Importance of Training and Development for Employees

Employee training and development programs are essential for organizations to achieve their goals and become successful in the business world (Jehanzeb and Bashir, 2013). Providing the employees training and development programs to all employees in the organization through that employer can improve employees' skills and enhance the employee productivity and company culture (Mozael, 2015). In additionally, Training and development is a great help in reducing the employee turnover and also helps the organization to acquire new innovations in various sections (Sung and Choi, 2013).

It’s no surprise that employees who regularly receive opportunities to learn, develop, and move forward is more likely to stay with a company. Learning and development are among the top factors in employee engagement (Nelson, 2018).

Employee development can be strengthened through approaches such as coaching, training sessions and leadership mentoring. Training is a needful concept to learn new information, skills, methods and theories. These programs often provide to newcomers in the organization and to employees directly involved in the organization’s development (Klein and Weaver, 2000). Through the employee training and development programs help to enhance the employees’ motivation and performance. It provides great support to achieve organizational goals and developments (Elnaga and Imran, 2013). Following are some ways employee training and development efforts improve employee performance.

 

• Training for New Responsibilities

If they are cross-training or moving to new positions to understand multiple roles, employees may be prepared for additional responsibilities through training and development opportunities (Inglis and Alexander, 1999).  Training and development programs help employees learn the skills they need in their current roles and introduce them to the leadership skills and software knowledge they will need in the future.  One type of training, apprenticeship, allows employees to start as trainees and move up to a higher level of role (Simons and Richardson, 2012).

 

• Learning About Industry and Technology Updates

When a person enters an industry as a newcomer, the practical knowledge, experience and understanding of that industry and organization is minimal (Thomas and Anderson, 2012). In order to enhance the knowledge and understanding of those new employees to become an expert in the industry, one must learn well about that industry. Opportunities should be created for new employees to gain education, learn and understanding through training sessions, coaching and guidance, leadership mentoring programs. These new employees acquired knowledge and understandings through those training and development programs can be used as a future investment for the organization (Sheehan, 2014)

• Developing Soft Skills

Employee training and development programs can strengthen the soft skills that are essential to adapt to changes in the workplace and in society.  Training that highlights examples of soft skills such as resilience, emotional intelligence, and diligence in professional settings can create an environment that nurtures productivity and camaraderie (Ibrahim and Boerhannoeddin, 2017).

When employees find out they have a supportive employer, they are more engaged and excited for a higher level of performance. Providing training and development opportunities for employees shows that an employer is willing to assist its employees throughout their careers (Jehanzeb and Bashir, 2013).

Through the training and development programs, employees gain the knowledge and understanding of the goals that they need to achieve and help employees to manage tasks individually or as a team (Elnaga and Imran, 2013). In addition, they are able to find new ways to perform tasks more effectively in less time based on the professional skills and knowledge gained through training and development programs (Latif, 2012).

List of Reference

 

Cooper‐Thomas, H., Anderson, N. and Cash, M., 2012. Investigating organizational socialization: A fresh look at newcomer adjustment strategies. Personnel review.

Elnaga, A. and Imran, A., 2013. The effect of training on employee performance. European journal of Business and Management, 5(4), pp.137-147.

Ibrahim, R., Boerhannoeddin, A. and Bakare, K.K., 2017. The effect of soft skills and training methodology on employee performance. European Journal of Training and Development.

Inglis, S., Alexander, T. and Weaver, L., 1999. Roles and responsibilities of community nonprofit boards. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 10(2), pp.153-167.

Jehanzeb, K. and Bashir, N.A., 2013. Training and development program and its benefits to employee and organization: A conceptual study. European Journal of business and management, 5(2).

Klein, H.J. and Weaver, N.A., 2000. The effectiveness of an organizational‐level orientation training program in the socialization of new hires. Personnel psychology, 53(1), pp.47-66.

Korte, R.F., 2009. How newcomers learn the social norms of an organization: A case study of the socialization of newly hired engineers. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 20(3), pp.285-306.

