thinking about the assignment.The results of your efforts should be presented
on separate sheets of paper.
Your written response to this assignment may provide the basis of
appropriate evidence for your S/NVQ portfolio.
For the purpose of this assignment, assume you are an off-the-job trainer.
1 Try to define your workteam’s training needs for a specific period in the
future – say the next six months – by answering the following questions.
䊏 What are the objectives of your workteam for this period?
䊏 In order to meet these objectives, what skills and/or knowledge will
be required that are not readily available to you?
䊏 Which members of the workteam need extra training?
䊏 How will you go about planning the training your workteam needs
over this period?
2 Construct a training plan similar to that in Activity 38.
3 In addition to this, explain and give some details on how you went about:
䊏 analysing the training needs;
䊏 planning the training;
䊏 communicating with your workteam and others in your
organization;
䊏 using the training needs analysis and training plan to build your
team;
䊏 showing sensitivity when and where needed.
S/NVQ C9.1,
C9.3

This Page Intentionally Left Blank

87
Reflect and review
1 Reflect and review
Now that you have completed your work on Planning Training and
Development, let’s review the workbook objectives.
You should be better able to:
䊏 describe the importance and benefits of training to you, your workteam and
the organization you work for.
Everyone needs training.As the workbook has shown you, individuals need to
be trained to carry out their jobs thoroughly, managers need training to make
groups and workteams effective, and the whole organization needs training to
produce the kind of skills and expertise required to meet the demands of its
business.
You may want to ask yourself the following questions regarding this
comment.
䊏 To what extent is training my workteam part of my role?
䊏 How involved should I get in highlighting the benefits of training to
individuals, my workteam and my organization?
䊏 use different techniques to collect and analyse information for training needs
analysis purposes.
Within the workbook we have introduced you to a number of techniques that
can be used to collect and analyse the type of information you require for this

Reflect and review
88
purpose.We introduced you to job analysis techniques using job descriptions,
talking to people and observing them. We looked at task analysis, which
requires a more detailed study of the knowledge and skill demands of a task.
We also studied the use of versatility charts, diff-rating scales and appraisal
interviews. This range of techniques will give you a sufficiently broad sample
to select from.
You may now need to consider the following.
䊏 Which of the techniques that you have been introduced to are suitable for
use with your workteam?
䊏 Do you possess the necessary skills to carry out these techniques?
䊏 contribute to the identification of training and development needs for
individuals and workteams.
If you have read this workbook carefully you will be aware that workteam
training needs are derived from workteam objectives – which in turn must
originate from the business strategy of the organization.You will also be aware
that the manager must consider each member of the workteam individually
and decide what each member needs to enable him or her to perform better.
It is important that the manager play a role in this task.
Some questions to ask yourself here are these.
䊏 Do you consider this task to be part of your role?
䊏 How can the identification of training needs be fitted into the work
schedule?
䊏 Should the appraisal interview have a part to play in the process?

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䊏 set objectives for training and development.
Setting objectives is the first task when planning training as the trainer/
manager must decide exactly what they are trying to achieve. Training
objectives that are Specific, Measurable,Achievable, Relevant andTime bound
will do this. In this workbook we asked you to write some training objectives
for an induction programme.
An issue for you to think about here is:
䊏 How can you ensure that all training programmes have objectives?
䊏 contribute to planning training and development.
When training needs are identified someone has to decide the details of how
the training needs are to be met.The manager is in a unique position to make a
significant contribution to this task. Managers know the workteams or the
individuals well, and know what training methods would be most suitable and
over what period of time the training should take place. They are also in a
position to make recommendations on other issues, such as topics, on-the-job
or off-the-job training, types of trainer etc. In this workbook we have
introduced you to the issues around the subject of planning training and
development.
Some things for you to reflect on about this topic are:
䊏 What role do you think you should play in planning training and
development?
䊏 What facilities, equipment and trainers are available to you for training?
䊏 Is there a budget for training?
䊏 What types of training methods do you think would be most suitable for
your workteam?

