Designing a training program to train managers on using the new ERP system
Order Instructions:
Identify the general training topic you have selected for your training program (1–2 pages). Create your training scenario based on the topic you have selected. Include the following:
A general description of the training topic.
Why this training is needed.
Who is to be trained.
How many are being trained.
Develop a training needs analysis for your topic (3–4 pages). For the purposes of this project, you are not expected to actually conduct the training needs analysis (TNA). Instead, create the following information as if it is based on a TNA.
Identify what the trainees should know or be able to do after they have completed the training program. Research your topic to determine what you want your trainees to learn. Your sources might be anything from an Internet search for data, to a meeting with subject matter experts (SMEs) who are good at the task involved. For example, if you training topic is how to tile a wall, you might search the Internet for do-it-yourself instructions, or you might consult with a specialist at a home improvement store.
Summarize the results of your research or provide a set of the questions you would ask SMEs if you were to meet with them.
Identify what the trainees know or what they can do before the training.
Create a sample survey, a questionnaire, a set of interview questions, or an observation checklist. Include this in your assignment submission as a separate attachment.
Develop training objectives for your training program (1–2 pages). Create 3–5 specific training objectives for your topic.
Create your objectives based on what you have determined the trainees should know (or be able to do) after attending the training program.
Design a training program for your topic (3–4 pages). Define each of the following aspects and explain why you made the choices you did.
- How long will the training program be?
- Will there be one or more training sessions?
- Will those who facilitate the training be internal or external instructors?
- Where will the training program be held?
- How will learners be motivated to learn?
- Who is the intended audience for the training?
SAMPLE ANSWER
Designing a training program to train managers on using the new ERP system
Staff members who are well trained are of major importance to the company’s success and development. Training of employees is fruitful to both the members of staff and the employers. It is worth mentioning that integrating professional development and training could foster greater job satisfaction, which can result in employee loyalty as well as higher productivity (Moore, 2015). In this paper, the training topic is described exhaustively. The rationale for the training, who would be trained, and the number of trainees that would be trained is described. Moreover, a training needs analysis is developed in this paper and what the trainees should be capable of doing or should know following the completion of the training is discussed. Specific training objectives for the training program are described basing upon what has been determined the trainees need to know or be able to do following the completion of the training program. Lastly, a training program is developed for training employees of the firm to properly utilize the recently implemented ERP system.
General topic: Training managers to properly utilize the implemented ERP system
The organization – name not disclosed – is a manufacturing company involved in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products and devices for health care organizations. Recently, this manufacturing firm implemented an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in order to achieve lean manufacturing, reduce costs of materials, and offer better customer care service. Training is needed since it would be very difficult to maximize the potential of the Enterprise Resource Planning solution without providing training to managers on how to utilize the software properly. Crisostomo (2010) reported that businesses could improve efficiency and profits with an ERP system, but is imperative for managers and/or staffs to get appropriate training for the company to recognize benefits of the software solution fully. The ERP software solution could make the work life easier at the company, but the workers first need to properly understand how this software functions. The upfront costs of implementing an ERP solution could be really high. However, when the user base understands the system, it would not be long before the company sees large returns on its investments. Enterprise Resource Planning software could enable the company to solve problems and overcome difficulties. Even so, it is very important to make sure that the workforce receives proper training for the implementation of the ERP to be successful (Powell, Riezebos & Strandhagen, 2013). If the workforce does not get adequate coaching, they may resist implementation of the ERP.
A total of 8 of the company’s managers would be trained. These are those IT users who would be using the ERP system often in their day-to-day work tasks in the business organization; they are the ERP users. In essence, simply implementing the new business management software would not increase efficiency at the firm; it is the combination of the Enterprise Resource Planning solution and knowing how to utilize the system right. If the users do not totally understand how to utilize this new system, then efficiency would not be achieved and the investment may be considered by others as wasted (Crisostomo, 2010).
Training needs analysis (TNA)
TNA basically entails assessing training requirements of a given grouping in terms of the following: professional and educational background of trainees; their number; their existing competence level; as well as the desired skill or behaviour level acquired at the end of the training (Sung & Choi, 2014). Effective training is dependent upon knowing what is actually required – for the department, the individual staff member, and the company altogether. With the need for cost-effective solutions and limited budgets, Moore (2015) noted that every organization should make certain that resources invested in training of staffs are targeted at areas in which training and development is required and there is a guarantee of a positive return on investment (ROI). In the anonymous company that is focused in this paper, examining what the training needs are is an important requirement for successful training programme. Merely training managers might overlook priority needs or may cover areas which are in fact needless. TNA allows companies to direct their resources into the areas in which they would contribute the most to the development of employees thereby improving morale as well as performance of the organization.
