Importance Of Effective Learning & Development Solutions For Organizations

1. Explain the importance of effective learning and development solutions to build an organization's capability, strategy, planning, and development and identify the factors that may impinge on the allocation of resources.

2. Recognize a range of assessment and evaluation methods including conducting a learning needs analysis which takes account of how people learn.

3. Define and evaluate the current theories and models of learning and development solutions

4. Evaluate the learning and development practitioners' role in design & implementation of L&D solutions to support the appropriate organizational culture; thorough understanding of behavior & performance. )

Motivation and Value of Employees

1. There are many benefits of an effective learning within an organization. In this modern 21^st scenario one of the most important aspects is the organizational change. As soon as a change is introduced there are several harmful effects on the psyche of the employees. They suffer from several fans like job insecurity like loss of job, reduced chances of promotion and many other such fears. So, there is a chance that the performance of the employees might get affected (Anderson 2016). They might suffer from tensions and depressions. In order to manage these problems, there is the utmost need for effective learning and development solutions. This will help in training the employees in a proper way and also formulate the goals, strategies, and objectives of the organization.

The employees might often suffer from a low confidence or lack of the correct knowhow for any particular work. A thorough corporate learning and development will be helpful for the employees to gain good training. They will be able to enrich their skills and knowledge in all the aspects possible. This will also help in maintaining proper consistency among the employees. If the employees are treated respectfully by their organization then they will give in all their efforts to take the organization to sky high limits.

Quality and productively both are the two important pillars of the success of an organization. In order to maintain both at the same pace, the organization has to make sure that they are encouraging and motivating their employees (Hosking and Anderson 2018). This can be done by initiating an effective learning and development method. This will help the employees to regain their lost confidence and they will be able to perform properly. This will help in increasing efficiency among the employees.

An organization has to remember that the employees are their most essential assets. They have to be retained under all circumstances. The effective learning and development program will help the employees to feel more satisfied within the organization and there will be fewer turnovers.

This is one of the most effective methods of teaching and evaluation. This method is one of the most useful methods as it helps in benefiting both the trainer (teacher) and the employees (students) as well. Taking regular feedback is one of the most important methods in initiating an effective learning and development program (Stouten, Rousseau and De Cremer 2018). It is the duty of the managers and the other superiors of the organization to collect feedback on a day to day basis. This will help the faculty or the trainer to know about the changes or the improvement that is taking place within the employees. This will help them in taking all the necessary steps for making the learning process even more effective.

Outcome assessment is another important method of evaluating the learning and development process. Assessing the students is one of the important strategies to check if the students are being actually benefitted out of the teaching. In the context of managing organizational change it is really very important to assess the behavior or the attitude of the employees after they have taken the seminars or the specialized training.

Increased Productivity and Quality

If it is seen that the employees are no longer hesitant in accepting the changes and can accept them without any fear. If there are no negative effects on the performance of the employees it signifies that the employees have been successful in the assessments and it is, in turn, a success for the faculty as well. On the other hand, if the employees perform poorly in the assessments then the faculties have to make some changes or upgradations in the current training process. They can do it by bringing some other specialized trainers or using some modern technological methods.

This is one of the most important and easiest methods to assess the improvement of the students or the employees after taking the training and the different teachings. However, this method can be successful only when there are a good understanding and a good rapport between the trainers and the students or the employees. This might also make the students fall in some unwanted situations. In order to avoid this, the trainers have to use the modern in-class activities and the tools like in class response keypads and others.

This is the theory that helps in evaluating the change in the behavior of the students or the employees. This model has invented B.F. Skinner. He has published many books and journals in order to show the different changes that take place within an individual after being subjected to many different kinds of behavioral conditions.

This is the theory that talks about the effect of certain consequences over the behavior of the students or individuals. There are several consequences seen among the students or the employees after they are getting a certain kind of praise or appreciation.

The instructors or the managers keep their employees motivated by praising them or giving them a very good comment after seeing their performance during the training. This is seen to have a very good result on the employee behavior. The employees have been encouraged and maintained a very good performance in the later parts of their training courses.

