Designing An Effective Training Program For HSBC

Introduction to HSBC

This particular study has provided in-depth knowledge and understanding on how designing an effective and systematic training program is highly important for evaluating the learning style of an individual employee. HSBC is popularly known as one of the largest financial service organization all over the world. Headquartered in London this particular organization provides services around 37 million customers Worldwide.

The primary mission of HSBC is to become one of the most leading and World’s most recognizable banks in terms of their financial services(hsbc.co.in 2017). As per the beliefs of HSBC, employees are the key asset for this kind of organization without the service of whom HSBC cannot be run successfully in the international market. Therefore, the human resource managers have decided to implement several business strategies and policies based on which the employees can be attracted towards the organization. On the other hand, the human resource managers have followed some employee retention plan as well for satisfying the needs and demands of customers. This particular study at the same time has focused on designing an attractive induction program as well.

The entire induction training process of HSBC lasts for two days. Therefore, while providing the training session the HR managers of HSBC tends to follow some of the major steps.

Day 1	Day 1 Save Time On Research and Writing Hire a Pro to Write You a 100% Plagiarism-Free Paper. Get My Paper	Day 1	Day 1	Day 1
Introduction	Question regarding pre-employment	Brief over-view about new employment	Interpersonal communication	Identify the issue that employees are facing currently
Day 2	Day 2	Day 2	Day 2	Day 2
Based on the employee issue, evaluating the training method	Applying the training method on employees	Collecting employee feedback	Evaluating the training method	Motivating the employees for business process

Table 1: Induction program

(Source: Brattonand and Gold 2012)

It has been observed that the induction-training program of HSBC is constituted with two days. The human resource managers there tend to give the employees an in-depth overview about companies mission and vision, organizational ethics, corporate governance, employees pay and benefit scale and so many. At the initial stage, the role of human resource development is to provide the employees a learning session to be accustomed with the work situation. A specific workplace is associated with different styles of learning methods (Daley2012). The comprehension capacity of a human being differs person to person. Therefore, most of the workplaces prefer to implement learning and development session within the business organization in order to evaluate the knowledge and skills of the employees. This particular part provides detailed analysis on how different styles of learning process are appropriate in different personalities.

As per the point of view point of view of David Kolb, a specific learning cycle of classified into four stages primarily. Employees while taking the training or development session may use any of these four stages as per their level of competency. The stages are as follows:

The Importance of Training and Development at HSBC

This particular learning style implies that an individual person should observe the activity first rather than doing it. This kind of personalities are little bit patient (Brattonand and Gold 2012). Especially, the some of the employees belonging to HSBC tend to observe the negative aspect of business strategy first rather than implementing it within the business process.

This particular form of learning style is highly dependent on the theory and concept rather than the practical knowledge of people. Some of the employees are there within the business process of HSBC who are flexible to enhance their knowledge through theoretical concepts.

Converging learning style is completely different from the previous form. By following this frame of learning style, people believe that practical knowledge is important to satisfy the needs and demands of customers rather than theoretical knowledge (Flamholtz 2012).

This particular form of learning style implies that work based on people’s demands and findings is more important than conducting work based on research analysis. This kind of form of learning style is highly accepted at the workplace of HSBC.

Importance of Learning curve:

Learning curve is nothing but a geographical representation that represents the level of increase or the decrease of performance of an individual employee as per their experience. The primary role of human resource development is to highlight the performance growth level of every employee (Berman et al. 2012). HSBC is not exceptional to that. While designing the learning curve, the human resource manager can evaluate the performance growth of every employee. As a result, employees can get to know their mistakes.

Transferring a learning session at the workplace of HSBC always develops the skill and competency of the employees. With the rapid growth of trend in business industry, the needs and demands of the employees are changing gradually. In this kind of situation, the organization like HSBC has decided to implement new business policies for providing different financial services for grabbing the attention of customers (Alfes et al. 2013). In order to be accustomed with the changing demands of customers employees have to keep themselves updated. Transferring learning session is the most effective way with the help of which the employees can keep themselves groomed up. The human resource development of HSBC has allocated a certain amount of funds in order to implement training and development session.

