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Chapter One of Benefits of Training and Development on Organisational Productivity (a Case Study of Springlight Technology)
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Available researches have revealed that the success of most organization does not depend entirely on how well such organizations are financed but also on how well the individuals working in the organization are experienced. The experience acquired by these individuals does not simply come out of the blues, but as a result of the opportunities given to them to acquire such experience through training and development. It has been noted that in every organization whether in the public or private sector, individuals who are found to be more productive are those have a wealth of experience on their jobs which they have acquired through training and development. This is why in the contemporary times; many employees in Nigerian organizations who were initially averse to the concept of training and development embrace the idea, as they had realized the importance of training and developing their employees.
Ubeku (1984) maintained that the process of training and development is continues one. Money spent on training and development is money well invested. He noted that in organizations, employees who have not received adequate training before being assigned responsibility lack the necessary confidence with which to carry out the responsibilities of the job. This is so because it is only then that the employee believes he knows what is expected of him regarding the job, and because he can do it, his enthusiasm for the job increases. Consequently, as noted by Donnelly (1992) and employee in this position is more likely to originate ideas as to how best to carry out the task of job. And employees who are not trained tens to cling to the methods they are frightened of doing the job in different ways, because something might go wrong and that risk they cannot take.
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Educational institution alone is not tasked with the concept of training and development. This was why in 1976 the then federal commissioner for labour in his address to the 4th Annual General meeting of the Nigeria Employee Consultative Association stressed the role of employers in training their employees to be able to carry out their responsibilities effectively (Ubeku 1984). He explained among other things that: the development of staff cannot be entirely the concern of our educational institutions. It is also the responsibility of other institution. Every enterprise, whether public or private, necessarily does considerable on the job training, some of which organized and some haphazard and accidental. You as employees must realise. You as employees must realize or recognize the overriding importance of the development of human resource, without which we cannot overcome the continuing shortage of trained people as we strive to throw off the bonds of economic backwardness and seek to achieve the social and economic objectives of our development plans. The anxiety of the government and other private organizations over the scarcity of trained manpower in the country has been translated into action in the form of institutions with the Nigeria economy.
However, one may be tempted at this juncture to ask what exactly is training and development? According to Armstrong (2006), training is the modification of behaviour through experience, and development is a change toward the better. Based on this, it then shows that an organization which has in its policy, the concept of training and development has paved way for its success and survival, and subsequently employment of optimal performance on the part of the employees or workers.
Considering the benefits of staff training and development, one can categorically state that, it is in dispensable necessary for attainment of organizational goals. It plays a large part in determining the effectiveness and efficiency. It is on this foundation that this study seeks to investigate the benefits of training and development on organisational productivity by using Springlight Technology as a case study.
Statement of the Problem
The view of employees on training for development has a greater influence on the success and growth of any organization. If the employees are pleased with the training policies of the organization, this will have a significant influence on the organization’s output. The view, perception or attitude of employees is therefore resulted into their positive or negative behaviour at work. How do the employees see employee training policies of the organization? Does the management take the training policy of its organization? To many employer, training and development is seen as a waste of time and resources that would have been channelled into the production of goods and services that will bring more profit to the organization. At times, some employers do fear that an employee could leave the organization after acquiring the needed training this therefore affects the employees training and sometimes makes it unplanned and unsystematic.
The procedure and process usually employed by some of the Human Resource Managers in the identification of those employees that require training are usually tasking. On the other hand, employees mostly go for training for personal reasons which may be to enrich themselves; prepare themselves for better positions in other organizations; power play/politics; because such employee knows the person in-charge of training and not mostly because there is an identified skill gap which needs to be filled through adequate training. Often times, the HR department does not conduct training needs assessment. Employees’ training selection criteria ought to be based on merit and free from bias. It must be in accordance with a lay down procedure which ensures that the right candidates are sent for training for positive effect on organizational performance and enhance productivity in the organisation.
It is obvious that previous studies have concentrated on the importance and benefits of training and no study has been carried out on the difficulties faced by the Human Resource Departments of Springlight Technology in the selection of employees for training. In order to fill this gap, the researcher seeks to carry out a study on the benefits of training and development on organisational productivity by using Springlight Technology as a case study.
Research Objectives
The objective of this study is to examine the benefits of training and development on organisational productivity by using Springlight Technology as a case study. The specific objectives are:
i) To examine how training and development improve employee productivity.
ii) To investigate the problems of training and development organisation.
iii) To find out the various training and development methods available at Springlight Technology for employee performance.
Research Questions
The following are some of the questions which this study intends to answer:
i) How does training and development improve employee produvtivity?
ii) What are the problems of training and development in organisation?
iii) What are the various training and development methods available at Springlight Technology for employee performance?
Research Hypotheses
The followings are the research hypotheses to be tested in this study:
i) There is a significant relationship between training and employee productivity
ii) There is a significant correlation between training and organisational performance
Significance of the Study
Training and development of employees constitutes the very foundation upon which the success of a business firm depends. This study is necessary to educate entrepreneurs, managers on the need to formulate well-articulated employees training and development policies for the firm. This study is designed to help the human resources department understand the necessity for proper implementation of the training policies of their organizations. It is also to expose employees to the benefits they stand to gain if they are properly trained and developed their employees.
The study is also geared towards giving customers excellent services when training and development of employees are effective, customers will be satisfied and continuous patronage will be achieved. The study seeks to emphasize the need for which the human resources department must seriously embark on post training and development evaluation on a regular basis.
Scope of the Study
A study of training and development is limited to staff training function of the personnel managers of the Springlight Technology, Akwa Ibom State. The study intends to use the staff training problems in the study organizations to identify, analyze and present the importance of staff training under the personnel management in the service industry.
Limitation of the Study
In the course of this research, the researcher encountered some problems, which one of them was inability to get the attention of the staff of the study organization.
The research also was constrained by insufficient finance.
The following constraints were encountered in the course of this work.
Lack of reliable data: The Respondents’ unwillingness to give out available and reliable data was major constrain in the course of the study.
Dearth of Research materials: The researcher was constrained in the search of research materials. Most current books and journals on the related area are not free, and so the researchers was limited to those materials she could afford.
Measure used to collect data: Secondary data would have been more appropriate for the post-evaluation analysis, but because it was difficult to separate and link percentage (%) increase in turnover to employee training, primary data was used.
Self-reported data: Self reported data was a major limitation of the study, because it rarely can be independently verified. The researcher had to take what the respondents said at face value. Nonetheless, with available data and judicious use of the limited resources, reasonable analysis was carried out to ensure that research findings add up to the body of knowledge.
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