2. 2
Table of Content:
Executive summary iii
LO-1 Understand learning theories and learning styles 4
1.1 Compare different learning styles 4
1.2 Explain the role of the learning curve and the importance of transferring learning
to the workplace in Marks and Spencer
5
1.3 Assess the contribution of learning styles and theories when planning and
designing a learning event for the Company
7
LO-2 Be able to plan and design training and development 8
2.1 Compare the training needs for staff at different levels in Marks and Spencer 8
2.2 Assess the advantages and disadvantages of current training methods used in the
organisation
8
2.3 Use a systematic approach to plan training and development for a group
training event
10
LO-3 Be able to evaluate a training event 11
3.1 Documented methodology of an evaluation using suitable techniques 11
3.2 Analysis (and evaluation) of the training event 13
3.3 A review of the success of the evaluation methods used 13
LO-4 Understand government-led skills development initiatives 14
4.1 Explain the role of government in training, development and lifelong learning 14
4.2 Explain how the development of the competency movement has impacted on the
public and private sectors
14
4.3 Assess how contemporary training initiatives introduced by the UK government
contribute to human resources development for an organisation such as Marks and
Spencer
15
Conclusion 16
References 17
3. 3
Executive Summary
M&S a giant retail shop in UK operates through a numerous number of working people. To
control and develop efficiency and competency of more than 65,000 workers they run various
HR activities, programs and strategies. Their new organizational value and structure have created
challenges and needs for the workforces to perform in the new environment. The management
examined and detected different learning styles and theories to design appropriate training and
development programs. They provide performance appraisal, guidance, and role playing
opportunities which aid the employees in developing their performance, finding lacking,
understanding new responsibility context, focusing on realistic career objective and improve
other necessary capabilities. They offer both on-the-job and off-the-job training facilities to make
their employees more capable and skilled in their performance and quickly adapt in the changing
environment. They have flattened their organizational structure creating scope of responsibility
and opportunity for the employees. I offered a training event idea which can be more helpful in
achieving the objectives. Government led initiatives in human resource development can play a
vital part in training the M&S employees contributing more in the economy as a result.
iv
4. 4
Task 1: Understanding Different Learning Styles
1. Learning styles
Learning style refers an individual’s habitual pattern of learning and processing information in
learning atmosphere. Because of acute competition, M & S had to advance new business
strategies and values. This alteration ambiance brought immense claiming to the employees.
Advisers try to actualize a career aisle for themselves through the acquirements ambit of the
training and development action of M & S.
Different Learning Styles:
There exist totally different learning designs to be followed by a corporationlookingonthatvogue
fits the simplest for a personal. Honey & Mumford (1986) mentionedfourkinds of learning
styles- activist, theorist, pragmatist and reflector.
Activist
Activists like to be involved in new knowledge and are passionate about new ideas. They relish
doing things and tend to proceed first and address the significances after. They are improbable to
arrange for the learning know-how or reconsider their discovering after. (Delery, J.E, 1998)
Activist discovers best when they are hurled in deep end with a tough task, chairing meetings
and leading considerations. People who are activist always trend to be active in work rather than
remaining idle. They like to innovate new areas and aspects to make the process more efficient.
Theorist
Theorists prefer to adapt and integrate observations into complicated and logically sound
theories. They assume issues through step- by-step. They have a tendency to be perfectionists
who preferto match things into a rational theme (Purcell J, 2003). These kinds of people always
try to think or organize the whole work before starting the main process. They analyse the
situation and find out the problem, then they try to solve the problem logically.
5. 5
Pragmatist
Pragmatists square measuredesperate toattempt things out. They like ideaswhich will be applied
to their job. They have an inclination to be impatient with prolonged discussions and square
measuresensible and all the way down to earth. Pragmatist learns best oncethere's a link between
topic and job. New ideas are the main concern of these kinds of people which supports them to
sort out various kind of problematic situation.
Reflector
Reflectors like to aggregate data, analysis and anticipate anxiously afore advancing to any
conclusions. Reflectors apprentice best if reviewing what has happened and cerebration about
what they accept abstruse and bearing analyses and letters accomplishing tasks after bound
deadlines. (Debrah, Y, 2001) They apprentice beneath if getting befuddled in at the abysmal end
and accomplishing things with no time to prepare. They are actually not so active in terms of
work rather they like to watch people how they perform, and then they just try to reflect the
whole process just like others. Sometimes they like to add their own judgements and procedures
to make the process effective and easier.
