follow the requirement

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SUMMER PROJECT FINAL REPORT Programme/Pathway: MSC MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE

MANAGEMENT

Title: The importance of training and career development opportunities during

COVID-19

Abstract Training and career development is a growing topic in the HR field. With organisations striving for

competitiveness, there is also a need to consider the attractiveness of the organisation to current, and

future employees. Research illustrates organisations must recognise employees as a critical asset to

organisational success. The ongoing, and unexpected pandemic has delivered many unpredictable

changes to both work and personal lives, combined with the growing topic in HR, this research

investigates ‘the importance of training and career development opportunities during COVID-19’.

Through analysing secondary data, mainly journals, the paper concentrates on three research

questions which draw upon why opportunities are important, what influences opportunities and

considers if opportunities have increased during COVID-19. In a fast-paced environment,

organisations must still reflect on COVID-19 and understand employee’s needs. This research

highlights there is a need to consider training and career development during COVID-19 to support

and retain employees. With little literature surrounding the combined discussion of training, career

development and COVID-19, this paper adds value to the academic, and professional field.

Key words: career development, COVID-19, employee, organisation, training

School of Business

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Table of Contents

Abstract ........................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3

2.0 Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 4

3.0 Methodology ............................................................................................................ 11

3.1 Theoretical Underpinning ................................................................................................. 12

4.0 Findings and Analysis ................................................................................................ 13

5.0 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 18

5.1 Limitations ....................................................................................................................... 19

5.2 Implications and Future Research ..................................................................................... 19

6.0 References ................................................................................................................ 20

7.0 Appendix .................................................................................................................. 30

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1.0 Introduction The current global crisis, from hereon referred to as ‘COVID-19’, has caused major

disruptions to workplaces across the world. Organisations have had to adapt rapidly to ensure

they adhere to Government guidelines and safety measures whilst meeting the fluctuating

business demands. Employees have had to change their working styles and maintain

wellbeing whilst being faced with the uncertainty of what the future of COVID-19 will

present. It is important to recognise that the changing ways of work does not simply relate to

remote working, many sectors, such as healthcare, in particular hospital staff have remained

in the same location but had to adapt to new ways of working which include reduced

operating facilities, social distancing, and PPE. Agrawal et al (2020) consider how the

pandemic has influenced employees’ roles, highlighting employees require new, or more

dominant skills. Similarly, Raišienė et al (2020) as cited in Park, Jeong, Chai (2021) suggest

career development has halted due to COVID-19, Hite & McDonald (2020) recognise careers

have been affected however also suggest COVID-19 has had little impact to some career

developments.

Both training and career development remain challenges in HR prior to COVID-19, leading to

further weaknesses in employee retention (Azeez, 2017). Adding to this challenge is the global

pandemic, therefore, this research considers both elements and the opportunities COVID-19

bring, or do not bring to training and career development. The timing of this research allows

challenges to be combined and analysed, to produce forward-thinking practices for the future

of work. Many scholars attempt to define both training, and career development, and whilst

separate elements, both have the opportunity to interlink. That said, it should be noted that

training is not always linked to career development, and training is not necessarily a mandatory

element in career development, however both focus on improving employees, which, for clarity

in this paper, definitions of both aspects have been highlighted. An older, but highly relevant

definition of training from Pepper (1984, p.9) defines training as a “process concerned with

the acquisition or maintenance of capability”. Similarly, career development is the “outcome

of the individuals career planning and the organisations provision of support and

opportunities” (Simonsen, 1997, p.6-7).

The purpose of this paper is to investigate ‘the importance of training and career

development opportunities during COVID-19’. To achieve this, three critical research

questions have been devised, firstly; Why are training and career development opportunities

important during a crisis such as COVID-19?, secondly; What are the key factors which can

influence an organisation’s ability to provide training and career development opportunities

during COVID-19?, and finally; Have training and career development opportunities

increased during COVID-19? To answer the research questions, the paper presents a

literature review, followed by findings and analysis, and subsequently concludes stating

limitations and future recommendations. The paper draws upon working environments,

employee’s adaptability and mindsets, alongside focusing on the impact to different

industries during COVID-19, particularly healthcare. Two main theories will be used: the

‘ADDIE’ model and the Employee Life Cycle (ELC). Incorporating the theoretical models

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into the paper, this provides support, and where appropriate, arguments to the information

presented.

2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Reasons for Providing Opportunities During COVID-19

COVID-19 has impacted the daily operations of many organisations worldwide. From a

professional perspective, organisations must ensure employees are working appropriately to

fulfil their duties. Literature draws upon three factors which include addressing skill gaps

within organisations, turnover/retention rates, and providing employee support/engagement.

Through reviewing the literature surrounding these factors, it contributes to an understanding

of why training and career development opportunities are important.

Address Skill Gaps

Providing training and career development opportunities during COVID-19 can encourage

organisations to address skill gaps within the workforce. From a business perspective this is

beneficial for enhancing talent pools, retaining talent, and improving competitive advantages

(Bratton & Gold, 2017 and Rees & Smith, 2014), from an employee perspective, this can

enhance skills, job demand capabilities, new avenues of work whilst supporting job anxiety

(Albrecht et al, 2015; Johennesse & Chou, 2017; Warhurst et al, 2017). Albrecht et al (2015)

further adds training and development is part of engagement which leads to competitive

advantages.