Induction program for HSBC

While designing an induction program the human resource managers tend to use the different concepts of learning styles. As already stated HSBC continues the induction program at the premises for two days. The company’s aim, objective, mission and vision are clearly mentioned in this specific induction session (Jiang et al. 2012). Therefore, the human resource development at the day of induction session tends to segregate the employees as per their academic backgrounds. The learning style can be implemented on the employees of HSBC as per their backgrounds and appointed post. For an example, a particular person has been appointed in the post of customer service executive (Renwick, Redmanand Maguire 2013). Therefore, the HR managers suggest that individual to follow diverging style of learning so that before applying the business strategy, the employee can get the scope to observe customers’ needs and demands.

Designing an Induction Training Program

HSBC while running their entire process of business intends to use constructive learning theory. As per the concept of this specific form of learning theory, it is clear and evident that learners should have the belief and confidence on the ability and efficiency of an individual. Otherwise, the individual would not be able to adjust within the work culture. Similarly, if an individual is appointed for the post of financial executive, this specific employee can be suggested to follow assimilating learning style. As a result, the new financial executive can have an in-depth knowledge on theoretical concepts as well as formulas (Flamholtz 2012). Therefore, the human resource development of HSBC tends to implement different forms of learning styles as per the knowledge and experience level of new employees.

Based on the different posts of employees allocated at the workplace of HSBC the training and development session depends highly. In order to provide an effective training to the junior level employees HSBC focuses on various aspects such as training on communication skill, personality development, professional attributes enhancement and so on. HSBC being an organization of financial services emphasizes on effective customer service system (Pasco et al. 2012). Therefore, both the junior managers as well as employees have to provide effective training on communication skill, technological enhancement skill and professional development and so on.

The mid-level managers are primarily acquainted with professional development skill due to their experience. Therefore, those persons do not have to receive any kind of training process due to personality or professional development. They can take training on communication skill in order to maintain effective interaction with the employees. Therefore, senior managers are very much experienced in their work (De Mel, McKenzie and Woodruff 2014). Therefore, they need not receive any training for professional development. The senior employees should focus on enhancing their knowledge and skill in technology as well.

With the current progress of civilizations, business organizations have to implement technological advancement in order to create a market demand of their organization. Therefore, senior employees should be accustomed with the changing process of technology (McKenzie and Woodruff 2012). In this kind of situation, HSBC has to implement several training sessions for the employees and managers of different level.  Like the same way this particular organization has initiated training and development session for employees of different levels as well. As a result, customers needs and demands can be fulfilled automatically.

HSBC primarily aims to implement some methods of training course in order to evaluate the knowledge and skill of employees. The courses are workshop, group discussion, performance coaching and induction.

Understanding Learning Theories and Learning Styles

Training course	Advantage	Disadvantage
Work shop	Workshop helps the employees to gain practical knowledge and experience. By conducting different kinds of workshops, Employees get the scope to conduct practical deeds that enhances the practical knowledge and experience.	Conducting a workshop is very much expensive. Organization has to invest large amount of money for arranging a workshop. In addition, the organization has to hire some external facilitators who will enhance the practical knowledge and skill of employees at the workplace.
Group Discussion	Group discussion is the only way with the help of which employees of different cultural and psychological backgrounds can be amalgamated together. The employees get the scope to share their own opinion (Basarab and Root 2012). The business managers can get an opportunity to make collective decision. Group discussion is the only way with the help of which employees can overcome their communication barrier, psychological barrier, cultural barrier and take a unanimous decision regarding the success of business.	On the other hand, group discussion can render immense obstacles in taking an effective decision regarding the buisness goal. People are from different cultural attitudes. Therefore, while taking an important decision within a group discussion, people have to face innumerable barriers in communicating with each other.
Performance coaching	The primary purpose of performance coaching is to increase the level of performance by means of guidance of a professional trainer. This particular training course helps the employees to evaluate their professional skill and competency.	While providing performance coaching business experts tend to take biased decision. As a result, the employees who need to be guided get deprived of receiving the training program.
Induction	Induction is the most effective ways with the help of which the human resource managers tend to give the new employees an in-depth overview regarding organizational plans and policies (Elnaga and Imran 2013).	At the initial stage, the employees get nervous in getting overview about the organizational plans and policies. As a result, people may have to face innumerable difficulties in getting motivation for reaching the business goal.

