Chapter 8: Onboarding and Training Flashcards
By February 2021, nearly __________ of all workers in Canada aged 18 to 69 were working mostly from home (Statistics Canada, 2021)
one-third
Once employees have been recruited and selected, the next step is _______________ them to the company and their new job
orienting or onboarding
Difference between orientating and onboarding?
Literally none - use these interchangeably
Purpose of Orientation
New employees need a clear understanding of company policies, expectations regarding their performance, and operating procedures.
A comprehensive orientation program can lead to ______________, __________, fewer instances of corrective discipline, and fewer employee grievances. Can also reduce the number of ____________ particularly for younger workers
reductions in turnover
increased morale
Workplace injuries
Difference between orientation and training
These terms are associated, but represent slightly different variations of employee assimilation efforts.
Orientation (not the real definition in blue)
refers to a long-term, continuous socialization process that employee and employer expectations or obligations are considered
training (not the real definition in blue)
refers to short-term, discrete efforts in which organizations impart information and instructions to help the recipient gain the required skills or knowledge to perform the job at adequate levels.
Training (actual definition)
The process of teaching employees the basic skills / competencies that they need to perform their jobs
Examples of training
showing a new production worker how to operate a machine, a new salesperson how to sell the firm’s product, or a new supervisor how to interview and appraise employees.
Training vs Development
Training focuses on skills and competencies needed to perform employees’ current jobs, whereas development is training of a long-term nature
Orientation programs range from
brief, informal introductions to lengthy, formal programs.
Formal orientation inclues
- internal publications, including employee handbooks that cover matters such as company history, current mission, activities, products, and people
- facility tour and staff introductions
- job-related documents, including an explanation of job procedures, duties and responsibilities, working hours, and attendance expectations; vacations and holidays; payroll, employee benefits, and pensions; and work regulations and policies such as personal use of company technology
- expected training to be received (when and why)
- performance appraisal criteria, including the estimated time to achieve full productivity.
Employee onboarding (orientation) Actual definition
A procedure for providing new employees with basic background information about the firm and the job
The manager wants to accomplish four things when orienting new employees:
1) Make the new employee feel welcome and at home and part of the team.
2) Make sure the new employee has the basic information to function effectively, such as e-mail access, personnel policies and benefits, and expectations in terms of work behaviour.
3) Help the new employee understand the organization in a broad sense (its past, present, culture, and strategies and vision of the future).
4) Start socializing the person into the firm’s culture and ways of doing things
________ is the first step in helping the new employee manage the learning curve; it helps new employees become productive more quickly than they might otherwise
Onboarding
Reality shock (aka cognitive dissonance)
Actual Definition in Blue
The state that results from the discrepancy between what the new employee expected from their new job and the realities of it
An important part of any effective onboarding program is sitting down and deciding on _____________ with the new employee
work-related goals
These goals provide the basis for early feedback and establish a foundation for ongoing performance management
__________________ provides strategic benefits starting with building the brand as an employer of choice
Online onboarding
____________________ engages new hires in a personalized way and accelerates their time-to-productivity by completing benefits decisions, payroll forms, new-hire data, introduction of policies and procedures, and preliminary socialization using videos and graphics before the first day on the job, leading to a productive day one
Online onboarding
Socialization
The ongoing process of instilling in all employees the prevailing attitudes, standards, values, and patterns of behaviour that are expected by the organization
During the time required for _______________ to occur, a new employee is less than fully productive.
socialization
The __________ (or in smaller firms, the office manager) performs the first part of the orientation by explaining basic matters, such as working hours and benefits
HR specialist
At a minimum, the orientation should provide information on matters such as ___________, __________________, ______________, _______________
employee benefits, personnel policies, safety measures and regulations, and a facilities tour
formal component of orientation
that often occurs when a new employee first joins the organization
informal orientation process
with the aim to build a strong employee bond with organizational values, history, and tradition
This can include staff involvement such as mentoring, management guidance (by using high-level staff, firms communicate the importance of messages and experiences in a more meaningful way), and through employee empowerment (indoctrination of values and information to guide workplace behaviour).
