Training and Development at Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service - Term Paper Example

Training and development at Leicestershire fire and rescue service Introduction Workplace training and development are essential for achieving the goals of an organization. It provides employees with new knowledge and skills to perform their duties. Training and development may be used to improve the performance deficiencies of employees based on skills, knowledge and abilities required to carry out certain duties. In spite the training and development programs commissioned by various corporate organizations, most of them fail to stick. Training follow-ups in such cases also fail to motivate employees in most cases (Collins, 2004). For employees to be motivated by the training programs in organizations, they should be made accountable for the knowledge and skills that they acquire during the training. To avoid reverting to old ways of performing tasks, employees need to be supported through the process of learning and post learning process. This is because training involves modification of behaviour that constitutes change, which is often difficult to embrace, and thus great dedication of effort and time is required. In addition, prior to training of employees managers should be consulted for them to be able to encourage the employees to apply the skills learnt in the training program. Training constitutes strategic framework of an organization (Eisenberger, et al, 1999). The training develops the capability of employees within an organization to perform their duties better or even take up more complex tasks within the organization. Thus, any business enterprise, which encourages and trains its employees, acquires an overall competitive advantage over other firms, which lack such training activities. This is because the human resource of the organization is highly developed by continuous training programs and hence is better placed to deal with the complex business environment, which is characterized by many challenges. Training and development in an organization can help solve and alleviate several problems in a firm. Such training and development programs help an organization to improve its productivity. In addition, the training programs are essential for improving the quality of work and raising morale of workers (Alderfer, 1969). Furthermore, these programs are instrumental in the development of new skills, understanding, knowledge and attitudes among employees. They also enable employees to use new machines, tools, methods, processes or modifications thereof correctly. An organization that carries out training also reduces accidents, wastage, employee turnover, absenteeism, lateness and other overhead costs (Collins, 2004). To successful implement new or changed regulations or policies organization need to train their workforce on such issues prior to implementing them. Training is also necessary in fighting obsolescence in technologies, skills, methods, markets, products and capital management. It also enables incumbents to improve their performance to the standard level of carrying out their duties. Training in organizations also prepares people for advancement, develop replacements, ensure leadership continuity and improve manpower deployment (Dickinson & Wieder, 1998). Finally, training and development programs in organizations ensure their growth and survival. This paper discusses training and development program of Leicestershire fire and rescue staffs. Training and development Five factors should be considered during staff training and development to make it beneficial to the firm. These include creation of a learning culture, conducting a thorough needs assessment, using practical hands on activities, developing action plans and carrying out follow up with training coaching. a. Creation of a learning culture A company that encourages training is better placed in the volatile business environment than the one, which does not. The upper management needs to be in the forefront of encouraging continuous workplace training. A firm that has adopted a continuous learning culture is likely to have its employees to apply the skills acquired during the training and is capable of recognizing efforts of the employees to apply the learnt skills. In such an organization, learning is part of daily business activities. In these organizations, which have continuous learning process, the upper management is involved in reminding the employees to keep adapting and responding to the dynamic market environment (Alderfer, 1969). For this to happen, the learning process should be continuous. In such culture where education is continuous new job, recruits are assessed based on their ability to be contributing learners and their education and experience (Cote, 2003). Organizations that value their people and how they learn are always successful. Learning stimulates and enables transformation of the firm to take place (Collins, 2004). An analysis of Leicestershire fire and rescue service indicates that training and development of employees is carried out (Dickinson & Wieder, 1998). Several steps are put in place during the training and development programs at Leicestershire fire and rescue service. This ensures that there is harmony between training program and other activities of Leicestershire fire and rescue service. This also ensures that the implementation of training and development program has enough resources. b. Conducting a thorough