Reinventing Corporate Learning & training using technology

Corporate learning and training is the function of human resource development an
organization, its main purpose is to ensure that the capabilities and skills of employees are
enhanced to meet the corporation’s goals. Training and learning have been defined by
numerous authors and scholars over the years, The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary
defines training as the process of learning the skills that one needs to do a job (Oxford,2010,
pg. 1586). Michael Armstrong defines training as modification of behavior in a formal and
systematic way through education and instruction, (Michael, 2003). Training can therefore be
defined as imparting specific skills to an employee, it is meant to improve effectiveness in the
work place and when effectiveness is increased productivity increases. It is therefore
paramount for an organization to invest in training and learning. This paper will delve into
the changes that organizations have undergone in training and particularly focus on the
technological angle.
Training is instigated as a result of a gap between job demands and employee
competencies, the human resource manager needs to identify the gap and bridge it for each
employee, the need for training cannot be overemphasized, it improves the quality of work
produced, training provides an avenue where both the organization and individual grow.
To meet the challenges posed by global competitors an organization needs to be on
its toes, to invent and reinvent itself so as not to be overtaken. Training helps to bridge the
gap of the skills that an employee has to what is really needed in the job, it helps harness the
potential of employees’ as a result building loyalty to the organization.
Training can be categorized into three broad areas; knowledge which aims at
imparting knowledge to employees with information that relates to their job description, it

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focuses on the content of the job and the quality of work. Technical skills focuses on the
physical aspect of the job for example filing of documentd. Social skills is also a category of
training that is concerned with the development of an individual and team work, the focus is
on the behavior of the trainee and the interpersonal skills that are needed in the organization.
After the skills have been taught the employees are then taught the techniques of applying
those skills. Training can also take the form of an attitude training where the employees’
attitudes are made favorable to achieving the goals of the organization.
The history of training can be dated back to 18 th century with the great industrial
expansion, where there was establishment of vocational training facilities and manual training
schools, factories had training schools where the graduates were incorporated into the
factories, soon thereafter it became common practice for factories to have factory schools.
Training in the 21 st century has significantly evolved, it not only focuses on the technical
aspect but also the psychological and societal needs of trainees, putting into consideration
globalization. With changes in the society there is a need to change the training. (Richard,
2016).
For instance due to globalization majority of corporations require their employees to
be computer literate, using computers is not set aside for select few as was in the past, but the
whole organization needs to be up to date.
For training to be effective the management needs to be able to allocate resources.
The training should be in line with the competitive strategies of the corporation, there should
be a link between the individual training needs and the organizational needs the last step is
evaluating the effectiveness of the training.

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Training Approaches
On the job training method, this is a training method that teaches skills that are needed
by employees within the work environment, it uses the tools and resources that are readily
available in the work place. (Susan, 2018).
Coaching, mentoring and job rotation are ways of carrying out on the job training,
Stimulation training method is a type of training where there is an artificial representation of
what can happen in the real world, the training method is through experience, this method is
mostly used to improve business awareness. Knowledge based method is also a form of
training and it is normally followed up with a proficiency test.
Training and learning is not a one off process but a continuous activity.it is paramount
for the growth of a business, continuous learning enables employees to come up with new
and innovative ideas, all employees need to go through the training for a business to succeed
,this can be costly for organizations to sustain, in order to survive, employers have decided to
adopt technology in the training process to reduce cost and increase effectiveness.
Technology is being used in various ways in training and learning, for example e-
learning which refers to use of the internet to conduct training, it is the use of digital tools to
teach, it is convenient for a corporation that has a large number of employees, or an
organization that has its branches in different countries, the logistics for training employees
in such scenarios can be problematic, e-learning on the other hand just requires the
employees to login to the corporations intranet to access the training.
There is the emergence of digital technologies for example social networks which
organizations cannot ignore, there are new technological advancements for example
gamification which are used for stimulations and can be programed to match the
organizations style (Gerald, 2018).

