Training and Development Strategies of AIRTEL

General objective of this report is to analysis Successful implementation of training and development strategies at AIRTEL. Report also focus on finding the ideal method of effectively implementing training and development strategies and developing an efficient evaluation model to assess the impacts of the applied tactics. finally draw SWOT analysis and suggest recommendation to improve Training and Development Strategies.

Introduction

Bangladesh is a developing country of southern Asia. Mobile phone is becoming a very common measure of communication in our country. The number of mobile user is increasing day by day. It is a very attractive market for the mobile connection providers. Presently there are five companies in the market. Each of them is trying to maintain and increase their market share. Among them AIRTEL is one of the leading company in this sector. AIRTEL [TMIB] is a joint venture organization with A. K. Khan & Company and Telekom Malaysia Berhad and A. K. Khan Group, which is a leading telecommunication provider, operating its business in Bangladesh since 15 November 1997.

AIRTEL stands for ‘clearly ahead’. The philosophy of dynamism, never stop thinking & never compromise with quality made AIRTEL one of the most progressive & dynamic business leader in the country. AIRTEL believes in using advanced technology to cope with the changing world. Motivation & service is the its major strength.

It started in 1997 with the establishment of a Telecom company & now after 8 years AIRTEL is one of the leaders in Telecom industry. AIRTEL constructed its state of the art service facility with high tech machinery from different countries.

Free mobile phone, free transportation, on-site sports & recreation facilities encourage the motivated team to serve customers full heartedly.

AIRTEL’s main strength is their call charge with Tk. 0.33/pulse (10 sec. / pulse) for Pre Paid and Tk. 0.066/pulse (1 sec. / pulse) for Post Paid subscriber from the first minute. They provide the widest coverage in the country. They also provide some other facilities among which off-peak hour system, and lower call charge and SIM price is popular to the subscribers. AIRTEL believes in People —Connectivity—Infinity.

Customers are more or less satisfied with the facilities they are offering with this product. Their main focus is to increase network coverage so that it can reach all parts of the country. But they can improve their position by offering the subscribers with more facilities especially to improve their network solution and to reduce call charge in the peak hour simultaneously.

Objectives

Broad objective: Successful implementation of training and development strategies at AIRTEL.

Specific objectives: Finding the ideal method of effectively implementing training and development strategies and developing an efficient evaluation model to assess the impacts of the applied tactics.

Methodology

Primary research: As there is a lack of reference material, most of the analysis is based on observations and interviews with management, trainers and trainees.

Secondary research: References from textbooks, websites and articles is used to assist the analysis.

Company Overview

AIRTEL is the dynamic and leading end-to-end countrywide GSM mobile communication solutions of TM International (Bangladesh) Limited. It is a joint venture company between Telekom Malaysia Berhad and A. K. Khan & Co. It operates as a Limited Liability Company, where the majority shareholder, Telekom Malaysia, own 70% shares, while minority shares of 30% are owned by A. K. Khan & Co. Bangladesh Limited. TMIB was established in the year 1996 and services were launched in 1997 under the brand name AIRTEL.

AIRTEL is proud to be a part of the Telekom Malaysia Group (TM), Malaysia’s number one provider of information communication technologies. TM International has operations and financial interests in seven countries, namely Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Malawi, Guinea and Ghana. TM is financially strong, and internationally renowned for its successful ventures like MTN, the market leader in the telecommunication industry in Sri Lanka. TM has a global presence in 11 countries with staff strength of 30,000 Group wide. TM has recently made two major acquisitions in India and Indonesia in the continuous effort to stamp its presence internationally. TM has acquired 27.3 per cent interest of PT Excelcomindo Pratama, the third largest mobile operator in Indonesia, and in India, 47.7 per cent stake in Idea Cellular. TM hopes to further extend its regional and global presence with these new acquisitions.

Since the commencement of its operation, AIRTEL has been a force to be reckoned with in the telecommunication industry of Bangladesh, being one of the fastest growing mobile communication companies offering comprehensive GSM mobile solutions to more than a million subscribers. Always placing the needs of the customers first, AIRTEL has been distinctly ahead in offering the “30 Seconds Pulse” from the first minute of talk time. Today, AIRTEL boast the widest International Roaming service in the market connecting 315 operators across 170 countries. In addition, AIRTEL is the first mobile operator to connect Tetulia and Teknaf, the northern and southern most points of Bangladesh. AIRTEL was also the first to provide seamless coverage along the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. With a network covering all 61 (allowable) districts of Bangladesh, coupled with the first Intelligent Network (IN) Prepaid Platform in the country, AIRTEL is geared to provide a wide range of products and services to customers all over Bangladesh. At the heart of all of AIRTEL’s success today, is a young dynamic workforce comprising of over 900 highly motivated and skilled professionals.

