Workplace learning for novice workers - Essay Example

? Workplace Learning for Novice Workers Submitted Workplace Learning for Novice Workers Introduction A workplace can be a valuable site of learning for novice and experienced workers, if proper measures are taken to ensure effective implementation of appropriate learning pedagogies. Implementation of a learning pedagogy is a kind of strategy that employers adopt to increase employees’ knowledge, talents, and expertise in particular areas they work in. It is important for an employer to create a balance between the employees’ individual career objectives and organizational milestones, in order to achieve successful employee development. Flourishing workplace learning opportunities, programs and strategies guarantee improved employees’ performance, which leads to higher productivity and overall organizational success in the competitive market. The main aim of workplace learning is employee development, which leads to employee motivation and job satisfaction. Opening new opportunities for employees, so that they can develop expertise, makes them stay contented with their jobs. In this paper, we shall discuss a workplace, the expectations and needs of its novice and experienced workers, its learning pedagogies and their contribution in employee development, and recommendations regarding improvement in its learning opportunities. APA referencing style has been used throughout the paper. Workplace Description XYZ is a hospital that has around 500 employees, including higher authorities, doctors, nurses, technicians, lab operators, canteen boys, and so on. There is a long list of positions in the organization. This hospital started its business 20 years back; and, that is why it earns a great reputation in the city. It provides healthcare services to its patients, and has many branches located in other cities. This organization enjoys a strong version of hierarchical structure, because there is a good assignment of positions and authorities at every level. Each level is checked by its senior level, and each upper level is responsible to maintain the lower one. So, it can be stated that there is a tall hierarchical structure in this organization, and not a flat one. Since it is a large business, and controls and maintains many employees and functions, this makes it a tall hierarchy in which the span of control is also large, since there are quite a number of managers, and a small number of employees at every level reporting to every manager. Thus, there is a narrow span of control, because every manager is given a wide control over his employees. The main IT function in this hospital setting is that it maintains specialized electronic health records, which are longitudinal records of patients and their case histories. These EHRs help the physicians share patients’ information among them, which helps them provide improved healthcare to the patients. The EHRs are maintained by skilled technical staff. Patients’ records are secured under data protection rules. Expectations of Novice and Proficient Workers The social environment in which the hospital has to function is greatly changing due to incorporation of technological tools and accessories for communication and collaboration. The demand of health care service by patients is also changing at the same pace. Keeping these changes in view, the hospital authorities have recently started formulating strategies to improve the quality of health care and provision of health related services. Physicians and nurses are expected to stay in constant, to-the-point collaboration among them in order to provide quick and reliable health care to the patients. However for this, there should be association in role concepts and expectations of physicians and nurses in the hospital. The hospital has difference between role concepts and role expectations for novice physicians and nurses, which is not very favorable when it comes to creating a balanced understanding between them via communication and collaboration. Novice physicians and nurses are expected to work at the same pace with experienced nurses and physicians, and this comes as a result of absence of appropriate learning pedagogies for novice workers. This affects the quality of care provided within the ward. What learning pedagogies are currently in place will be discussed later in the paper. The role concepts of nurses do not go in accordance with their real tasks. Another important discrepancy that is seen within the hospital is that there is lower job satisfaction among nurses because there is difference between the role behavior of physicians, both novice and proficient, and the nurses’ expectation of physicians’ behavior. This results in a lack of communication between them which is not favorable for high-end provision of health care services to patients. However, patients seem to be satisfied with the role behavior of proficient physicians and nurses. So, it is recommended that either the role behavior of physicians is changed with regard to nurses’ expectations, or the nurses’ expectations should be revised, in order to promote healthy communication and understanding between the workers of the hospitals. Novice physicians and nurses are also expected to be able to learn the IT based solutions that the hospital implements, such as the implementation of EHR technology. There is need for learning pedagogies, like training sessions, that should equip the novice workers with sufficient knowledge and competency required to use sophisticated technological tools. This is important for the provision of high-end heath related services that are at par with the modern world. Novice and proficient workers’ expectations of salaries, benefits and employee development opportunities must also be taken into account. Novice workers’ expectations are formed and manipulated under controlled learning environment, and so, they do not have real world knowledge about whether their expectations correspond with the actual environment or not. Proficient workers, however, are able to manipulate their expectations under varied circumstances without referring to the training manual every now and then. “Setting the expectations early doesn't guarantee anything, but it does cause your boss at least mentally to "reserve" that money for you from the next raise pool. By talking about future performance and expectations, you are jointly committing to a positive working relationship going forward,” states Schlegel (2013, par.19-20). Knowledge and skills that novice workers need to learn Novice workers, both in the above mentioned and in any other workplace setting, require some basic skills and competencies, that are not profession related, but are necessary in order to excel in the profession. They can learn this knowledge through various learning pedagogies that the employers might employ. Employability skills are both inborn and acquired. Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (as cited in Smith & Comyn, 2003, p.12) defined employability skills as “skills required not only to gain employment but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve one’s potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions.” Hence, these skills encompass competencies that are required not only to get a job, but also to perform well while on the job. These skills should bring positive outcomes that affect not only the individual’s satisfaction with the job but also the progress of the organization. Smith and Comyn (2003, p.13) write that these employability skills are in a constant state of development, and are not expected to be present in a perfect state in the novice. Organizations must employ strategies that help novices polish these skills, even if they are not in their perfect state. These strategies are formally named as learning pedagogies. Polishing the employability skills through learning pedagogies results in job retention, job satisfaction, reduced turnover among novices, increased commitment with the job, increased productivity, and flexibility of novices to adapt to the new environment. Doerries and Foster (2005) used a modified Delphi method to gain consensus from experienced structural family therapists, in which they inquired them about the essential skills needed by novice structural family therapists. Their study concluded that “relational skills are of primary importance to establish a therapeutic relationship that would facilitate the structural interventions” (p.259). The relational skills included the novice’s ability to spark hope in patients so that they may expect change. This is the basic skill that must be present in novice physicians and nurses, along with many other fundamental competencies, such as being able to communicate properly both horizontally and vertically within the organization; to supervise and work in teams; to work within ethical boundaries; to ensure data protection; to respect co-workers’ and clients’ privacy rights; to be an obedient worker; and, to help the organization meet its objectives. The novice must be able to manage time between his private and professional life. A physician would be able to discipline his sub-ordinates, such as nurses, but there will be no one to regulate him. So, he must be able to make himself punctual and self-controlled. A novice physician or nurse must also know how to stay calm in catastrophes, losses, and financial disasters. A novice must be able to “focus on organizational success rather than on personal ego” (Freeman and Stewart, 2006, p.4). He must know that what is important is the success of people working in the organization, and not the success of one individual. These skills are polished through appropriate learning pedagogies that are described in the coming section. Workplace Learning Pedagogies First, it is important to describe some of the most important learning pedagogies for employee development, which help novices in bringing out their employability skills, and learn new ones. Teamwork creates such an environment in which novice workers can learn new leadership skills and competencies (Gallie et al., 2010). Gallie et al. (2010) describe in their research how teamwork can be used as a strategy to enhance novices’ skills and, ultimately, organizational success. They have explained the benefits of teamwork in task discretion, skill development, organizational commitment, discretionary effort, and employee welfare. The employer distributes tasks on multi-functional basis, requiring different people with different skill sets. This system of work organization requires novices to work on a collaborative platform, on which they share their ideas, and get motivated by each other’s talents and capabilities. This makes them learn new knowledge and skills to accomplish the tasks assigned to them. Employee recognition makes novices want to learn new leadership skills, which is finally beneficial for achieving organizational milestones. Positive feedback motivates them to attend informational sessions and training classes to learn new skills (Garavan, Morley & Flynn, 1997). Training modifies the thinking of novices, and is a never-ending process (Ellinger et al., 2008). It makes them efficient and resourceful. Training also familiarizes them with organizational rules and regulations, along with enhancing their knowledge about higher level jobs in case they are to be promoted. They learn changes in technology and working conditions through training (Sarwar, Azhar & Akhtar, 2011). Appropriate pedagogies for XYZ’s workers, and their contribution to employee development Training Although almost all of the above mentioned pedagogies are appropriate for the novice workers of XYZ; yet, training is the most appropriate, since novice physicians and nurses are facing difficulties in balancing each others’ role behaviors and role expectations- a problem which can be best solved through their training. Training is one of the key employee development areas. The officials of the hospital have already recognized the issues arising from lack of communication, and thus, they are employing training methods to train their novice workers in such a way that they perform well enough to please their co-workers as well as the patients. Since the hospital is a beginner in employing such training methods, it is important to discuss here what kind of training is required. Off-the-job training, on-the-job training, coaching, mentoring, group/lecture training, and computer-based training (CBT), are some of the training patterns that are best suited in such a huge workplace with well maintained hierarchical structure. These learning pedagogies are meant to improve the competencies of novices, so that they help the officials accomplish their milestones. These training patterns have a strong impact on social relationship between novice and proficient workers, and also between workers and the patients. Economic relationships arise from effective use of resources; political relationships arise from the hierarchy of relationships with the organization; affective relationships arise from a sense of belonging to each other in the organization; and, cognitive relationships result from dependencies among novices occurring from learning (Sarwar, Azhar & Akhtar, 2011). These relationships are beneficial for novices and their employers because of the development of harmony in the work place. Types of Training Appropriate for XYZ For XYZ, two types of training can prove to be beneficial for novices’ learning. 