Training Needs Analysis

Training Needs Analysis Kymm’s Express Training Plan The purpose of a training needs analysis is to identify performance requirements and the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by the company to achieve the requirements. J, a training consultant, has a meeting with D, the Human Resource Representative, E, the Customer Service Manager and L, the Customer Service Supervisor to determine training needs. In the initial meeting, J, is conducting a preliminary needs analysis. He begins to understand a little more about the department on an organizational level which consists of, what the company’s strategy and goals are, and how training (if any) has been handled in the past. In building this training plan, there will be several key parts that are a must have when building a customer service team. Begin by emphasizing the mission and purpose of the department and the training. MISSION: Stress the importance of creating a universal customer service culture by beginning with upper-level management and actualizing this goal among all staff including frontline personnel. The framework for the customer service culture at Kymm’s Express includes learning what the customers wants; implementing steps to provide for those wants; equipping frontline employees with training, information, empowerment, and motivation; and monitoring success through customer and employee feedback mechanisms. PURPOSE: To provide excellence in customer service through a positive and friendly attitude to all customers and employees through this comprehensive training plan. This plan reaffirms that Kymm’s Express will serve its customers with excellence. It outlines our responsibility to work with customers to improve the practical value of the information and services that it provides, as well as improving the delivery mechanisms used to distribute these. This plan reminds Kymm’s Express employees of the importance of interacting proactively with customers, identifying their needs, and integrating these needs into program planning and implementation. It seems as though the current customer service representatives have received an informal training. When an organization does not spend the time to fully train their employees the consequence is poor service. To make sure that your employees succeed, there needs to be a set of expectations and or goals in place. This non-training method, L could use to develop her employees. Employees want to see how their work contributes to larger corporate objectives, and setting the right targets makes this connection explicit for them, and for L, as their supervisor. Goal-setting is particularly important as a mechanism for providing ongoing and year-end feedback. By establishing and monitoring targets, you can give your employees real-time input on their performance while motivating them to achieve more which can result in monthly and or quarterly incentives. Doing a monthly recognition program for the representatives that has the highest number of sales and positive customer comments and or Aw ard quarterly bonuses for top sellers or make the bonus performance based; for example, you can give bonuses for answering the most customer calls or returning the most emails. State the goals that are going to be accomplished once this training is completed. Goal #1: Achieve Higher Levels of Customer Satisfaction: One of the many findings discovered during the Training Needs Analysis was frustration among the Customer Service Representatives. Some were concerned that there’s not a standard policy or resource to follow that describes in great detail how to pinpoint the core customer problem and either resolve or forward it to another for resolution. Concerns have been raised about their level of training and adequacy in dealing with difficult customers. Since a conclusive correlation exists between lack of skills training and knowledge, our training will target developing usable customer service skills to employees which will result in increased job performance. Goal #2: Create a Uniform Customer Service Policy: We will create a standard Customer Service policy tailored specifically to the Kymm’s Express mission statement. We will mass produce these so that each employee receives his/her personal copy during training. In addition each Customer Service Representative station will be required to have a copy to provide quick reference for customer service representatives. Goal #3: Develop Customer Service Procedural Guidance: We will provide training that equips customer service representatives with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will increase product knowledge, maximize problem-solving resources, and provide exceptional customer service to the Kymm’s Express base. We will develop a ready reference customer service procedural guide; make it readily available in the system of each workstation that will provide immediate direction to customer service representatives to effectively identify a customer’s concern and the process to most efficiently resolve it. Based on the needs analysis and design of training that was previously stated, there are many methods of training that can be added to the plan for Kymm’s Express. To adequately provide quality training that maximizes the customer service representatives potential for improved performance and retention, the length of this training should not exceed seven business days to complete. The training should be done in a non-call center location with access to computers, so that it will allow the customer service representatives the ability to dabble with the system in an offline function. However, if the location is not available it is also ideal to train on the floor. This way it will give the reps more real-life experience of the customer service environment. This will not only equip customer service representatives with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will increase product knowledge, maximize problem-solving resources, and provide exceptional customer service to the Kymm ’s Express, but all of these methods of training gives employees motivation to start the job. It is to be said that people learn more efficiently if they learn hands-on, rather than listening to an instructor. However, this method might not be for everyone, as it could be very stressful. On the Job training consists of coaching, mentoring, job rotation and job instruction technique. Coaching/mentoring gives employees a chance to receive training one-on-one from an experienced professional. Coaching will help to identify weakness and focus on areas which need improvement while mentoring focuses on attitude development. While the customer service reps are conducting on the job training with their supervisor they will be learning the Customer Service Policy, and its use on the floor as well as, how to navigate through the customer service procedural guide. Generally on the job training is more cost effective. However, it is less disruptive to the business. Customer Service Reps will be training with equipment that they will become familiar with on an everyday basis. On the Job t raining should be given to employees after completing a week of simulation and on-the-job training, and completion of a simulated comprehensive exam. All in all on the job training should be an everyday process to be done on the floor, due to everyday changes. Many avenues exist to train employees. The key here is to match the needs of the business with the different training methods. Assess each training method implemented in the organization and get feedback from trainees to see if they learned anything. As I am positive that these methods are very effective methods to build the customer service department, the results may deem otherwise. References Gallo, Amy. â€Å"Making Sure Your Employees Succeed.† HBR Blog Network (2011) October 30, 2013 http://blogs.hbr.org/2011/02/making-sure-your-employees-suc/ Iwan, Lee. â€Å"Top 10 reasons for poor customer service and theirsolutions.† Lee Iwan Accumulated Experience (2007) October 30, 2013 http://leeiwan.wordpress.com/2007/11/13/top-10-reasons-for-poor-customer-service-and-their-solutions/

