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IJRIM

Volume 6, Issue 5 (May, 2016) (ISSN 2231-4334) International Journal of Research in IT & Management (IMPACT FACTOR – 5.96)

OUTBOUND TRAINING AND ITS INFLUENCE ON BEHAVIORAL SKILLS: AN OVERVIEW

Dr.IpseetaSatpathy, D.Litt1, Professor, School of Management, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha Dr.B.Chandra Mohan Patnaik 2, Associate Professor, School of Management, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha Ms.Anamika3 Research Scholar, School of Management KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Abstract The purpose of this studyis to scrutinize the effectiveness of Outbound Training programs. It is a training program which is gaining popularity but at the same time it is also engulfed in uncertainty and controversy. This research article is an attempt to understand Outbound Training, its scope, its characteristics, its potential, its prerequisites and its benefits. This paper highlights the relationship between outdoor training, learning and employee performance. Key Words: Outbound training, team building, effectiveness, performance

Introduction The word "Training" is often used, in relating changes that occur in our behaviors because of anexperience we have lived at some point in our lives. We usually call it Training. Training is plannedmethodicalapproach undertaken by organizations to assist employees learn competencies related to the job. These training include training of knowhow, skills andbehavior that are important to increase organizational as well as personal efficiency. To have an edge in the industry, an organization has to focus more on all round development of an employee and not just focus on improving his technical knowledge. Human capital is the most productive resourcewhich needs to be nurtured to reap maximum benefit. Thus, organizations are continuously evaluating ways for creative training to empower and enhance the human capital.

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Volume 6, Issue 5 (May, 2016) (ISSN 2231-4334) International Journal of Research in IT & Management (IMPACT FACTOR – 5.96)

Training and Development is a vertical in HR domain that needs a constant update to keep pace with the changing economic landscape. External and internal environment of an organization determine the training need. Some of the important reasons that have increased the importance of training are -- continuous technology up gradation, mergers and acquisitions, cross cultural working conditions, continuous change in market requirements and restructuring and organizational changes.

Types of Training Organizations use diverse training and development methods to improve employee performance. An organization always looks for training methods which can be quickly developed, is liked by the trainee, is transferrable, the learning takes place, is within the budget and most importantly trainees put the learning into practice at work. There are different varieties of instructional methods used by the organizations, basically segregated into two parts - training methods that use technology and others that do not use technology. Training methods that do not use technology are also known as traditional methods of training such as instructor led classrooms, role plays etc. The traditional training methods are further divided into three broad categories: presentation methods, hands-on methods, and group building methods. In this paper, the discussion is restricted to Group building methods only.

Statement of problem Organizations are keen on using outdoor training programs to enhance the employee performance. But, there is a mystery which engulfs this method of training as there is a lot of debate to define this training. Moreover, the effectiveness of this training program has always raised doubts because of the difficulty encountered in evaluating this kind of training. Therefore, research and analysis is needed to establish the effectiveness of outbound training.

Objectives of the Study  To understand the space of Outbound Training,  To evaluate how Outbound Training is critical in terms of its impact on skill and behavior of employees.

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Volume 6, Issue 5 (May, 2016) (ISSN 2231-4334) International Journal of Research in IT & Management (IMPACT FACTOR – 5.96)

 To establish a relationship between learning, outcome and employee performance in relation to Outdoor Training program. Methodology: Secondary data was collected through information published by selected organizations, training institutions, magazines, journals and other databases.