1. On-the-job training. The novice physician or nurse should be trained while he is at the hospital. He should be demonstrated about how the job is to be done (Riley, 2012). He should be given coaching, which includes his strong interaction with a proficient physician or nurse. He should be indulged in job rotation, in which he may acquire experience in many areas. On-the job-training is cost effective, and the company does not have to arrange for extra resources for training. Novices also get to learn practically while remaining on the job. This makes them more productive. They also tend to interact with other workers, which is effective for their development as employees. 2. Off-the-job training. In this type of training, the novice physician or nurse is to be given training outside of the hospital setting. There are many methods in this type of training (Draga, 2011), such as the novice can take a day release to get off the job, to attend a seminar or a workshop at some other place. He may be encouraged to take evening classes or courses at a local college. He may also be told to take computer classes at some academy. This way, he is trained while he is not at the hospital. Such training can contribute in novices’ development in that the novice will learn a greater set of competencies and qualifications. He may get a degree or a certificate which may be beneficial for him in future. He may learn from various professionals, which will make him more confident while returning to the hospital setting. Coaching Another appropriate learning pedagogy for XYZ is coaching of the novice physicians and nurses. Bourg et al. 2010 studied the importance of coaching in novices’ learning, and determined its relationship with business success. They conducted their research on Agilent Technologies, Inc. The company already had a good training program with necessary instructional tools. However, the quality advocates reported that there was need for proactive coaching to reach maturity and gain recognition in industry. Thus, it is recommended for XYZ as well to back up its training with coaching. XYZ should start proactive coaching process with all desired tools and technologies to reach affective maturity. Mentoring Mentoring is also important as a learning pedagogy (Visagie & Kruger, 2011). Mentoring involves learning about overall career development, and is one of the key areas of employee development. The hospital should hire such a mentor who is knowledgeable, experienced, and approachable. Such a mentor can prove to be beneficial for the hospital setting, and also for the novices in terms of learning. Currently available learning provisions and opportunities- their strengths and limitations Training It has already been mentioned that the hospital officials have started recognizing the importance of training of novice physicians and nurses, so that they are better able to communicate among themselves, and to reduce or eliminate the difference in role concepts and role expectations. Talent-management programs are being employed in the hospital to highlight the importance of development of employees’ skills competencies. Novice physicians and nurses participate in these development activities: (1) training courses in work time, (2) work-based development activity in work time, (3) career planning activity in work time or in novices’ own time, and (4) voluntary learning in novices’ own time (through library and internet). However, the limitation is that since the hospital is currently employing only on-the-job training, through seminars and workshops, it fails in giving the novices the opportunity to seek learning off-the-job. Coaching The hospital also implements coaching sessions, for which it has hired some counselors, who counsel the novice physicians and nurses about their career development and job competencies. It helps the novices explore their career and develop career goals. It also helps them devise strategies to achieve their career goals through learning new skills and competencies. Proficient workers’ support in novices’ career development has proven to be fruitful in successful employee development. However, a limitation here is that the counselors are not proficient enough to continue proper coaching. Recommendations about changes to improve current provisions (1 page) Introducing Off-the-Job Training The hospital should introduce off-the-job training in addition to on-the-job training. Off-the-job training will support the overall training process because of the added advantages stated previously. Mentoring and Proficient Coaching The hospital should also introduce mentoring as an effective learning opportunity for the novices, to back up the coaching process. Mentoring should focus on career development, so that the novices are able to clearly analyze their professional goals and objectives. Good mentoring will guarantee improved turnover behavior among novices, because they will want to stick to their jobs after realizing that their employers are there to give them professional advice through proper mentoring. This will create a trustworthy relationship between novices and hospital officials, which will also reduce workplace conflicts by clarifying role expectations and role behaviors. Also, there should be proficient counselors for coaching, with professional degrees and qualifications, to ensure high quality coaching of novices. Conclusion This paper took into account a hospital setting, and the learning pedagogies and opportunities it offers to its novice nurses and physicians. There is a great disparity among the role behaviors, role concepts, and role expectations of novice and proficient physicians and nurses of the hospital. To clarify this difference and misperception regarding role expectations, the novices are expected to learn employability skills that will benefit them and the hospital as well. The paper also described workplace learning pedagogies in general. Training, coaching, and mentoring are found to be the most appropriate learning pedagogies for the XYZ hospital setting. The hospital currently implements on-the-job training and informal coaching sessions for novice physicians and nurses. It is recommended that the hospital should also employ off-the-job training, mentoring, and proficient coaching to ensure effective employee development. 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