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The importance of understanding employees’ needs.

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The Importance of Understanding Your Employees’ or Learners’ Needs.

Introduction

Learning is an important aspect of managing employees. Managers must understand the different learning perspectives and strategies through which these topics can be implemented. While the learning process is an important aspect of organizational success, its implementation should be focused on meeting the organizational goals and targets of each department. As a manager, the role is to establish systems that work, and then use these systems in understanding the needs of the employees just like teachers do to their students. In this paper, learning topics are discussed, and effective learning strategies ventilated.

Five areas of learning for the managers.

As an expert in employee training, the following areas of learning will be taught to the managers: associative learning, operant conditioning, problem based learning, social learning theory, and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The first learning area is associative learning. In associative learning, two different events take place together. In associative learning, the managers are taught to understand the association between two behavior and stimulus. The two associative learning forms include operant conditioning and classical. Associative learning is of particular importance when studying the behavior of people, or behaviourism theory.

Since it is a form of conditioning, the behavior of employees can be modified on a stimulus and a response (Le Pelley, 2010). For instance, the managers can use an example of responsive stimuli and learn how the employees respond to the stimuli. For associative learning, there is an aspect of associative memory. Associative memory is explained in terms of the ability to learn and recall the relationship between unrelated aspects. The most outstanding example of this learning aspect is Pavlov’s use of dogs in demonstrating that a stimulus, such as ringing of bells lead to food in form of a reward (Le Pelley, 2010).

Operant conditioning which is a type of associative learning can be used by managers to use reinforcement through punishments and rewards. The managers can set forth a form of stimuli in form of targets that can be conditioned through rewards or punishments (Le Pelley, 2010). This way, managers can pass the message to their employees and impact organizational effectiveness. The second area of learning is operant conditioning. In operant conditioning, human behavior can be controlled by consequences or some effects. Some of the major aspects of operant conditioning include positive and negative reinforcement, and positive and negative punishment (Henton, & Iversen, 2012).

As a training expert, operant conditioning is effective in achieving the best results. Positive reinforcement for instance is giving the employees something good or pleasant after a behavior which is associated with performance. Because of the good or pleasant gesture, the employee is likely to replicate the performance or good behavior going forward and hence improve productivity (Henton, & Iversen, 2012). A common form of positive reinforcement is complementing employees for a job well done. Negative reinforcement involves taking away an unpleasant thing as a result of behavior that is acceptable. Positive punishment can be used to limit behaviors and presenting unpleasant things after the behavior (Henton, & Iversen, 2012).

For instance, an employee presents negative behavior and the manager or supervisor criticizes the employee. Because of the criticism, the employee is likely to change the negative behavior. Operant conditioning is also closely associated to behaviourism. The third learning area is problem-based learning. In problem-based learning, the managers are actively involved in the learning process. In other words, the PBL is a student-centered approach in which employees gain insights through active problems and real-world challenges. The managers are expected to approach employee training sessions from an open-minded and challenging problems with no “right” responses.

The problems approached are based on context and not general. The employees or students work as active investigators, self-directed and solvers of problems in small teams. The employees identify a key problem in the department, say less production and then find a solution together (Schmidt, Rotgans, & Yew, 2011). Instead of the manager solving the problem, the employees are directly involved in providing the solution to the problem. The following benefits are associated with people using the PBL approach: increased motivation, helps in the transfer of knowledge to new work situations, improves problem-solving problems, and develops critical thinking and creative skills (Schmidt, Rotgans, & Yew, 2011).

While operant conditioning and associative learning is aligned to behaviourism and cognitivism, problem-based approach is inclined to constructivism. It focuses on inquiry based learning and the ability of the managers to help their departmental employees solve common problems at the workplace. The fourth learning area is social learning theory, which is commonly referred to as Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. In this theory, the managers will be expected to learn from other managers or employees. The lessons are passed through modeling, imitation, and observation. The theory bridges cognitive learning and behaviourism since the following aspects are encompassed; motivation, attention, and memory (Lam, Kraus, & Ahearne, 2010).

The managers are trained to learn and understand their employees through observing their behavior, their attitudes, and the results of these behaviors. Most human behavior is understood and learned through modelling: from observing other people. The social learning theory explains the behavior of humans in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between environmental, behavioral, and cognitive influences. The following conditions are required for effective modelling: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation (Lam, Kraus, & Ahearne, 2010). In attention, the managers are trained that several factors improve or reduce the amount of attention paid.

Some of the factors that they should understand include functional value, affective valence, complexity, and distinctiveness. Factors that affect retention include cognitive organization, mental images, symbolic rehearsal, symbolic coding, and motor rehearsal (Lam, Kraus, & Ahearne, 2010). The social learning theory is a bridge between behaviourism and cognitivism. Lastly, the managers can explore Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy of needs comprises a five-tier model of human needs. According to Maslow, employees can be motivated to achieve certain needs. Some of the needs take precedence over other needs. They include self-fulfilment needs, psychological needs, and basic needs (Sadri, & Bowen, 2011).

