Designing Effective Training Programs - University of Phoenix (HR Class) assignment for addressing the secret of designing an effective training program

Essay by srehleUniversity, Master'sA+, March 2002

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Abstract

The plight of companies across the United States today is not a result of improperly employing technology and processes, but of finding qualified and trained employees. Getting employees to do things right means taking the time to train them properly so that they understand what needs to be done, how to do it, and why it should be done. Effective training, however, involves more than simply providing information. The best way to motivate and change behavior is to use a variety of proven techniques. This paper will discuss the strategy needed for designing effective training programs. Additionally, this paper will introduce a seven-step approach, which will assure a successful training program.

Designing Effective Training Programs

The lyrics of a popular song from the sixties include a line that seems as appropriate now as it did then "The times, they are a-changing'." They are indeed changing. A shifting national birthrate, medical advances, technological advances, and a host of other factors are changing the fabric of our society.

Our current population is considerably different from the one that existed in the first half of this century. Among other things, this population is older, more educated, and possesses a very different set of expectations about the quality of work and life that it will enjoy. Changes in our population are reflected in changes in our work force, so the workforce itself has changed. Its composition, structure, and values have been notably altered.

For example, the work force contains a much higher percentage of female workers. And increasingly, greater numbers of women and other minorities are reaching positions of authority that were once deemed inaccessible. Workers also expect more humane treatment from employers. Indeed, many workers are demanding a participatory role in management of their organizations. These and many other fundamental changes have...