The first day of the orientation usually starts with ______________, who explains such matters as working hours and vacation
the HR specialist
Key aspects of the integration process include the following:
(executive integration)
- identifying position specifications (particularly the ability to deal with and overcome jealousy)
- providing realistic information to job candidates and providing support regarding reality shock
- assessing each candidate’s previous record at making organizational transitions
- announcing the hiring with enthusiasm
- stressing the importance of listening as well as demonstrating competency, and promoting more time spent talking with the boss
- assisting new executives who are balancing their work to change cultural norms while they themselves are part of the culture itself.
The Employee Handbook
Courts may find that the employee handbook’s contents are legally binding commitments
So you must be very careful with wording and clauses
The handbook should include a disclaimer stating
“nothing in this handbook should be taken as creating a binding contract between employer and employees, and all employment is on an at will basis.”
For the employee hand book, Do not insert statements such as _______________________________ or statements that imply or state that employees have job security.
“No employee will be fired without just cause”
Three approaches to evaluating orientation programs are as follows:
1) Employee reaction
2) Socialization effects
3) Cost/benefit analysis
1) Employee reaction
1 of three ways to evaluate orientation programs
Interview or survey new employees for their opinion on the usefulness of the orientation program.
Also, evaluate job performance within specified time periods to assess transference of learning and behaviours where possible.
2) Socialization effects
1 of three ways to evaluate orientation programs
Review new employees at regular intervals to assess progress toward understanding and acceptance of the beliefs, values, and norms of the organization.
3) Cost/benefit analysis
1 of three ways to evaluate orientation programs
Compare
(1) orientation costs, such as printing handbooks and time spent orienting new employees by HR staff and immediate supervisors, with
(2) benefits of orientation, including reduction in errors, rate of productivity, efficiency levels, and so on.
Problems with Orientation Programs
- Often, too much information is provided in a short time (usually one day) and the new employee is overwhelmed
- little or no orientation is provided, which means that new employees must personally seek answers to each question that arises and work without a good understanding of what is expected of them (common in PT workers or contract workers)
- the orientation information provided by the HR department can be too broad to be meaningful to a new employee, especially on the first day, whereas the orientation information provided by the immediate supervisor may be too detailed to realistically be remembered by the new employee
A recent federal government report concluded that :
Canada’s ability to remain globally competitive and manage technological change effectively is highly contingent on our ability to upgrade and renew the skills of our labour force.
According to a Conference Board of Canada 2015 study, the average organization in Canada spends _______ on learning and development per employee, accounting for approximately 1.41 percent of the organizations payroll budget, and the average employee undergoes 31 hours of training and development a year
$800
Skills in greatest need of improvement are ____, ________, ___________
problem solving, communications, and teamwork
Government vs Businesses
The federal government has called for businesses to increase spending on training, and business has asked the government to expand programs for professional immigrants to get Canadian qualifications in their fields
Canadian Council on Learning
Created by the federal government to promote best practices in workplace learning
People have three main learning styles:
1) Auditory
2) Visual
3) Kinesthetic
1) Auditory
1 of three main learning styles
Learning through talking and listeneing
2) Visual
1 of three main learning styles
learning through pictures and print
3) Kinesthetic
1 of three main learning styles
tactile learning through a whole-body experience
The following four guidelines help trainers maximize the effectiveness of the training process:
Training as a Learning Process
- Make it easy for trainees to understand and remember meaningful information.
- Make sure that it is east to transfer new skills and behaviours from the training site to the job site
- Motivate the trainee
- Effectively prepare the trainee
- Make it easy for trainees to understand and remember meaningful information.
Training as a Learning Process
1) At the start of training, provide the trainees with an overall picture of the material to be presented.
When presenting material, use as many visual aids as possible and a variety of familiar examples.
Organize the material so that it is presented in a logical manner and in meaningful units.