Contributing to this, Warhurst et al (2017) analyses the positive relationships between

training and skilled workforce, and a skilled workforce and workplace performance, however,

logically considers the reliability of this general assumption in all organisations. Although

Scottish Employer Skills Survey (2020) generally report organisations understand there is a

need to address skill gaps, data gathered from respondents opposes this by suggesting a key

barrier to not providing training during COVID-19 was that employers felt staff already had

the capabilities. However, much research contradicts this statement. Skill gaps can be

intensified during the COVID-19 crisis by both external factors; government guidelines -

PPE/social distancing (GovUK, 2021 and NSW Government, 2021), and internal factors;

changing working conditions (Agrawal et al, 2020), business models (Agrawal et al, 2020),

absence of workplace learning environment (Bratton & Gold, 2017) and resource availability

(Chanana & Sangeeta, 2020). Bratton & Gold (2017) state workplace learning can support

employees coping with change and uncertainty.

A study found 87% of executives reported skills gaps pre-pandemic, and this has increased

during COVID-19 (Agrawal et al, 2020). Similarly, Megaloikonomos et al (2020) proposed

there will be significant training gaps due to COVID-19. Hite & McDonald (2020) advocate

the importance of supporting employees’ careers in relation to COVID-19, adding training

improves employees’ skills which can improve career paths, further stating that offering

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opportunities develops employees’ skills which prepares them to perform their role whilst

providing avenues for using these tools to expand career paths. Newman & Ford (2021) argue

training should be readily available, such as online courses. However, Basariya & Vasanthis

(2018) and Götze, Jeske & Benters (2018) rightly point out the importance of defining and

planning opportunities, which can be timely. That said, the rapid speed of the pandemic

makes this a challenge which organisations must overcome.

Impact to Employee Retention/Turnover

A key theme in existing literature identified employees as an important asset to organisational

success, with studies stressing the need for employees to belong in the organisation to

maintain job retention (Elsafty & Ragheb, 2020; Joy & Venkatesh, 2020; Singh, 2019). Singh

(2019) suggest some literature assumes employees following a life cycle, therefore it is

important to understand expectations through the stages to build strategies to retain

employees. Furthermore, training and career development can influence involuntary turnover

(Singh, 2019). Pre-pandemic, in the healthcare industry, providing training, development, and

career plans were said to impact job retention, however Elsafty & Ragheb (2020) argue

retention variables have changed during COVID-19 and now include guidance on best

practices. Supporting and maintaining employees during a crisis can encourage retention

(Elsafty & Ragheb, 2020) with Koyuncu (2020) echoing this, highlighting prioritising people,

rather than profits during a crisis, demonstrates to employees an employer’s trust, care and

commitment. Joy & Venkatesh (2020) illustrated through their study that during COVID-19,

despite being under extreme demand nurse’s sense of belongingness meant their opinion of

leaving their job was low. It is argued that job retention is not solely influenced by training

opportunities but is a contributing factor (Johennesse & Chou, 2017). Reflecting on past

literature, providing training and development opportunities can support career progression

and subsequently develop a positive mindset, leading to stronger employee retention

outcomes (Basariya & Vasanthis, 2018 and Johennesse & Chou, 2017). Without appropriate

training during COVID-19, employees can feel unsupported and miss the sense of

belongingness, thus leading to turnover intentions (Joy & Venkatesh, 2020). This is

supported by Kim, Lee & Cho (2020) who found during COVID, nurses with more

experience had higher job retention rates. Lee, Xu & Yang (2021) support Elsafty & Ragheb

(2020), discussing the relationship between career adaptability, social support during

COVID-19 and turnover intentions.

Providing career development opportunities during COVID-19 is important to maintain a

committed and sustainable workforce, which reduces turnover/turnover intentions. During

COVID-19 technology has demonstrated employees can work remotely, which can enable a

more global staffing approach (Vanderbloemen, 2021). A benefit of this is increased

organisational talent pools, which contribute to organisational competitiveness (Tarique,

2012). However, Vanderbloemen (2021) and Manoharan et al (2021) argue COVID-19 will

lead to more employee’s voluntarily leaving due to employees considering new opportunities

and re-evaluating their current roles and secondly due to the unpredictable future leaving

uncertainty for career development opportunities. This emphasises Lee, Xu & Yang (2021)

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view of offering opportunities which support with change. Similarly, Hite & McDonald

(2020) advocate organisations must understand employees’ experiences during COVID-19

and apply this knowledge to build sustainable careers. Echoing the view of organisational

responsibility, employers can drive career development both internally; structured

redeployment/secondments, training and externally; contributions to educational fees, all of

which can support an employee retention (Lee, Xu & Yang, 2021). Hite & McDonald (2020)

further consider the importance of employees career development, suggesting that during

COVID-19 employees will reconsider their career pathways, some jobs will be lost, while

others will see new growth opportunities. Reflecting on Singh (2019) point of an employee

life cycle, employers should act now to grow and retain their talent to limit turnover in the

future.

Employee Support and Engagement

Khan, Williamson & Trompeter (2021) recognise the negative link between lack of training

opportunities during COVID-19 and career progression. Underlining this, streamlining and

adapting training through COVID-19 can support employees by providing opportunities for

career development (Dattani et al, 2020). Prior to COVID-19, Busse & Weidner (2021)

qualitative study highlighted the challenge of career development for remote workers, with

the increase of this working method during COVID-19 HR must maintain their support.

Reflecting on this during the pandemic, Pattnaik & Jena (2021) suggest remote working

hinders engagement, yet data collected from Ipsen et al (2021) argues it improves workplace

efficiency. Further contradicting Pattnaik & Jena (2021) view, Kumar (2021) reports

engagement has decreased during COVID-19. That said, Ipsen et al (2021) state younger

generations favour remote working for work life balance. Amis & Greenwood (2020)

contribute by recognising some employees are comfortable working remotely however

suggest the loss of social interaction for others can impact wellbeing. Echoing this, a

reduction in social interaction during the pandemic can lead to employees reconsidering

career pathways (Yarberry & Sims 2021).