Latif, K.F., 2012. An integrated model of training effectiveness and satisfaction with employee development interventions. Industrial and Commercial Training.

Mozael, B.M., 2015. Impact of training and development programs on employee performance. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 5(11), pp.37-42.

Nelson, B., 2018. 1,001 ways to engage employees: help people do better what they do best. Red Wheel/Weiser.

Rodriguez, J. and Walters, K., 2017. The importance of training and development in employee performance and evaluation. World Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, 3(10), pp.206-212.

Saks, A.M. and Gruman, J.A., 2012. Getting newcomers on board: A review of socialization practices and introduction to socialization resources theory. The Oxford handbook of organizational socialization, pp.27-55.

Sheehan, M., 2014. Investment in training and development in times of uncertainty. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 16(1), pp.13-33.

Simons, N. and Richardson, J., 2012. New roles, new responsibilities: Examining training needs of repository staff. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 1(2).

Sung, S.Y. and Choi, J.N., 2014. Do organizations spend wisely on employees? Effects of training and development investments on learning and innovation in organizations. Journal of organizational behavior, 35(3), pp.393-412.

 

 

VAK Learning Styles

When conducting training and development sessions for employees in an organization, it is important to identify which learning style is best used by learners to grasp information. Learning style is how a person's way of learning and absorbing various important information (Mulder, 2019). Everyone in society has different differences, abilities, skills, and talents. So it makes sense that the ways we all learn are not the same way (Lupton, 2021).

For Example, I had three friends at university.  We have been close friends for a long time.  But the way the three of us were educated was different. One listens to the lecture very well and realizes the facts at that moment. He does not want to see those handouts again and again. Another should read the material several times and gather additional facts.  In addition, those facts should be rewritten.  That way he understands and remembers those facts. The last friend gains an understanding of how everything works through the experience gained by putting those facts into practice.

Visual, auditory, and kinetic (VAK) learning models provide the easiest way to explain and understand learning styles. The VAK learning style uses the three main sensory receptors to determine a person's preferred or preferred learning style (Saleem and Hussain, 2021).

Figure 1: VAK Learning Styles

(Whitfield, 2019)

Peoples generally have a preferred learning style that can be a combination of all three senses.  Some have a very strong preference for a combination of all three senses while others have a uniform mix of one or two designs. When a person knows the learning styles they prefer, they will be able to understand the type of learning that is most suitable for them.  This allows people to choose the types of learning that work best for themself (Sreenidhi and Helena, 2017).

Below show a brief description of the VAK learning styles characteristic and components and examples of instances where companies use VAK learning styles. 

Characteristics of Visual Learners:

People who like this learning style are those who like to learn by seeing something (Gholami and Bagheri, 2013). They like to look for information and advice with the ability to visualize, they tend to look at pictures and images while remembering things and can use mind maps.  They tend to write, draw, imagine and love to create their own notes and read for themselves (Sreenidhi and Helena, 2017).

 

Write things down	Take notes	Watch videos, Make lists
Use highlighters, underlining,	Write key words	Use mind maps to summarize large tracts of information

For Example, When a fresh graduate is recruited to Management Trainee position in the apparel sector organization and they will conduct an induction program for that trainee employee within the first few days. For this, the organization shows different activities and procedures of the various departments in the organization and shoes the articles, videos and books related to the history and procedures of the organization. Trainee employees who like visual learning have the ability to gain a broader understanding of the organization through such induction programs.

Characteristics of Auditory Learners:

Auditory learning is a learning style that a person learns through listening.  An auditory learner relies on hearing and speaking as a basic learning style.  These types of people too may have difficulty with reading and writing tasks. They also use their listening and repetition skills to categorize the information sent to them (Janakiraman, 2018).

Read out loud.	Ask questions.	Repeat facts with eyes closed.
Record class notes and then listen to the recording, rather than reading notes.	Avoid auditory distractions	Put information into mnemonics to remember information.

