Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Research in Human Resource Management
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Is Organizational Training Enabling or Withholding Employee Upskilling? A Study on Evolving Employee Perspectives on Training Needs, Implementation and Evaluation
Devashree Vaidya, Shovna Mohapatra
ABSTRACT:
The pandemic propelled organizations to rely on digital learning methods, encompassing both self-paced modules and live virtual sessions. This study focused on understanding whether preferences of today’s workforce for learning aligns with training methodology employed by organizations. Our sample included employees in the age group of 21 to 30 years, with total work experience spanning between 11 months to 8.5 years. Participants included employees ranging from early-stage startups to established multinational corporations in various sectors such as IT/ITES, BFSI, Martech, Telecom, Consulting, and Healthtech. Through semi-structured and open-ended interviews, our key findings highlighted importance of choosing the right trainer to ensure optimum level of engagement, customisation of training content for the audience, experiential learning in the form of real-life case studies and group discussions on relevant topics for better applicability, and spacing out training timelines to avoid information overload. Respondents favored case-study based evaluations conducted after a set period following the training, over the conventional methods of training evaluation. Notably, there was a preference for follow-up tests to assess learning retention. This study highlighted a misalignment between current training designs and preference of the new generational workforce. Based on our insights, we emphasized the value of in-person training over self-paced options, even in the digital era. We have suggested ways for crafting more effective, robust and dynamic training programs which will aid organizations align with the ever changing preferences of the current generation of workforce.
keywords: digital learning, instructor-led, new generational workforce, selfpaced, training effectiveness