development and training

There are several teaching approaches available. As noted by Phillips and Phillips, it is critical to briefly note these modes on the available methods for raising the consciousness of the company's human resource fraternity for potential training purposes (2016).
The lecture system is one of the oldest and most dependable ways of teaching delivery (Phillips and Phillips, 2016). It entails extensive oral presentation of training content. However, it may be tailored to a company's specific needs, such as immersive meetings. Another method of delivering teaching content is by discussion. The tutor converses with the trainees in this section. He or she can be able to read the non-verbal cues as well as interpret the verbal responses to judge whether the objectives were apprehended (Phillips & Phillips, 2016).

Technological training is yet another mode of current modern delivery way. Here, web-based or computer-based methods are employed to deliver information to targeted recipients. Web-based gives first hand information that can be updated regularly. However, computer-based learning entails delivery through material stored in the computer, for instance in a hard disk, normally updated manually and not online, unlike web-based methods. Simulation, another delivery method, involves mimicking in order to learn fast and keep the memory. It entails activities such as business games, in-basket schemes, case studies, role-play and behavior modeling. Lastly is on-the-job training, but this is not relevant for the company as it has been found to create less impact and failed to attain objectives (Phillips & Phillips, 2016).

Recommended Delivery Methods

Combining more than two methods has been found to be ineffective and sometimes duplicates information. Union Gas, being a company with numerous and a diverse workforce, calls for a combination of only two training methods.

Role Play

This simulation technique simulates a single situation as pointed out by Aguinis & Kraiger (2009). Trainees assume the role of actors and get provided with general descriptions of a circumstance. This is followed by their roles being described. This is inclined towards the training objectives. Structure amount is diverse in role plays.

Rationale

In an active and practical situation like Union Gas, role play is the best delivery method. Due to the spillage that occurs, employees will be able to act as if they were in the situation and assume the ordeal was live. The structured role-play mode recommended for the company will mean that the key personnel are all brought together. Objectives, emotions and concerns will be able to make the trainer identify more needs arising even during the session as pointed out by Aguinis & Kraiger (2009).

Interpersonal skills as well as group decision-making will be enhanced, as such enabling the employees to respond faster if a similar occurrence would be faced in future. Role play enables the employees to view the activity as a luxury rather than a boring in-house session and therefore avoid monotony-caused knowledge loss. In addition to this, it will be able to take care of the training time constraint since a lot will be achieved within the little time that the employees are away from their duty stations. In doing so, the employees’ job performance will be enhanced since the method also involves feeling, watching, thinking and doing.

Discussion Method

Salas, Tannenbaum, Kraiger & Smith-Jentsch (2012) point out that two-way communication involving the lecturer and trainees is engaged in discussion method. This kind of program contains discussion sessions that are short enough to imply basic knowledge to the trainees.

Rationale

The verbal as well as non-verbal feedback can be read by the trainee. Moreover, the sessions take little time and would cater for all learners, including those whose attention span is short (Slalas et. al., 2012). Even though discussion method does not present the best situation for skill improvement, this portion is taken care of by role play. Discussion method also considers both bottom-up and horizontal bilateral communication as opposed to plain lecturing which is more of a top-down unilateral communication. As such, it will meet all the objectives of the training.

Table 1.1 Lesson Plan

Time (4 hrs)

Lesson Method

Target Staff

Events

8.30 a. m

Discussion

Group A: All Research & Development Personnel and Phase 1 of Operations Personnel

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react when gas leak happens



9 a. m

Snack Break

Snack Break

Snack Break

9.15 a.m

Role Play

Group A: All Research & Development Personnel and Phase 1 of Operations Personnel

-Mimicking a gas leak situation and putting reactionary measures learnt into practice











9.45 a.m

Discussion

Group B: Phase 1 Supervisors and Phase 2 of Operations Personnel

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react when gas leak happens



10.15 a.m

Snack Break

Snack Break

Snack Break

10.30 a.m

Role Play

Group B: Phase 1 Supervisors and Phase 2 of Operations Personnel

-Mimicking a gas leak situation and putting reactionary measures learnt into practice











11 a.m.

Discussion

Group C: Phase 2 Supervisors and Systems Engineering and Productivity Personnel

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react when gas leak happens



11.30a.m

Snack Break

Snack Break

Snack Break

11.45 a.m

Role Play

Group C: Phase 2 Supervisors and Systems Engineering and Productivity Personnel

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react gas leak from happening



12.30 p.m

End of Session, Free Lunch

End of Session,

Free Lunch

End of Session,

Free Lunch

Adapted from Phillips, J. J., & Phillips, P. P. (2016). Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. Routledge.

The lesson plan must be based on the objectives of the training as observed by Saks & Haccoun (2016). The time allocated for the whole session is 4 hours. This is because the training intends not to interfere with the busy schedule of the energy production company as much as possible. In addition to this fact, long training sessions lead to boredom which might mean the goals are not attained. In addition to this, the Table 1.1 portrays the target trainees who are directly involved with such accident incidences.

The scheme will take part in 3 sessions. The first session is between 8.30 a.m to 9.45 a.m. Here all Research & Development Personnel and Phase 1 of Operations Personnel will be engaged. The operations personnel cannot all be trained at once. At Union Gas, operations are the engine and engaging all this type of staff at once means that the company would stall. As such, the first batch will be trained together with the research and development employees.