2.2 Key Factors Influencing Opportunities During COVID-19

The key factors which can influence an organisation’s ability to provide training and career

development opportunities during COVID-19 can be categorised into operational,

behavioural, and organisational factors. A critical operational factor is changes to working

environment, as many employees are facing significant changes, particularly due to working

locations. The behavioural factors which literature draws upon are employee resistance and

wellbeing, and finally, the literature explores organisational factors, specifically focusing on

generations within the workforce.

2.2.1 Operational Factor

Changes to Working Environment

COVID-19 has significantly impacted working environments. Globally, health and safety

guidelines; social distancing and working from home/remote working have played a major

role in the changing working environment during COVID-19 (GovUK, 2021; Hite &

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McDonald, 2020; NSW Government, 2021). This brings challenges for training and career

development opportunities as factors including rate of employee’s adaption to the

environment (Lee, 2021), engagement (Pattnaik & Jena, 2021) and technological capabilities

(Newman & Ford, 2021) can influence an organisation’s ability to deliver such opportunities.

With this in mind, organisations must consider their approach to content and delivery when

delivering opportunities (Mahoney, 2018).

E-learning has flourished during COVID-19 with more employees working remotely and

requiring online based resources; therefore, organisations must consider if they have the

resources and capabilities to rapidly move training online and many organisations developed

online learning opportunities quickly (Bratton & Gold, 2017; Chanana & Sangeeta, 2020;

Greany, 2020). For example, during lockdown, McDonalds provided online courses for

employees (Chanana & Sangeeta, 2020). Similarly, some cases in the healthcare industry;

specifically orthopaedics, working conditions have changed resulting in critical training being

lost and consideration for online learning is swiftly being considered (Ferrara et al, 2020 and

Khan, Williamson & Trompeter, 2021). However, Yarberry & Sims (2021) argue COVID-19,

combined with changing environments impact learning abilities and subsequently career

development. Nevertheless, this highlights the need for organisations to consider the impact

of the working environment when providing opportunities.

2.2.2 Behavioural Factors

Employee Resistance

Many employees have been faced with new working conditions; remote working, PPE in the

workplace as a direct result of COVID-19. Change is inevitable in organisations to maintain

competitiveness, however, to be implemented successfully, change should be well planned

(Dereli, 2015; Odor, 2018). Despite this, COVID-19 forced unplanned change and

organisations have had to move at rapid speeds and consider employees reactions (Agrawal et

al, 2020 and Amis & Greenwood, 2020). Worryingly Daniel (2019) suggests employees have

a natural resistance to change which is stemmed from feeling uncomfortable to amendments

to the normal environment and influenced by factors such as job security (Lee, 2021).

Recognising such factors, CIPD (2020) argue this general perception as 7 in 10 respondents

highlighted employees have been supportive of new working environments. A strong

communication network from organisations to employees has a positive impact on an

employee’s willingness to accept change (Odor, 2018). The increase in remote working

highlights the importance of Odor’s communication view. Nevertheless, all employees are

reacting to COVID-19 differently and this is a key consideration for organisations who may

be faced with employee resistance to training and career development opportunities during

the pandemic.

Employee Wellbeing

Pre-pandemic, Azeez (2017) reinforced the top challenge for organisations is retaining talent.

This undoubtably remains a critical concern for organisations, however Ghewari, Dhariwal &

Jadhav (2021) argue employee wellbeing and health is now the biggest challenge HR face

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due to COVID-19. During COVID-19, organisations must be aware of the impacts of poor

wellbeing when supporting training and career development as poor wellbeing can impact

both employees by increasing anxiety, changing employee’s behaviour and work-family

conflict and organisations by lack of motivation, performance, communication, higher

absence (Carnevale & Hatak, 2020; CIPD, 2021; De-la-Calle-Durán & Rodríguez-Sánchez,

2021). Stergiou & Farmaki, (2021) reflected on some of these factors for hotel workers,

proposing training during COVID-19 is critical for increasing employee protection, which

subsequently decreases absences and improves wellbeing. Regardless of the opportunities

provided, employee’s must be in the right mindset to engage in training and pursue their

career development. According to Short & Yorks (2002), employee’s emotions are pivotal to

training, yet learning cannot be effective when employees are not fully engaged. Equally, job

demands can impact an employee’s wellbeing, and Keating & Heslin (2015) state job

demands, and job resources can be directly linked, with job resources, such as providing

career opportunities limiting the impact of job demands. This consideration is further

complicated with the risk of employee wellbeing fluctuating daily due to the pandemic’s

uncertainty (Satici et al, 2020). However, resilience can be a key skill to improving wellbeing

during COVID-19, thus it is important to consider this aspect when developing training

(Gallagher et al, 2021).

2.2.3 Organisational Factor

Generational Differences

Generational differences can influence the content/objectives, delivery, and outcome of

training (Bratton & Gold, 2017 and Urick, 2016). Mencl & Lester (2014) suggest generations

(appendix 1) are relatively similar but do recognise difference with career advancement

opportunities and training opportunities. However, many scholars argue there is various

differences between the generations (Bratton and Gold, 2017; Kshirsagar et al, 2020; Urick,

2020). Technological capabilities, crisis management and knowledge are three factors Urick

(2020) identified as intergenerational challenges during COVID-19. It is recognised

millennials are more technology-literate than older generations thus more likely to embrace

online learning methods of training (Kshirsagar et al, 2020; Urick, 2016; Wolor et al, 2020).

However, a ‘one-fits-all’ approach is impractical, thus organisations must be mindful of

training methods, and provide technology-based training to support generational needs,

especially during remote working, whilst equally consider the content required (Afrianty,

Artatanaya & Burgess, 2020 and Bratton and Gold, 2017). Despite this promising

assumption, Afrianty, Artatanaya & Burgess (2020) did record ineffective support from

organisations when providing IT training to a University in Indonesia had little impact on

productivity when remote working during COVID-19. Additionally, this can be influenced by

the generation of respondents, who were millennials, therefore linking back to views from

Kshirsagar et al (2020) and Wolor et al (2020) who suggest this generation are already

technology-literate.