needs assessment This ensures that training program is directed toward attaining a real need of the company. The needs assessment involves consulting all stakeholders to be able to understand issues to be addressed in by the training program. Failure to consult various stakeholders may result in inability to meet the needs of the firm. The information gotten from the stakeholders helps in providing a foundation that is formidable for the training program to be relevant, engaging and timely. The Leicestershire fire and rescue service usually formulates a training and development policy. The formulation process is carried out by the human resource managers (Cote, 2003). The policy formulated is essential in providing guideline on the degree of training that should be carried out. Thus, the policy formulated is important in determining the training needs of employees. All employees within Leicestershire fire and rescue service are informed about the policy once formulated. Once policy is formulated at Leicestershire fire and rescue service, training needs is identified. This involves evaluation of the work of the staff in relation to their abilities and qualifications. The analysis of appraisal of employees in the organization is used to identify the training needs. The appraisals in Leicestershire fire and rescue service are usually done ones a year (Dickinson & Wieder, 1998). The training needs are first identified at the corporate level by the management of Leicestershire fire and rescue service. This is then followed by identification of training needs at departmental level. Here different departments of Leicestershire fire and rescue service formulate reports concerning the required training and development of the staff (Collins, 2004). This needs analysis of Leicestershire fire and rescue service ensures that the employees are trained in according actual needs of the Leicestershire fire and rescue service. Individual employees are also provided with questionnaires relating to what they know and what they would like to be trained in. all this information gathered is used for analysing the real needs for training at Leicestershire fire and rescue service. Thus, the needs analysis at Leicestershire fire and rescue service is all inclusive and this is commendable. c. Using practical hands on activities The third factor that should be considered during staff training and development to make it beneficial to the firm is to use practical hands on activities during the training process. Training programs comprising of many activities are capable of efficiently and effectively engaging employees during the process of learning. Training process accompanied by practice helps employees ton apply what they learn confidently hence making training process strong. The learning process also ought to be comfortable, supportive and encouraging to enable learners to take risks as they try out new skills to solve certain issues. Thus, the training facilitator should set the tone for learning (Alderfer, 1969). Practice will enable learners to delve and learn without fearing the consequences. Practice ensures that employees transmit what they have learnt to their work place. There is some evidence that training and development within Leicestershire fire and rescue service is action oriented and performance oriented (Cote, 2003). Training based on performance is related to the competence of employees while training based on action ensures that things happen the way they are planned. d. Developing action plans The plans usually focus on how the employees ought to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during training to carry out their duties. The training design should have these training plans integrated in them (Edwards, 2004). To do this the designers should hold discussions with the management concerning the skills and knowledge to be acquired during the training process and how they will be encouraged and evaluated. The firm can also allow the employees to design their own action plans, which are based on the training objectives (Alderfer, 1969). Once the employees develop such action plans, they should be encouraged to hold discussions with their respective managers on how these skills and knowledge will be worked on. The managers should be involved in carrying out coaching and reviews on performance aimed at reflecting the knowledge and skills acquired during training process. Managers and employees communication regarding the skills acquired allows employees to become proficient in the skills (Deci & Ryan, 2000). This can also encourage employees to use and develop the skills, which are learnt during the training process. At Leicestershire fire and rescue service, a training plan is developed once the needs for training and development have been identified. This is usually carried out by the human resources managers at Leicestershire fire and rescue service. The training plan for Leicestershire fire and rescue service is usually based on its objectives, which ensure that its overall goals are met in the long term. The training plan for Leicestershire fire and rescue service consists of the duration for the training program and the number of employees to be trained (Cote, 2003). This ensures that not all employees are involved in the training as this can make the activities of the organization to stop (Collins, 2004). The duration of training is usually dependent on the different modes through which the information is to be delivered to