For Example, Star Garment Organization conducts programs every two weeks through MS teams to enhance the professional skills, attitudes, and other needs of the company's employees. Employees of the company connect to their laptops while on duty and listen to those programs.

Characteristics of Kinesthetic Learners:

Kinesthetic learning is a form of learning in which the student, employee, or employer learns by doing physical activities rather than listening to a lecture or watching a demonstration.  It is also known as tactile learning (Bakri, Rahman and Jabu, 2019). 

Create a model.

Practice a technique.

Engage in hands-on activities.

• Study or work in a comfortable position, not necessarily sitting in a chair.

For Example, when a join the apparel company to as a trainee merchandiser, they will get 4 or 5 sample styles from the second season. It aims to provide practical understanding, training and knowledge to train employees.

List of Reference

Bakri, R.A., Rahman, M.A. and Jabu, B., 2019. Exploring the Impact of VAK Learning Style on Teenager Level Language Learners in Indonesia. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 10(4), pp.807-814.

Da Silva, L.M., Dias, L.P.S., Rigo, S., Barbosa, J.L.V., Leithardt, D.R. and Leithardt, V.R.Q., 2021. A literature review on intelligent services applied to distance learning. Education Sciences, 11(11), p.666.

Gholami, S. and Bagheri, M.S., 2013. Relationship between VAK learning styles and problem solving styles regarding gender and students' fields of study. Journal of language teaching and research, 4(4), p.700.

Janakiraman, B., 2018. Assessment of Visual, Auditory, and kinaesthetic Learning Styles among Postgraduate Management Students. Asian Journal of Management, 9(2), pp.1031-1037.

Mulder, P. (2019). VAK Learning Styles. Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/communication-skills/vak-learning-styles/

Qiu, H., Saiki, D. and Adomaitis, A.D., 2018. Learning styles of students enrolled in fashion classes: academic level, geographic region, and academic focus. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 11(3), pp.277-286.

Saleem, Z. and Hussain, A.H.A., 2021. Gender Differences in VAK Learning Style Model and Academic Performance. Dialogue (Pakistan), 16(2).

SREENIDHI, SK.M. and HELENA, M.T.C., 2017. Styles of Learning Based on the Research of Fernald, Keller, Orton, Gillingham, Stillman, Montessori and Neil D Fleming. International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, 3(4), pp.17-25.

Incorporating Learning & Development in an Organization

Learning and Development are the one of the main required factors of an organization that wants to stay in the economic modern world and competitive environment (Gilaninia, Rankouh and Gildeh, 2013). The organization needs to identify the appropriate method to incorporate those learning and development requirements into the organization system. If the organization does not identify such appropriate practices and methods it may affect the future survival of the organization and the expected return on investment in the organization (Burke and Noumair, 2015).

The organization implements various programs for all employees for the future of the organization and increased productivity (Gubler, Larkin and Pierce, 2018). Any organization consists of a variety of trained, untrained, experienced and inexperienced employees. These different types of employee levels need to be identified as the organization's management makes various investments to increase employee productivity. If the investment is made without the organization management realizing those levels, the organization will not be able to achieve the expected outcome (Storey and Westhead, 1997).

Kolb's learning theory (1974) presents four different learning styles based on a four-stage learning cycle. One thing Kolb explains is that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. There may be factors that influence a person to follow a learning style they prefer (McLeod, 2017).

For Example, Factors such as social environment, educational experiences and past experiences can influence a person to choose the learning style they prefer.

A comprehensive method of how effective learning is conducted was introduced by Kolb. In his learning cycle there are 4 vital steps.

Figure 1: Kolb’s Learning Cycle

Source: McLeod, 2017

1. Concrete Experience:

This could be a completely new experience or a re-imagined experience that has already happened (Kurt, 2020). In another way, this can be a new experience or situation or a redefinition of an existing experience in the light of new concepts. For people who want to learn, it is not enough just to read about it or to look at it. They need to actively engage in that work to gain new knowledge (McLeod, 2017).