Singh (2019) emphasise the importance of understanding generations to retain talent, yet

from a commitment perspective, millennials have a high intention for quick career

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development but “give up easily” (Wolor et al, 2020, p.443). One major difference between

millennials and previous generations is the importance of career development, with

millennials expecting this from organisations (Magni & Manzon, 2020). This statement is

evident by Kim, Lee and Cho (2020) which highlighted Generation X showed higher levels

of job retention during COVID-19 than millennials. However, Mencl & Lester (2014)

contradict this view, suggesting training and development is important across all generations

yet do recognise the differences in preferred delivery methods, contributing to previous

literature that younger generations are more technology-literate. Such factors can influence

organisations strategies as not providing training and development opportunities can impact

employee retention, particularly for millennials (Magni & Manzon, 2020).

2.3 Trends in Training and Career Development during COVID-19

Continuously evolving markets result in trends changing regularly however training and

development remains a challenge in HRM. To provide a more in-depth understanding of the

current trends, it is important to consider the training and career development opportunities

both prior and during COVID-19. Literature has highlighted that COVID-19 has brought both

opportunities and challenges to the workforce in terms of training and career development.

Opportunities focus on managing demand, and redeployment, and challenges on learning

environment, adaptability and career progression.

2.3.1 Opportunities

Redeployment

Research identifies key areas for training opportunities include career development and

reskilling (Agrawal et al, 2020 and Basariya & Vasanthis, 2018) yet Götze, Jeske & Benters

(2018) highlight key challenges to training pre-pandemic included lack of intrinsic

motivation, inflexible content and disengaged trainers which led to the downfall of effective

training. Bratton & Gold (2017) emphasise the need for career development to motivate and

retain talent. Prior to covid, from a capital perspective; grants provided opportunities for

career development (Gehrig, 2011; OREF, n.d). Some career development grants (OREF,

n.d) remain available, however, there is minimal literature surrounding the direct career

development opportunities for healthcare both pre, and during COVID-19. Despite this,

indirect career development opportunities during COVID-19 are reflected on, particularly for

surgical staff; firstly, learning opportunities can increase during the pandemic due to

cancelled surgeries, allowing more time for focused research and career path considerations

(Kogan et al, 2020). Secondly, redeployment to meet COVID-19 demands provides exposure

to alternative environments and opportunities to enhance technical and non-technical skills,

which can inadvertently improve career development pathways (Payne et al, 2021) yet Faria

et al (2020) study contradicts this statement providing empirical data that over 50% of

respondents found redeployment will not impact their future career paths.

Manage Demand

Empirical data from Karim, Huda, Khan (2012) pre-COVID-19 focused on training for a

Sainsbury’s store, training was categorised into role based; skill based – customer service,

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replenishment and knowledge based – health and safety. This training reflects the key area of

reskilling from Agrawal et al (2020). Some industries have seen an increase in training

opportunities during COVID-19, a key reason for this is to manage demand (Agrawal et al,

2020 and Harriman et al, 2020). Consumer banks strategies involved adapting to meet

mortgage-refinance demands which subsequently led to training opportunities to support

employees (Agrawal et al, 2020). Similarly, Kroger supermarket provided basic training

opportunities in relation to COVID-19, such as cleaning techniques (Harriman et al, 2020).

Aryapadi et al (2020) echo this view, highlighting redeployment of grocery employees and

new hires to meet demand have required training. A study focused on Scottish organisations

identified over 50% of respondents reported provided health and safety training, whilst over

45% reported IT based training with relation to COVID-19 (Scottish Employer Skills Survey,

2020). Contradicting this positive assumption, reports from gastroenterology employees

indicates a lack of training opportunities, due to factors including demand, unpredictability,

and equipment shortages, further stating in early 2020 some training programmes lost around

3 months of training (Goyal et al, 2020). This reflection supports Harriman et al, (2020)

views that the impact of COVID-19 has been different for many. Training does not need to

link to the capabilities of the job, and this is evident as trend in many studies, regardless of

the sector is the importance of wellbeing. Some literature focuses on providing wellbeing

training opportunities to prepare employees mentally for the impacts of COVID-19 (Goyal et

al, 2020 and Karatepe, Saydam & Okumus, 2021).

2.3.2 Challenges

Learning Environment

Prior to COVID-19, one way to provide career development opportunities was through job

enrichment enabling higher staff responsibilities, skills, and commitment. Echoing the view

opportunities were visible pre-covid, and empirical data highlighted international assignments

provide career development opportunities (Kang & Jie, 2013). However, Brewster et al

(2016) challenge this, stating repatriation challenges include lack of career development on

return. Nevertheless, Nicola et al (2020) highlight the challenges of career development

through international assignments during COVID-19 due to border closures. In some

industries, such as healthcare, a continuous learning environment was present prior to

COVID-19, with studies reporting on-the-job training (practical) training was fully integrated

into orthopaedics roles, yet this opportunity has been diminished due to the pandemic

(Ambrosio et al, 2020 and Khan, Williamson & Trompeter, 2021). The 70:20:10 model

(appendix 2) favours informal learning, such as on-the-job learning, yet the notable decrease

in operations highlight the reductions to delivering opportunities through this model (Eyre,

2011; Johnson, Blackman, & Buick, 2018; Megaloikonomos et al, 2020). Although Clardy

(2018) agree with the importance of learning, the qualitative research suggests the high 70%

should be reconsidered.