Albania still bears the traces

Albania, one of Europe’s smallest and isolated countries is also one of the most ancient countries in Europe. Yet its beauty and splendor, its rich natural resources and its extraordinary tradition of hospitality are just few of the many reasons why the outside world should be interested in this country (Konitza 10).Albania still bears the traces of its turbulent past, a history that has been the story of a never-ending succession of invasion and defense, of subjection and revolt. At one time or another, Greeks and Romans, Goths and Byzantines, Serbs and Bulgars, Sicilians and Venetians, Normans and Turks have poured into the country and held it for varying periods (Hamm 3).Many historians believed that the people of Albania descended from a non-Slavic, non-Turkic group of tribes known as Illyrians, who arrived in the Balkans around 2000 BC. The modern Albanians can still be distinguished from Ghegs (northern tribes) and Tosks (southern tribes). After falling under Roman autho rity in 165 BC, Albania was controlled nearly continuously by a succession of foreign powers such as the Byzantine Empire in the 11th century which made the first recorded reference to a land known as Albania and its people.The Ottoman Empire also ruled Albania form 1385-1912 and it was during this time that much of the populations were converted to Islam.   There were revolts made against the Ottoman, the most famous was led by Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeg which eventually became Albania's national hero.   But efforts failed as the Ottomans eventually reasserted their dominance.The hundred of years of Ottoman rule weakened during the early 20th century as Albanian nationalism heightened.   This eventually ended with the conclusion of the First Balkan War, and the Vlore Proclamation of Independence on November 28, 1912.When the Second World War broke, Albania was occupied by different countries.   First by Italy (1939-43) and then by Germany (1943-44). After the war, Communis m ruled Albania for forty years through the Communist Party leader Enver Hoxha.  During this time, Albania adhered to a strict Stalinist philosophy through a combination of ruthlessness and strategic alliances and most of the population was subjected to purges, shortages, repression of civil and political rights, a total ban on religious observance, and increased isolation.   In 1991, Communism fall and the Albanian society struggled to overcome its historical isolation and underdevelopment by seeking closer ties with the West in order to improve economic conditions.During this time the basic democratic reforms, including a multi-party system was introduced.   Albania's fragile democratic structures were strengthened by democrats, then socialists; from presidential to parliamentary which eventually ushered in a new period of political stability, making possible significant progress in democratic and economic reforms, rule of law initiatives, and the development of Albania's re lations with its neighbors and the United States.   (Frasheri 25).  The Albanian.com website mentioned that Albania adopted the Parliamentary democratic type of government with executive branch; the President of the Republic (chief of state), the Prime Minister (head of the government), Council of Ministries (appointed by the President); the legislative branch-Peoples Assembly (a unicameral type, 140 seats) and the Judicial branch (the Supreme court and all other).   Its police and security forces have shown effectiveness.  Each security or police organization–the Sigurimi, the Frontier Guards, and the People's Police–constituted a separate directorate within the ministry; each had a larger proportion of personnel who were party members than the armed forces because of the need for political reliability. Albania's relations with the outside world are mainly concerned with preservation of its territorial integrity and independence.Albania maintains generally goo d relations with its foreign neighbors such as Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Italy and Greece It also enjoys friendly and cooperative bilateral relations with the U.S as Pro-U.S. sentiment is widespread among the population. The strength of the government is supported with its Armed forces which includes ground forces, air and air defense forces, and naval forces and comprised about 48,000 active-duty and 155,000 reserve personnel.According to the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, Albania’s economy is considered the poorest in Europe. This is maybe due to the fact that Albania has been isolated and underdeveloped for centuries. Economists estimated the gross domestic product per capita at about US$450 in 1990.Latest figures (2005) shows 5.5% Real GDP growth with an inflation rate of 2.4% and unemployment rate by 14.2%.   