Try to use terms and concepts that are already familiar to trainees.
- Make sure that it is east to transfer new skills and behaviours from the training site to the job site
Training as a Learning Process
2) Maximize the similarity between the training situation and the work situation, and provide adequate training practice.
Give trainees the chance to use their new skills immediately on their return to work.
Train managers first and employees second to send a message about the importance of the training, and control contingencies by planning rewards for trainees who successfully complete and integrate the new training
- Motivate the trainee
Training as a Learning Process
3) Provide as much realistic practice as possible.
Immediately reinforce correct responses, perhaps with a quick “Well done.”
Use technology to motivate learning.
- Effectively prepare the trainee
Training as a Learning Process
4) Create a perceived need for training in the minds of participants.
Set the trainees’ expectations about the events and consequences of actions that are likely to occur in the training environment (and, eventually, on the job).
Let trainees know ahead of time what might occur.
Under _________________________ legislation, several aspects of employee training programs must be assessed with an eye toward the program’s impact on designated group members
human rights and employment equity legislation
For example, if relatively few women or visible minorities are selected for the training program, there may be a requirement to show that the admissions procedures are valid
Negligent training
Actual definition
Occurs when an employer fails to adequately train an employee who subsequently harms a third party
A typical training program consists of _____ steps
five steps (5)
The purpose of the needs analysis step is to identify the specific_____________ needed, to analyze the _____________ of the prospective trainees, and to develop specific, measurable knowledge and performance _________
Of the 5 step training process
job performance skills
skills and needs
objectives
In the second step, _________, the actual content of the training program is compiled and produced, including workbooks, exercises, and activities
Of the 5 step training process
instructional design
The third step is ________, in which the bugs are worked out of the training program by presenting it to a small, representative audience
Of the 5 step training process
validation
Fourth, the training program is __________, using techniques such as those discussed in this chapter and the next (such as on-the-job training and programmed learning)
Of the 5 step training process
implemented
Fifth, there should be an _____ and follow-up step in which the program’s successes or failures are
assessed.
Of the 5 step training process
evaluation
Five steps to the training and development process
Really do try to know these bro
1) Training Needs Analysis
2) Instructional Design
3) Validation
4) Implementation
5) Evaluation of Training
Step 1: Training Needs Analysis
Of the 5 step training process
Determine what training is required, if any.
The main challenge in assessing the training needs of new employees is to determine what the job entails and to break it down into subtasks, each of which is then taught to the new employee.
Task analysis and performance analysis are the two main techniques for identifying training needs.
Task analysis definition Blue
identifying the broad competencies and specific skills required to perform job-related tasks
Some employers supplement the current job description and specification with a task analysis record form, which typically contains six types of information:
1) List of job’s main tasks and subtasks
2) Indication of frequency of tasks and subtasks
3) Measurable description of performance standards for each task and subtask—for instance, “tolerance of 0.007 inches” or “within two days of receiving the order”
4) Conditions under which task is performed
5) The competencies and specific skills or knowledge required for each task and subtask, specifying exactly what knowledge or skills must be taught
6) The decision as to whether the task is best learned on or off the job, based on several considerations such as training objectives, methods, and resources (for example, prospective jet pilots must learn something about the plane off the job in a simulator before actually getting behind the controls).
Performance analysis
means verifying whether there is a significant performance deficiency and, if so, determining whether that deficiency should be rectified through training or some other means (such as transferring the employee).
Distinguishing between _______ and ______ problems is at the heart of performance analysis
can’t do
won’t do
can’t do problem
For example, the employees do not know what to do or what the standards are, there are obstacles in the system (such as a lack of tools or supplies), job aids are needed, poor selection has resulted in hiring people who do not have the skills to do the job, or training is inadequate.
won’t do problem
In this case, employees could do a good job if they wanted to. If so, the reward system might have to be changed, perhaps by implementing an incentive program.
