Training Program for Auto Tech
The previous paper that I completed focused on employee engagement. The paper looked at how employee engagement could improve Autotech’s overall performance. Autotech is an innovative company that was developed mainly to solve various issues encountered in the automotive industry. Such issues included: the long wait times while vehicle undergo service, the inconvenience of having to drive all the way to their local dealer just to order a vehicle part or parts among other problems. In this regard, the effort was made to help in the revolutionization of the processes in order to make them more customer friendly. This was particularly achieved through developing a strategic employee engagement action plan in order to get all the personnel involved with our services on the same page and working together so that the process can handle more clients and can run more smoothly. The training of the employees on how to handle different processes was done and therefore this paper focuses on the implementation of the training program for auto tech.
The main reason for the evaluation of the training program is to determine the effectiveness of a particular training program. Once the conduction of the training is complete, the expectations are that the result will be positive and applicable to our company. This end result should be beneficial both for the people who are responsible for the program as well as top management since it will assist them in developing decisions that are both sound and helpful. This process included a large amount of thought along with effective planning. Effective planning is imperative during this process because it facilitates effectiveness throughout our company.
Implementation of an effective training program should take into consideration a number of factors. Consideration of these factors will ensure an effective training program. The factors that have to be considered include the determination of needs, setting of objectives, determination of subject content, selection of all participants, determination of the best schedule, selection of appropriate facilities, selection of appropriate instructors, selection as well as preparation of the audiovisual aids, coordination of the program and finally evaluation of the program. There are three main reasons why the evaluation of the training is important, these reasons include: it helps in justification of the existence as well as the budget required or utilized during the training. This is because, it shows the manner in which the objectives, as well as the goals, are realized (Kirkpatrick, 2009). Moreover, it also helps in finding out whether the process of training should continue or not, this is because once it is determined that the budget outweighs the expected benefits then the training process may be discontinued. It also helps in determining the manner in which training programs should be improved in the future.
There are basically four levels of an effective the training program. The four levels are the reaction level, the learning level, the behavior level, and the result.
Reaction to Training
In this level, the manner in which the employees of Auto Tech react to the training process is measured. This usually targets at determining customer satisfaction. Usually, the reactions of all those who have participated in the training program indicate the measure of customer satisfaction. The reaction of the participants is extremely important as it determines and facilitates learning. The positive reaction also determines the future of the training program. In this regard, it is very important to obtain the reaction of the Auto Tech employees regarding the training program so as to assess whether they are able to embrace the new processor technology (Kirkpatrick, 2009).
Learning
This may be referred to as the extent to which the Auto Tech employees will be able to change their attitudes, improve their knowledge as well as increasing their skills as a result of participating in the training program. Diversity programs aim at modifying the attitudes of the employees. The technical programs that are offered to the employees who participate in the training program focus on the improvement of the skills of the employees. Leadership topics, and motivation exercises may be taught to the employees may help them boost their skills (Nadler, 2012). Communications keisy to any business and the communication skills that will be taught to the Auto Tech employees during the training is essential to aim at the already named factors. Therefore, training will only be effective if certain aspects are achieved, these are the changes in behavior that may be observed among the employees, increase in knowledge and improvement of skills among others. If any of the mentioned aspects take place, then learning is said to have happened.
Training Behavior
This is particularly the way the participants or employees who have participated in the training process change their behavior. Change in behavior may be as a result of attending the training process. However, for any change to occur on a person, the person must be willing to change and the individual has to know what he or she has to do as well as the manner in which they to have to do what has been identified. Additionally, the individual has to work in the right environment that will facilitate the achievement of a particular change. In order to motivate a positive change by an individual, it is also important that the individual who has undergone change to be rewarded in some ways (Nadler, 2012). Rewarding makes an individual feel appreciated and will continue to foster change. The training program has to consider certain aspects in order to achieve the already named, for instance, through the creation of a positive attitude towards the identified as well as teaching the correct knowledge and skills that are required. The job environment may constitute an encouraging environment or a very discouraging environment. This is why it is very important for management to create a positive environment to. However, the creation of a positive environment requires the involvement of the key members of management particularly in the development of the training program.
The Result
This mainly refers to the result achieved after participating in a training program. The results which may be observed after the training may include an increase in production, improvement in quality, decrease in the cost, increase in the sales, reduction in turnover, elimination or reduction in the wait time especially by the clients, and efficiency in the operation. The fair treatment of the employees is also very important.