Basing on the TNA, what the trainees in the unnamed company which recently implemented a new ERP software system should be able to know and/or do after they have completed the training program is how they can use the ERP system. It is notable that the core feature of all Enterprise Resource Planning software is essentially a common database which supports many functions utilized by various business units (Crisostomo, 2010). At the company, this implies that members of staff in various divisions for instance sales and accounting can depend upon the same information for their specific needs. Enterprise Resource Planning systems also provide some level of synchronized automation and reporting. Rather than forcing managers to maintain separate spreadsheets and databases that need to be combined manually to produce reports, they should be able to use the ERP software in pulling reports from one system. For example, with sales orders flowing into the fiscal system automatically devoid of any manual re-keying, the company’s staffs in the order management department at the end of the training should be able to process order in a more accurate and quick way, and staffs in the finance department should be able to close the books faster (Powell, Riezebos & Strandhagen, 2013). Furthermore, the ERP system would have features such as a dashboard and a portal that should allow ERP users at the company to quickly understand the performance of the business on key metrics.
After the training session, the managers should know how to use the company’s ERP system to carry out business and financial planning functions that were previously done by smaller standalone applications. They should be able to use the ERP solution in managing financials and reporting around activities like manufacturing planning and execution, shipping logistics, sales forecasting, accounting, as well as customer care and support (Powell, Riezebos & Strandhagen, 2013). In addition, after the training, the managers should be able to use the real-time picture of the company’s fiscal status as provided by the ERP system in planning for orders and profitability. The users after the training should know that the ERP system can be utilized in tracking orders from receipt through production and shipment so as to better understand the levels of inventory, shipment lead times, as well as production bottlenecks.
Additionally, ERP users at the company should know how the ERP solutions can help them carry out their work tasks in a more efficient way by breaking down hurdles between business units. They should also know that the ERP solutions link systems across the company to share information amongst various departments, streamline workflow, and offer insight into the company’s operations (Leaman, 2014). Furthermore, ERP users and staff members at the company after the training should know that the ERP software stores all data of the company in one, relational database. Workers should be able to input the data and access this data through a number of modules which are intended particularly for every functional area.
Managers and ERP users should also know that storing all of an organization’s data inside one relational database would make it possible to write queries and produce reports which provide senior managers with a sense of how the business organization is performing and where they may make improvements in business process to save funds and increase revenue and profitability. After the training program, users should be able to access the ERP system on tablets and smartphones. It is notable that the company implemented an ERP solution that can be accessed not just from desktops. It actually allows the users to be productive on their tablets and smartphones yet ensuring that sensitive information remains secure. After the training the ERP users should know that the ERP system could be utilized in managing employee information across many business units and in so doing making it much simpler to track years of service as well as qualification for benefits (Powell, Riezebos & Strandhagen, 2013). The users should also know that the ERP software provides increased visibility of the process of order fulfilment from start to ending which will help the company to decrease work-in-progress inventory as well as finished goods inventory. Furthermore, after the conclusion of the training program, the ERP users should be able to utilize the ERP system in forecasting the demand for the company’s product and in ordering the needed raw materials. They should also be able to utilize it to establish production schedules, to allocate costs, to track inventory, and to project key fiscal measures (Crisostomo, 2010). A sample questionnaire (Appendix 1) is created that would be used to find out what the trainees know or are able to do as a result of the training.
Specific training objectives
The objectives for the training are based upon what has been determined the trainees should know or should be able to do after attending the training program. It is assumed that the training would be completed on September 3, 2015. Each of the objectives described below should be achieved by September 3, 2015. Objective 1: train ERP users on how to use the ERP solution in managing financials and reporting around activities like manufacturing planning and execution, shipping logistics, sales forecasting, accounting, as well as customer care and support by September 3, 2015. Objective 2: ERP users in the company to be able to use the real-time picture of the company’s fiscal status as provided by the Enterprise Resource Planning software solution in planning for orders and profitability. Objective 3: ERP users in the company’s order management department should be able to use this new system to process order more accurately and quickly. Objective 4: the users should know that the ERP system can be used in forecasting the demand for the company’s product and in ordering the needed raw materials. They should also know that the ERP software solution can be used to establish production schedules, to allocate costs, to track inventory, and to project key fiscal measures. Objective 5: the users should have the capability of using features of the company’s ERP system for instance the portal and dashboard to quickly understand the performance of the company on key metrics?
Training program for the topic
The training would last for a period of 4 weeks. This training period is somewhat lengthy in order to allow the managers who would be trained to gain an extensive understanding of the business management system, how to utilize this ERP properly and rightly, and how to maintain it since the vendor, which is SAP from Germany, would not be there to maintain the system all the time. After the 4 weeks of training, the managers should have a very good understanding of how to utilize this system and they should even be able to train other people on how to use this software solution.