Once training needs have been identified, ___________ can be established, which should be concrete and measurable.
training objectives
Step 2: Instructional Design
After the employees’ training needs have been determined and training objectives have been set, the training program can be designed
There are two major considerations in developing the instructional design:
1) First, will learning be programmed or informal?
2) Second, what is the medium for training?
Programmed Learning BLUE definition
A systematic method for teaching job skills that involves presenting questions or facts, allowing the person to respond, and giving the learner immediate feedback on the accuracy of his or her answers
Programmed Learning consists of three steps, what are they?
1) Presenting questions, facts, or problems to the learner
2) Allowing the person to respond
3) Providing feedback on the accuracy of his or her answers.
The main advantage of programmed learning is that it reduces training time by __________
about one-third
Programmed instruction can also facilitate learning because it lets trainees _______, provides immediate feedback, and (from the learner’s point of view) _____________
learn at their own pace
reduces the risk of error.
Informal Learning
any learning that occurs in which the learning process is not determined or designed by the organization
About _______ of industrial training is not formal at all but rather results from day-to-day unplanned interactions between the new worker and his or her colleagues
two-thirds
______________ continues to be the primary method of providing corporate training in Canada, and _________ are a widely used method of classroom training delivery.
Classroom training
lectures
Lecturing has several advantages
It is a quick and simple way of providing knowledge to large groups of trainees, as when the sales force must be taught the special features of a new product.
HR by the Numbers: Formal Post-Secondary Education in Canada
High school, college and university level training are considered traditional training techniques. Listed below are HR metrics associated with formal post-secondary education in Canada.
2 million
Canadians enrolled in full-time and part-time education for the 2012–2013 academic year.
10%
of students in Canada’s post-secondary educational institutes are international students or new immigrants.
10%
return on investment each additional year of education produces.
8–13%
is the range of positive earnings effect (wage increase) women experience for every additional year of post-secondary education.
$24.3 billion
is the estimated foregone GDP in Ontario alone, based on the skills gap, as estimated by the Conference Board of Canada.
40%
of unemployment in Ontario in the manufacturing, health care, financial services and professional, scientific and technical services can be attributed to the skills gap.
Blended learning
using a combination of instructor-led training and online e-learning
-leads to better results and higher learner engagement and enthusiasm
On-the-Job Training (OJT)
involves having a person learn a job by actually performing it
-literally everyone does this from mailroom clerk to CEO/President
OJT has several advantages:
it is relatively inexpensive, trainees learn while producing, and there is no need for expensive off-job facilities, such as classrooms or manuals.
Apprenticeship Training
basically involves having the learner/apprentice study under the tutelage of a master craftsperson
In Canada, close to _____ established trades have recognized apprenticeship programs
170
Job Instruction Training (JIT) Blue Definition
The listing of each job’s basic tasks along with key points to provide step-by-step training for employees
___________ is electronic-dependent or web-based training and is now commonly used by Canadian organizations
E-Learning
It is generally estimated that online training costs about ____ percent less than traditional classroom-based training
50
It is estimated that learners don’t complete ___ to ___ percent of online courses
50 to 90 %
______________ programs can be very effective and are widely used. They can be more expensive than conventional lectures to develop, but offer some advantages.
Computer-based training
3 options for e-learning material
1) buying an existing product
2) making one
3) using a production company
The advantages of e-learning techniques include
- instructional consistency (computers, unlike human trainers, do not have good days and bad days)
- mastery of learning (if the trainee does not learn it, he or she generally cannot move on to the next step)
- flexibility for the trainee
- increased trainee motivation (resulting from the responsive feedback)
Video conferencing Blue Definition
Connecting two or more distant groups by using audiovisual equipment
Skype training or Zoom training in essence
Vestibule or simulated training
Training employees on special off-the-job equipment, as in airplane pilot training, whereby training costs and hazards can be reduced
Vestibule training is virtually a necessity when it is too _______ or ___________ to train employees on the job
costly or dangerous
Electronic performance support systems (EPSS) BLUE Definition
Computer-based job aids or sets of computerized tools and displays that automate training, documentation, and phone support
EPSS provides support that is faster, cheaper, and more effective than traditional ____________, such as manuals.
