So far we have analyzed how your training function is perceived within the organization. Now we are going to turn our attention to obtaining all of the information required to operate the training department. Much of this information may already be available. If so, then this is only a collecting activity. However, if information is not available, you need procedures for creating it. This informa- tion includes:
❐ The training department’s organization and positions
❐ The type of training delivery systems used
❐ The type of personnel conducting training
❐ Methods currently used to identify training needs
❐ Parties responsible for identifying training needs The Training Function’s Organization and Positions
Many training departments will have an organization chart and position descriptions. Even if you have such items, you should review the principles introduced in this chapter to determine how well they apply. You may want to make some revisions. If you do not have such items, then the instructions and forms in this chap-
ter will help you to produce an organization chart for your depart- ment and basic descriptions of training department positions.
However, this book does not attempt to provide details of all possible organization structures, position description formats, and organization chart types. It is merely meant to give you a pro- cedure to create basic ones to use with this book.
Training’s Mission Statement
The first step in creating an organization chart and position de- scriptions for training is to state the training function’s objective or mission—why it exists within the organization. What is its pri- mary purpose? What makes it unique? Why is it different from every other function of the organization? The mission statement should be a direct, simple, and easily understood. If you already have one, that’s great. If not, you need to create one.
Here’s the mission statement offered as the basis for this book:
To provide employees with the skills and knowledge required to ensure optimum performance results, develop a cache of employees qualified to meet the organization’s operational needs and objectives, and contribute to positive morale, em- ployee satisfaction, and development
Your training function’s mission statement does not have to be the same. There may be other factors to consider within your or- ganization. Your organization may even have a format for mission statements.
A review of a number of training department mission state- ments identified some common elements, among them:
❐ Providing employees with the skills and knowledge required for their jobs
❐ Contributing to meeting the organization’s performance ob- jectives
❐ Assisting with maintaining employee morale
❐ Ensuring the availability of qualified employees to meet fu- ture needs
❐ Meeting specifically identified employee and organization needs
❐ Operating within approved budgets
❐ Improving relationships with internal and external clients
❐ Providing measurable results
If you already have a training mission statement, review it to ensure it describes the function’s purpose. If it does not, perhaps it needs revision. If you do not have a mission statement, now is the time to write one. In doing so, you might find it helpful to meet with employees in training, internal clients, and whomever train- ing reports to. These individuals can provide valuable insights as to what they believe training should accomplish.
When you are ready, write what you believe the mission state- ment is or should be on the following lines. Write it in one sen- tence (beginning with the word ‘‘to’’).
To
Key Result Areas
Next, you need to identify the key result areas that training is re- quired to fulfill in order to meet its mission, or its objective. Key result areas are the major activities assigned to training. For exam- ple, the key result areas of a human resources department usually include activities such as recruiting, compensation, benefits, and employee relations. The key result areas of the finance depart- ment include accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, credit, and budgeting and analysis activities.
To identify your training department’s key result areas, con- sider the major activities the department is supposed to accom- plish. Consider also the mission statement. Fulfilling the key result areas should ensure the department’s mission statement is also fulfilled.
The list of activities provided in Chapter 2 may be of assistance in identifying your training department’s key result areas. How-
ever, you may have some that are not listed, and you may not have all on the list. These activities include accountability for:
❐ Training organization
❐ Training personnel
❐ Employee training
❐ Employee development
❐ Remedial training
❐ Organizational development
❐ Communications
❐ Management and maintenance of training facilities
❐ Identification of training needs
❐ Training design and development
❐ Training delivery
❐ Assessment and measurement
Figure 3-1 is a short form on which you can write the key result areas you have identified for your training department.
The Organization Chart
Now let’s construct a training department organizational chart based on the mission statement and key result areas you have identified. There are many theories on what makes for the best organization chart format. For our purposes, we are going to use a traditional approach. Here are the basic guidelines for that ap- proach:
❐ Every position should have a separate box on the organization chart, with the position’s title written within the box.
❐ If there is more than one job with a similar title, the job title should be shown in one box with the number of such jobs writ- ten beneath the job title.
❐ Every position box should indicate a reporting relationship.
There should be a line connecting either the top or side of the
Figure 3-1.