Evaluation of each aspect is essential and follows particular procedures. For instance, evaluation of the reaction generally involves measurement of customer satisfaction. Favorable training will foster a favorable reaction by the trained employees. Measurement of the reaction is essential as it assists in providing important feedback which can be implemented in the evaluation of the program while at the same time giving important suggestions that may help in the improvement of the future training programs("Innovative Framework for Evaluating Dental Specialization Training Programs: A Local Endodontics Residency Training Program," 2018). The evaluation of the reaction helps to know how effective the program is and how the program can further be improved. The evaluation also guarantees courage to the trainees since they are able to see that the employer has their best interest at heart and that they are there to help them do their job better and effectively. Furthermore, the reaction that is used in the assessment of the reaction may also be used to provide quantitative information that may be used in the establishment of the standards of performance for future training programs.
Evaluation of the behavior involves determining what type of behavior of the employee has changed after the training program. It focuses on determining the amount of knowledge transferred, skills gained as well as the change of attitude that has taken place after the training process. A particular change of job behavior is supposed to be noticed after the training process. When evaluating the behavior, several factors are put into consideration, such factors include time allowance is given to monitoring behavior change, use of the control group, evaluation of the two ends, that is prior and after the training process among other key considerations. Furthermore, the evaluation of the result is also important. Evaluation of the result requires the fulfillment of various aspects or guidelines; such guidelines include the use of the control group were the control group is mainly used to determine other different factors other than the one in consideration that may result in a change. Moreover, measurement of the result is usually considered one of the most difficult steps or processes considering the fact that it is actually impossible to measure a process that is already taking place especially the time to allow the occurrence of the desired change since time is always limited. consideration of the cost as well as the benefits that are expected after the conduction of the training process (Kirkpatrick, 2009). These are only a few of the considerations or aspects which have to be followed when doing, a result evaluation. The Control group is particularly important because the control group is able to pinpoint other different factors besides the training that might also influence the result or the outcome. For instance, in the case of Auto Tech, a control group may be used in a number of ways. Let’s take a look at some of these methods.
The use of the control group can be effective if different salespersons are selling the same product in different parts of the world, in this regard, the new salesperson may be in one place but not in another. The training program has to effectively make a comparison of an event before the training process and also after the training process is important because it helps in determining if there any improvement or change that is taking place during the training process. The determination will be shown by the differences that are to be recorded after the comparison (Kirkpatrick, 2009). The differences will determine whether there is an increase or decrease during or after the training program. However, allowance of time is also important since enough time is given for any change to emerge. Once the issue emerges, it then becomes a bit easier in dealing with the issue identified and the person does not have trouble dealing with the identified issues.
Evaluation of the before and after the implementation of the training program.
Evaluation that is carried out before a given program is important because prior evaluation brings out the picture of the process that the government has to focus on. Evaluation of the after-training process is also very imperative. This will help in measuring if there are really any changes that have taken place. Furthermore, the measurement also fixes helps us to understand the extent to which a particular training process has achieved. In general, after training assessment, it is generally important to do the after-training evaluation to determine or do a self-assessment. The changes that are likely to be checked include if there is an increase in knowledge, skills as well as the attitude of the individual. The change in all these is due to the fact that the training program as either effective or ineffective.
After the first round of an effective evaluation of the training program, it is also important that the training process is repeated again. The repetition of the evaluation process is necessary because it will ensure that all other factors that could have been left out or not considered by the first round are taken into consideration. Furthermore, reevaluation is also imperative because not all employees are able to immediately change their behavior after just the first training process or the second evaluation. A comprehensive assessment will take into consideration all other emerging issues.in this and, it is important to conduct the re-evaluation process on time (Evaluating Training Programs: Development and Correlates of the Questionnaire for Professional Training Evaluation, 2013). On-time re-evaluation is mandatory because other employees might not be changing their behavior after the first assessment, others might be backsliding back to the old behavior and other employees may need more time in order to undergo any change. However, in order to attain reliable results, it is important for the evaluation to be carried out several times.
References
Evaluating Training Programs: Development and Correlates of the Questionnaire for Professional Training Evaluation. (2013).
An Innovative Framework for Evaluating Dental Specialization Training Programs: A Local Endodontics Residency Training Program. (2018). Journal of Oral & Dental Health, 2(2). DOI:10.33140/jodh/02/02/00007
Kirkpatrick, D. L. (2009). Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels. Sydney, Australia: ReadHowYouWant.com.
Nadler, Z. (2012). Designing Training Programs. doi:10.4324/9780080503974