paper-based job aids
Validation of the training program that has been designed is an often-overlooked step in the training process. In order to ensure that the program will accomplish its objectives, it is necessary to conduct a ______, or ________ with a representative group of trainees.
pilot study
“run through,”
Transfer of training BLUE definition
Application of the skills acquired during the training program into the work environment and the maintenance of these skills over time
Before training, potential trainees can be assessed on their _______, ________ and _______ regarding the skill to be taught, and those with higher levels can be selected for the training program.
level of ability, aptitude, and motivation
After trainees complete their training (or at planned intervals during the training), the program should be ______ to see how well its objectives have been met and the extent to which transfer of training has occurred
evaluated
These are some of the questions that are answered by properly evaluating training efforts.
For example, are trainees learning as much as they can? Are they learning as fast as they can? Is there a better method for training them?
There are two basic issues to address when evaluating a training program:
1) design of the evaluation study
2) training effect to be measured
In deciding how to design the evaluation study, the basic concern is this:
How can we be sure that the training (rather than, say, a company-wide wage increase) caused the results that we’re trying to measure?
example: The time series design
Controlled experimentation BLUE definition
Formal methods for testing the effectiveness of a training program, preferably with a control group and with tests before and after training
A controlled experiment uses both a ______ group and a ______ group
Training group
Control group
Four basic categories of training outcomes can be measured:
Training Effects to Measure
1) Reaction
2) Learning
3) Behaviour
4) Results
1) Reaction
One of Four basic categories of training outcomes can be measured:
First, evaluate trainees’ reactions to the program. Did they like the program? Did they think it worthwhile? An evaluation form can assess employee reaction to the training program
2) Learning
One of Four basic categories of training outcomes can be measured:
Second, test the trainees to determine whether they learned the principles, skills, and facts that they were supposed to learn.
3) Behaviour
One of Four basic categories of training outcomes can be measured:
Next, ask whether the trainees’ behaviour on the job changed because of the training program.
For example, are employees in the store’s complaint department more courteous toward disgruntled customers than they were previously? These measures determine the degree of transfer of training.
4) Results
One of Four basic categories of training outcomes can be measured:
Last, but probably most important, ask questions such as these: “Did the number of customer complaints about employees drop?” “Did the rejection rate improve?” “Was turnover reduced?” “Are production quotas now being met?” and so on.
Improvements in these “metrics”—specific measures of workplace results—are especially important
How to asses learning
Testing their knowledge
How to ass behavioural change
perhaps assess the effectiveness of a supervisory performance appraisal training program by asking that person’s subordinates, “Did your supervisor provide you with examples of good and bad performance when he or she appraised your performance most recently?
How to assess reaction
Evaluation questionaire
How to assess results
by measuring, say, the percentage of phone caller questions that call centre trainees subsequently answered correctly.
______________________ is a serious problem for many employers
Functional illiteracy
Not only does enhanced ________ give employees a better chance for success in their careers, but it also improves _________ of the employer—through time savings, lower costs, and improved quality of work
literacy
bottom-line performance
Essential skills of workers can be measured with the
Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), developed by Bow Valley College in Calgary.
The research identified four global literacies, or critical competencies, required to succeed in the global economy:
1) personal literacy
2) social literacy
3) business literacy
4) cultural literacy
1) personal literacy
understanding and valuing oneself
2) social literacy
engaging and challenging other people
3) business literacy
focusing and mobilizing the business
4) cultural literacy
understanding and leveraging cultural differences
_______ enhances cross-cultural sensitivity among supervisors and non-supervisors, with the aim of creating more harmonious working relationships among a firm’s employees
Diversity training
Two broad approaches to diversity training are
1) cross-cultural communication training
2) cultural sensitivity training
Cross-cultural communication training
focuses on workplace cultural etiquette and interpersonal skills
Cultural sensitivity training
focuses on sensitizing employees to the views of different cultural groups toward work so that employees from diverse backgrounds can work together more effectively
Customer Service Training
The basic aim is to train all employees to:
(1) have excellent product knowledge and
(2) treat the company’s customers in a courteous and hospitable manner
Outdoor training example
Outdoor training usually involves taking a group of employees out into rugged terrain, where, by overcoming physical obstacles, they learn team spirit, cooperation, and the need to trust and rely on each other
Harveer works for a call centre for a cell phone company. When a customer calls for help, Harveer is guided by a system with an analytical sequence to determine the problem and how to resolve it. This is an example of a(n)
QUIZ QUESTION
electronic performance support system.
