Training is an essential ingredient in the
change process in that it helps us move from
one point to another. This may be for any
number of reasons, for example:
• because we do not have all the skills to do
the job we currently hold or because that
job itself is changing;
• because of technological change;
• because of structural changes;
• in order to prepare us for changes to come
in the organization we currently work
for or to give us transferable skills to make
us more employable elsewhere.

Some leader doesn’t know the important of training in the organization. The first thing for the managers would need is a training policy that has a clear place in an organization’s strategic plan. Having done this, the Training Department needs an action plan or business strategy that identifies what it will do in the immediate future, and how it can demonstrate accountability against that. This because of change is occurring so rapidly, there is a need for new ways to manage focusing on product quality and individual involvement (Harvey and Brown, 1996).

For resources, a Training Center is essential, supported by adequate resource materials (videos, tapes, books, CD-ROM’s etc), and course or program material. A training program will need to be developed with content, outcomes, and for all to see. A network of trainers needs to be developed, especially those offering expertise not available internally. Training also can occurs in many ways. About two-thirds of individual training isn’t formal at all, but rather results from day to day unplanned interactions between the new worker and his or her colleagues (Day, 1998). It shows that there many ways of training and the organization must identify the suitable training conditions for their organization.

A means of capturing the training needs of employees is required. An excellent means of doing this is through a performance management program or performance appraisal process. Training can also emerge from self-nomination or manager nomination. Major training initiatives need to start from a benchmark that establishes a base line. All training should be evaluated using evaluation that is appropriate to the goals. A useful process can be to establish a model of what best practice would look like and invite self-assessment to determine whether on the job behavior reflects that practice.

Many of those engaged in providing training will have at one time been teachers. Training is a time honored escape route for those wanting to leave the teaching profession. Some trainers will have become accomplished in a skill and enjoy imparting their knowledge. It’s important for the organization to prepare the trainee with proper information. Recent research evidence shows that the trainees’ pertaining preparation is a crucial step in the training process (Dessler, 2000). Improper preparation will have impact directly or indirectly to the training process. The training will be useless and the objective of the training cannot be achieved. It just wasting time and money of the organization and for the long run it will affects the organization performance. Nowadays, some organization hired trainer for their staff or paid a consultant to provide training for their organization. It’s to make sure that their objective can be achieved.

Another issues that arise are some organization hired a trainer without knowing the actual training they need. The trainer will do the jobs and the trainee will not get the benefit from it. It’s important for the trainee to give perceived need for training in the needs of participants (Kimberley and Smith, 1996). It’s difficult and a challenge for the trainer to influence the participant the motive the training. The trainer should not do the job as consultant without concerns the objective of the company that hired them. The trend for internal training departments to be reduced in size and to buy in specialist training expertise is also common issues in training.

Training is a difficult issue for many organizations. Most do not see real benefits arising from it. Training is a charge against the bottom line and demonstrating a benefit in terms of increased profits or added value is difficult. There are several issues that are important in the organizational perspective. One of the issues is considering of the staffing costs. Much training is not integrated into a business planning or performance management process, so it hangs in an ill-defined place within the organization. Training is a cost and some employers have gone to court in an attempt to require individuals who leave their firms after training to repay the cost (Mathis and Jackson, 2000). It’s important for the organization to take corrective action to make sure the expenditure that they have invested is returnable in such a way benefit to the organization.

If organizational leaders do not support training, it will wither on the vine. One further way in which training is vulnerable is that in times of hardship, it is one of the easiest budgets to slash, and any adverse consequences will take some time to appear. Some leader even doesn’t want to put a budget on training. The leader must have greater level of self-confidence and to be more action-oriented (Bowman, 1999). Quality also demands leadership from the top down with every person in every leadership position understanding the operation and being able to assess training needs in his or her area of responsibility (Johnson, 1997).

While it can be obvious sometimes that training is fundamental if certain things are to happen, for example, with the introduction of a new system, the gains from other forms of training are less obvious. Many times, an organization neglect to identify the training resources required implementing the policy decision. Training in the softer skills poses real difficulties in terms of identifying benefits e.g. in management, leadership, customer service, assertiveness, time management, team or group skills, change management and so on. Some organization just send their staff for training because want to use the budget and send them training without know the need of training for them. Organization often feels compelled to reduce training commitments because of economic reasons even though many studies rove solid training programs are a required investment that does not cost it pays (Johnson, 1997).

Problem in establishing suitable training is to establish a measured starting point, a point at which skills achieved can be measured, and the gains to the organization quantified. The technique used for establishing a starting point is called training needs analysis and that for an end point, an evaluation. Determining organizational training requirements can be difficult. The problem must be reviewed in various ways: employer-employee, executive manager, manager, or work force, professional or nonprofessional (Johnson, 1997). Each will require different topics and often-different approaches to the same topics.

Deficiencies in training and their consequences often show up in staff targeted for termination in downsizing or staff reduction exercises. In Malaysia when economic downturn, most organization retrenched their worker. Those most likely to be retrenched will often have been starved of training or staff development over a significant period of time. Some organization will consider of development of staff skill or outsourcing to reduce cost or risk of management. Therefore it’s important to set the training needs. Once the training needs have been identified using the various analyses, then training objectives and priorities must be established (Mathis and Jackson, 2000). All the gathered data is used to compile a gap analysis, which identifies the distance between where an organization is with its employee capabilities and where it needs to be. Training objective and priorities are set to close the gap (Elliot, 1998).

Education is a crucial factor in determining how a nation will fare in the 21st century, or what is billed as the information age. Towards that end, educational bodies and learning institutions need to ensure that they have a relevant mechanism in place to produce a new generation of workforce (knowledge-based workers/k-workers) to excel in the knowledge-based economy (New Straits Times, 2002).

Training also needs analysis. Most organization did not determine what training is required. Task analysis and performance analysis are two main ways to identify training needs (Dessler, 2000). It’s often true that no one knows as the people actually doing it and so soliciting employee input is usually wise (Freeman, 1993). From the analysis will help the organization improving the organization training methodology and can e reviewed from time to time. It will help the organization in controlling their expenses and their productivity.

Dessler (2000)
The process of teaching new employees the basic skills they need to perform their jobs.

Jackson and Mathis (2000)
A process whereby people acquire capabilities to aid in the achievement of organizational goals.

From the definition we can see that training is a very useful tool for the organization to improve their staff efficiency and the organization performance. Lack of training in the organization can also influence the organization performance since cannot compete with others competitors. What is interesting is that as organization’s restructure and implement strategic changes, training becomes more important.

The function of training is to promote acquisition of skills that will benefit both an individual and his or her employer. Adult learning is different from school learning. They would suggest the adult learner (for recipients of most training are adult learners) is more motivated, is more desirous that can be translated quickly to a benefit. Training can result in formal awards (degrees/diplomas/certificates) but it may contain other features. Training can occur through reading, use of computer packages, audiotape and watching videos. It can occur through role-plays, through structured work assignments or job exchanges. It might include work shadowing, it often includes demonstration and assessment of skills and competencies, and it could comprise study tours. It plays importance role to the organizations effectiveness and can be used for achieving organization goals.