For Example:-

A young man completes his studies and joins an organization as a Management Trainee to gain new experience. There, during the initial period, the trainee gains experience in the processes of the organization.

2. Reflective Observation:

After engaging in a Concrete Experience, the learner takes steps back to reflect on the task at hand (Kurt, 2020). This stage of the learning cycle allows learners to ask questions, share ideas and discuss experiences with others (Stice, 1987). Communication is very important in this case, it allows the learner to recognize any discrepancy between their understanding and experience (Kolb, Boyatzis and Mainemelis, 2014).

For Example:-

In this stage, training persons reflects on what they gained experience. The training persons work to share that experience with people with expertise in the organization, friends and co-workers and begins to think about other people's ideas.

3. Abstract Conceptualization:

In this stage, learning involves using theories, reasoning, and ideas rather than emotions to understand problems or situations (Atkinson and Murrell, 1988).  In general, learning relies on systematic planning and develops theories and ideas for problem-solving (the person has learned from their experience) (McLeod, 2017). The question that leads to this stage goes beyond the questions in the reflective Observation stage: What can I do better or differently?  How do I improve?  At first, you try to find different ways to deal with the situation and think of strategies when you experience the same situation again (Turesky and Gallagher, 2011). Also, this is the stage where you should consult colleagues and literature to get a better understanding and more ideas (Geiger, Boyle and Pinto, 1992).

For Example:-

The trainee person tries to think about the organization process difference between the prior understanding of the organizations experience and the post-experiential understanding. There, the trainee works to develop new concepts, giving priority to theoretical and logical ideas for problem solving.

4. Active Experimentation:

Newly created or modified concepts lead to experimentation (Kolb, 2007).  The learner learns to see what is happening and apply learner's ideas to the world around them. At this stage learning takes an active form - experimenting with changing situations (Chan, 2012).  Take a practical approach to learning and, as opposed to simply watching a situation, focus on what really works (McLeod, 2017). This stage is now training the newly acquired theoretical knowledge.  Re-apply your own reflections and thoughts as well as theories about improvements and try new strategies (Lenartowicz, Johnson and Konopaske, 2014).  Some of them will work, others will not, so this is automatically the basis for the new cycle.  As the experience in the active testing phase becomes the new “concrete experience” (McLeod, 2017).

For Example:-

The trainee person tries to experiment with newly created or modified concepts.

List of Reference

 

Atkinson Jr, G. and Murrell, P.H., 1988. Kolb's experiential learning theory: A meta‐model for career exploration. Journal of Counseling & Development, 66(8), pp.374-377.

Burke, W.W. and Noumair, D.A., 2015. Organization development: A process of learning and changing. FT Press.

Chan, C.K.Y., 2012. Exploring an experiential learning project through Kolb's Learning Theory using a qualitative research method. European Journal of Engineering Education, 37(4), pp.405-415.

Geiger, M.A., Boyle, E.J. and Pinto, J., 1992. A factor analysis of Kolb's revised Learning Style Inventory. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52(3), pp.753-759.

Gilaninia, S., Rankouh, M.A.A. and Gildeh, M.A.P., 2013. Overview on the importance of organizational learning and learning organization. Journal of Research and Development, 187(941), pp.1-6.

Gubler, T., Larkin, I. and Pierce, L., 2018. Doing well by making well: The impact of corporate wellness programs on employee productivity. Management Science, 64(11), pp.4967-4987.

Kelly, C., 1997. David Kolb, the theory of experiential learning and ESL. The Internet TESL Journal, 3(9), pp.1-5.

Kolb, D.A., Boyatzis, R.E. and Mainemelis, C., 2014. Experiential learning theory: Previous research and new directions. In Perspectives on thinking, learning, and cognitive styles (pp. 227-248). Routledge.