M & S follows pragmatic learning vogue toassist staff get additional confidence in taking
additional challenges and responsibilities. They maintain ability profile to seek outgo
intothatspacestaffhas to be compelled to improve them. Performance review helps them assess
their progress and set career path. The on-the job coachingstrategies of M & S like attachment to
a manager, performance employment helps workerto attainsensible learning to boostneeded
technical ability and business competencies. The off-the-job coaching programs offer learning to
boost potency and create effective call.
6. 6
1.2 Learning curve:
Learning curve is that the experiential method and stages of learning. This is often a graphical
presentation accustomed show the training history and stages. As a replacement operating
surroundings is developed, the training curve changes per the new learning necessities. Through
the method of sensible expertise, learners will target strengths, talent enhancements and setting
career goals. The modified core structural values have placed the workers in new challenges and
desires. To stay pace with the changes the workers required to travel through new learning curve
to develop their technical skills and sensible information.(Guest D.E, 1987)Performance
appraisal, sensible expertise, work and different coaching events organized by M&S helped the
workers to widen their capability space and establish own career path.
1.2.1 Significance of knowledge transfer:
Supervisors, managers share new ideas and a theory regarding the ever-changing work situation,
improvement criteria, customary and firm’s expectation with the workforces. Information
transfer through the applying of workshops, workbooks is incredibly useful for the event and
learning. From the firm’s purpose of read, information transfer is a vital tool for the performance
development and understanding the business principles. Without this the employee would not be
able to cope up different sorts of problematic situation. Knowledge transfer is a key to teach or
train the employees to make them skilled and effective so that they can perform well in future.
1.2.2 Impact of learning curve:
Learning exchange is the exchange of implied and functional information that is exceptionally
accommodating in enhancing their abilities. The best possible usage of learning curve and
learning appropriation helps the specialists to distinguish the performance crevices, construct a
more common sense vocation way and attain effectiveness in preparation. The victory in
attaining the centre HR qualities furnishes a focused point of interest for M&s.
7. 7
1.3 Learning Style and Theories
1.3.1 Contribution of learning styles and theories:
Learning theories give a hypothetical and scientific skeleton for the advancement of learning
occasions consistent with learning necessities. Learning styles identify the styles that
accompanied by people and the adjustability of employees in new working condition.
1.3.2Relationship among learning style, theory, event:
As employees possess characteristics totally different learning designs to different extents; a mix
of multiple learning designs is needed for a good output. Learning theories defines totally
different learning purpose of views and philosophies wherever learning designs defines the
acceptable ways that of distributing data and coaching programs to different people (Dessler C,
2006).The educational events area unit the sensible implication of the educational theories
developed in step with the various learning designs.
1.3.3Contribution of learning theory and event:
M&S improved and emulated learning hypotheses and styles to viably plan learning occasions
and methodologies. To arrange and outline a fitting learning occasion the inclination and
learning styles of people required to be cantered.
Task- 2 Planning and designing training and development
2.1 Training needs at different level:
For the distinctive organizational levels and positions M&s should plan diverse preparing
occasions. The preparation needs at administration, operational and client level for the directors
and workers are given below
8. 8
Management Operational Customer
Involvement in different
roles and positions to
understand job context,
widen career opportunities.
Give courage and motivation
for performance improvement.
Supervisors provide feedback
and suggestions for
improvements.
It helps to understand job
responsibilities.
Bring efficiency through
practical learning.
Provide practical experiences,
feedback on customer services.
To find out performance
skill requirements, gap.
Provide guidelines and
corrective measures on
performance
Provide effective customer
management tools and learning
materials.
2.2 Training Method
2.2.1 Analysing current training method:
M&S styles totally different coaching events for the workforces. The management gives
substance for the career development. Performance appraisal helps to boost performance in
keeping with normal performance level. Attachment below section managers aids them to grasp
job context, performance needs and significance. Workshops give the staff a tool for increasing
their productivity level.
2.2.2 Advantage & Disadvantage of current training methods:
Training techniques Advantages Disadvantages
Role-playing Staffs can understand
different job requirements
and responsibilities.
Workers might be reluctant to
change their work area and
role.
Performance coaching Provide corrective measures Inaccurate and inefficient
9. 9
on performance.
