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Special Issues in Training and Employee

Development

Special Issues in Training and Employee

Development

ObjectivesAfter reading this chapter, you should

be able to:

1. Discuss the potential legal issues that relate to training.

2. Develop a program for effectively managing diversity.

3. Design a program for preparing employees for cross-cultural assignments.

4. Discuss the implications of a skill-based pay plan for training.

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Objectives (continued)

5. Discuss what a trainer needs to do to ensure that school-to-work and hardcore unemployed training programs are effective.

6. Describe the necessary steps in a program for helping dysfunctional managers.

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Introduction

Trainers are often forced to deal with a wide variety of important issues that fall outside of the traditional discussion of the components of instructional systems design.

Tucker Technology has decided to hire hardcore unemployed workers (who are trained by community service organizations) because it can not find and retain talented individuals in the labor market.

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Introduction (continued)

External environmental pressures influence training practices:Legal issues related to training

practicesCross-cultural preparationDiversity trainingSchool-to-work programsHardcore-unemployed training

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Introduction (continued)

The company’s internal environment results in pressures which influence training practices:The need to train managerial talentTraining and development opportunities

for all employees (regardless of their personal characteristics)

Use of the company’s compensation system to motivate employees to learn

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Training Issues Resulting from the External Environment:

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Legal Issues

Cross-Cultural Preparation

Managing Work Force Diversity

School-to-Work Transition

Welfare-to-Work Programs

Training Situations That May Result in Legal Action:

Employee injury during a training activity

Employees or others injured outside the training session

Breach of confidentiality or defamation Reproducing and using copyrighted

material in training classes without permission

Excluding women, minorities, and older Americans from training programs

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Training Situations That May Result in Legal Action: (continued)

Not ensuring equal treatment while in training

Requiring employees to attend training programs they find offensive

Revealing discriminatory information during a training session

Not accommodating trainees with disabilities

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Cross-Cultural Preparation

Cross-cultural preparation involves educating employees and their families who are to be sent to a foreign country.

To successfully conduct business in the global market place, employees must understand the business practices and the cultural norms of different countries.

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Types of Employees in Global Companies

Parent-country national: Employee whose country of origin is where the company has its headquarters

Host-country national: Employee from the host country

Third-country national: Employee who has a country of origin different from both the parent country and host country where he or she works

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Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Power Distance Uncertainty Avoidance Individualism –

Collectivism Masculinity – Femininity Long-term – Short-term

Time Orientation

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To prepare employees for cross-cultural assignments, companies need to provide cross-cultural training.

Content of Training Programs

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Language Training

Cultural Training

Personal and Family Life

Career Development and

Mentoring

Key Elements Needed to Prepare

Employees to Work

Overseas

Key Elements Needed to Prepare

Employees to Work

Overseas

International Training and Development

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International Trainingand Development

International Trainingand Development

Pre-DepartureOrientation and

Training

Pre-DepartureOrientation and

Training

ContinuingEmployee

Development(on-site)

ContinuingEmployee

Development(on-site)

ReadjustmentTraining andDevelopment

ReadjustmentTraining andDevelopment

Training is necessary for the phases of the international assignment: Pre-departure Phase. Employees need to

receive language training and an orientation in the new country’s culture and customs. The family should be included in the

orientation. Expatriates and their families need information

about housing, schools, recreation, shopping, and health care facilities in the area where they will live.

Experiential training methods are most effective in assignments that require significant interpersonal interaction with host nationals.

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Training is necessary for the phases of the international assignment: (continued)

On-site Phase. Training involves continued orientation to the host country and its customs and cultures through formal programs or through a mentoring relationship.Expatriates and their families may be

paired with a mentor from the host country who helps them understand the new, unfamiliar work environment and community.

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Training is necessary for the phases of the international assignment: (continued)

Repatriation Phase. Prepares expatriates for return to the parent company and country from the foreign assignment.Expatriates and their families are

likely to experience high levels of stress and anxiety when they return because of the changes that have occurred since their departure.

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Implications of Cultural Dimensions for Training Design:

Cultural Dimension Implications

Individualism Culture high in individualism expects participation in exercises and questioning to be determined by status in the company or culture.

Uncertainty Avoidance Culture high in uncertainty avoidance expects formal instructional environments. Less tolerance for impromptu style.

Masculinity Culture low in masculinity values relationships with fellow trainees. Female trainers less likely to be resisted in low-masculinity cultures.

Power Distance Culture high in power distance expects trainer to be expert. Trainers expected to be authoritarian and controlling of session.

Time Orientation Culture with long-term orientation will have trainees who are likely to accept development plans and assignments.

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The goals of diversity training are: To eliminate values, stereotypes, and

managerial practices that inhibit employees’ personal development

To allow employees to contribute to organizational goals regardless of their race, age, physical condition, sexual orientation, gender, family status, religious orientation, or cultural background.

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How Managing Cultural Diversity Can Provide Competitive Advantage1. Cost argument As organizations become more diverse, the cost of

a poor job in integrating workers will increase.Those who handle this well will thus create cost advantages over those who don’t.