8.30 am to 9 am

The first objective which is getting to know the positions of staff will be aimed at as observed by Saks & Haccoun (2016). This will entail a two-way discussion forum between the trainer and staff on preventive methods of disaster management such as the gas leak ordeal at the company. Through this interaction, the trainer will already be judging whom to play what role in the period after the snack break. This will be the oral part of the lesson awaiting the practical part after the snack break. Employees will also get to interact with one another and share the skills they have within this limited time, since the event will bring together staff from many branches of Union Gas in Ontario.

Accordingly, the scheme will help the learners improve their job communication skills as the first 10 minutes will be a video showing a gas leak situation, establishing the discussion platform. There will be no lecturing but just a pure interactive session where the tutor raises the topic through the video and examines as the forum discusses it, interrupting in between to emphasize observations. They will be allowed with phones to search about disaster management and first-aid mechanisms and will be divided into interactive groups. Interaction will further be encouraged during the free snack break which is also a motivational aspect.

9. 45 a.m to 10.15 a.m

This will involve practically mimicking a gas leak situation and putting reactionary measures learnt into practice, still for the same group of staff. Infrastructure will have been set beforehand to create the illusion of a gas plant, therefore creating a reality case scenario. Through the first pre-snack break session, the trainer will have learnt about whom to give what roles. For example, it is not advisable to give senior staff surbdinate roles as their juniors will fear issuing directions to them in the enacted scenes. The hands-on enactment enables the training to meet all objectives.

Subsequent Sessions

The same training methods will be exhibited in all the three phases of training, only the target group will keep changing as advised by Phillips & Phillips (2016). Supervisors, who cannot be absent from their stations, are also another group that will be trained in halves. The reason for training staff of the same rank in halves is because some jobs descriptions do not allow one to be absent from their stations, therefore at least a person must represent in the station all the time. In addition to this motive, the move, as pointed out by Phillips & Phillips (2016), will also save the cost of hiring someone from outside Union Gas to fill in for the 4 hours. The training is designed to save cost and time (key requirements for an energy company) as much as possible.

Table 1.2 Design & Evaluation Plan

Evaluation Week

Evaluation Factor

Target Staff

Events

Evaluation Method

Variables Evaluated

Week 1

Gas leak drill & Team-Work

Research & Development Personnel

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react when a gas leak happens



Online Module Performance Appraisal

-Objective Achievement

-Employee Training Satisfaction

-Job Performance Enhancement

Week 2

Gas leak drill & Team-Work

Operations Personnel

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react when a gas leak happens



Online Module Performance Appraisal

-Objective Achievement

-Employee Training Satisfaction

-Job Performance Enhancement

Week 3

Gas leak drill & Team-Work

Supervisors

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react when a gas leak happens



Online Module Performance Appraisal

-Objective Achievement

-Employee Training Satisfaction

-Job Performance Enhancement

Week 4

Gas leak drill & Team-Work

Systems Engineering and Productivity Personnel

-Sensitizing staff how to prevent as well as react when a gas leak happens



Online Module Performance Appraisal

-Objective Achievement

-Employee Training Satisfaction

-Job Performance Enhancement



Adapted from Phillips, J. J., & Phillips, P. P. (2016). Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. Routledge.

Table 1.2 shows the design and evaluation method of the training. This is meant to establish the effect or value of training, which is whether it achieved all objectives and helped staff to improve their skills as pointed out by Phillips and Phillips (2016). The factor tested will be team work; the tools methodology used will be appraisal forms. The questions asked in the online-module appraisal forms will be open-ended. One of the questions will be,”What is the first protocol during a gas leak situation?”. Apart from this, a gas leak drill will be created, from which all the staff will be tested on their team-work skills during such ordeals towards saving the situation and evaluating whether all objectives have been met. All personnel must attain a pass on their appraisals because safety is mandatory for any gas plant as pointed out by Saks and Haccoun (2016).

The target staffs will be appraised at different periods on-the-job continually as recommended by Phillips and Phillips (2016). However, the practical drill will involve all staff equally at once. The events appraised will be the lessons on sensitizing staff on how to prevent as well as react when a gas leak happens. Through this rigorous program that will minimally interfere with operations, emergency preparedness and job performance implementation will be ensured at Union Gas.

Table 1.3 Costing Model

Details

Event

Cost ($)

Group A







Lesson Sessions

$ 1,000



Snacks

$80

Group B







Lesson Sessions

$ 880



Snacks

$80







Group C







Lesson Sessions

$ 880



Snacks

$80



Free Lunch

$ 160







Research & Development Personnel

Implementation & Evaluation

$ 400

Operations Personnel

Implementation & Evaluation

$ 400

Supervisors

Implementation & Evaluation

$ 400

Systems Engineering and Productivity Personnel



Implementation & Evaluation

$ 400



Total Cost

$ 4,760

According to Phillips and Phillips (2016), recent training and development costs about $850 per session for a large firm. Implementation and evaluation of the same cost about $1,600 in total. The first session, at $ 1,000 will be more expensive because it entails transport and logistics of putting in place the set-up for the role play. Subsequent sessions will only involve re-setting up. The implementation and evaluation has been averaged at $ 400. The total optimal cost amounts to $4,760.



































References

Aguinis, H., & Kraiger, K. (2009). Benefits of training and development for individuals and teams, organizations, and society. Annual review of psychology.

Phillips, J. J., & Phillips, P. P. (2016). Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. Routledge.

Saks,A.M., &Haccoun, R.R. (2016). Managing Performance Through Training and Development, 7th Ed. Toronto: Neldon Education 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)