This is another important model for effective learning and development. This helps the teachers or the faculties in understanding what is going on within the minds of his students. This is the method where the faculty or the instructors will keep a strict eye upon the mindset of the students. In other words, the teachers or the trainers will keep a close check on how the students are analyzing each and every matter that is coming in front of them. In other words, the managers and the trainers will have to give the proper chance and proper exposure to their employee so that they can utilize the creative aspects of their mind.

 The employees must be given the freedom of choice and they must not always be blind under very rigid rules and regulations. This will help the employees to utilize their previous experiences and find out new and innovative ideas for dealing with the current issue.

Reduced Turnover

4. The practitioners and the instructors will have to take all the responsibility of shaping the mindset of the employees. The company will have to hire the experts so that they can take various sessions, workshops, and seminars in order to teach the employees about the usefulness of organizational change. The trainers' have to keep in mind that the already existing employees of the organization might suffer from several fears and tensions regarding the changes that are taking place in the company (Czaja and Sharit 2016).

They might feel that they are no longer being valued within the organization and the new changes will threaten their positions. So the trainers will have to play the role of a guide, philosopher and coach. The trainer will also have to pay close attention to the behaviors of the employees in such cases. They will have to make sure that the employees are not losing their confidence. They will have to make the employees understand the need for the changes and how accepting the changes will be benefitting them and the entire organization as a whole.

The training session, for a small group of new managers in a business with which you are familiar, to support their ability to manage change in their organization.   In order to complete the practical assessment, you will need to undertake the following tasks:

 Choose an organization with which you are familiar to work on. CHOSEN ORGANISATION IS SAINSBURYS

• Research change management skills for managers.  Devise a 15-minute training session for your fellow students, to support their ability to manage change.

It is important for the leaders to always listen to the advice that after being given by the front line managers. This is because for a change to be successfully implemented the managers and its leaders will have to take into account each and every factor right from the beginning. This is because the front line managers are the ones who have a real connection with the clients. They face all the customer complaints and make take a note for each and everything. So, it is the front managers who are aware of what is actually wrong within the organization and what is the exact change that is needed within the organization.

It is the duty of the managers to make sure that they are being able to maintain the right attitude towards the different changes taking place within the organization. This is because as soon as a change is initiated there will be some employees accepting the change whereas some who will be rejecting the same. So, it is also a known fact that there will be some losers and some winners. The managers and the change management practitioners will have to deal with the entire situation patiently. They will have to make sure that that they are keeping their own ego under check and handling the situation properly.

Me: Hello guys. I have been appointed as your trainer and I will be conducting some sessions with you all. I know that there are several issues taking place in this organization. It is also a normal reason for fear for you all. I would like to ensure you that I am with you in this and I will help you to overcome these changes.

Assessment and Evaluation Methods

Employee 1- We do not want any kind of changes. We need a job security. We have been working here for so long.

Employee 2- This is totally ridiculous. This is really unexpected of the management. We have been working so hard all these years and now they are about to dismiss us and recruit new workers. W cannot accept this at all.

Me-I understand. I agree with all of you.  However, at the same time, they have to realize that the modern day scenario is an age of innovation and changes. No organization can survive without proper changes. In this modern market system, the price is rising at a very rapid rate. It is really becoming tough for the company to maintain the business cost.

I realize that all of you are quite angry at this point in time. You can trust me on this. I will always be there to listen to all your questions and doubts patiently. You all need to know that you are really valued within this organization.

The organization could not have been able to reach such heights if it was not for you all. I would also like to thank the hard work and the efforts that have been put forward by each one of you.

Employee 3- What is the use of putting in all these efforts if we are to be thrown out of the company.

Me- Nothing like this will happen. The company will make sure that there are some or the other alternative job posts where the existing employees can be placed. Even if the fresher are recruited they will always stay under the guidance of you all.

They will have to understand that no one is coming here to snatch your importance from you all. You will be important to the company like every other time.

I will always be there to help you with any kind of support that you need. There will be employee forums. You can come up to me and talk about anything that worries you.

• The training session should meet specific learning outcomes, established by conducting a learning needs analysis with your fellow students.