Kolb, D.A., 2007. The Kolb learning style inventory. Boston, MA: Hay Resources Direct.

Kurt, S., 2020. Kolb’s experiential learning theory & learning styles. Educational Technology. https://educationaltechnology. net/kolbsexperiential-learning-theory-learning-styles.

Lenartowicz, T., Johnson, J.P. and Konopaske, R., 2014. The application of learning theories to improve cross-cultural training programs in MNCs. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(12), pp.1697-1719.

McLeod, S., 2017. Kolb's learning styles and experiential learning cycle. Simply psychology, 5.

Mohamed, A., Rasli, A. and Mansor, N.A., 2012. Business impact and ROI: a proposed approach to learning and development investment. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 40, pp.596-603.

Morris, T.H., 2020. Experiential learning–a systematic review and revision of Kolb’s model. Interactive Learning Environments, 28(8), pp.1064-1077.

Raschick, M., Maypole, D.E. and Day, P.A., 1998. Improving field education through Kolb learning theory. Journal of Social Work Education, 34(1), pp.31-42.

Rupčić, N. (2017), "Spiritual development – a missing and powerful leverage when building learning organizations", The Learning Organization, 24(6), pp. 418–426

Stice, J.E., 1987. Using Kolb's Learning Cycle to Improve Student Learning. Engineering education, 77(5), pp.291-96.

Storey, D.J. and Westhead, P., 1997. Management training in small firms–a case of market failure?. Human resource management journal, 7(2), pp.61-71.

Turesky, E.F. and Gallagher, D., 2011. Know thyself: Coaching for leadership using Kolb’s experiential learning theory. The Coaching Psychologist, 7(1), pp.5-14.

Common Learning and Development Methods

Learning organizations empower employees to solve problems independently as well as to take advantage of the experiences of their peers (Ellinger and Bostrom, 1999). They have the opportunity to share their ideas and insights without fear of judgment, expand their knowledge, and work together to achieve common goals. The organization is the primary benefactor of this creative and free-thinking approach (Avella, Kebritchi, Nunn and Kanai, 2016).

In a present highly competitive work environment, an organization that trains as effectively and efficiently as possible will always excel.  Emphasizing process, performance, and employee motivation as the key to success, it is undeniable that learning has become a competitive parameter of an organization (Alahassa, 2021).

It is important for the organization to identify the learners' tendencies within the organization, and the learning style they prefer to help them grasp as much content as possible. The trainer’s method or training medium, along with the learner's learning style, shares the weight of the productivity of the training program (Martin, Kolomitro and Lamb, 2014). It is therefore the responsibility of the trainer to identify the appropriate methodology for his training (Salas, Tannenbaum and Kraiger, 2012).

According to Henderson (2017), the following are methods, organizations use commonly to carry out Learning and Development methods.

Action learning	Corporate Universities	Mentoring
Blended learning	E-learning	Role-playing
Case studies	Instruction	Lecture
Coaching	Self-Development	Outdoor training
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)	Simulations/Business Games

Some of the above methods are described below:-

Action Learning: - “Action learning, in the simplest definition, is a process for developing creative solutions in tackling complex problems of individuals, groups of people, and corporations (Grabinger and Dunlap, 1995).” The working material used in action learning is the learner's experiences and needs that are often used (Revans, 1980).  Action learning is a continuous process of learning and reflection working on real issues with the help of a team of colleagues.  The action learning system is increasingly used to bring innovations in various fields (McGill and Brockbank, 2003).

 

Blended Learning: - Blended learning is roughly the integration of led by traditional instructors’ conducting classroom learning and technology-based e-learning. Most current definitions of blended learning refer to a blend of online and face‑to‑face instruction (Cronje, 2020). For example, a trainee merchandiser who works in the apparel field can explain the process of the organization system in online-based using videos and articles, but to show how a garment is produced, one has to go into the production flow and need to do it practically.