Table 1: Advantage and disadvantage of training course

(Source: Chen, Chiang and Storey 2012)

Training event	Training resource	Activity	Time duration
Decision making session	Various arbitrary situations	The trainer has given different situations to the managers to take appropriate decision	1st day
Communication skill	Audio-visual aids	By watching an audio-visual aid the trainers are instructed to develop the communication skill of managers	1st day
Technological skill	Audio-visual aids	Technological devices should be operated as per the guidance of trainers	2nd day

In order to train the employees, problem solving systematic approach can be taken as one of the most effective ways for conducting training and development program. Problem solving approach is the systematic method with the help of which the necessary problems faced by the employees have been resolved (Sánchez 2013). The business experts of HSBC in order to resolve the problems of employees tend to implement appropriate decision-making skill. The primary purpose of decision-making skill is to take appropriate decision for the employee so that they can reach the business target.

While conducting an effective workshop, performance coaching, induction and group discussion session the trainer should use problem-solving approach. While receiving the training program employees may have to face innumerable issue (Cherian and Jacob 2012). The primary purpose of the trainers is to resolve the issue by using problem-solving technique.

In order to evaluate a training and induction program HSBC has prepared an evaluation plan with the help of suitable technique to make the entire training program systematic. The development plan that has been prepared for the training and induction program is as follows:

Before conducting the induction session, the human resource managers tend to convince the employees about the significance and value of induction training session. This particular training is the most effective sources with the help of which new employees get detailed overview about the organization, its policies, work culture and organizational behavior (Lake, Salakhutdinov and Tenenbaum 2015). Therefore, before involving the employees towards induction training program, the HR managers of HSBC intends to clarify the primary objectives of induction training program so that employees while participating within the training session can concentrate.

While making the training session the human resource managers have to make an effective communication with the new comers (Lapointe and Matwin 2014). Otherwise, the entire purpose of training session would be affected. The human resource managers of HSBC in order to make a strong interaction with the employees tends to use two modes of communication that include international communication and group communication. With the help of interpersonal communication, the human resource managers can collect direct feedback from the employees (Ehrenfeld et al. 2014). The employees are flexible enough to resolve their queries instantly. On the other hand, human resource managers of HSBC use group communication as well. Group communication is effective to resolve the collective issues of the employees. As a result, HR managers do not have to invest sufficient time for resolving the same issue.

Training Needs of HSBC’s Managerial Staff

While maintaining the training induction session the human resource managers of HSBC intends to use advanced technology. Therefore, the business experts while demonstrating the company policy and strategy utilize technology as well to give an audio-visual effect (Netea et al. 2016). Therefore, before demonstrating the entire company strategy and policy with the help of advancement of technology HR managers should have a competency to operate the machine with the help of verbal communication. As a result, the employees can relate the entire speech of HR manager with the visual effect. Audio-visual effects generally break the monotony of entire training session.

In order to conduct the entire training session the trainers can follow some of the major steps such as observation, collecting feedback from the participants, interviews or questionnaires. All these procedures are very much restricted with trainers and the participants. The trainers get the scope to collect a direct feedback from the participants. Based on the feedback the trainers get to know about the way of progress.

As already discussed, HSBC has primarily focused on four types of events including workshop, group discussion, induction and performance coaching. Among four types of training events, the study has primarily focused on discussing the effectiveness of induction training program for the progress of business organization (Saeed et al. 2014). It has been observed that in order to evaluate the induction training method the human resource managers have made an effective development plan concerning on three particular areas. The areas include clarification of program, good communication between HR managers and employees and monitoring the technology. After evaluating the method of program clarification, it can be analyzed that program clarification is not the ultimate factor for making an effective induction-training program successful (Long et al. 2012). Along with clarifying the induction program, the employees should know how to maintain these organizational strategies and policies at the workplace. Otherwise, the entire significance of clarification program would not be successful.

At the same time, it is also undeniable that making an effective communication between the HR managers and employees is highly important with the help of which the employees can resolve their issues regarding job profile. This kind of communication is highly important in order to overcome the psychological barriers (Lu et al. 2013). Before making an effective communication HR managers tend to focus on international communication only in order to maintain a face-to-face conversation. However, it can be analyzed that group communication is also very important for sharing opinion with each other. HSBC organizes the induction-training program after appointing the employees within the business process. Therefore, group communication would be more effective in this particular training session rather than face-to-face communication. The human resource managers of HSBC in the form of group discussion session intend to give in-depth information about the company’s structure, systems and policies.  

