How to Train and Groom Precious Human Resources?
How to Train and Groom Precious Human Resources?
“The illiterate of the 21 century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”, Alvin Toffler.
INTRODUCTION:
“By spending just 10 per cent of GDP (RS 4,90,000 Crores) on skill repair, the country would be able to generate extra income of 61 percent of GDP (RS 17,51,487 Crores) for the current unemployable youth”, according to India Labor Report 2007. It indicates the importance of ‘training and grooming’ which is required so as to enhance the efficiency of not only the unemployable youth but also the employed people. In this context, it is desirable to explain briefly about the fundamentals of education
EDUCATION, TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT:
Education is a broader concept and it provides all round knowledge, skills, attitudes etc., Training is the narrow area, functional area and is more or less related to job. Training is subset of teaching and education. According to Flippo, “Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job”1. An automobile engineer having formal education, at times, may not be as capable of an automobile mechanic without formal education because of the training the latter had. The mechanic after working very hard continuously and mechanically for a long period becomes an expert not by education but by training and experience. It is like saying that, in a clinic, a compounder is better than a doctor who acquired a professional qualification. On the other hand, development is career oriented which helps in the growth of the individual as well as the institution.
Training is usually cut out for short term and it is meant for non managers mainly covering technical knowledge. Training is provided for imparting specific skills among operative workers and employees. The corporate trainer or supervisor has a pivotal role to play in this regard. On the other hand, development is cut out for long term and it is meant for managers covering theoretical as well as conceptual knowledge. Development denotes the overall growth of the executives where the executive motivates himself to develop. Rather development is a broader concept when compared with training.
UNEMPLOYABILITY AND UNEMPLOYMENT:
Mr.Amit Bhatia, founder CEO of Aspire said, “Only 39.5 per cent of graduates in India are employable and the challenge is to bridge the HR gap by providing skills training to the other 60 per cent”2.
Presently we have unemployability problem not unemployment problem. Everyone knows what unemployment is but a few are aware of unemployability. In the past, especially before the liberalization, privatization and globalization India had unemployment problem where the candidates had the eligibility, suitability and capability but jobs were not available due to lack of so many opportunities. But ever since the mid nineties many global MNCs have come to India and set up their shops and industries and as a result so many employment opportunities have been created. But unfortunately candidates do not possess the requisite skills and abilities which are expected by the employers. It is a state of unemployability problem. To some extent, it is the result of outdated academic system. The present educational system is theoretical oriented and no way related to the practical application and, as a result, the candidates struggle to get placed. In this context, it is desirable to dwell at length about the relevance of Soft Skills.
SOFT SKILLS:
There is an adage in business, “People rise because of their hard skills and fall because of (the lack of) soft skills”. Hard skills are the domain skills and are also called technical skills. Soft skills are like non domain skills and anything other than the subjective knowledge that helps in effective communication, presentation, team building and leadership are known as soft skills. These are also known as emotional intelligence and the interpersonal skills. To put it in a nut shell, the soft skills and hard skills are two sides of the same coin and the one without the other has no meaning.
IMPORTANCE OF SOFT SKILLS:
Soft skills believe in nurture rather than nature. It manages by interacting between subtle and fickle human beings. It enhances the efficiency at the work place and minimizes the attrition rate. It always makes an individual stay ahead of time.
Soft skills enhance employability of the candidates and provide a solid ground to get adjusted and get along in the organizations more effectively and efficiently. These enhance the core competence and confidence of an individual. The growing widening gap between the talent supply and technical demand can be narrowed down. In a nut shell, proper training in soft skills creates more opportunities for the fresh candidates thereby minimizing the talent crunch in the job market.
There should be inclusion of soft skill subject in the academic curriculum so that students will have confidence and courage to communicate in the corporate world.
Infosys conducted 5 day work shop on Soft Skills titled Special Training Program (STP) for the teaching faculty in Hyderabad in 2007 and it is a step in the right direction and it shows the significance attached to the area of soft skills.
IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:
“William James of Harvard University estimated that employees could retain their jobs by working at a mere 20-30 per cent of their potential. His research led him to believe that if these same employees were properly motivated, they could work 80-90 per cent of their capabilities”.3
Training cuts down the costs and contributes to better utilization of machines and materials. It also helps to reduce the cost of raw materials and products thereby minimizing losses due to waste and poor quality products. Apart from this, it minimizes absenteeism, accidents, employee’s dissatisfactions and grievances. Production and the productivity can be enhanced as wastage is brought down and the employee’s efficiency is increased. There will be qualitative improvement both at the work front as well as at the human resources front. Motivation and morale will be extraordinarily high. Employees do not get boredom with the routine and outdated tools and techniques as training will help them get updated which leads to accepting new roles and responsibilities thereby giving better job satisfaction and sense of achievement. There will be total personal and professional safety thereby preventing health hazards. In a nut shell, there will be all round personal and professional prosperity and growth.
TYPES OF TRAINING:
Below are the various types of training. They are:
1. Induction training.
2. Job training.
3. Apprenticeship training.
4. Refresher training.
5. Internship training.
6. Training for promotion.
Induction Training: It is also known as orientation training as the newly recruited employee is oriented with the rules and regulations and roles and responsibilities of the institution. The employee learns the basic tools and techniques that are required to work on a daily basis. It is basically for short term period to the freshers by supervisors so that the freshers get acquainted with the organization. It is like tuning, training and grooming to the organization with in the shortest possible span of time.
Job Training: It is basically for providing specific skills related to job so that the freshers can perform at ease. It is basically for knowledge and skills’ imparting so as to provide confidence to the newly inducted employees.
Apprenticeship Training: It is like learning and earning where the fresh students will be provided with training related to knowledge and skills of a particular trade. Govt. of India has made it mandatory for a few employers to provide such kind of apprenticeship to students where class room instructions along with on the job training are imparted. Under this the employers get cheap man power and the trainees also get some wages for the work they rendered.
Refresher Training: It is also known as retraining where the employees who worked many years are provided with fresh training to get them updated with the latest developments in technology and other related areas of knowledge and skills. It is in this context, Dale Yoder aptly quoted, “Retraining programmes are designed to avoid personnel obsolescence”. It enhances both efficiency and efficacy.
Internship Training: Under this the educational institution ties up with the industry to provide training to its students for some time so that they get exposed to the industry who can be absorbed if the industry finds them suitable and competent. It is usually for the period from 6 months to 2 years. For instance, the engineering students work in the final year for some time in the business enterprise. So is the case of management graduates where they learn about the business by way of case studies during their class rooms and go for internship during the course or at the end of the course with business enterprises to get practical exposure and expertise.
Training for Promotion: It is a motivational move by the companies where the talented employees are short listed for further and higher training so that they can shoulder the roles and responsibilities when promoted.
TRAINING