Group Building Method Group Building Methods are a kind of training methods that is practicedby firms to perk up team or group cohesiveness. In this method, trainees are expected to share thoughts and experience, carve group uniqueness and determine importanceof interpersonal relationships. This in turn helps trainees to identify their personal as well as group members’ strength and weaknesses.Training techniques used in this category are expected to improve variety of team skills such as, team performance, formation of a new team, better interpersonal skills among team members or to improve interactions among different teams etc.These activities induce trainees to examine feelings, perceptions and beliefs about the functioning of the team; discussion and development of plans to apply what was learned in training to the team’s performance in the work setting. Group building methods comprise - adventure learning, team training and action learning. Adventure learning is discussed at large in this paper and is the focus of this paper. Adventure learning is focused on teamwork and leadership skills. Adventure training comprises-wilderness training, outdoor training/outbound training, cooking classes etc. Adventure learning is helpful in enhancing self awareness, problem solving, conflict management, and risk taking acumen. Adventure learning may involve strenuous and challenging physical activity such as mountain climbing or structured individual and group outdoor activities such as trust falls, wall climbing, rope courses, ladder climbing etc. As Adventure learning is physically demanding, it is critical to have valid reasons to use this training compared to other training methods. This training has an advantage over other training methodologies as it offers trainees an opportunity to interact with others in an informal environment. This type of environment is expected to help trainees share a strong emotional experience and form a cohesive team. Asignificant characteristic of adventure learning is that the activities undertaken during the training sessions serve as metaphors for behaviors in work environment. As a result, if trainee behavior is observed carefully and given proper feedback, trainees gain an understanding of appropriate and inappropriate behavior. This further helps in self evaluation and correction. So, now the basic question is does adventure learning work? This paper

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Volume 6, Issue 5 (May, 2016) (ISSN 2231-4334) International Journal of Research in IT & Management (IMPACT FACTOR – 5.96)

is an attempt to understand, outbound training, one of the important components of adventure learning.

Outbound Training Outbound training (OT) is a meticulously designed, arranged and inclusiveset of practical training activities primarily carried out in the outdoors and is a part of adventure learning. These training activities are designed to facilitate change in the behavior of trainees. With the increasing demand for team work on projects, the use of OMD is also witnessing an increase. The activities conducted through OT are important as they unlock utilitarian value compared to other traditional training methods -- class room training, Lecture method, On Job Trainingetc. OT is used for improving organizational performance through experiential learning. Outbound training (OT) is also referred to as -- corporate adventure training, outdoor management development, Outbound Management Programs etc. In its simplest form, outbound training is learning achieved through the appropriate use of experience. In other words, it is a form of learning by doing. It is a process in whichtrainees live and carefullycomprehend their own reactions, thoughts and actions to a particular situation and introspect. This experience and self-realization offers a huge scope for a change in the behavior of trainees. Arriving at a useful definition of Outbound Training is not simple. Some of the controversy over outdoor training stems from confusion over the different types of training available.There is a variety of types of training intervention which all appear to come under the label of "OT". These interventions vary on a number of important dimensions. For example: (1) Participants — budding managers, trainee managers, routine, operational or strategic managers. (2) Objectives—interpersonal, team building, team development, intrapersonal, organizational development. (3) Setting — residential/non-residential, hotel/bunk house, wilderness (4) Time — of outbound element, of complete development program. (5) Inputs/reviews — content, period, regularity, timing, emphasis, actions, personnel. (6) Actual or perceived barriers and challenges — mental, physical, emotional peril.

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Difference in authors' definitions of OT also many a times creates a difficulty in gauging the benefits of OT. Basically, Outdoor training is an application of plannedmethodical experiences conducted outdoors to enhanceteam behavior. Outdoor training helps to develop diverse skills, such as better communication, leadership and decision making. Outbound training is based on the fact that experiences learnt during the training program can be utilized in the actual working conditions. Planning outbound training istedious process Experiences are expected to be complemented by realization. This in turn should lead to further new experiences and consequently to another innovative learning cycle. It is vitalto operationally define OT for a systematic investigation. A realistic and pragmatic approach to define OT is through review of published literature that suggests the following common criteria: 

Outdoorused as a training medium for a considerable part of the course. And the objective is managementdevelopment, not the skills to be used in outdoor settings.



Thetrainees are responsible for achieving organizational goals by working with, and through, other people



The desired outcomes of training (from the point of view of management and trainers) are changes within the participants which should improve individuals' work performance and also organizational efficiency

The key components of OT are its design, facilitation and debriefing of activities. Outdoor Training (OT) is a dominant vehicle for introspection and also to discover others “actual” behavior. In the last few years, there has been an increase in adaptation of outdoor trainingby organizations to manage employee performance. Outbound training (OT) largely falls into one of five categories: 

Socialization games



Group initiative tasks



Ropes courses



Outdoor pursuits and



"Other adventures" (related exercises in development training)

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OT can be classified further into one of four kinds of formats and is offered as: 

Entertainment – offering messages and ideas entwined with the fun and enjoyment



Education - providing short programs planned to transfer knowledge, awareness and concepts



Developmental program – here the emphasis is on change, functional behaviors and conduct. Through this format, a change is expected in the way trainees think, act and feel.



