Action Plans: Enhancing Training Development for Employees

Abstract
This research paper analyzes and summarizes three published articles and a textbook that provides information on the results from a previous research conducted. The previous conducted research analyzed and summarized the use of action plans that employers and employee structure to develop and enhance training methods to improve job performances. The three articles vary in the definitions of an action plan, the different types of action plans, and the effectiveness of action plans in the workforce. Paul Thoresen states, “action planning should be an interactive process involving both management and employees because it allows more generated ideas, spreads out accountability for successful results in job performances” (Thoresen, 2014, p.

1). On another note, the other articles define and provide precise information regarding action planning in the workforce. This paper analyzes and summarizes three different articles, including Thoresen's, each article pertains to the use of an action plan that will enhance the training development in the workforce.

Action Plans: Enhancing Training Development for Employees
Human Resource Development is a practice used in the working environment that combines training, organization, and career development to help improve and encourage individuals, group, and organizational performances.

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Employers are practicing enhancing the training development for employees’ job performances by structuring action plans for the employee who is obtaining employment. “An action plan is a written document that provides steps that a member of the management team and the employee will abide by to ensure that the training transfers into the job performance” (Noe, 2013,p.216-217). Action plans used to design training for employee development will be the topic that will be researched and analyzed in depth throughout this paper.

The foremost reason behind choosing this topic is that there will be an opportunity of gaining knowledge surrounding action plans. In addition, researching and analyzing this topic will also benefit in developing and enhancing certain managerial skills that focus on training and developing an employee’s job performance. Action plans are strongly emphasized in the workforce and are effective in the development in the employee’s training and job performance.

Paul Thoresen’s article, Survey Action Planning to Drive Change, is an effective article published on LinkedIn, a social media website for members who have a connection within the Business Industry. The article's summary is based on a conducted survey that was researched within the internal and external roles. The summarization also provides resourceful tips in introducing the topic of action planning in the workforce. Thoresen provides general guidelines on effective action planning, his definition of action planning, and steps on structuring an effective action plan. According to Thoresen, “there are five benefits of action planning such as: building credibility, helping in understanding the purpose of employer’s reactions, enhancing open communication, learning that time and opinions matter, and buy-in for all involved and opportunities to pull” (Thoresen, 2014, p.1). Previously stated, “Action planning should be an interactive process involving both management and employees by allowing ideas to be generated and a broader spectrum of the workforce is represented” (Thoresen, 2014,p.1).

Read more: What is Employee Development?

Action plans help in expanding accountability for management and employees. In addition, this article exhibits common mistakes from employers when developing training guides for future employees. Thoresen (2014) provides an exceptional insight stating that one area that often gets short shrift is training for managers as well as for HR Business Partners. Managers may likely need assistance to communicate results and conduct feedback sessions. Also stating that there needs to be support for this and time allotted to make it happen. Managers and teams need to be empowered to make suggestions and make change happen. This article clearly exemplifies that training development amongst employers and employee should be well structured and focus on the impact of an employee’s job performance and the workforce. The next article’s, researched and published by the Littler Learning Group in 2009, is summarized as a guideline for individuals who obtain a management or supervision position. Performance Management and Corrective Action: A Resource Guide for Managers and Supervisors gives a breakdown of an effective training guide that employers should provide and make sure their management team are extremely knowledgeable to train the employees.

The Little Learning Group (2009) states, that a good action plan is task-oriented, specific, offers the appropriate training or help, sets goals, sets a timetable for effecting change, explains the consequences of continued poor performance, removes obstacles to performance, and lastly considers appropriateness of professional resources. The opinion of this group corresponds with Thoresen’s definition of action planning because it identifies that an action plan is used in training development to better the employee's job performance. In addition, each action plan must be structured in a sufficient amount of time in order to be efficient and make an impact in the training development. There are various guidelines in structuring effective action plans, but most importantly is that managers are capable of helping the trainees get resources they need to complete his or her action plan (Noe, 2013, p.216). In order for an action plan to be effective in training development and improving the employee's job performance, the management team must have sufficient knowledge and the necessary tools to help ensure that the employees are able to improve and learn.

In addition throughout all the conducted research, action plans must effectively partake in training development by being planned with enough time. According to the article and textbook, “action plans provide schedules that check progress being made in using learned capabilities on the job and that the action plan process should begin by identifying goals and strategies for reaching the goals” (Group, L. L. (n.d.)., 2009, p.14) Furthermore, the last article researched is a sample of an action plan that was structured by a Human Resource department in hopes to determine the effect it has in the training development and the business’s performance. The article written by Ciel S. Cantoria, Human Resources Strategic Planning and a Sample HR Action Plan, concludes that Human Resource departments obtain a vital role in achieving a business’s mission and that it must first establish goals and strategies in a timely manner. In addition, the article (2011) explains that it is important that goals are formed and structured to be met to help enhance job performances and to also have a process that begins by first identifying a goal and strategies to reach that particular goal. For example, this article provides ten goals that the Human Resource department would like to include in the hiring process of a new employee and the strategies needed in order to accomplish the goals successfully.

It is easily interpreted that Cantoria’s article corresponds with the other two articles and the textbook by stating that the members of the management team must be knowledgeable and qualified in training employees to create an effective action plan. For example, this action plan is similar to the sample action plan listed on page 217 in the textbook, Employee Training and Development, by Raymond Noe by stating each goal must have strategies to correspond with the goal. In conclusion, it is easily determined that action plans obtain a vital role in the Business Industry by enhancing the development in employee training. Action plans need to be structured carefully and must be precise in order to be effective in employee training development. Most importantly, in order for action plans to continue enhancing the workforce, action plans must be introduced and supported by the management team of any business. After carefully researching, analyzing, and summarizing the articles, action plans in the workforce will be beneficial in all future endeavors that consist of employee training development, employee's job performances, and lastly the business structure. Action plans are strongly emphasized in the workforce and are effective in the development in the employee’s training and job performance.

References
Cantora, C. (2011, March 11). Fundamentals of Human Resources Strategic Planning: Sample HR Plan Available. Brighthub Project Management. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://www.brighthubpm.com/resource-management/26611-human-resources-strategic-planning-and-a-sample-hr-action-plan/ Group, L. L. (n.d.). Performance Management and Corrective Action: A Resource Guide For Managers &Supervisors. www.csus.edu. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://www.csus.edu/hr/docs/professional/perfmgmtandcorrectiveaction050109.pdf Noe, R. A. (2013). Program Design. Employee training and development (6 ed., pp. 216-217). New York: McGraw-Hill. Thoresen, P. (2014, April 7). Survey Action Planning to Drive Change. World's Largest Professional Network. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140407110833-29417413-survey-action-planning-to-drive-change