Despite significant progress in the twentieth century, Albania still lagged far behind the other European nations economically. The ec onomic policy insisted on rigid centralization and forced industrialization despite Albania's small size and lack of skilled workers, able administrators, and farmers capable of producing key raw materials and enough grain to feed the population.Albania has abundant literate workforce but unemployed and unskilled workers but few jobs are available in the country.   Because of this, thousands of desperate Albanians fled abroad seeking jobs because of the wretched standard of living and limited economic opportunity at home.The social structure of the country was basically tribal until the 1930s but increasing contact with the outside world and invasions and occupations by foreign armies had gradually weakened tribal society.   Traditionally there have been two major cultures in the Albanian nation: the Gegs in the north and the Tosks in the south.The Gegs, partly Roman Catholic but mostly Muslim, lived until after World War II in a mountain society characterized by blood feuds and fierce clan and tribal loyalties. The Tosks, whose number included many Muslims as well as Orthodox Christians, were less culturally isolated mainly because of centuries of foreign influence.Kinship and tribal affiliations, a common spoken language, and enduring folk customs provided continuity and a sense of community. Foreign influence was inevitable, however. Additions and modifications to the language were made as a result of Latin, Greek, Slavic, and Turkish contacts. Lacking an organized religion as part of their Illyrian heritage, Albanians adopted the Muslim, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic faiths brought to them by their conquerors.In Albania, the basic unit of society was the extended family, usually composed of a couple, their married sons, the wives and children of the sons, and any unmarried daughters.The extended family formed a single residential and economic entity held together by common ownership of means of production and common interest in the defense of the group. Such families often included scores of persons, and, as late as 1944, some encompassed as many as sixty to seventy persons living in a cluster of huts surrounding the father's house.For centuries, the family was the basic unit of the country's social structure. To a great extent, the privacy of the family supplanted that of the state. Children were brought up to respect their elders and, above all, their father, whose word was law within the confines of his family (Marmullaku 82-85).Whether its in the past or present, ancient or modern, young or old, Muslim or Christian, rich or poor, north or south, urban or rural, monarchist or socialist: the extremes of Albanian society are vivid and its tensions palpable.Albania is more like a framework, a stable structure of rigid poles positioned in space –and linked together by flexible cables. The cables are stressed but, barring catastrophe, they will not snap. Albania, a land that is very beautiful, is still struggling to leave its communist past and the almost eternal post communism transition behind and find the right route to economical, political, and social stability and prosperity.Works CitedAlbanian Information.   Albanian Government .Available:   http://www.albanian.com/information/countries/albania/index.html Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. Country Studies.Available:   http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/altoc.htmlFrasheri, Kristo. The History of Albania. Tiranà «: Naim Frasheri State, 1964. Hamm, Harry.   Albania–China's Beachhead in Europe.   New York:   Praeger, 1963.Konitza, Faik. â€Å"Albania: The Rock Garden of Southeastern Europe.†Ã‚   Pages Panarity (ed.), Albania: The Rock Garden   of Southeastern Europe and Other Essays.Boston:Pan-Albanian Federation of America, 1957. Marmullaku, Ramadan. Albania and the Albanians. Hamden, New York: Archon Books, 1975.