Adaptability

Empirical studies from Megaloikonomos et al (2020) suggest training opportunities have not

increased during COVID-19, recording 60.3% orthopaedics’ surveyed indicated no specific

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COVID-19 training was conducted. Supporting this statement, Khan, Williamson &

Trompeter (2021) electronic survey found 35% of respondents highlighted critical training

opportunities for orthopaedics’ have been cancelled. Yet, Kidd (2020) as cited in Chatterji et

al (2021) focus on the adaptability of orthopaedic employees and learning abilities, as such,

providing basic training during COVID-19 enabled the redeployment of their skills to high

demand areas. Although the opportunity is presented, it does not conclude training has

increased, more so, training has been adapted. Similarly, from an employee perspective, one

may fear job loss and the redeployment to other business areas may inadvertently enhance

career evaluation (Akkermans, Richardson & Kraimerc, 2020). Despite the need for COVID-

19 related training (PPE/lateral flow) little research contradicts the views training has

decreased during the pandemic. Further evidence reiterates previous authors yet remains

optimistic of long-term training opportunities, particularly for trainees due to the

accumulation of incomplete cases, whilst reflecting on the delivery methods of training

(Dattani et al, 2020; Khan, Williamson & Trompeter, 2021).

Career Progression

In a broad overview of career development for employees, Falcone (2020) reports a decrease

in this aspect as a direct impact of COVID-19. Echoing this, in the healthcare industry, a

study during the early stages of the pandemic found over 45% of respondents were concerned

of the impact of COVID-19 to training and careers (Wong et al, 2020). However, with

reference to career shock which is considered as; a disturbing and significant event outside

one’s control which initiates career reflections, COVID-19 can positively provide

opportunities for individuals to consider career development (Akkermans, Richardson &

Kraimer, 2020 and Akkermans, Seibert & Mol, 2018). This is evident in an online poll

including 2000 respondents, 50% felt COVID-19 provided opportunities to develop new

skills, this included skills such as remote working capabilities Ibarra (2020). Ibarra (2020)

further state career pathways can depend on external opportunities outside an organisation.

Although this brings light that careers are still a focus for employees, it does not reflect the

opportunities which have been provided from organisations. Despite this, Falcone (2020)

recognises the pandemic is ongoing and conversations regarding career development in

organisations must begin again.

3.0 Methodology The purpose of this research was to investigate ‘the importance of training and career

development opportunities during COVID-19’. To provide direction and control for the

research paper, this investigation considered three key research questions;

1. Why are training and career development opportunities important during a crisis such

as COVID-19?

2. What are the key factors which can influence an organisation’s ability to provide

training and career development opportunities during COVID-19?

3. Have training and career development opportunities increased during COVID-19?

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The research conducted focused solely on secondary sources, predominantly qualitative data,

however had some scope for quantitative data to enhance statements made throughout the

paper. The literature review accommodates the vast majority of sources, analysed by

comparing and contrasting information, which subsequently allows for a clear discussion.

The research took place between May – August 2021, due to the limited timescales, legal

requirements and COVID-19 restrictions, the main source of gathering information has been

internet based, more specifically focusing on journal articles from Google Scholar.

Additionally, both online and psychical resources from the University of Dundee provided

journal and book sources. As the research focused on COVID-19, naturally, books on this

topic were scarce, however, books have been referred to for training and career development,

and, where appropriate, to integrate theoretical perspectives into this research paper.

Furthermore, reputable HRM websites including CIPD provided support throughout this

research paper. A limitation to online sources is the vast range of information available,

therefore, to ensure reliable sources were gathered and allow solid conclusions to be drawn

after combining crucial words for searching including training, career development, covid,

pandemic, employee, sources were then reviewed against factors including quality of

presentation, relevance, objectivity and research methods. This provided support and

guidance throughout the report as sources failing to achieve the quality of these aspects were

subsequently withdrawn from the research. Using this approach also enabled information to

be grouped, and allow supporting, and opposing statements throughout the paper and provide

contributions to the field.

3.1 Theoretical Underpinning

ADDIE

The ADDIE model is a system design framework consisting of five key stages; Analyse,

Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate (Mahoney, 2018). The consecutive phases allow

learning programmes to be created. This paper draws upon how the ADDIE model can be

used to develop training materials during COVID-19, and similarly can be used to support

career development, however, for the purpose of this paper, the ADDIE model refers

predominately to training. Despite recognising ADDIE is frequently used in organisations,

Cowell et al (2006) argue that the ADDIE model operates most effectively in environments

with a strict chain of command and rigid management structure. However, Mayfield (2011)

suggest the model is widely used.

The first stage is to Analyse. During this stage, it is important for the L&D team (or relevant

named alternative) to conduct a training needs analysis; this can take place with various

stakeholders but gathers information and scopes the organisational goals, strategies and

challenges (Chevalier, 2011 and Mahoney, 2018). Additionally, during this stage it is

important to consider the roles of each team member for the entire process (Mahoney, 2018).

The second stage is the design which focuses on the overall process including objectives,

content proposal, delivery method, duration and evaluation approaches (Branch, 2009 and

Mahoney, 2018). Having an understanding of the existing, and required skills/knowledge,

there must now be consideration for the materials and training methods used (Branch, 2009).

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Once designed, the training/programme can be developed; this can often entail collaboration

from various departments and once developed, involve trial testing and content and guidance

is generated (Branch, 2009 and Mahoney, 2018). Following on, L&D must implement the

programme, Mahoney (2018) suggest if all previous stages have been executed effectively,

this launch stage should have limit failures, however Chevalier (2011) argue work

environment can influence successful implementation. The fifth stage is to evaluate based on

the initial proposal created in the design stage and consider if the programme was conveyed

as expected (Mahoney, 2018). It should be noted that this is a continuous learning and

improvement process, meaning the cycle reverts back to the analysis stage using feedback

from the evaluation stage (Mahoney, 2018).

Employee Life Cycle (ELC)

Alongside training, the second focus on this paper is on career development opportunities.