Today, AIRTEL is recognized as a leading brand in Bangladesh and this is driven by their persistent pursuit of quality and technology, putting it ‘clearly ahead’ of the rest. The future with AIRTEL is promised to be exciting as they strive to employ the best resources and latest technology in offering many more innovative and exciting products and services.

The Vision

To be the most preferred GSM cellular service provider in Bangladesh.

The Mission

To provide total customer satisfaction as the company strives to become the most preferred GSM cellular service provider in Bangladesh. AIRTEL will achieve this through developing people, products, and services of the highest quality and meeting the needs of its employees, shareholders and the nation.

SWOT Analysis

Strength

The partner company, Telekom Malaysia, is a well-established and experienced global player operating with several subsidiaries in the global telecommunication industry.
Excellent business track record of A. K. Khan & Co. for more than half a century in Bangladesh.
Use of the GSM technology that is the most advanced and secured technology in the world telecom industry.

Providing cellular services through very competent and skilled human resources comprised of 1033 employees with a notable reputation and goodwill in line with the Vision, Mission and Theme of AIRTEL.

Weakness

AIRTEL’s network coverage is less than the competitor
Not enough channels with BTTB
Shortage of human resource in the Help-line than the competitor
Package – pricing of the packages are not cheap
Higher call rate than its competitors

Opportunities

Demand is increasing day by day
Product with very long life cycle
The most new technology
Main competitor provides poor service because of its unplanned customer growth

Threat

Unstable political culture
Recession in the economy
Non-cooperative telecommunication regulatory body
Awareness of health risk for using mobile phone

Review of Training and Development Theory

Economies in the twenty-first century are under relentless pressure to increase the skill levels of their workforce. A highly skilled workforce is widely seen as being essential for prosperity in a globalize world characterized by rapid technological change. The implication is that high and growing incomes can only be sustained by high and growing levels of worker productivity, which in turn demand ever-increasing levels of worker skills. The development of high levels of skills in the workforce is expensive, requiring a major investment of learner time, large public expenditure on the formal education system, and high levels of formal and informal on-the-job skills development facilitated by employers. There is understandable tension about just how much should be spent on skills development, and what share of this total should be borne by each of the main players.

Typical Reasons for Employee Training and Development
Training and development can be initiated for a variety of reasons for an employee or group of employees, e.g.:

a) When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement is needed

b) To “benchmark” the status of improvement so far in a performance improvement effort

c) As part of an overall professional development program

d) As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role in the organization

e) To “pilot”, or test, the operation of a new performance management system

f) To train about a specific topic

General Benefits from Employee Training and Development
There are numerous sources of on-line information about training and development. Several of these sites suggest reasons for supervisors to conduct training among employees. These reasons include:

Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees
Increased employee motivation
Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain
Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods
Increased innovation in strategies and products
Reduced employee turnover
Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics training!)
Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training.

Training and development can be initiated to address a ‘Performance Gap’ (learning needed to meet performance standards for a current task or job), ‘Growth Gap’ (learning needed to achieve career goals) or ‘Opportunity Gap’ (learning needed to qualify for an identified new job or role).

In training and developing employees, it is important that managers and supervisors know how:

To assess employee training needs
To set performance goals and
To plan developmental strategies accordingly.

These three steps make development an individualized, systematic process.

Some questions to consider The process of assessing needs and goals usually involve a discussion or series of discussions between the supervisor and subordinate. Before beginning these discussions, several issues should be considered: What is required of the employee? What the employee will be required to do as a result of the developmental process, if anything, should be clear in the supervisor’s mind before this process is begun.

A potential problem in career development discussions is that of raising hopes about promotions. Many organizations and many supervisors avoid career discussions for this reason alone. They fear career development discussions will raise unrealistic expectations about promotion. Although many employees are not interested in promotions, this is indeed a possibility. However, it can be dealt with by explaining very clearly to the subordinate what can and cannot be expected as outcomes of the discussions. Time line questions How far the supervisor looks ahead in the developmental process depends on several factors: organizational needs, the subordinate’s current level of performance, and the supervisor’s and subordinate’s desires. Organizational needs may dictate that the developmental process focus solely on employees’ current positions-that is, training only. This will probably be the case If the company’s business is a very stable one that has experienced relatively little change over the years, expects little change in the future, and has little turnover and need for mobility within the company. At the other extreme, a company experiencing rapid growth, change, and turnover may need to emphasize long–term development of employees.