Gender Discrimination in the Workplace

Discrimination Against Women in the Workplace Unfair treatment of women has been prevalent throughout time. Although there have been many movements to attempt to terminate this tendency, it is still ubiquitous in today’s society. Sex discrimination in the workplace occurs when women are treated differently because of their gender. Many factors influence employers and coworkers to display prejudice against women. Gender bias in the workplace is an unfair practice that results in lower payment, disrespect, and an overall bad occupation experience for victims.Gender discrimination is not necessarily a new issue, but it remains to be a major struggle despite the attempts that have been made to stop it through legal manners. In a report by The Institute for Women’s Policy Research’s Ariane Hegewisch, Cynthia Deitch, and Evelyn Murphy, the results of these attempts are summarized on both simple and complex levels. â€Å"The 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employers fr om discriminating in their employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.Although Title VII banned employment discrimination, it did not require specific actions to achieve this objective. † Because the Act lacks such a critical detail, employers are able to avoid obeying it very easily. Laws besides the Civil Rights Act have been put into place in order to reduce unjust treatment in the workplace. For example, in 1963 the Equal Pay Act was passed. This act was supposed to end â€Å"the practice of paying men more than women when performing the same jobs and duties. Despite these protections, many women still feel gender biased discrimination is a problem† (Gluck).The effects of both the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act have obviously been minimal, seeing as women are still very much looked down upon in the workplace. One of the most direct effects of sex discrimination in the workplace is the stereotyping that occurs. The mas s overrepresentation of men in â€Å"senior management positions† is a sub-result of discrimination (â€Å"Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment†). The favoring of the selection of men over women for promotions has had a dramatic effect in the workplace over time. â€Å"Stereotypical views regarding gender can cause supervisors to engage in the llegal practice of passing a person over for promotion due to gender. Supervisors most often pass over women due to preconceived notions about their roles and abilities† (Gluck). Stereotypes about women come not only from their under representation in the workplace, but from preconceived notions about their family roles. Even If a woman is hired without being asked about her family responsibilities, once she takes the position, her boss can â€Å"view her employee file to see that she has young children† and then will be able to â€Å"give her less responsibility or assign menial tasks to her that do not fit he r job description.Although illegal, this practice still exists in offices today† (Gluck). Once again, employers ignore the laws put in place to stop discrimination because of stereotyping. The only way gender bias will disappear is if stereotypes disappear as well. One of the reasons sexual discrimination is so prevalent today is that sexual harassment has become so accepted in society and in places of employment. â€Å"Women have long been exposed to workplace harassment which involves conduct of a sexual nature or is premised on the sex of the victim† (McCann).Because of the wide range of behaviors that are considered sexual harassment, it is difficult to identify some action as harassment, which means rules against it are easy to ignore. Sexual harassment has terrible effects on the morale of victims. A loss of motivation â€Å"necessary to perform their jobs effectively† is one of the most notable results of bias (Gluck). â€Å"Offensive jokes of a suggestiv e or sexual nature and jokes implying that an employee’s work is sub-par due to her gender† are one of the major causes for the loss of motivation that victims experience.Sexual discrimination is obviously an extremely negative practice, but one of the most devastating effects of the prejudice is the payment gap between men and women. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), â€Å"in 2011, female full-time workers made only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 23 percent† (â€Å"Pay Equity & Discrimination†). IWPR predicts that â€Å"if change continues at the same slow pace as it has done for the past fifty years, it will take almost another fifty–or until 2056–for women to finally reach pay parity. Such inequality in payment is absurd, especially since â€Å"women compromise 47% of the total U. S. labor force† (â€Å"Women’s Bureau†). Throughout history, women have battled gender discrimination inside and outside of the office. The difference in payment of men and women is a significant problem that needs to be paid more attention to. Once stereotypes are dissolved, problems with gender bias will dissolve as well and the payment gap will become easier to close. Until then, the laws that have been imposed need to become enforced more strictly and individuals need to pay more attention to sexual harassment norms.Women deserve every right that men have and vice versa. Sexual discrimination affects all of society in some way or another, so it is important that society’s members work towards ending it. Works Cited Gluck, Samantha. â€Å"The Effects of Gender Discrimination in the Workplace. † Small Business. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. Hegewisch, Ariane, Cynthia Deitch, and Evelyn Murphy. Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope — IWPR. Rep. N. p. , 2008. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. McCann, Deirdre. Sexual Harassment at Work: National and International Responses, Conditions of Work and Employment Series No. 2. † Sexual Harassment at Work. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Pay Equity & Discrimination. † — IWPR. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment. † Knowledge Center | Catalyst. N. p. , 1 July 2012. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Women's Bureau (WB) – Quick Facts on Women in the Labor Force in 2010. † Women's Bureau (WB) – Quick Facts on Women in the Labor Force in 2010. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.

The Financial Crisis And You - 2064 Words

The 2008 Financial Crisis and You To start off with, I would like to thank Mr. Nolan for inviting me back to Sandalwood to try my hand at lecturing to a bright eyed bunch of Senior s today. It is crazy to think that just a year ago I was sitting exactly where you are and thinking all the same things. I remember that I couldn’t wait to get out of these halls and out into the real world. I couldn’t wait to come out into my own and learn things in an area of study I was passionate about. For those of you who already know what you want to study and what you want to do with your life- THAT IS GREAT!- trust me when I tell you whatever plans you have for your future after high school will teach you more about life in one year than you ever†¦show more content†¦All of which will open your eyes to the local and global economies surrounding you. I do not want to take much of your time today but I do want to be thoroughly clear on why an understanding of the 2008 financial crisis is of importance to peopl e your age. I am sure all of you have taken the required American Government class here but the political economy is not really addressed in that courses curriculum. Nonetheless, I plan on sharing with you a decent crash course about the â€Å"so what† factor of the crisis. What I want you to take away from my lecture is what happened that led up to the crisis, what occurred during the crisis, and how and why the effects are important. If you wanted a more professional crash course I would direct you to John Greens crash course YouTube video The Great Depression: Crash Course US History #33 for more of a well-rounded view about what generally happened because this Crisis is very similar. You could also find a really thorough analyses in Part II of Schwartz s States versus Markets: The Emergence of a Global Economy Textbook used for UF s Politics of the World Economy course. I will be referencing from this textbook and Paul Krugman’s work â€Å"How the Case for Austerity has crumbled† in my lecture. For the sake of time I will not be able to touch on another one of Krugman’s influential articles, but if I spark your interest