Lavelle (2007) suggests employees naturally follow a lifecycle; thus, the ELC illustrates the

six key stages individuals experience during employment; attraction, recruitment,

performance, development, retention and separation (Cattermole, 2019 and Newell, 2019). It

should be noted these stages can often be named differently, however the concept is still the

same as demonstrated by App, Merk & Büttgen (2012). Whilst the ELC supports an

employee’s progression, it equally increases business capabilities. Lavelle (2007) further adds

in a complex business society, employees can face numerous employee life cycles during

their career with an organisation. A key stage for this paper focuses on the development

(growth) of employees, advancing both personal and professional skills whilst adding value

to the workforce (App, Merk & Büttgen, 2012) however Newell (2019) recognise that despite

being important, many organisations do not provide much attention during this stage.

Nevertheless, in reference to delivering career development opportunities, understanding the

core aspects of the employee lifecycle can support organisations in planning for the future

and understanding employees next steps.

4.0 Findings and Analysis

4.1 COVID-19 has influenced skills required to complete an employee’s role

During COVID-19, organisations have had to acknowledge and overcome skills gaps. Whilst

the literature recognises employee skill gaps were a concern pre-covid, the challenge continues

during COVID-19. Changes to working conditions and guidance from government are two

factors which have contributed to the need for training during COVID-19 (Agrawal et al, 2020

and GovUK, 2021). The research also highlighted organisations should consider non-job-

related skills, such as technological capabilities and resilience during COVID-19 which can

impact an employee’s adjustment to change and wellbeing (Gallagher et al, 2021 and Newman

& Ford, 2021).

Reflecting on the literature, it is evident employees have adapted during COVID-19, which

subsequently leads the acquisition of new skills. Hite & McDonald (2020) study touched upon

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 14

the relationship between training, skills and career development, concluding training supports

skills development which subsequently enriches employee’s career. Whilst Newman & Ford

(2021) highlighted the need for organisations to consider the technological requirements during

COVID-19, and training to support employees in this area, the research could have been

conclusive with quantitative data to support their findings, that said, other sources, such as

Scottish Employer Skills Survey (2020) provided quantitative data to support the requirement

for addressing the skill gaps. By reflecting on both, this brings to light the need to address this

challenge during COVID-19.

The ADDIE model is a continuously revolving cycle (Mahoney, 2018), which is beneficial

during COVID-19 due to many changes made by governments. That said, organisations must

be aware of the difficulties such as time pressures and delivery methods when implementing

training at short notice, but as previously stated company’s such as McDonalds have

demonstrated the delivery of online training at a fast pace (Chanana & Sangeeta, 2020).

McDonalds did not use the ADDIE model however did consider the delivery methods to

accommodate the current climate (i.e. online platform). Although there is lack of evidence

demonstrating theory into practice for the ADDIE model during COVID-19, through the lens

of this model, understanding the additional, and in some cases new skills, required during

COVID-19 can support in developing robust training programmes. The ‘analyse’ stage of the

model is particularly relevant here to conduct a training needs analysis on the skills shortages,

alongside the delivery method used based on the existing working environment (Mahoney,

2018). This requires input from employees, which highlights the importance of

communication, thus reflecting back to Odor (2018) statement that communication positively

impacts employees. According to Kumar (2021), listening to employees during a crisis brings

organisational benefits; increased confidence in the organisation and employee benefits;

clarity/support on job role and wellbeing.

The skill gaps should not be seen as a negative, and instead, be viewed as an opportunity to

grow and show the need for life-long learning. As such, Kukreja (2020) support the findings

that skills for job roles are evolving and suggest the economic impacts of COVID-19 influence

an organisations ability to recruit individuals with the right skills. Similarly, in a study by

Avado (n.d) over 60% noted the imbalance between employee skills and business needs.

Despite both publications taking different approaches to research; Kukreja (2020) secondary

data based, and Avado (n.d) primary data based, both views reiterate the importance of

developing employees within the workforce, which reflect back on the previous literature

which focuses on employees being a critical asset of organisations. Through development

opportunities, organisations can use the skills to improve business strategies. Similarly, by

developing your workforce, whilst listening to employees (Kumar, 2021), employees can

resonate with the organisation, which can support their engagement and commitment to the

organisation, contributing to a strong workforce and business competitiveness.

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 15

4.2 An employee’s mindset during COVID-19 influences training and career

development opportunities

Overriding literature illustrated the significance of employees within any organisation

(Elsafty & Ragheb, 2020; Singh, 2019; Joy & Venkatesh, 2020). Employees have been faced

with a variety of challenges during COVID-19, particularly changing their working

environments to align with the unplanned change. Psychological and sociological factors

included engagement levels (Pattnaik & Jena, 2021), anxiety (CIPD, 2021), support impacts

(Joy & Venkatesh, 2020) and socialisation (Amis & Greenwood, 2020). Each of the

challenges has influenced employees’ attitudes and Yarberry & Sims (2021) rightly pointed

out the influence of COVID-19 on learning abilities.

Through an examination of operational and behavioural factors, a common theme throughout

the literature highlighted the need to reflect upon the mindset of an employee. As such, this is

an essential consideration when delivering opportunities during COVID-19. This was

developed through a combination of various angles including generational expectations,

wellbeing during COVID-19 and ability to adapt to change (Ghewari, Dhariwal & Jadhav,

2021; Lee, 2021; Pattnaik & Jena, 2021; Wolor et al, 2020). Nevertheless, the complexity of

employees is evident, with each employee having a different mindset, organisations must

consider what opportunities are required and how these can be approached.