The training sessions would be held multiple times hence it would not just be a single session. Given that the ERP software solution is an extensive system with much functionality, the trainees cannot be taught about the entire system and its functionalities in just a single session. As such, multiple training sessions would be held so that the trainees are taught a few aspects and functions of the ERP system per session. A total of 4 training sessions would be held, one training session per week. When the company spends a significant amount of its budget on an Enterprise Resource Planning solution, the top managers want to see result. In order to achieve the goals the company specified originally when buying the ERP solution, it is important to develop a training program that would help the company’s employees learn the new technology and even master it (Kashi, 2014). Those who would facilitate the training sessions would be external instructors.
To ensure that the company’s managers get the most out of the Enterprise Resource Planning solution, the following would be kept in mind: (i) holding instructor-led courses – the employer cannot expect its workforce and managers to merely understand the new system. Instead, external instructors would hold learning sessions for the managers. In these training sessions, every trainee would demonstrate her or his proficiency in Enterprise Resource Planning tools. (ii) Leverage virtual workshop: with current technology, classroom learning is not the only way that the managers could be trained on innovative software. As such, the other way that managers can be taught is by means of virtual workshops. Using these solutions, the managers can utilize their laptops, tablets, as well as smartphones in accessing educational content (Dunlap, 2015). As such, the training program would be held in a classroom room as well as through virtual workshops. (iii) Monitor progress of learners: it would be important to ensure that the learners are making progress in their training. Taking this into account, it would be critical to look at how the trainees are moving along with their training sessions (Sung & Choi, 2014).
Given that this would be an instructor-led training program, it would occur inside a training room which could be a conference room, a classroom or an office. One or more external instructors would teach material or skills to the group of 8 managers – the trainees – through the use of discussions, demonstrations, presentations, and lectures. Dunlap (2015) reported that instructor-led training is commonly utilized in instructing a group and enables the trainer to deliver several trainee-hours of training per hour of the trainer’s time. It is notable that the training could even be one-on-one, although this could be costly. In essence, using instructor-led training is especially beneficial when the material is complex or new such as in this case where the company has implemented a complex ERP software solution: here, to have an external trainer on hand to demonstrate concepts and answer questions could significantly enhance the learning experience of the trainee (Kashi, 2014). The intended audience of the training are managers of the company who would actually be the users of the new ERP software solution.
Motivation to learn is of major importance. The trainees should feel that they are going to benefit from the training. Learners would be motivated to learn by being told where they would apply the information. Leaman (2014) reported that learners often retain what is pertinent to them and what they need to do their work tasks. If the learners see where they would apply the information, they are likely to get motivated to learn better. Learners learn best by doing including active participation in the process of learning. Every trainee does not learn the same way. Therefore, the learners would also be motivated to learn by using various techniques of presenting material as this would provide dissimilar ways of learning such as hands-on experience, verbal discussion, and visual materials. Furthermore, short sessions would be used as these are most effective. Specific, timely and relevant feedback would also be given. Trainees like to get feedback on their capability of applying what they have learned from the training program (Moore, 2015). The learners would be evaluated and informed of their progress. Delivering the training sessions would also include methods like humour and methods that are corresponding to the different individual styles of learning to help connect.
References
Crisostomo, D. T. (2010). Management attributes of implementing an erp system in the public sector. Journal Of International Business Research, 7(S2), 1-15.
Dunlap, M. (2015). 5 Keys to an Effective Training and Development Program. Journal Of Financial Planning, 28(1), 20-21.
Kashi, K. (2014). Employees Training and Development: What Competencies Should be Developed the Most?. Proceedings Of The European Conference On Management, Leadership & Governance, 452-459.
Leaman, C. (2014). Boost Basic Job Skills Training. TD: Talent Development, 68(8), 34-39.
Moore, P. (2015). The learning investment: A whole new approach. New Zealand Management, 64(5), 18-23.
Powell, D., Riezebos, J., & Strandhagen, J. O. (2013). Lean production and ERP systems in small- and medium-sized enterprises: ERP support for pull production. International Journal Of Production Research, 51(2), 395-409. https://www.doi:10.1080/00207543.2011.645954
Sung, S. Y., & Choi, J. N. (2014). Do organizations spend wisely on employees? Effects of training and development investments on learning and innovation in organizations. Journal Of Organizational Behavior, 35(3), 393-412. https://www.doi:10.1002/job.1897
Appendix 1: Questionnaire to determine what the trainees know and can do after attending the training program
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