Employee Training & Development
Sharing some takeaways notes from scientific research on the benefits of employee training and development.
Gamification - Incorporating game elements into training to make it more effective
Armstrong, M. & Landers, R. (2018). Gamification of employee training and development. International Journal of Training and Development, 22(2). 162-169. DOI: 10.1111/ijtd.12124
Gamification is becoming more common in employee training.
Gamification is when game elements are applied to a training to bring about a change when something in an organization isn’t working.
Fantasy in training can make it more interesting and result in greater effort.
Giving points or badges to recognize desired behavior can work if employee’s care psychologically about points.
Leaderboard postings of employees rankings and receiving recognition can be motivating and better learning performance.
Narrative genres and storytelling are more entertaining and easier to understand and remember.
Not all game elements work the same, but gamification effects are mainly positive.
Training enhances sustainability in employees - Be open to learn and have supervisor support.
Bozionelos, N., Veronica, CHL., & Lee, KY. (2020). Enhancing the sustainability of employees’ careers through training: The roles of career actors’ openness and of supervisor support. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 117(1). 1-57. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1016%2Fj.jvb.2019.103333
Employees’ character trait of openness increases their job performance and employability
Supervisor support for training was positively related to increases in job performance and employability.
Post-training job performance was higher than pre-training job performance.
Learning is part of a sustainable career preparing one for change and adaptation
Those who possess more resources are better positioned for gaining additional resources.
Training in one particular job also serves the purpose of preparing employees for future or alternative jobs. Employer-sponsored training helps employees to see where they fit in and feel valued by the organization.
Supervisors can best enhance the transfer of training with their direct support.
Employees perceived training and work attitudes affect retention
Fletcher, L., Alfa’s, K., & Robinson, D. (2016). The relationship between perceived training and development and employee retention: the mediating role of work attitudes. International Journal of Human Resource Management 29(18). 2701-2708. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09585192.2016.1262888
Job satisfaction, employee engagement, and change-related anxiety are all significantly associated with an intention to stay at a job.
Training and development has been found to strengthen the social relationship between employee and employer leading to higher levels of retention.
Training and development shows the organization’s strong commitment to the employee.
Training and development gives the employee a sense to want to repay the organization for investing in their personal and professional development.
Training and development on organization’s innovation
Sung. S.Y. & Choi, J.N. (2018). Effects of training and development on employee outcomes and firm innovative performance: Moderating roles of voluntary participation and evaluation. Human Resource Management Advancing Human Resource Research and Practice 57(6). 1335-1468. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hrm.21909
Training and development improves employee’s competence and commitment which improves the organization’s innovation.
Voluntary participation of employees in training and development led to strengthened organization innovation and should be implemented.
Evaluation following training and development may be interpreted as managerial control leading to less positive employee outcomes.
Employers should invest in employee training and development and a bottom-up employee-centered approach.
finding peace by piece:
Overall, the scientific research shows there are benefits to both the employee and the employers, when the right attitude and perspective and training and development are incorporated.