the employees. The management at Leicestershire fire and rescue service is involved in planning the modes through which the implementation of training goes through (Collins, 2004). Even though lectures are sometimes used in training, the fact that they consume much time makes managers to use handout to deliver the required knowledge or skills. Training at Leicestershire fire and rescue service is also carried out via on job training which helps in saving the time required since this is done hand in hand with daily activities. The management at Leicestershire fire and rescue service also uses coaching as a medium of implementing training and development program. The human resource managers at Leicestershire fire and rescue service also include details pertaining whether the training and development program is to be done at the premises of the firm or in other institutions (Deci & Ryan, 2000). The plan, in addition, entails aspects such as trainers or tutors to be involved in the training process. This details whether the tutors will be sourced from within Leicestershire fire and rescue service or whether consultants or trainers will be hired from external sources. The plan also details the resources that will be required in the course of the training process. e. Carrying out follow up with training coaching This follow up coaching ensures that employees apply the skills gained during the training process. A responsible coach always reach out to the trained employees and assist them as they try to adopt the learnt skills in carrying out their duties (Eversole, 2003). The follow up coaching motivate the staff to embrace the acquired knowledge and skills and work on them. During such follow up coaching the trainer is expected to respond to employee questions, be available, and help in trouble shooting in addition to assisting the employees as they learn via trial and error (Edwards, 2004). The coaches are also expected to be patient during this period and be approachable to enable the process of transition to be smooth otherwise the employees may shy away from trying the new methods if they are rebuked when they make a mistake. The coach should be in a position to provide feedback on the strength of each employee (Alderfer, 1969). There is no evidence provided which shows some follow up coaching goes on at Leicestershire fire and rescue service. In spite this lack of follow up coaching; the management is involved in evaluation of the whole process of training after the actual training has been carried out. Implementation of the training program at Leicestershire fire and rescue service At Leicestershire fire and rescue service, implementation of training program follows after the training plan has been drafted. The management adheres strictly to the plan by selecting the proposed number of employees to participate in the training program and ensuring that the duration taken for the training process is in line with what has been proposed in the training plan. The management also avails the required resources for the training process. These include financial resources, equipments, trainers in addition to other facilities such as venue and furniture. Employees at Leicestershire fire and rescue service goes through both formal and informal training. The venue for training of these employees varies (Hirst, 2005). Sometimes the training is carried out at the institution’s facilities while at other times this is done away from the facilities in other institutions (Cote, 2003). The venue for training is highly dependent on the need analysis carried out to identify what the employees ought to be trained in. a survey at the institution shows that employees are trained on various issues such as the use of new fire rescue equipments, handling emergency outbreaks, rescuing people trapped in premises on fire (Eversole, 2003). The training also involves how the staff should coordinate themselves during emergency times to avoid duplication of duties and neglect of other areas. Evaluation of training process at Leicestershire fire and rescue service The evaluation process is usually carried out after the employees have undergone the training process. This is vital in assessing the effectiveness of the training and development program carried out for the Leicestershire fire and rescue service employees (Deci & Ryan, 2000). The evaluation process is based on the initial objectives set out prior to commissioning the training program. Thus, evaluation helps the firm to know the level to which the set objectives have been met by the training program (Dickinson & Wieder, 1998). Since most training at Leicestershire fire and rescue service are geared toward changing the behaviour of employees on how they perform their tasks, the management analyses the behaviour of employees to note any possible changes brought about by the training and development program. The overall improvement in skills of the employees to carry out their tasks is also analysed. If the findings of analysis reveal that the set objectives were not attained by the training and development program, the management team at Leicestershire fire and rescue service usually makes relevant adjustments (Alderfer, 1969). The evaluation process at Leicestershire fire and rescue service is carried out in different distinct levels. The first level of evaluation process at Leicestershire fire and rescue service constitutes measurement of the staff and trainers reaction to the training process (Deci & Ryan, 2000). The