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Modern technology can be leveraged to come up with multiple ways to engage
employees who need to feel that the training is for their benefit as well, surveys and
questionnaires can also be made available to better assess the needs of the employees.
(Rosenberg,2002).With fast growing economy where almost everyone has a smart phone a
computer or an iPad, feedback channels are increased and flexible.
Advantages of training through E-learning
E-learning allows the trainees to take the training at their own pace and proceed at a
time that is convenient to them (Tanuj, 2010), they are able to pause and repeat areas that
they did not understand well.
The training program is similar for all trainees, this allows for a consistent way of
training, the message that is being put across is consistent, and one never has to wonder
whether a trainer covered all the required areas and key points (Shane, 2008).
E-learning caters for persons who have different learning styles, people disseminate
and understand information differently, there are visual persons ,some understand more when
audio is involved, while others thrive in an environment that is interactive, with e-learning
every learner is accommodated.
It is effective in a work force that is multi-lingual, a trainee is able to choose a
language that they understand best, and it is also cost effective.
It is transparent in a sense that all training is tracked automatically ,this also helps in
curbing absenteeism, since management is able to see who has taken the training and who has
not. If an employee is not at work for one reason or another they are able to login and do the
training. It is not geographically restricted.

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Enables the management to look at the score and assessment of the trainees and how
well they understand the training. The mode of grading is standard which means the
management is able to grade using a primary scale
Using technology is beneficial in that it is flexible, for example regulation keeps on
changing and new laws are passed that require businesses to adhere to, it is easy to edit the
existing material so as to be compliant.
Web based training can also be accomplished through use of mobile technology and
not limited to computers, the scale of leveraging on technology becomes beneficial to
corporations.
Disadvantages of training through E-learning
Not all trainees may be willing to take up e-learning with open arms, it is difficult for
organizations that have been training traditionally for years to readily accept change.
Transition may cause anxiety with the trainees leading to low productivity.
E-learning may not be appropriate for all types of training for example, leadership and
the change of culture in an organization. The cost of setting up web based training program is
costly and requires significant cost in the onset, this means that the management ought to be
open to the idea and be supportive of it. Most people are accustomed to face to face social
interactions that has a classroom and a room of people, because of this most employees find
online writing to be boring and slow.
Online training becomes hard for employees who are unable to read and write.
Another problem that arises is when there is a poorly designed employee training program
that is not well thought of, it leads to more losses than profit. Internet connectivity also needs
to be factored in since most programs cannot run without internet connectivity.

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Another problem that may be faced when using technology is the lack of instructor
interactions, if a trainee has a question or a concern they are not able to get a response or the
response is not timely, use of instructors generates enthusiasm for the subject and are great in
teaching interpersonal skills and customer care.
Use of technology leads to the loss of jobs, professionals who earned a living from
training and holding seminars are being replaced by virtual instructors. Increased loneliness
has also been attributed to technology because there is no human interaction.
In conclusion the use of technology in corporate learning and training has more
advantages that disadvantages an organization is able to design lessons according to the
corporations’ needs and wants, online trainings are not limited to particular geographical
locations and time, the employees can do their trainings at any place and any time, it
significantly reduces the cost of training and increases the returns.it is however clear that for
the best results a breed of both should be used the traditional method of training with the
technological methods for optimum results. Technology should be treated as an addition and
not a replacement.

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References

David B (2016, October 3), The Impact of Technology on Employee Training,
Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/impact-technology-employee-training-david-
beach/
Gerald J (2018, January 17 )Tech funnel, The High Impact of Digital Technologies on
Employee Training, Retrieved from https://www.techfunnel.com/hr-tech/high-impact-digital-
technologies-employee-training/
Michael Armstrong (1992) A Handbook of Human Resource Management, Aditya
Books Private Limited, New Delhi,p. 198
Noe, R., Hollenbeck, J., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. (2006). Human Resources
Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage, Tenth Global Edition. McGraw-Hill
Education.
Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, International Learners Edition (2010) pg.
1586
Richard J. Torraco (2016) Early History of the Fields of Practice of Training and
Development and Organization Development, University of Nebraska.
Rosenberg, M. J., & Foshay, R. (2002). E‐learning: Strategies for delivering
knowledge in the digital age. Performance Improvement, 41(5), 50-51.
Shane A (2008, September 1) EHS Today, The Evolution of Workplace Training,
Retrieved from https://www.ehstoday.com/training/evolution_workplace_training

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Susan H (2018), How On-the-Job Training Brings You Value, Retrieved from
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-on-the-job-training-brings-you-value-1917941
Tanuj P (2010, November 20) Hrm Training and Development, Retrieved from