Training and Development refer to the official, ongoing systematic efforts which are undertaken by companies to enhance the overall performance and self-fulfillment of its employees through various educational means and programs. The concept of training and development is to develop competent and effective employees by equipping them with the right skills and knowledge so that they can effectively perform their tasks. In today’s highly dynamic corporate world, development of an individual employee is almost impossible as he/she is bombarded with a deluge of information, instructions, and activities. With a focus towards increasing speed, productivity, and efficiency in work, companies are increasingly emphasizing on the need for training and development of employees. This has led to the adoption of various training and development activities by companies across the world.
The training and development activities are designed to enhance the skill set and qualities of employees, to help them enhance job satisfaction, and to help them adapt to fast-changing situations. Training can be broadly divided into short term and long-term programs. Short term programs are usually aimed at molding new employees into the right working environment. For small businesses, short term training can be implemented through specialized classes and workshops, or through individualized supervision by a senior manager. A large number of companies, however, have started to adopt long-term strategies, such as induction training, onetime training, and on-the job training.
Long-term training programs, on the other hand, are adopted when companies want to introduce new processes and procedures to their organisation, or when the need arises for re-instilling old standards and approaches into the workplace. These long term programmes provide effective training program for employees who then go on to perform their roles better and more efficiently than before. These strategies usually involve hands-on application of the knowledge and skills acquired through the courses. The common training methods include role playing, group projects, and classroom training.