Advantages and Disadvantages of Training Methods

Implementation of advanced technology is not the only source of maintaining monitoring procedure. In order to monitor the entire training session the human resource managers of HSBC have to focus on some other ways as well. The trainers have to conduct the entire session in such a way that every individual employee can understand the essence of the entire training procedure (Simosi, 2012). At the same time, the plans and policies that would be analyzed at the day of induction should be convincing to every employee. In addition, technology is one of the most effective factors to monitor. The human resource managers while using the technological devices should have the efficiency to operate the machine. Otherwise, the trainers would not be able to relate their speech with demonstration.

UK government has played a major role in implementing training and development session for the employees associated with numerous business firms. It is undeniable that HSBC can be considered among the bank giants. Therefore, UK government has to focus on the internal development of this bank giant by providing necessary training session to improve professional outlook. Whenever UK government tends to provide training and development session to the employees, a large number of business organizations are amalgamated together (Knowles, Holton and Swanson 2014).  Employees from different cultural backgrounds get the scope to communicate with each other and to share various opinions with each other. As a result, any training session arranged by UK government enhances the skill and competency level of the employees.  

In addition, UK government while arranging the training session tends to focus on enhancing the practical knowledge and experience of the employees. After conducting the session, an effective group discussion is arranged in order to evaluate the mind of employees. The trainers whom UK government tends to hire for the employees are efficient enough to enhance the knowledge and skill of staffs (Daley 2012). Therefore, employees get necessary benefits and facilities after receiving an effective training arranged by government of UK.

Private sector organizations

With the dynamic progress of technology business organizations have to face innumerable competition from its contemporaries. Customers tend to focus in using the services from those organizations, which are successful to maintain a balance between customers’ supply and demand (Flamholtz 2012). However, in order to fulfill the needs and demands of the customers employees of HSBC have been provided effective training and development session to handle the pressure of stakeholders. Customers are from different geographical boundaries. Therefore, the customer service executives have to face innumerable challenges from the employees (Storey 2014). Therefore, HSBC in order to make the employees competent and efficient enough in customer services tend to provide training on communication skill, technological skill, professional development skill, decision making skill and on. As a result, customers of HSBC do not tend to show their reluctant attitude in using the services of HSBC.

Implementing a Training and Development Program

Competency Model:

                                                                            Competency Model

                                                                         (Source: Berman et al. 2012)

Competency model is constituted with five primary factors that include self-management, leadership, analytical ability, management and relationship. In order to keep a constant control over the entire process of business HSBC business experts expect these five competencies within managers so that they can handle any kind of situation skillfully.  

contributed to the human resource development in the UK

The contemporary government’s initiatives of UK on training and development have left a major contribution on human resource and development as well. On one hand, government is not only concerned with the development of employees only (Berman et al. 2012). The success of a business organization is not only dependent on the performance of the employees. Human resource managers have to play a major role in enhancing the performance level. The employees while working at the floor is highly dependent on the human resource managers. Therefore, those persons should have a capability to handle the pressure of employees.

Therefore, personality and attitudes reflects on employee behavior and performance (Jiang et al. 2012). Therefore, UK government has decided to provide an effective training session to the HRD department as well. The HRD department of HSBC has received numerous trainings and development session from the UK government. Therefore, the personnel are efficient enough to handle any kind of pressure coming from employees. In addition, by maintain an effective interpersonal communication the human resource managers of HSBC intend to resolve the problems of employees (Hendry 2012). As a result, relation between the employees and HR managers are very much effective.

At the same time, it is undeniable that after the initiation of government training process the human resource development does not have to provide any additional training to the employees (Bamberger, Biron and Meshoulam 2014). As a result, the allotted cost for training session is getting saved. Among the three primary aspects of training method, the name of Apprentiaship, Traineships and Investor in People is most prominent.  The most positive aspect of Apprentiaship training method is the trainees get the scope to gain knowledge and experience through workplace activities.

Evaluating the Induction Training Program

As a result, business organization like HSBC has to face difficulties when the trainees tend to do any mistake at the time of customer service. Traineships is the systematic method with the help of which the employees are directed as per the instruction and guidance of trainers. In this kind of situation, the trainees fail to give an effective performance without the instruction of trainers (Alfes et al. 2013).  Investor in People is nothing but a recognition that a particular company like HSBC tends to improve the performance level through developing the management as well as entire employee performance. In order to establish this particular training a development session HSBC has to invest large amount of money for this purpose. This particular strategy as a result may affect on the overall sales volume of HSBC.

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