Courage and motivation for
making decisions.
guiding may cause negative
improvement in performance.
Performance evaluation Identifies improvement areas.
Provide motivation to the
workers.
Underperforming staffs get
demotivated.
Performance may drop due to
inappropriate assessment.
Attachment to manager Understand management
role, responsibilities and
significance.
Irrelevant attachment may
confuse and discourage
workers.
2.3 Training Process and Development
2.3.1 Training and development for a group training event:
To increase the ability in ever-changing work surroundings and skills development a additional
sensible learning approach will be introduced. The coaching events are going to be a sensible
drawback analysis and resolution session. The session is going to be conducted by external
trainers at the operating premise. the value of the event won’t be too high as a result of the
session are going to be command at the operating zone and therefore the time consumed are
going to be balanced as to not hamper this output. Managers will observe the workers throughout
the session to find the matter areas and improvements.
2.3.2Training process of the event:
They will be presented with the coaches and fitting guideline, help and timeline will be given.
Specialists will begin working consistent with the given guideline and perform the undertakings
for the best conceivable outcomes, results and discoveries. The beginning discoveries and
10. 10
dissection of the members will be censured and understood by the coaches for an improved
performance yield. The laborers will again begin contending their errands with a more enhanced
system and thoughts. Inside the timeline their discoveries, yield, performance, choices and
comprehension will be assessed and stacked up by the coaches. Chiefs will watch the entire
exercises and methodology to figure out the organizational issues, relations, possibilities and
brain science.
Task- 3 Evaluation of a Training Event:
3.1 Training Event
3.1.1 Evaluation methodology:
Evaluation is that the technique of assessing the goal headed actions, finding the outcomes and
therefore the improvement areas of the course. The methodology ought to be acceptable which
may be useful for the acceptable analysis of the coaching event. It might facilitate to re-design
the action-plan and coaching session for a more robust and desired output. The acceptable
qualitative methodology of analysis that may be used could be a series of queries which require
to be answered:
Motive of the program: Why the firm requires a training program? What is the
organizational necessity of the training program?
Design of the event: How the program will fulfil both organizational and employee
demand? What will be the process and content?
Motive of the employees: Why the employees need the training event? What they need
from the training facility? What skills they need to improve and develop?
11. 11
Outcomes: Did the program make a positive output? If not, what are the areas to be
improved or changed?
3.1.2 Process of documentation of the training:
Documentation could be a descriptive method of documenting the happenings of the event. It
will embrace many things and discussion went on throughout the coaching session. The process
of documenting the training event can be like-
Productivity measure: The change in the overall performance of the employees in their
regular tasks seen as a measure of performance. This process is regular based worki
process through which the efforts given by the employees are observed to see that how
much the training provided to them has worked or not. Their performances have
be compared with the standard to find the lacking and how much they have departure
from the expected result. It will alos help to evaluate whether the training process is up to
the mark or not and what sorts of further actions have to be taken to accelerate the rate of
success in training process. This way is mostly practised through all the organisations and
well known process to evaluate and accomplish the process of documentation.
Knowledge sharing:What kind of knowledge sharing has been occurred among the
employees can be judged by the interview and discussion with the employees.Throuh
discussion judges can accumulate the knowledge that belong to the employee and they
have to speak them of their own accord and in this way they will be able to know the core
knowledge and ideas of the employees. It will help them to have clear view of the current
condition of the employees and it will also make clear to them that how much the
employee have learnt through y woll also understand the lacking the training. Through
this they will be able to make the raining process more efficient in future so that the
training pro will be free from lackings.
Customer observation: Employees performances are often related with customers. How
the employees are performing the customer service is often take into account. Because
customers are the main key to measure the performance as a whole, so from their
response it can be anticipated that how much effective the services provided by the
employees are. In order to achieve customer satisfaction employees will have to perform
12. 12
in accordance with the need of customers. It is similar the way in which they are put in
different and difficult situations, then it has to be observed that how they can overcome
these difficulties. This way will surely evaluate their performance.
Observation by line managers: The actions of the participants and their tasks are often
observed by the line managers. Because they are responsible of their employees who
work under them and they are their mentors actually as well as they will have to work
with those employees, so they will better understand how to evaluate their performance.
Line managers have to measure or evaluate the result of work provided to the employees
to see that whether they have performed according to the process which has been
expected to perform the work.