Therapeutic programming – here programs are designed explicitly to heal relations, manage conflict and address dysfunctional behaviors (Priest, 1996).

There are myriad outbound activities used by trainers, such as -- river rafting, solving problems in teamsor simply tasks to be accomplished outdoors, however, the goals remain the same. OT programs are run with multiple objectives. These programs are beneficial in enhancing skills at different levels. The first being personal development, second being managerial development, third being skills of team work and last but most important one, organizational development. OT is supposed to be an effective human resource development strategy as per experts to develop soft skills, for improving diverse skills. It can be useful for developing many skills such as - selfconcept, interpersonal communication, leadership,problem solving, planning, coordinating, trust building etc. The explicit aim of OT vary depending on participant requirement, but they are generallydirected towards development of soft skills individual and group objectives such as:Selfesteem, responsibility handling, risk taking, stress management, communication, creative problem solving, leadership, decision making etc. There are basically three types of outbound training: adventure-based, outdoor-centered and wilderness programs. Adventure-based training is conducted through specially tailoredoutdoor activities that help trainees to go for calculated risk, solve problems creatively, develop trust and teamwork within groups etc. Adventure-based training is further of two types -- outdoor-centered programs and wilderness programs. In outdoor-centered programs, trainees stay and eat indoors, while training is conducted outdoors. While in wilderness programs, trainees live outdoors as well as training also happens outdoors. Thus OT is, a varying non-uniform training program, conducted outdoors;It is used by organizationsfor diverse training purposes, it is dependent on trainer’s/facilitator’s expertise and is supposed to produce dissimilar outcomes depending on the type of trainees

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In spite of a proper definition, properly defined set of activities and so many other variances, the objective of using OT remains almost similar. Most of the organizations use outbound training to enhance personal development, interpersonal and environmentalawareness, and refine philosophy and values.

Why is Outbound Training practiced? There are several reasons why organizations choose OT over other training programs. Some of the important features of OT which make it beneficial are: 

Itoffers emotional intensity and psychological safety



OT’s advantage of consequentiality and introspection



Its ability to enhance self-confidence



Opportunity to use metaphors



It offers unpredictability



Chance to witness peak performance



Development of diverse skills and knowledge



Developingand bringing a change in personality and above all



OT’s focus on transfer of learning

Characteristics of effective OT Programs Outbound training program can be said to be efficient when, 

It is based on elaborate need analysis and designed as per client requirement



It holds clearly expresseddevelopment goals of the organization, alonwith with personal goals of trainees



Participants come with reasonable expectations and understanding



Outbound events offer physical and psychological safety



Activities are well planned, organized and followed by a detailed debriefing discussion;



Trainers are well experienced, have rich knowledge and are competent to keep trainees focused on learning objective



Transfer of learning is given desired importance

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Volume 6, Issue 5 (May, 2016) (ISSN 2231-4334) International Journal of Research in IT & Management (IMPACT FACTOR – 5.96)

The appeal of outdoor training (OT) continues to increase. And with reputed companies using this training methodology, it is easy to assume that it is effective. In spite of the characteristics and benefits mentioned above, there is very less hard data to prove the utility of this training. There is a reason for unavailability of data. Outdoor training label is attached to different kinds of activities practiced without any particular specification. Moreover, the trainers imparting this training are from diverse backgrounds. They can be a retired soldier to a B-school Professor who is a practitioner of organizational development. If one is to organize outbound training, these are certain questions that need to be answered to make training effective. First is what the desired outcome from outbound training?Second question to be asked is why outdoors? Third question is what type of trainer is required? And finally who (trainee) should go? Most of the OT programs have ill definedgoals. The reason is many a times client themselves have limited knowledge and are confused about their desired outcome form training. Generally the requirement is no more precise than “team building”, “communication skills”, “creativity” etc. These vague objectives leave no space for evaluation and measurement of these programs and its impact on the business. Therefore clear and well defined objectives are important for outbound training. 