 

Case studies: - “A case study can be defined as an intensive study about a person, a group of people or a unit, which is aimed to generalize over several units' (Gerring, 2004)”. “Although case study methods have been a controversial approach to data collection, they are widely recognized in many sociological studies, especially when seeking in-depth explanations of social behavior (Zainal, 2007)”. For example, this learning method is often used by an R&D department in an organization to gather various data and find solutions to various problems, weaknesses, new concepts and technological advances in the organization.

Coaching: -  “Coaching has been defined in many ways. The essence of coaching is: To help a person change in the way they wish and helping them go in the direction they want to go (Landsberg, 2015).” Coaching supports a person at every level in becoming who they want to be and coaching builds awareness empowers choice and leads to change (Stanier, 2016). For example, when employees get a job as a machine operators in a garment factory, they are first directed to the training line and coached by a supervisor.

 

E-learning: - The learning system based on formal teaching but with the help of electronic resources is called E-learning (Bhattacharya and Nath, 2016).  Teaching can be based in or outside the classroom, and the use of computers and the Internet is a key component of e-learning (Yuen and Ma, 2008).  The e-learning network can also be referred to as an active exchange of skills and knowledge, provided to a large number of educators at the same time or at different times (Oye, Salleh and Iahad, 2012). For example, Adidas has introduced a unique L&D solution called The Group Learning Campus to train over 51,000 workforces worldwide.  This new initiative consists of video lectures, e-books, pdfs, and a wide range of social and interactive learning materials which all employees can access any time they want. Employees receive ‘recommendations’ and have the option to rate and review content on the platform. As a result of this, employee engagement and skills have gone up, bringing improved performance for the management and company.

 

Instruction: - “According to Gagne, instruction can be defined as the bundle of “instructional events” that creates the necessary “external conditions” for learning (Jaspers, 1991).” If defined in another way, an outline or manual of technical procedure and the action, practice, or profession of teaching (Clark, 2021).  For example, In a Garment factory, when checking the quality of a garment, quality checkers are given an instruction form that includes key checkpoints.  Through this, the company expects to get the garment checked very well.

 

Lecture: - “The most traditional and direct method which is mainly for large participants (Kaur, 2011)”. “If introduced in another way, an educational talk to an audience, especially one of students in a university (Madge, Meek, Wellens and Hooley, 2009)”. For Example, when conducting workshops on care label instruction in apparel manufacturing companies, provide the lecture to all company merchandisers on the care label instruction by using a specialist from an outside company.

 

Role-Playing: - “Role Play is a dramatic technique that encourages participants to improvise behaviors illustrating the expected action of persons involved in defining situations (Lowenstein and Harris, 2007)”. 

 

Self-Development: - “Self-development is taking steps to better yourself, such as by learning new skills or overcoming bad habits (Lo-oh and Achankeng, 2021).”

List of Referencing

Alahassa, N.K.A., 2021. The Theory of Perfect Learning. Nonvikan Karl-Augustt Alahassa.

Avella, J.T., Kebritchi, M., Nunn, S.G. and Kanai, T., 2016. Learning analytics methods, benefits, and challenges in higher education: A systematic literature review. Online Learning, 20(2), pp.13-29.

Bhattacharya, S. and Nath, S., 2016. Intelligent e-learning systems: An educational paradigm shift.

Clark, R.C., 2011. Developing technical training: A structured approach for developing classroom and computer-based instructional materials. John Wiley & Sons.

Cronje, J., 2020. Towards a new definition of blended learning. Electronic journal of e-Learning, 18(2), pp.pp114-121.

Ellinger, A.D. and Bostrom, R.P., 1999. Managerial coaching behaviors in learning organizations. Journal of Management Development.

Gerring, J., 2004. What is a case study and what is it good for?. American political science review, 98(2), pp.341-354.

Grabinger, R.S. and Dunlap, J.C., 1995. Rich environments for active learning: A definition. ALT-J, 3(2), pp.5-34.