3.1.3 Documents used for evaluation:
For an appropriate evaluation of the training event the following documents can be very helpful:
a. Asking questions: To get a clear picture of the opinion and experience a few questions
can be asked to the participants or audiences so that the conscious view of them can come
out through these questions. Because it has been a established process through worldwide
that asking questions regarding the work which has been given to perform is the most
suitable and perfect way to bring out the output or results of performance that has been
accomplished.
How well did the program go? How enjoyable the session was? Did most of the
participants were active in the session? What areas could be better? How was the
performance and improvement?
b. Asking the appropriate persons: For the clear analysis and picture of the experience of
the people who are engaged with the program needed to be considered. Participants,
trainers, managers, customers, observers are the major parties involved in the training.
Without asking the appropriate person the whole process can not be successful as
expected. To whom the question s are going to be asked has to be verified whether the
person is suitable to answer those kind of questions or liable or responsible about those
sorts of works regarding the questions.
13. 13
c. Characteristics of individuals: For a better information about the respondents, certain
basic information can be obtained to make it sure that the questions were asked to a
different group of people (Age, sex, religion or race). Because without asking questions
to different sorts of people the judgement or decision will be biased and the actual result
or output will not come out and the main goal will not be achieved.
d. Descriptive lessons: A final report on the findings and analysis can be presented to the
participants and management to disclose the outcome of the event. A discussion might
take place about the impact and validity of the training session. Because without doing
this the main process will face problem to achieve the success which has been targeted or
fixed to gain.
3.2 Training event analysis and evaluation:
Employees finished effectively impart their discoveries and needing. Administrators watched the
flexibility rate, quality and the quality zones of people for suitable positions. Coaches gave
satisfactory guideline for an improved method for tackling issues. The reasonable practice and
undertaking furnished the employees with learning knowledge and investigating distinctive
obligations and tests.
3.3 Success of the evaluation method:
The strategy utilized for the appraisal of the occasion was very accommodating. The system
served to break down the discoveries and conclusions of the identified gatherings. Further
change and vital changes in the training occasion might be made with the assistance of the
assessment technique utilized as a part of evaluating the occasion.
Task- 4 Importance of Government-led initiatives:
4.1Government Role in training and development:
With the increasing significance of human resource development in organizations, the UK
government has begun to play an enormous role during this space. They initiate completely
14. 14
different coaching events that assist the non-public and public companies in developing own
human resources. (Ghoshal, S., 1998). As big firms like M&S square measure nice contributors
to the UK economy, Govt. is functioning for a more robust output, potency and a lot of valued
performance of the staff. They need introduced a self-reliant learning method that is additionally
referred to as long learning technique. Through this system staff gets to be told from the
operating atmosphere through sensible coaching events and experiences.
4.2Impact of public & private sector’s competency movement:
Government, employees, managers, trainers, coaches all share their data and experiences that
enrich the data depth and competence development. All the parties’are causative vastly in a shot
to create eminent and positive movement of competence and data. Corporations tend to boost
their service quality, performance, productivity, registration in higher cognitive process and team
leading quality (Storey J., 2000). A significant plane company in United Kingdom ‘Virgin
Atlantic’ tend to supply the simplest quality client services. For this they improved their ideology
and geographic point culture for the staff, managers and customers. They take feedback
regarding the employees’ client service to search out issues and standardize the service. Most of
the organizations currently maintain friendly and co-operative operating surroundings for the
staff. Public sector is additionally attempting to revamp their human resource policies and
company culture on keep developing their personnel with the assistance varied varieties of
coaching facility.
4.3 Contemporary Learning
4.3.1. Assessment of contemporary training programme:
The training method was initiated by UK government to achieve a nonstop and steady
development within the extremely competitive scenario; the coaching method was quite
effective. The training system is sensible aiming at fast adaptation and development in necessary
ability and ability space (Salaman G., 2000).. The govt. conjointly designed qualitative learning
techniques for the workforces to develop their technical skills needed by the structure.
15. 15
4.3.2 Function of contemporary learning in M&S:
For M&S the cotemporary training system is incredibly useful for the more development and
progress of human resources and their capabilities. The workforces at M&S will adapt to ever-
changing operating setting additional fleetly, upgrade the performance as per the need through
modern learning technique. The training additionally helped to achieve the client expectation,
competitive advantage position and redoubled values.
16. 16
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