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Developing Employees

Human Resources Management and Supervision

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Develop Employees

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Why Employee Development?

Employees require all skills needed for the job

A skill gap is the difference between the skills an employee presently has and the skills that are needed.

There are several ways that managers can learn about skill gaps

Personal observation. Reports by supervisors. Reports or complaints by other workers, customers, or

vendors. Routine performance evaluations.

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Why Employee Development?

Advanced skills can increase productivity.

Employees need different knowledge and skills. Changes in equipment or procedures may be made.

New governmental regulations may be mandated.

Employees desire different jobs.

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Employee Development Programs

These can be formal or informal programs.

They can and should involve all employees.

The responsibility for employee development rests with the operation, the supervisor, and the employee; however, the employee carries most of the responsibility for his or her development.

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Employee Development Process

Identify developmental goals.

Determine how to make improvements.

Evaluate the results.

Exhibit 7b on page 153 shows the steps of the employee development process

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Employee Development Planning Meeting

What—meeting to plan employee development goals and how they will be achieved

When—in conjunction with, but separate from, an employee’s performance review

How—a planned series of steps

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Development Planning Meeting Process

Identify time frame.

Discuss developmental needs.

Create list of developmental goals.

Discuss learning styles.

Select developmental methods.

Set review/ completion date.

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Preparing and Starting Employee Development Planning Meetings

Meet in a quiet and private place.

Have a clear agenda, collect data about the employee’s developmental needs, and use an outline.

State that you want to help the employee to improve.

Consider a time frame for development.

Listen to the employee’s needs and concerns.

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An Employee DevelopmentPlanning Meeting

Being prepared for and sincerely interested in helping the employee to improve will help to assure a successful meeting.

Refer to page 155 of the text

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Discussion Topics in Goal-Setting Session

Current work assignments and required knowledge and skills

Current skills and knowledge of the employee

Corrective actions, if any, that are needed

Employee’s career plans, and the skills and knowledge required to meet his/her goals

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Types of Developmental Goals

To attain a skill or knowledge

To improve a skill or attitude Skills – Intellectual or physical actions that help

accomplish a goal.

Knowledge – Information stored in a person’s mind, such as facts, concepts, rules and procedures

Attitudes – Feelings about facts or situations that influence behaviors, such as liking to help people or disliking being interrupted

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Setting Employee Development Goals

Each employee’s goals will likely be unique, but they should support the operation’s overall goals.

Managers can help staff establish personal and professional goals and to align them correctly.

Goals can be agreed upon formally (in writing) or informally (verbal statement/agreement)

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Determining Opportunities for Development

Within the operation, including general and cross-training

Opportunities within the community

Formal education programs Trade/professional association resources

Community library materials

Internet resources

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Establishing and Implementing the Development Plan

The supervisor-employer agreement must address The plan’s time frame and goals

Method(s) for development

How the method(s) will be monitored and measured

The supervisor and employee should meet as agreed to discuss progress and provide feedback.

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Employee Development Method—Cross-Training

Step 1 – Prepare a list of important skills in each job.

Step 2 – Identify the employees to be cross-trained.

Step 3 – Implement cross-training opportunities.

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Employee Development Method—Cross-Training

1. A training plan, job analysis, and/or job descriptions can help to establish the foundation for a cross-training plan.

2. Remember that equal opportunity guidelines apply when moving an employee into an different position and/or cross-training him/her to do so.

3. An individual cross-training plan should be based upon an employee’s previous training.

4. Recognize that productivity may be lower during cross-training, and that the trainer must be taught how to train the employee.

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Employee Development Method—Coaching

Managers who coach, commit to helping their employees improve

Observe work behavior. Analyze work behavior. Describe behavior and consequences. Listen to employee’s side. Give feedback. Develop alternative corrections. Select correction to utilize. Set completion/review date.

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The Coaching Process

Addresses performance behaviors rather than personal traits

Is needed for all hourly employees— not just those aspiring to supervisory positions

Provides feedback, makes suggestions for changes, and helps the employee to improve

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Other Employee Development Methods

Apprenticeship

Informal learning

Job rotation

Mentoring

On-the-job training (OJT)

External training/education

Self-study

Special projects

Temporary assignments

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Employee Development Programs Can Be Ineffective

Managers must confront the challenge of determining whether retraining will successfully address a specific problem.

Seldom does a single event or developmental program move an employee all the way to the final goal. More typically, several feedback and planning sessions must be conducted during multiple improvement periods.

It is difficult to modify attitudes.

Training may not overcome physical capabilities and aptitudes.

Some people cannot learn certain things.

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Key Term Review

• Attitudes —feelings about facts or situations that influence behaviors

• Coaching —process of helping employees grow by providing advice and feedback on an individual basis

• Cross-training —employee development method through which employees learn a job related to their own

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Key Term Review

• Developmental goals —goals that describe the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that must be gained or improved to eliminate or reduce a performance gap

• Employee development goals —same as development goals

• Employee development process —process to develop employees that involves identifying developmental goals, determining how to make improvements, and evaluating the results

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Key Term Review continued

• Employment development program —organized series of actions intended to reduce a gap in an employee’s skills, knowledge, or attitudes

• Employee goals —goals that focus on an employee’s personal issues beyond job performance

• Employee performance goals —goals that focus on the tasks that an employee must be able to perform as part of the job

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Key Term Review continued

• Knowledge —information stored in a person’s mind such as facts, concepts, rules, and procedures

• Skill gap —gap between the skills an employee presently has and the skills that are needed

• Skills —intellectual or physical actions that help accomplish a goal