Why outdoors?

The basic question to be asked here is: what extra will an outdoor training provide? Will the training program reap enough benefits to justify the time and money spent? 

What type of trainer is required?

In an Outdoor initiative, messages are concluded fromone’s own experience. It is the trainer’s job to assisttrainees gather and benefit from insights. Thus, the competence and aptitude of the trainer/facilitator is very important to determine the success of OT.The facilitator is liable for content development and debriefing. If the trainer fails in carrying out these two activities smoothly, then the benefits of OT might be limited. 

Who should go? OT is a group activity and thus, the question “who should go” needs proper scrutiny.

Thus, these questions, is sure to improve the successrate of outdoor training.

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However, concrete evidence to prove usefulness of outdoor programs is still missing. Outbound training (OT) remains enveloped in certain mysteriousness. People have different views about its effectiveness. Many of them take it as a roller-coaster ride; though unsure about the effects of the ride, one still is ready to go for a ride. But for many, it is simply unnecessary, competitive and physically strenuous. Outbound training (OT) appears to offer an attractive means to solve various organizational problems of communication, teamwork, and culture change. However, the limited research to demonstrate its effectiveness offers little support in terms of learning transfer.

Issues with Outbound Training A serious drawback related to OT is the preconceived notions about this training methodology.It are argued that this training is mostly supported by providers/trainers or by participants who had some positive experiences. Outdoor Training can be compared to the Emperor's clothes. It works on the principle that people have heard its good; they are told it’s good, they believe it’s good, therefore it must be good. But, there are many more questions which needs an answer to understand the impact of outbound training. Few important ones are listed below:  Does Outbound Training construct systematic blocks of learning or is it simply an artificial imagery?  Are there irrefutable ways to prove that that the approach is superior, or even comparable, to any other method of training  Has there been enough empirical evidence to prove its contribution to corporate goals or is it just a fad to adopt this training methodology?  Are trainers efficient enough to deliver because they have crossed over into the domain of the organizational development consultant?  Do OT providers adequately assess their client's need to design a program to meet organizational as well as trainee needs? Apart from these important questions, there are many stones that have been left unturned to establish the impact of Outbound training on employee performance.

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Findings and Conclusion Outbound training has many advantages but researchers, trainers and organizers have found it difficult to prove the importance of it. Further research needs to be undertaken to investigate and analyze the problems associated with Outbound Training and to establish a relation between outbound training and its impact on Employee Performance. A thorough research conducted in this area is expected to bring out issues that impede to gauge the impact of outbound training on employee performance. References 1. Sam Joseph Cooley Jennifer Cumming Mark J. G Holland Victoria E Burns , (2015),"Developing the Model for Optimal Learning and Transfer (MOLT) following an evaluation of outdoor groupwork skills programmes", European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 39 Iss 2 pp. 104 – 121 2. International Journal of Contemporary Business Studies,Volume 3 Number 4 April, 2012 3. Employee Training and Development by Raymond A Noe, (2008), Tata McGraW-Hill Edition 4. EfthymiosValkanosIosifFragoulis, (2007),"Experiential learning – its place in in-house education and training", Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, Vol. 21 Iss 5 pp. 21 – 23 5. The Complete New Training Library, (2005) Volume 1, Compiled by Dave Zielinski, Jaico Publishing House 6. Sheryl L. Shivers#Blackwell, (2004),"Reactions to outdoor teambuilding initiatives in MBA education", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 23 Iss 7 pp. 614 - 630 7. Training for Development by Rolf P Lyton and UdaiPareek, 1998, Vistaar Publications 8. Glenn M. McEvoy Paul F. Buller, (1997),"The power of outdoor management development", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 16 Iss 3 pp. 208 - 217 9. Beryl Badger Eugene Salder-Smith Edwin Michie, (1997),"Outdoor management development: use and evaluation", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 21 Iss 9 pp. 318 - 325 10. Richard Holden, (1995),"Penetrating the mystique of outdoor management development", Education + Training, Vol. 37 Iss 2 pp. 22 – 25 11. Philip J. Jones Clifford Oswick, (1993),"Outcomes of Outdoor Management Development: #Articles of Faith?#", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 17 Iss 3 pp.

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