Tying Training to Performance (Performance Consulting and HPT)

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    Tying Training to Performance (Performance Consulting and HPT)

    © Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

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    (Performance Consulting and HPT)

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    Close Relationship Between Systematic Approaches to Training and Performance Management

    Readers who have read Performance Management for any Application in this library will note the similarity between the processes of systematic training and performance management. The results from implementing the two processes are highly integrated as well. That’s why if a supervisor uses good principles of performance management then training and development can be a straightforward activity which almost always contribute to the organization’s bottom line.

    The performance management process is repeated below from the library section, Performance Management. When reviewing the steps below, think of the word “domain” as applying to the employee being trained. Comments are added in italics. The words “employee” and “learner” are used interchangeably.

    1. Review organizational goals to associate preferred organizational results in terms of units of performance, that is, quantity, quality, cost or timeliness (note that the result itself is therefore a measure) – Reviewing these goals will prepare the supervisor and employee for soon ensuring that training produces useful results for the organization. Implementing a good training plan will produce results for the organization.
    2. Specify desired results for the domain — as guidance, focus on results needed by other domains (e.g., products or services need by internal or external customers) – The training process should have specific learning goals to accomplish which, in turn, help the learner accomplish specific results.
    3. Ensure the domain’s desired results directly contribute to the organization’s result — A good training plan must be geared to help the employee produce specific results, which in turn, directly contribute to results needed by the organization
    4. Weight, or prioritize, the domain’s desired results – Knowing what range of results are needed from the employee and which are the most important, helps the supervisor and employee to pick what training is needed and when.
    5. Identify first-level measures to evaluate if and how well the domain’s desired results were achieved – This refinement of expected results from the employee helps the supervisor and employee to ensure that training is highly focused on results for the employee — and organization. this step is similar to setting standards against which the training will be evaluated
    6. Identify more specific measures for each first-level measure if necessary – This step is similar to setting up-front training goals in the training plan, and associating measures from which the effectiveness of training can later be evaluated.
    7. Identify standards for evaluating how well the desired results were achieved (e.g., “below expectations”, “meets expectations” and “exceeds expectations”)
    8. Document a performance plan — including desired results, measures and standards – This is similar to developing the training plan, with preferred training goals and measures.
    9. Conduct ongoing observations and measurements to track performance – The training plan is implemented and includes ongoing evaluation before, during and after carrying out training methods.
    10. Exchange ongoing feedback about performance – Effective training requires ongoing feedback between learners and trainer.
    11. Conduct a performance appraisal (sometimes called performance review) – Effective training includes evaluation to judge the quality of the training itself and identify what results were achieved by learners.
    12. If performance meets the desired performance standard, then reward for performance (the nature of the reward depends on the domain) – Hopefully, the learning experience includes time to acknowledge successes and the trainers’ and learners’ roles in those successes.
    13. If performance does not meet performance standards, develop or update a performance development plan – A good training plan will include measures for noting changes in the employee’s performance. If improvement is needed, a performance plan should be updated or started, and may include cause for more training. Likewise, the trainer should review results of learners’ evaluations to improve the quality of his or her training design.

    Performance Consulting

    Performance consulting is relatively recent field and refers to the (ideally) systematic activities to enhance the performance on individuals (and some would say teams), especially to enhance the performance of the overall organization. The activities often include systematic approaches to the design and implementation of training programs. Thus, performance consulting and training often are closely related and referred together in literature.

    Human Performance Technology

    Many people believe that traditional views of training, for example, to enhance learning (knowledge, skills and abilities of individuals) is not enough — that training and learning must be more closely aligned to achieving the goals of the organization. Simply put, Human Performance Technology (HPT) uses instructional technologies to improve the performance of individuals, especially regarding organizational performance (effective and efficient achievement of organizational goals). HPT has developed numerous, often highly technical, theories, models and tools to enhance performance. Thus, the “technology” in HPT.

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    Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to This Topic

    In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

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