management team at Leicestershire fire and rescue service evaluate whether the program was poor, fair or excellent (Edwards, 2004). To do this, the management team usually interviews the staff involved in the training process. The second stage of evaluation at Leicestershire fire and rescue service involves analysis of the extent to which the objectives of the training program were attained (Eversole, 2003). This enable the management at Leicestershire fire and rescue service to know whether the objectives of the firm were attained or not (Dickinson & Wieder, 1998). This evaluation stage is carried out by the Leicestershire fire and rescue service human resource management. The third stage involves evaluation of behaviour of employees who were involved in the training program. This stage enables managers at Leicestershire fire and rescue service to check for any improvements in behaviour of employees who participated in the training program (Deci & Ryan, 2000). This includes time efficiency, management of fire outbreaks and the effectiveness of the staff in carrying out their duties. The fourth level of evaluation involves evaluating the relationship between costs incurred by Leicestershire fire and rescue service to carry out the training process and the benefits accrued from this program (Alderfer, 1969). This enables the management to know the worthiness of the program. If the benefits outweigh the costs then the management knows that the needs analysis process was well done and if this not the case then the management will strive to carry out a thorough needs analysis prior to commissioning any other training program so as not to incur costs that outweigh benefits of training. Conclusion Training and development in an organization can help solve and alleviate several problems in a firm. Leicestershire fire and rescue service carries out training and development programs for its employees. These training and development programs help Leicestershire fire and rescue service to improve its productivity inn terms of fighting fire outbreaks and preventing the outbreaks of fire. In addition, the training programs at Leicestershire fire and rescue service helps in improving the quality of work and raising morale of workers. Furthermore, these programs are instrumental in the development of new skills, understanding, knowledge and attitudes between Leicestershire fire and rescue service employees. They also enable Leicestershire fire and rescue service employees to use new machines, tools, methods, processes or modifications thereof correctly to prevent and fight fire outbreaks. To successful implement new or changed regulations or policies at Leicestershire fire and rescue service, their workforce is trained on such issues prior to implementing them. It also enables incumbents at Leicestershire fire and rescue service to improve their performance to the standard level of carrying out their duties. Training in Leicestershire fire and rescue service also prepares people for advancement, develop replacements, ensure leadership continuity and improve manpower deployment. The training at Leicestershire fire and rescue service is carried out by management team and involves various stages. These include creation of a learning culture, conducting a thorough needs assessment, using practical hands on activities and developing action plans. The process at Leicestershire fire and rescue service lacks one vital stage, which involves carrying out follow up with training coaching. This makes it difficult for the employees to adopt new skills learnt due to lack of coaching. In spite this; the management of Leicestershire fire and rescue service is involved in evaluation of the process after the employees undergo the training. Corrective measures are then taken to ensure the process is successful. The stages followed by the Leicestershire fire and rescue service management to carry out training and development of employees has been to some extent effective and has ensured that it offers quality services to the public related to fires. We recommend that the management include carrying out follow up with training coaching in their stages of training to make the programs more effective. Reference Alderfer, C., 1969. An Empirical Test of a New Theory of Human Needs. Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, 4, 143 – 175. Collins, L. 2004. Technical Rescue Operations, Volume I: Planning, Training, and Command, Volume 1. London: PennWell Books. Cote, A. 2003. Organizing for Fire and Rescue Services. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning Deci, E. & Ryan, M. 2000. The “what” and the “why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-determination of Behaviour. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227 – 268. Deci, E., Koestner, R. & Ryan, M. 1999a. A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation, Psychological Bulletin, 125, 627-668. Dickinson, E. & Wieder, M. 1998. Fire Service Emergency Care. New York: Prentice Hall. Edwards, S. 2004. Fire Service Personnel Management. Sydney: Pearson Prentice Hall. Eisenberger, R., Rhoades, L. & Carmeron, J. 1999. Does Pay for Performance Increase or Decrease Perceived Self-determination and Intrinsic Motivation? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 1026-1040. Eversole, J. 2003. The fire chief's handbook. London: PennWell Books. Hirst, B. 2005. Technical Rescue: Ropes and Rigging. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning Read More