Contributing the finding that an employee’s mindset influences training and career

development opportunities the paper draws upon the generational expectations during

COVID-19. Reflecting on Kim, Lee and Cho (2020) point, Generation X showed higher

levels of job retention, this reveals the need to consider commitment in organisations. Wolor

et al (2020) made a notable assumption that millennials often give up more quickly. This type

of mindset can be worrying for organisations as it can lead to poor engagement and turnover

rates due to employees feeling less committed to organisations. Combined with the

technological millennials and existing remote working conditions for many organisations are

at risk of losing millennials who have no sense of belonging or purpose in their existing role.

When considering the ELC, it is evident that employees can move throughout the lifecycle at

different paces, therefore organisations that provide career development opportunities must

consider how to target the right employees to maintain a sustainable workforce. That said,

organisations must fulfil their support to all employees further complicating the ELC rather

than focusing on particular groups, such as millennials.

Goyal et al (2020) reflect on providing wellbeing sessions to offer support to individuals and

according to their study, wellbeing can be promoted through training programmes, however

they do state everyone should be enrolled. This aspect is concerning as to ensure maximum

effectiveness, employees should feel motivated to go to training, rather than forced, that said,

this aspect is only mentioned once in the paper, thus may be misinterpreted. Goyal et al

(2020) final thoughts touch upon the need to collaborate to improve wellbeing during

COVID-19. Reflecting on the views from this research, it underlines the importance of the

‘design’ stage of the ADDIE model. During the design stage, Mahoney (2018) consider the

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 16

delivery method for training. Considering both authors views, and the current climate of

COVID-19, delivery should incorporate group discussions, for example using Microsoft

Teams to deliver training with supporting online breakout rooms.

Newman & Ford (2021) touched upon the importance of having training readily available.

Reflecting on this, online courses is an adaptable way to manage training. Considering the

finding that an employee’s mindset during COVID-19 influences training and career

development opportunities, readily accessible courses allow employees to work through this

at their own time, and pace while supporting their wellbeing. Furthermore, whilst many

career development plans are somewhat ‘on hold’ during COVID-19, these online courses

can be a method of providing opportunities to employees.

With employees playing a major role in organisations both pre, and during COVID-19

consideration must be taken for trigger points; motivation is impacted by poor wellbeing and

lack of development opportunities, which can in turn impact turnover rates (Bratton & Gold,

2017 and CIPD, 2021). One way of improving motivation is through empowerment. Alonazi

(2021) add that this is a challenge in the healthcare industry due to structural designs,

however, also states with healthcare moving at fast pace, employees can have outdated

information thus a learning culture is supported. These aspects highlight the importance of

providing training and career development opportunities during COVID-19 as it can reduce

HR pressures for recruiting new employees and repeating the employee lifecycle again. The

domino effect of this is that organisations can invest this capital into providing new training

and career development opportunities for existing staff and building a learning culture.

4.3 Opportunities are dependent on the industry

The research illustrates industries globally have been impacted by COVID-19 and the extent

of providing training and career development opportunities is dependent on the industry. As

demonstrated in healthcare and retail, the training opportunities presented are vastly different;

orthopaedics saw a decrease in training opportunities however supermarkets trained staff to

meet demands (Agrawal et al, 2020; Harriman et al, 2020; Khan, Williamson & Trompeter,

2021; Megaloikonomos et al, 2020). A similarity across both industries is the aspect of

redeployment to support demand. Whilst there is still a need to consider career development

opportunities, redeployment can be a method of this, however it is not always beneficial

within an organisation to support careers (Faria et al, 2020). That said, a general assumption

for each industry was still inconclusive as each organisation is dependent of the working

conditions, resources and availability (Agrawal et al, 2020; Chanana & Sangeeta, 2020;

Goyal et al, 2020).

The study which Karim, Huda & Khan (2012) undertook pre COVID-19 focused on training

in a Sainsburys store and enabled training to be categorised into skillsets, which can be

beneficial for comparing and contrasting types of data. However, by focusing on only one

store, the small dataset could influence the reliability of the results and is at greater risk of

respondents being coerced into providing expected answers. Although not a direct

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 17

comparison, orthopaedics specifically focused on the need for visual hands-on experiences

for both training and career development, similar to studies from other industries. This

method is supported through the 70:20:10 model, however with government restrictions such

as social distancing, it has limited this method of learning. Therefore, organisations must

adapt and understand how they can deliver opportunities, at the same quality as pre-covid as

training and development is an essential element within this industry. As such, one way is

incorporate the ADDIE model. Whilst Karim, Huda & Khan (2012) take an alternative

approach and incorporate a ‘systematic training model’ into their research, this has many

similarities to ADDIE, particularly with the relevance of evaluation thus highlighted the need

to take a step back and consider the effectiveness of the current training, combined with using

this information to improve future sessions. During COVID-19, other studies including

Harriman et al (2020) drew upon the need for skills-based training in supermarkets, however

in contrast, consumer banks focused on more knowledge-based training (Agrawal et al,

2020). This demonstrates that the content/approaches to opportunities required are different

among various industries, emphasising a ‘one-fits-all’ approach is not desirable.

The differences between industries during COVID-19 reiterates that a standardised approach

to training and career development is not possible. Redeployment of employees has been

present in several industries and this can reflect to both the ELC and ADDIE. During the

development stage of the ELC, App, Merk & Büttgen (2012) assume performance is

increased through learning; whilst redeployment is not an innovate method at this stage,

during the height of the pandemic, this provides employees with the opportunities to explore

new aspects of business operations. Using the ADDIE model is one method organisations can

use so they do not simply replicate competitors’ actions as all organisations experience

different scenarios. In particular, the ‘analyse’ stage ensures key challenges are identified to

produce the best outcomes (Mahoney, 2018). However, Faria et al (2020) demonstrated

theory into practice is not always positive as their studying highlighted redeployment will not

impact future careers. Nonetheless, overriding literature draws upon the need for employees

to be supported during COVID-19, in particular, through an analysis of different industries,

the literature has demonstrated that training is important during COVID-19 to support the

changes employees are experiencing.