Reflect and review
90
䊏 draw up a training plan.
In the workbook we explained that once all the planning is done the decisions
made need to be recorded. We also suggested how to record the training
plan.
Final subjects you could think about are:
䊏 In what format do you want to record your training plans? Should this
format be one the whole organization uses or just your department?
䊏 What part do you think you should play in drawing up a training plan?
2 Action plan
Use this plan to further develop for yourself a course of action you want
to take. Make a note in the left-hand column of the issues or problems you
want to tackle, and then decide what you intend to do, and make a note
in column 2.
The resources you need might include time, materials, information or money.
You may need to negotiate for some of them, but they could be something
easily acquired, like half an hour of somebody’s time, or a chapter of a book.
Put whatever you need in column 3. No plan means anything without a
timescale, so put a realistic target completion date in column 4.
Finally, describe the outcome you want to achieve as a result of this plan,
whether it is for your own benefit or advancement, or a more efficient way
of doing things.

Desired outcomes
1 Issues 2 Action 3 Resources 4 Target completion
Actual outcomes

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92
3 Extensions
Extension 1 Book Training Needs Analysis in the Workplace
Author Robyn Peterson
Edition 1998 (2nd edition)
Publisher Kogan Page
Extension 2 Open Learning The Trainer Development Programme: a flexible ten-day
programme of workshop sessions
Author Leslie Rae
Edition 1994
Extension 3 Book Creating a Training and Development Strategy
Author Andrew Mayo
Edition 1998
Publisher Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Extension 4 Book How to Write and Prepare Training Materials
Author Nancy Stimson
Edition 2002 (2nd edition)
These extensions can be taken up via your ILM Centre. They will either have
them or they will arrange access to them. However, it may be more
convenient to check out the materials with your personnel or training people
at work – they may well give you access. There are other good reasons for
approaching your own people; for example they will become aware of your
interest and you can involve them in your development.

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93
4 Answers to self-assessment
questions
Self-assessment 1
on page 23
1 a Training provides a means of getting SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE.
b Training is a PLANNED procedure designed to improve the EFFECTIVE-
NESS of people at work.
c For training to be successful trainees may need to be convinced that the
training is RELEVANT and IMPORTANT to them.
d Training opens DOORS.
2 You may have listed any of the following.
From the organization’s point of view, training:
䊏 reduces learning time, so bringing new recruits to full working capacity
more quickly;
䊏 provides a means of getting jobs done more safely, efficiently and
effectively;
䊏 results in a workforce which is more flexible and better able to cope
with change.
From the individual’s point of view, training leads to:
䊏 increased job satisfaction;
䊏 improved self esteem;
䊏 the possibility of promotion.
From the manager’s point of view, training means:
䊏 getting work done more safely, efficiently and effectively;
䊏 improved workteam morale;
䊏 greater flexibility, enabling change to be managed more easily.
More examples of the benefits of training were provided for you in Session A,
section 4.
3 The missing words are:
Identify the TRAINING needs
Make PLANS and PREPARATIONS
IMPLEMENT the plans
Evaluate and FEED BACK the results

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94
Self-assessment 2
on page 53
Self-assessment 3
on page 79
1 SMART stands for Specific, Measurable,Achievable, Relevant andTime bound.
2 The four stages of the learning cycle are:
Stage 1 – Experience a learning activity;
Stage 2 – Review the learning experience;
Stage 3 – Draw conclusions from the learning experience;
Stage 4 – Plan the next steps.
3 Coaching is a process of developing a PARTIALLY trained individual’s
EXPERIENCE and abilities through:
a issuing specific, PLANNED tasks, which are ASSESSED on completion;
b continuously MONITORING and APPRAISING progress;
c holding REGULAR counselling sessions.
4 a The objectives of training should be defined in terms of the desired
improved work PERFORMANCE of trainees.
b Training methods will need to be chosen bearing in mind:
䊏 the NEEDS of the trainees;
䊏 the demands of the TASK;