As described in your text, what does Ernst & Young do to keep in touch with people who have been hired but have not yet started work?
QUIZ QUESTION
They send them internal newsletters and host dinners for them.
The technique used when verifying whether there is a significant performance deficiency of a current employee and, if so, determining if that deficiency should be rectified through training or by some other means (such as changing the machinery or transferring the employee), is called which of the following?
QUIZ QUESTION
Performance analysis
Newly hired or promoted executives typically do not participate in formal orientation activities.
QUIZ QUESTION
True
Negligent training occurs when an employer does which of the following?
QUIZ QUESTION
Fails to train adequately and an employee subsequently harms a third party
There are three ways described in the text to evaluate an orientation program. What is one of these ways?
QUIZ QUESTION
Cost/benefit analysis
Social literacy involves understanding and leveraging cultural differences.
QUIZ QUESTION
FALSE
The first step in performance analysis is to appraise the employee’s performance and compare it with which of the following?
QUIZ QUESTION
What it should be
Vestibule training is virtually a necessity when it is too costly or dangerous to train employees on the job.
QUIZ QUESTION
True
Employee orientation refers to the discrepancy between what the new employee expects from his/her new job and the realities of it.
QUIZ QUESTION
False
According to the textbook, how long can full executive integration take?
QUIZ QUESTION
Up to 18 months
Training aims to prepare current employees for future jobs within the organization.
QUIZ QUESTION
False
Training is essentially which of the following?
QUIZ QUESTION
A learning process
A training technique by which trainees learn on the actual or simulated equipment that they will use on the job, with the training taking place off the job is known as
QUIZ QUESTION
vestibule or simulated training.
At what pace do trainees learn best?
QUIZ QUESTION
At their own pace
What is the best method to use when evaluating a training program?
QUIZ QUESTION
Controlled experimentation
The first step in performance analysis is to appraise the employee’s performance and compare it with which of the following?
QUIZ QUESTION
What it should be
When an employee learns a job by actually performing that job, this training method is called
QUIZ QUESTION
on-the-job training.
According to the textbook, the heart of performance analysis is distinguishing between which of the
following?
QUIZ QUESTION
Can’t do and won’t do problems
Training objectives provide a focus for the efforts of the trainer and the trainees and also provide which of the following?
QUIZ QUESTION
A benchmark for evaluating the success of the training program
A process by which individuals become skilled workers through a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training is referred to as
QUIZ QUESTION
apprenticeship training.
A training method that joins two or more distant groups using a combination of audio and visual equipment is called
QUIZ QUESTION
videoconferencing.
Orientation provides new employees with basic background information about the employer and specific information that they need to perform their jobs satisfactorily.
QUIZ QUESTION
True
Which of the training and development process steps involves conducting a pilot study with a representative group of trainees?
QUIZ QUESTION
Validation
According to the textbook, which organizational plan is training part of?
QUIZ QUESTION
The strategic plan
Online training costs about ________ less than traditional classroom-based training.
QUIZ QUESTION
50%
A good orientation process will have something like a ___________ when going for lunch
In class question
Buddy system
Orientation first begins when:
In Class Question
From your contact - the first initial presentation of how you will be treated
It is a good idea for the HR department to follow up with each new employee about _________ after the initial orientation to address any remaining questions
three months
3 months