Henderson, M., Selwyn, N. and Aston, R., 2017. What works and why? Student perceptions of ‘useful’digital technology in university teaching and learning. Studies in higher education, 42(8), pp.1567-1579.

Jaspers, F., 1991. Interactivity or instruction? A reaction to Merrill. Educational Technology, 31(3), pp.21-24.

Kaur, G., 2011. Study and analysis of lecture model of teaching. International Journal of Educational Planning & Administration, 1(1), pp.9-13.

Landsberg, M., 2015. The Tao of coaching: Boost your effectiveness at work by inspiring and developing those around you. Profile Books.

Lo-oh, J.L. and Achankeng, N.D., 2021. Resilience effects on the self-development of adolescents in secondary schools in Kumba, Cameroon. International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies, 3(5), pp.103-114.

Lowenstein, A.J. and Harris, M., 2007. Role play. Innovative teaching strategies in nursing and related health professions, pp.173-181.

Madge, C., Meek, J., Wellens, J. and Hooley, T., 2009. Facebook, social integration and informal learning at university:‘It is more for socialising and talking to friends about work than for actually doing work’. Learning, media and technology, 34(2), pp.141-155.

Martin, B. O., Kolomitro, K., Lamb, C. M. T. (2014) Training Methods: A Review and Analysis. Human Resource Development Review, 13(1), pp. 11-35.

McGill, I. and Brockbank, A., 2003. Action learning handbook. Kogan page.

Oye, N.D., Salleh, M. and Iahad, N.A., 2012. E-learning methodologies and tools. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 3(2).

Pickering, T.G., 1992. The ninth Sir George Pickering memorial lecture ambulatory monitoring and the definition of hypertension. Journal of hypertension, 10(5), pp.401-409.

Revans, R.W., 1980. Action learning: New techniques for management. Blond and Briggs Ltd..

Salas, E., Tannenbaum, S. I., Kraiger, K., Smith-Jentsch, K. A. (2012) The Science of Training and development in Organizations: What matters in Practice. Psychological science in the public interest, 13(2), pp. 74-101

Stanier, M.B., 2016. The coaching habit: Say less, ask more & change the way you lead forever. Box of Crayons Press.

Yuen, A.H. and Ma, W.W., 2008. Exploring teacher acceptance of e‐learning technology. Asia‐Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 36(3), pp.229-243.

Zainal, Z., 2007. Case study as a research method. Jurnal kemanusiaan, (9), pp.1-6.

Building a Learning Organization

Learning organizations are organizations that continue to expand capabilities to create the results that people truly want, nurture new and broader thought patterns, liberate collective aspirations, and continue to teach people to see the whole together (Senge, 1990). The vision of a learning organization is not just to train people.  A learning organization is an organization that facilitates learning for all members of the organization and facilitates continuously transforms itself (Pedler, Burgoyne and Boydell, 1996). Learning organizations are characterized by full employee participation in a collaborative, collectively responsible change process that focuses on the shared values ​​or principles (Watkins and Marsick, 1992).

The following five disciplines outline support a learning organization to build a model in which all individuals in an organization can work towards a common goal (Senge, 1990).

1.       Personal Mastery
2.       Shared Vision
3.       Mental Models
4.      Team learning
5.      Systems Thinking

 

1. Personal Mastery.

When creating a learning organization, personal mastery is referred to as the "cornerstone". Personal mastery is the development of the ability to achieve personal goals (Morales, Montes and Jover, 2007).  Learning organizations can do this by creating an environment in which employees can develop a sense of their own vision through reflection and by creating an organizational environment help to support for members of the organization to understand how the world looks, what is important to them, and what they want to contribute (Dhiman, 2011). Said Senge: “Personal vision is the soil in which shared vision can be grown” (Senge, 1990).

 

2. Shared Vision.

A shared vision can only be achieved in an environment of trust and cooperation rather than following advice from top (Senge, 1990). Corporate leadership can create a trust and cooperation environment by working with employees with a common vision (Paroby and White, 2010). At the same time, corporate leadership must listen to the organization's employees and work to maintain a corporate environment in which employees feel (Barker and Camarata, 1998).