2. Resource-acquisition argument

Companies develop reputations on favorability as prospective employers for women and minorities.Those with the best reputations for managing diversity will be the most attractive employers for women and minority groups.An important edge in a tight labor market.

3. Marketing argument The insight and cultural sensitivity that members with roots in other countries bring to the marketing effort should improve these efforts in important ways.

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How Managing Cultural Diversity Can Provide Competitive Advantage (continued)4. Creativity argument Diversity of perspectives and less emphasis on

conformity to norms of the past should improve the level of creativity.

5. Problem-solving argument

Heterogeneity in decisions and problem-solving groups potentially produces better decisions through a wider range of perspectives and more through critical analysis of issues.

6. System flexibility argument

An implication of the multicultural model for managing diversity is that the system will become less determinant, less standardized, and therefore more fluid.The increased fluidity should create greater flexibility to react to environmental changes (i.e., reactions should be faster and cost less).

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Cycle of disillusionment resulting from managing diversity through adherence to legislation:

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Minorities and Women Leave the Organization

Organizational Status Quo

Problem Identification

Action Relaxation

FrustrationDisillusionment

To successfully manage a diverse work force, companies need to ensure that: Employees understand how their values

and stereotypes influence their behavior toward others of different gender, ethnic, racial, or religious backgrounds.

Employees gain an appreciation of cultural differences among themselves.

Behaviors that isolate or intimidate minority group members improve.This can be accomplished through diversity training programs!

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Diversity Training Programs

Diversity training refers to training designed to change employee attitudes about diversity and/or developing skills needed to work with a diverse work force.

Diversity training programs differ whether attitude change or behavior change is emphasized.

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Diversity Training Programs (continued)

Attitude Awareness and Change ProgramsFocus on increasing employees’ awareness

of differences in cultural and ethnic backgrounds, physical characteristics, and personal characteristics that influence behavior toward others.

The assumption is that by increasing their awareness of stereotypes and beliefs, employees will be able to avoid negative stereotypes.

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Diversity Training Programs (continued)

Behavior-Based Programs Focus on changing the organizational policies

and individual behaviors that inhibit employees’ personal growth and productivity.

One approach is to identify incidents that discourage employees from working up to their potential.

Another approach is to teach managers and employees basic rules of behavior in the workplace.

Cultural immersion is also used.

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Characteristics of Successful Diversity Efforts:

Top management provides resources, personally intervenes, and publicly advocates diversity.

The program is structured. Capitalizing on a diverse work force is

defined as a business objective. Capitalizing on a diverse work force is

seen necessary to generate revenue and profits.

The program is evaluated.

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Characteristics of Successful Diversity Efforts: (continued)

Manager involvement is mandatory. The program is seen as a culture change,

not a one-shot program. Managers and demographic groups are

not blamed for problems. Behaviors and skills needed to

successfully interact with others are taught.

Managers are rewarded on progress toward meeting diversity goals.

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School-to-Work Transition

School-to-work transition programs combine classroom experiences with work experiences to prepare high school students for employment.

School-to-Work Opportunities Act encourages partnerships between educational institutions, employers, and labor unions. Every school-to-work system required to

include work-based learning, school-based learning, and activities that match students with employers.

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Training’s Role in Welfare-to-Work Programs

There are two methods for training welfare recipients.The first model involves government

agencies referring welfare recipients to a company-sponsored training program subsidized with money and tax credits from the government.

The second method is for state and local governments to provide life and skills training directly to welfare recipients.

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Training’s Role in Welfare-to-Work Programs

Example: Marriott International’s Pathways to Independence Program

Six-week program consists of classroom training and work sessions in Marriott properties.

Applicants must have a sixth grade reading level, pass a drug test, and demonstrate a desire to work. Less than 25 percent of applicants are

accepted Participants often need to develop both job

skills and life management skills to succeed.

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Training Issues Related to Internal Needs of the Company:

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Basic Skills Training Melting the Glass Ceiling

Joint Union-Management Programs

Succession Planning

Developing Managers with Dysfunctional

BehaviorsTraining and Pay Systems

Deloitte & Touche’s Recommendations for Melting the Glass Ceiling: Make sure that senior management

supports and is involved in the program. Make a business case for change. Make the change public. Using task forces, focus groups, and

questionnaires, gather data on problems causing the glass ceiling.

Create awareness of how gender attitudes affect the work environment.

Create accountability through reviews of promotion rates and assignment decisions.

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Joint Union-Management Programs

Provide a wide range of services designed to help employees learn skills that are directly related to their job.

Develop skills that are “portable” – i.e., valuable to employers in other companies or industries.

Both employers and unions contribute money to run the programs and both oversee their operation.

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Joint Union-Management Programs (continued)

Example: The United Auto Workers – Ford Education Development and Training ProgramLife / Education Planning ProgramEducation and Training Assistance PlanSkills Enhancement ProgramCollege and University Options ProgramTargeted Education, Training, or

CounselingRetirement Planning ProgramFinancial Education Program

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