3) Your objective should be to increase their knowledge and skills in this area.  It is important that the session is interactive.  You should use appropriate training methods and resources in the delivery of your session.  The session should be effectively evaluated with your fellow students as the learners.

I have used the assessment test method. After explaining the entire concept of organizational change to the employees have tried to subject them to many tests. I have asked them to take many written tests in order to know if there has been some change in their attitude or their behavior towards the concept of organizational change.

I have also used the direct questioning method by asking questions to the learners. I felt that this method will really be very useful as it will help me to know what exactly is going on within the minds of the employees. I thought this method will go on side by side along with the learning sessions or the classes.I have also used the method of appointing the existing employees and the newly recruited employees in some mock projects or test project works in order to see if they can mix with one another freely.

Theories and Models of Learning and Development Solutions

4) Critically Evaluate whether the learning outcomes have been met.  This should be done in two ways – firstly, by checking with learners at the end of the session.

I think that the outcome has been a good success because I could see significant changes in the attitude and behavior of the employees. I saw that the existing employees were really trying to overcome their fear of being replaced. They tried to help out the fresher and work together in order to achieve a successful outcome. As a result of this, I realized that the teaching session has really been very successful.   However, there were some problems with the direct questioning method. This is because I was becoming impatient and impulsive in order to interact with the students. So right in the very first session, I started asking the learners questions about the lessons being taught. This was really very tough for the learners. They needed some more time to develop a rapport or a connection with me.

I have also made sure that the learners are able to share their feedback with me regarding the sessions that have been undertaken. I have always tried to make sure that the learners are being able to share all their concerns with me. I have always asked them to be very honest with me and make sure that they are also talking about all the errors or mistakes that I might have made during the teaching sessions.

 Secondly, by summarising your evaluation

Formative assessment:  In order to design your session, you will need to carry out the following tasks.

 Research the various methods that could be used when conducting a learning/ training needs analysis (such as ADDIE).  

I consider this to be one of the most important stages. It is a step where the need for the training or the session is analyzed. Talking about the goal or the main motif of the training session is really very important in this process of effective learning. Some of the common questions are

• Why are we doing this?
• What is the main motto of this training?
• What do the managers expect out of this training?
• I had to explain this to all the employees that this session will help them deal with all kinds of organizational changes taking place at Sainsbury’s. In order to meet with the increasing demands and the price rise, the company has to dismiss some workers and also recruit some fresher within their organization.

This is also one of the important stages where one creates the blueprint or the rough idea for carrying this teaching lesson. This is done in order to move forward with a well-organized step by step approach. This rough plan will also help the trainer to discuss the importance of this meeting with the managers and the other stakeholders as well.

This is the stage where the main content of the session has to be developed. I have added some statistics, graphics and other useful information in order to make the content very engaging. This has really helped me to attract the attention of the learners.

This is really one of the most essential steps because none of the teaching methods are successful without proper feedback. It is at this step that I have taken important feedbacks from the student or the learners in order to see if the teaching has actually been helpful for them.

The last but not the least is an evaluation. After completing the entire teaching session I had to evaluate or measure the actual outcome of this method. The goal of this training was to make the existing employees feel comfortable with the new organizational changes. So, I had to evaluate if the goal of the training was met properly or not. I also took feedbacks from all the employees so that I get to know about the success of the session that has been conducted.

Formulate appropriate learning outcomes.  These should be constructed using the standard format.

• To help the employees understand the need for change
• To make the employees feel valued within the organization
• To make the content as engaging and informative as possible

References

Anderson, D.L., 2016. Organization development: The process of leading organizational change. Sage Publications.

Czaja, S.J. and Sharit, J., 2016. Designing training and instructional programs for older adults. CRC Press.

Hosking, D.M. and Anderson, N., 2018. Organizational change and innovation: Psychological perspectives and practices in Europe. Routledge.

Stouten, J., Rousseau, D.M. and De Cremer, D., 2018. Successful Organizational Change: Integrating the Management Practice and Scholarly Literatures. Academy of Management Annals, 12(2), pp.752-788.