BUS407 Training And Development

Introduction

PrimeLine is a promotional products company that has been in business since 1980. In late 2017, the company was merged with imprintable apparel company alphabroder (Primelineenergy.com, 2018). While each company has multiple locations, the individual buildings are ultimately responsible for the training and development of its employees. Employees at PrimeLine’s location in Lewisberry, PA have been feeling lost and frustrated since the merge. Production has been down and the quality of those products has decreased.  PrimeLine’s management team is concerned not only about the loss of revenue that unhappy employees bring, but are also worried that retaining those employees will become difficult. After speaking with the manager, it was requested that I work with PrimeLine to determine the best reactive and proactive solutions to retain talent and increase morale and productivity, and reduce further financial loss.

Analysis

From analyzing the case of PrimeLine Company it has been gathered that there are certain human resource management based issues that needs major training and development elements (Zha, Adams, Calcagno?Roach & Stringham, 2017). These will focus on enhancing performance of the small business of PrimeLine. To analyze the issues faced and need for training in an effective manner, ADDIE process and TNA or Training Needs Analysis is carried out based on the company’s performance. These evaluation techniques will facilitate in identifying training gaps and explaining the ways in which training can facilitate in addressing them. ADDIE analysis for PrimeLine is conducted under:

• Analyze: It is gathered that the employees are unclear about the new policies and changes that to place in the company after the merger (Zha, Adams, Calcagno?Roach & Stringham, 2017). The training process will consider developing knowledge sharing programs for training employees on new work processes.
• Design: Hands-on training techniques such as cross-training, demonstrations and coaching will be used by the company in to train employees on new systems, processes and work culture of PrimeLine after the merger (Zha, Adams, Calcagno?Roach & Stringham, 2017).
• Development: The training course will be developed through use of new equipment along with using coaching techniques through video representation or explaining all new changes to them in a session.
• Implement: After deciding the structure of the training pan, it will be implemented and feedback will be gathered regarding its success. The training pan will be implemented through answering questions, suggesting effective work process along with correcting their errors and guiding them towards goals.
• Evaluation: The effectiveness of the training plan will be analyzed through attaining employee feedback and through analyzing whether all its employees are satisfied and working towards making successful contribution to the company (com, 2018).

TNA analysis is carried under below

Potential Challenges

After the merger PrimeLine Company expected better quality production and competitive advantages through shared skills. The values and commitment towards attaining common organizational goals to ensure future growth was to be ensured by this merger decision. However, such expectations were observed to have a gap due to increased human resource management issues. Employees at PrimeLine’s location in Lewisberry are feeling lost and are becoming demotivated and frustrated at work after the merger (Primelineenergy.com, 2018). This resulted in decreased production and the quality of products manufactured was also affected. The company’s management team is becoming concerned regarding its increasing revenue loss that was because of demodulated employees along with the ways in which they can deal with the issue of decreased retention rate (Armstrong & Landers, 2018). If such concerns are not addressed PrimeLine might fail to maintain its suitable position in the industry and this can also contribute to business failure to high employee turnover and poor consumer service.

Effects of Detecting Organizational Gaps

The organizational gaps those are identified above are observed to have several drastic impacts on the employee and organizational performance in PrimeLine. One of these gaps is decreased employee morale and demotivating workplace environment. This gap is deemed to have drastic impacts of quality product manufacturing and can lead to poor business practices and procedures.

Another gap that is revealed is high employee turnover and low rate of retention which can impose drastic effects on the company’s business performance. A gap also exist in retaining staff having suitable blend of personality, skills and motivation needed for the changed job role after merger that has decreased employee morale and productivity (Armstrong & Landers, 2018). This gap can lead to decreased availability of skills and experience needed by people in organizations for enhancing productivity. Moreover, it can also result in improper maintenance of balance between company culture, remuneration and incentive structure followed in PrimeLine.

Competitive Training Strategy

Agenda Activities

After considering the human resource issued faced by Primeline after merger and the effects of such gap on the performance of the organization have necessities implementation of a suitable competitive training strategy. This can facilitate in improving the organizations’ position in the market through improving employee morale and productivity. In the agenda activities of this training strategy a “TNA” will be the first goal that needs to be accomplished (Armstrong & Landers, 2018). This will focus on determining if there is any training or non-training issues which are required to be addressed. In this activity approach it will be vital to offer job aids, practice with coaching, job redesigning, transfer or termination.  Moreover, succession planning in consideration to organizational analysis will facilitate in supporting the training department d get the organization to move in right path.

Rationale for Instructional Strategies

In developing this new training program proposed, the company must consider encompassing modularization along with stimulated testing (Asfaw, Argaw & Bayissa, 2015). A blended curriculum is deemed to be best applicable for training program in order to enhance the business position of PrimeLine. Web-based learning, testing, modules, jobs support along with testing will be employed together n making the training strategy highly successful. In addition, positive reinforcement such as coaching and praise will also facilitate in increasing self-efficiency of the organization’s employees. The rationale for implementing this proposed training strategy is to enhance employee morale through transforming their change resistance behavior to highly motivated behavior. In ensuring such change, PrimeLine Company’s training program must consider the strategy of role playing (Asfaw, Argaw & Bayissa, 2015). In this strategy the manager will play the part of the consumer and instruct and guide employees the proper manner in which they can interact with consumers. This can facilitate them in understanding anticipated consumer expectations from its products and services.

Return on Investment

After implementation of the proposed training program, the return on investment (ROI) that can be attained by PrimeLine includes long lasting employees that in return can also bring benefits of cost savings on learning and development. Reduced turnover is also another effective return on investment (Armstrong & Landers, 2018). In addition, with suitable implementation of the training program the consumers are more likely to stay with the Cenlar FSB and will also not get lost in the competition. Moreover, other positive return on investment will also include decreasing issues of poor attendance along with employee morale getting restored in the company. The training strategy that will be implemented will facilitate in attaining the educational goal set by PrimeLine Company such as teaching a new skill long with updating employees on changes that took place in company policies after the merger (Asfaw, Argaw & Bayissa, 2015).

Summary

The objective of the paper was to develop an effective competitive training strategy for PrimeLine Company through recognizing the gaps that exist in employee management and performance after its merger strategy implementation. It is gathered that “TNA” will be the first goal that needs to be accomplished in the training strategy. This will focus on determining if there is any training or non-training issues which are required to be addressed. Moreover, this strategy implementation the return on investment (ROI) that can be attained by PrimeLine includes long lasting employees that in return can also bring benefits of cost savings on learning and development

References

Armstrong, M. B., & Landers, R. N. (2018). Gamification of employee training and development. International Journal of Training and Development, 22(2), 162-169.

Asfaw, A. M., Argaw, M. D., & Bayissa, L. (2015). The impact of training and development on employee performance and effectiveness: A case study of District Five Administration Office, Bole Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies, 3(04), 188.

Primelineenergy.com (2018). Retrieved from https://www.primelineenergy.com/assets/docs/fs/fy2016fs.pdf.

Zha, S., Adams, A. H., Calcagno?Roach, J. M., & Stringham, D. A. (2017). An Examination on the Effect of Prior Knowledge, Personal Goals, and Incentive in an Online Employee Training Program. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 29(4), 35-46