 

3. Mental Models.

With a mental model, we understand how our deeply rooted assumptions and generalizations affect our interactions and decisions (Rook, 2013).  We need to reflect on the difference between hearing what someone is saying and really understanding what they are saying, and understanding the gap between what actually happened and what we see happening (Morgan, Fischhoff, Bostrom and Atman, 2002). “In a non-reflective environment, we take what we see as truth (Senge, 1990).

 

4. Team learning.

Team learning can only take place when team members are “humble” and when they want to reflect and take into account the opinions of others, suspending personal bias to work as a whole in a collaborative environment (Senge, 1990). When teams do not learn, it is likely that the organization will suffer (Sarin and McDermott, 2003). Through the Teamwork teaches essential communication and social skills, such as active listening and effective speaking (Savelsbergh, Heijden and Poell, 2010).

 

5. Systems Thinking.

System thinking is the idea that we are part of an interconnected system not disassembled personal silos; Systems thinking addresses the whole and creates an understanding of how parts are interconnected (Caldwell, 2012). "Systems of thought are empathy - for the subtle interactions that give living systems their unique nature"(Senge, 1990).

The members of the organization should be trained to think as bellows (Kim, 1999)

•          Think of connections instead of disconnections/silos,
•          Think in circles instead of in a linear manner,
•          Think in wholes instead of parts,
•         Think of synthesis instead of analysis,
•        Think of relationships instead of about things in isolation,

The environment of the organization must be maintained in a way that is appropriate for the members of the organization to be holistic (Monat and Gannon, 2015).

 

 

List of reference

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Caldwell, R., 2012. Systems thinking, organizational change and agency: A practice theory critique of Senge's learning organization. Journal of change management, 12(2), pp.145-164.

Dhiman, S., 2011. Personal mastery and authentic leadership. Organization Development Journal, 29(2), p.69.

Garavan, T., 1997. The learning organization: a review and evaluation. The learning organization.

Garcia-Morales, V.J., Lloréns-Montes, F.J. and Verdu-Jover, A.J., 2007. Influence of personal mastery on organizational performance through organizational learning and innovation in large firms and SMEs. Technovation, 27(9), pp.547-568.

Kim, D.H., 1999. Introduction to systems thinking (Vol. 16). Waltham, MA: Pegasus Communications.

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Lunenburg, F.C., 2011. Systems thinking and the learning organization: The path to school improvement. Schooling, 2(1), pp.1-6.

Monat, J.P. and Gannon, T.F., 2015. What is systems thinking? A review of selected literature plus recommendations. American Journal of Systems Science, 4(1), pp.11-26.

Morgan, M.G., Fischhoff, B., Bostrom, A. and Atman, C.J., 2002. Risk communication: A mental models approach. Cambridge University Press.

Paroby, D. and White, D., 2010. The role of shared vision and ethics in building an effective learning organization. Southern Journal of Business and Ethics, 2, p.133.

Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J.G. and Boydell, T., 1996. The learning company: A strategy for sustainable development. In The learning company: a strategy for sustainable development (pp. 243-243).

Rook, L., 2013. Mental models: A robust definition. The learning organization.

Sarin, S. and McDermott, C., 2003. The effect of team leader characteristics on learning, knowledge application, and performance of cross‐functional new product development teams. Decision sciences, 34(4), pp.707-739.

Savelsbergh, C.M., van der Heijden, B.I. and Poell, R.F., 2010. Attitudes towards factors influencing team performance: A multi‐rater approach aimed at establishing the relative importance of team learning behaviors in comparison with other predictors of team performance. Team Performance Management: An International Journal.

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Watkins, K.E. and Marsick, V.J., 1992. Building the learning organisation: a new role for human resource developers. Studies in continuing education, 14(2), pp.115-129.