Physiological and biological needs include food, air, shelter, drink and sleep. The safety needs include freedom from fear, stability, order, security, and law. Love and belongingness needs include intimacy, friendship, intimacy and trust, giving love and affection. Esteem needs include independence, status, and prestige. Lastly, self-actualization needs include self-fulfilment, realizing personal potential, peak experiences, and seeking personal growth (Zavei, & Jusan, 2012). These needs motivate human behavior and can be used in motivating employees to achieve positive results. The theory of hierarchy of human needs is aligned to behaviourism and humanism.

Five strategies for successfully training the learner groups.

The following five learning strategies will be used: rewards, punishments, setting targets, delegation, and research activities. Rewards is a learning strategy that has been used by teachers in the classroom for several years. As the employees participate in the learning process, rewards assist in reinforcing the lessons learnt and improving their motivation to achieve the best results. The rewards given to the managers and employees help in facilitating the learning process. The reward systems can be used in the following ways; promoting appropriate behavior, motivation for full effort on organizational tasks, completed projects and work, and happy employees (Hoon Song, Kolb, Hee Lee, & Kyoung Kim, 2012).

Extending any form of reward to employees or the managers help in promoting positive and appropriate behavior in the organization. Being kind to one another, following company rules and keeping safe are examples of positive behaviors that can be achieved this way. Punishments is another strategy used to help the managers in the learning process. Punishments can be used by the managers in the learning proves to eliminate unwanted practices. Employees who exhibit negative behavior are punished as a way of improving the learning outcomes (Hoon Song, Kolb, Hee Lee, & Kyoung Kim, 2012). One such common example is positive punishment which is used by several managers to help improve the learning process.

An example of positive punishment is criticism. Criticism helps employees limit negative behavior, which promotes the learning process. The third strategy is setting targets. Setting performance targets for the employees is an important step towards the learning process. The targets give the teams something they aim at. The targets and goals are written for the teams or departments and the direct reports. The departments must accept and recognize the goals as being significant (Hoon Song, Kolb, Hee Lee, & Kyoung Kim, 2012). However, the targets are set in line with the strategy of the organization and its mission. The targets are set regularly to enhance performance. Research activities is another strategy used in implementing a learning process.

The research activities are used in constructing new knowledge and improving on old systems that may not have worked. For instance, marketing and sales departments can institute market research activities as a way of improving targets and hence reinforcing the learning process (Allen, 2016). Lastly, delegation is used in assisting the learners or the employees to solve the actual problems which affect the organization. In delegation, assist the employees solve the hard problems facing the organization. For instance, a manager can delegate duties on marketing to lower departments. When such duties are delegated, the employees face the marketing challenges head on and therefore shape their learning process.

Conclusion.

The paper addresses different areas or topic of learning for employees, and the effective learning strategies that can be used to achieve positive results for the organization. In administering the different learning topics, the managers must understand the specific circumstances under which they can be applied. For instance, using rewards as learning strategy may not work for the same process as research activities. There are areas that need new knowledge and innovation, and hence research activities is the best learning strategy to be implemented. The learning process should be implemented on a two-week training module.

References.

Allen, M. W. (2016). Michael Allen's guide to e-learning: Building interactive, fun, and effective learning programs for any company. John Wiley & Sons.

Henton, W. W., & Iversen, I. H. (2012). Classical conditioning and operant conditioning: A response pattern analysis. Springer Science & Business Media.

Hoon Song, J., Kolb, J. A., Hee Lee, U., & Kyoung Kim, H. (2012). Role of transformational leadership in effective organizational knowledge creation practices: Mediating effects of employees' work engagement. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 23(1), 65-101.

Lam, S. K., Kraus, F., & Ahearne, M. (2010). The diffusion of market orientation throughout the organization: A social learning theory perspective. Journal of Marketing, 74(5), 61-79.

Le Pelley, M. E. (2010). Attention and human associative learning. Attention and associative learning: From brain to behaviour, 187-215.

Sadri, G., & Bowen, C. R. (2011). Meeting employee requirements: Maslow's hierarchy of needs is still a reliable guide to motivating staff. Industrial engineer, 43(10), 44-49.

Schmidt, H. G., Rotgans, J. I., & Yew, E. H. (2011). The process of problem‐based learning: what works and why. Medical education, 45(8), 792-806.

Zavei, S. J. A. P., & Jusan, M. M. (2012). Exploring housing attributes selection based on maslow's hierarchy of needs. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 42, 311-319.