Text 14 training

Training is the process of instructing employees in their job tasks as well as socializing them into the organization’s values, attitudes, and other aspects of its culture. There are several reasons why training is an important human resource program. First, it develops new employees’ job skills and attitudes. Second, because jobs frequently change in organizations, especially those in which technology plays a large role, employees are frequently in need of additional training even if they remain in the same position. For example, during the 1980s almost every secretary had to learn how to use a personal computer and at least one word-processing program to continue in the same job. Third, as successful individuals move up to different positions, they need training to learn necessary new tasks. For example, when non-managers are promoted to managerial positions, they need to master many topics as part of their formal training programs. Fourth, the current organizational trend to downsize and reduce managerial layers has shifted many of the survivors to new positions, often increasing the range of tasks and requiring additional training.

The steps in training are straightforward. First the trainer determines the employee’s needs, and then develops a training program to meet these needs. Finally, the trainer performs an evaluation to determine if the training was successful.

2. Comprehension check.

Read the text again more carefully. Complete the sentences with the appropriate ending, a, b, or c.

1. Through training, new employees …

1. become proficient in instruction.

2. familiarize themselves with their responsibilities.

3. learn how to evaluate the company.

2. Employees may require additional training because …

1. they continue to work in the same position.

2. tasks often change in organizations.

3. they are in need of technological progress.

3. To be promoted to managerial positions, …

1. people have to undergo appropriate training.

2. non-managers have to teach special training programs.

3. individuals have to be successful in different jobs.

4. At present, many companies try to …

1. transfer existing managers to other departments.

2. reduce the range of tasks accomplished by managers.

3. decrease administrative segments.

5. The last phase of the training process involves …

1. measuring the results of training.

2. successful performance of job-related tasks.

3. determining employee’s needs.

Pre-reading task

1. As you already know, the first step in training employees is establishing training needs for them. Discuss in pairs if training needs for new employees differ from those for employees who remain in the same job.

2. Do you remember what KSAs mean?

Reading

1. Read text 15 trying to guess the words underlined from the context. Then use your dictionary to check the words.