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95
䊏 the CONSTRAINTS of the budget;
䊏 the RESOURCES available.
c Planning well means getting the DETAIL right.
5 Some of the evaluation techniques that you could build into your training plan
are:
䊏 evaluation questionnaires;
䊏 individual interviews with trainees;
䊏 group discussion with trainees;
䊏 mid or end of programme tests;
䊏 work-based projects;
䊏 observation of trainees at work.
5 Answers to activities
Activity 22
on page 43
Task d
Wages 0 (–3)
Purchase ledger 1
Sales ledger 0
Stock control 0
Work allocation 1
Control and checking 1
Customer complaints 0
Payment authorization 1
Customer enquiries 1
Data input 0
General admin 0
Word processing 2
Column (d) shows the number of people who require training. The areas for
training are as follows.
Purchase ledger 1 person
Work allocation 1 person
Control and checking 1 person
Payment authorization 1 person
Customer enquiries 1 person
Word processing 2 people

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96
6 Answers to the quick quiz
Answer 1 The main purpose of work training is to improve the effectiveness of people
at work.
Answer 2 The benefits of training to the organization include:
䊏 reducing learning time;
䊏 getting jobs done more safely, efficiently and effectively;
䊏 having a more flexible and efficient work force, that is better able to cope
with change;
䊏 improvement in morale and motivation of employees;
䊏 reducing the number of customer complaints;
䊏 reducing the number of problems with suppliers;
䊏 increased profitability through increased output or reduced costs.
Answer 3 Training often involves changing attitudes.
Answer 4 The benefits of training to the individual include:
䊏 increased job satisfaction;
䊏 improved self-esteem;
䊏 a greater potential for promotion;
䊏 increased opportunities.
Answer 5 The performance gap is the difference between the way things are and the
way you’d like things to be. For example between:
䊏 how well the workteam is performing and how well you’d like it to
perform;
䊏 what workteam members know and understand and what they ought to
know and understand.
Answer 6 The other two stages of the training cycle are:
䊏 make plans and preparations;
䊏 evaluate and feed back the results.
Answer 7 A versatility chart contains a list of team members and the jobs of the
department. It is used to show who is competent to do which jobs.

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97
Answer 8 The answer to this question should be no. The reason for this is that
versatility charts don’t tell you what the training needs are beyond the normal
functions of the workteam. They don’t allow for the fact that some jobs
consist of skills that can be learned quickly by any workteam member. Nor do
they allow for the range of skills and knowledge some other jobs may require.
They also do not give any indication of the degree of expertise reached by the
person currently holding the job.
Answer 9 When defining training needs the most useful organizational documents are
job descriptions and person specifications.
Answer 10 The objectives of training are defined in terms of the desired work
performance of the trainees.
Answer 11 Objectives should describe both performance and standards.
Answer 12 People learn more easily when they:
䊏 can relate the subject matter to something they already know and
understand;
䊏 are interested in the subject matter;
䊏 take an active part in the learning process, rather than simply listening and
watching passively;
䊏 discover information for themselves rather than being presented with it.
Answer 13 Advantages of training off-the-job are:
䊏 a better chance to concentrate away from distractions of the workplace,
such as noise and bustle;
䊏 freedom from interruptions and from having to put effort into work;
䊏 an opportunity to think through the principles behind actions and perhaps
to question why the work is done in the way it is.
Answer 14 Managers need to consider the following:
䊏 the needs of the trainees;
䊏 the demands of the task;
䊏 the constraints of the budget and available resources.
Answer 15 The following may affect the timing of training:
䊏 the need for the trainee’s absence at work to be covered;
䊏 that all the trainees and the facilities are available at the time you need
them;
䊏 when the new knowledge or skills will need to be applied.

Reflect and review
98
7 Certificate
Completion of this certificate by an authorized person shows that you have
worked through all the parts of this workbook and satisfactorily completed
the assessments.The certificate provides a record of what you have done that
may be used for exemptions or as evidence of prior learning against other
nationally certificated qualifications.
Pergamon Flexible Learning and ILM are always keen to refine and improve
their products. One of the key sources of information to help this process are
people who have just used the product. If you have any information or views,
good or bad, please pass these on.

INSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
SUPERSERIES
Planning
Training and Development
...........................................................................................................................................................
has satisfactorily completed this workbook
Name of signatory ....................................................................................................................
Position ........................................................................................................................................
Signature ......................................................................................................................................
Date ...................................................................................
Official stamp
Fourth Edition

Planning training and development

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