A final analysis into this finding has found that during COVID-19, Scandinavian Airlines

interestingly demonstrated the end on the ELC (separation) but equally how they supported

employees in career development. In this case, Scandinavian Airlines laid-off many

employees however recognised employees’ skills, such as basic medical training, as such

they supported individuals by developing a programme to support staff. This retraining

involved a career change from cabin staff to medical assistance to support demand. (Volini et

al, 2020). Whilst the case doesn’t specifically refer to the ADDIE model, when developing

the programme, it again draws upon the key stage on ‘analyse’ of the ADDIE model and the

‘development’ stage of the ELC as Volini et al (2020) identified the skills employees have

and worked on ways to utilise these. This provides another example of the differences

between industries and supports the previous views from Agrawal et al (2020) and Basariya

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 18

& Vasanthis (2018) which consider training opportunities include career development and

reskilling.

Nevertheless, organisations have had to adapt during COVID-19 to support their employees

and attempt to prepare for the unpredictable future. This is important as during COVID-19

organisations must plan ahead, and this requires employees having the right capabilities. For

example, ONS (2020) analysed the impact of the COVID-19 crisis compared to the 2008

recession crisis. It was concluded that COVID-19 had a significantly greater negative impact

on GDP than the recession. Some industries shrunk by 90% for a few months during the

crisis, however in contrast, others recorded growth. Among the dataset, hospitality saw no

output yet other pharmaceuticals, for example chemists saw greater outputs, however for the

customer facing industries, such as hospitality, they did regenerate outputs but were subject

to government restrictions, which are said to influence long term behavioural changes (ONS,

2020). Although it was difficult to plan for the crisis, this is concerning as organisations have

not been prepared for such events. With employees playing a major role in the recovery of a

crisis (Fahed-Sreih, 2018), it is not unsurprising there is a need to focus on them during a

crisis. During COVID-19, employees’ ability to deal with a crisis can be enhanced through

training and development opportunities (Fahed-Sreih, 2018). Organisations should consider

this, alongside the importance of communication to drive a sense of belongingness to

colleagues to support them and enhance job retention. Without providing opportunities during

the COVID-19, this has knock-on impacts to organisations, such as job retention, as

demonstrated in the literature. However, He et al (2020) recognise that employees who feel

supported has a domino effect to feeling confident in the organisation, thus maximising

organisational outputs.

5.0 Conclusion COVID-19 is a global crisis and whilst it has presented challenges worldwide, it is not the

only challenge that organisations face. Through secondary literature, information gathered

allowed for supporting and opposing arguments into the highly relevant, and challenging

topic of training and career development. The purpose of this research was to investigate ‘the

importance of training and career development opportunities during COVID-19’. The

findings illustrated that training and career development is important during COVID-19 as

the pandemic has influenced skills required to complete an employee’s role and opportunities

are dependent on the industry. Furthermore, employees are a critical asset to organisations

and their mindset during COVID-19 must be considered as this can influence training and

career development opportunities. Redeployment of staff demonstrated that theory into

practice does not always bring positive outcomes, with many staff feeling it has not impacted

their future. That said, employees have been impacted by major changes to working

environments, wellbeing, support networks and generational expectations, all contributing to

the purpose of the research. Although separate elements, there is a noteworthy relationship

between training and career development to build both organisation and employee success.

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 19

Nevertheless, it is evident throughout this paper that numerous factors play a role in

understanding the importance of training and career development opportunities during

COVID-19 and whilst these can fluctuate between organisations, it is critical to develop an

understanding to support the workforce and wider business operations.

5.1 Limitations

The main limitation to this research was the method of data collection. Due to time

constraints and legal requirements, only secondary sources were used throughout this paper.

This restricted the depth and content of the research as no primary data was presented.

Although secondary data was collected, as the world continues to deal with COVID-19, there

is lack of literature surrounding the topic which subsequently led to challenges in obtaining

and synthesising evidence. Furthermore, the literature to answer the research question three

which focused on if there was an increase of training and career development opportunities

was vague and subsequently hindered the contribution to answering this research question.

5.2 Implications and Future Research

The paper has demonstrated the importance of considering employees and the impacts of

COVID-19, however, organisations should do more to consider both the ADDIE model and

ELC. Whilst there is not enough concrete evidence to demonstrate the reliability of both, the

finding which demonstrates how an employee’s mindset can be influenced during COVID-19

is particularly relevant to the ELC as it can accelerate the negative stages of the model, such

as separation. The ADDIE model is uncommon among researchers therefore could have been

supported more through experiments, that said, the paper draws upon a similar systematic

training model, suggesting ADDIE has the opportunity to grow. The analysis stage of this

paper describes how both ADDIE and ELC should be used to demonstrate theory into

practice and researchers can use this for developing future comprehensive studies.

Reflecting on the limitations and implications of this study, the paper has opened avenues for

future research. Primary based research should be conducted which includes both quantitative

and qualitative data, particularly with reference to the third research question which focused

on if opportunities had increased. This will allow researchers to gather evidence to support

existing literature and contribute to a strong findings and discussion section whilst providing

value to the academic field. With newer generations supporting the workforce now and, in the

future, it is becoming essential to understand your workforce, so to prepare HRM strategies

further research should also delve deeper into COVID-19 generational impacts, again this can

be through gathering primary data. This paper can also influence future research in the

training and career development field, for example, conducting experiments on the reliability

of both the ADDIE and ELC to investigate the relationship between structured learning and

employee organisational commitment.

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 20

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BU53003 (Student 160012689) 30

7.0 Appendix

Appendix 1

(Singh, 2019)

BU53003 (Student 160012689) 31

Appendix 2

(CIPD, 2015; Johnson, Blackman, & Buick, 2018)