In this case, employee planning three to five years into the future may be worthwhile. The subordinate’s current level of performance and knowledge is another factor to consider.

If the subordinate lacks the skills and knowledge to perform up to par in his or her current position, the emphasis should probably be on training needs. Education and development needs may be discussed, but it may make little sense to start preparing the employee for future positions before he or she has mastered the current job.

If the employee’s current job performance is adequate, it may be wise to look ahead to education and development needs, especially if the employee has been in the current job for a long time or lacks a feeling of challenge. This is not to say that training should be disregarded. There may be certain skills that the employee does adequately but would like to perfect. In addition, the discussion of education needs does not have to focus on promotions or transfers.

The person’s current job may change or if the employee is feeling unchallenged and a promotion or transfer is not possible perhaps the job should change. The supervisor and employee may want to explore the possibility of adding new responsibilities or trading responsibilities with another staff member.

Identification of Training Needs

A training need is an existing or anticipated shortfall or problem in performance where training is considered the most appropriate and effective solution. If can also be thought of as the ‘gap’ between what is happening and what should be happening.

Identifying needs properly is obviously a very important part of the training cycle. If your analysis is wrong at this stage then the later training activity will also be inappropriate. This may result in wasting money and unmotivated staff. It can be also set up negative attitudes towards future training. It is important that the training objectives are clearly stated so that the results of the training can be clearly evaluated.

Training needs can be identified at the individual and the organization level.

At the individual level

Identification will need to begin with the job description. This will provide a list of the skills and knowledge required. It can be compared with the actual skills and knowledge that the jobholder possesses.
Another approach could be to look at critical incidents over, say, the past three months that were particularly challenging or stressful. The training can then be directed at the areas that are most relevant.
Managers will also be able to identify training for their subordinates. One of the best ways of achieving this is through the appraisal interview, where agreed training needs can be identified.
Individuals may request training that they perceive will equip them for a change of job, either laterally or through promotion.

At the Organizational level

Training needs may be identified through the performance appraisal system. This may provide the key channel for feeding back individual needs. The information should be processed by a human resource professional in order to plan the overall needs of the organization.
The management team or a training committee (if one is established) may identify areas from the corporate plan that they want included in the training plans. So for example, an organization that is planning to expand may want all supervisors to be properly trained in supervisory techniques, including recruitment and selection. Alternatively management may identify a short-term problem in one area and dictate that extra training be provided. An example may be of a department that is constantly not completing tasks due to overrunning. A short-term response could be to provide time management training. This may not be the complete solution as poor time management may be a symptom of an underlying problem, but it will help to make the department more efficient.

Review of Findings & Analysis

Training is concerned with imparting particular skills for specific purposes. We typically say training can involve the enhancement of skills, knowledge, attitudes or social behavior. It may mean changing what employees know, how they work, their attitudes toward their work, or their interactions with their co-workers or their supervisor.

Today’s executive therefore needs to learn to be adaptable, flexible, and to accept rapid changes, to develop his or her own abilities as far as possible, to apply basic principles, and to understand the fundamentals of leading and motivating people under complex and changing conditions. Rigid procedures, fixed responses, non-flexible technique orientation, and rigid standards foster executive obsolescence.

Management development includes the processes by which managers and executives acquire not only skills and competencies in their present jobs, but also capacities for future managerial tasks of increasing difficulty and scope. These managerial tasks involve complex, intangibles such as conceptual thoughts, powers of analysis, and decision-making. The development is related to the pressures of constant rapid changes and to company growth patterns.

Background

Training and Development in AIRTEL is one of the major responsibilities of the Organizational Development team. The Organizational Development (OD) Unit encompasses four main areas of activity:

Training
Talent & Leadership Management
Career & Succession Planning
Reward & Recognition

The scope of this report will focus mostly on Training and Development.

Training Objectives

The primary objective of training is to develop an efficient workforce at all levels to ensure that corporate objectives can be met. Within this primary objective there are several basic reasons for training:

The acquisition of a broader educational, technical and / or organizational background.
The improvement of existing skills and / or the acquisition of new skills.
The attainment of technical / professional qualifications.
The opportunity to make contacts, exchange ideas and discuss problems with colleagues or people from other organizations.
A fresh interest in work by virtue of greater understanding and perception of the organization and its objectives.
A gradual improvement in decision making capacity, managerial skills and leadership quality.
A greater feeling of involvement by being able to discuss various aspects of work with greater confidence.
A better understanding of people, their reactions, aspirations and problems.
A better understanding of oneself and the impetus needed for self-development.

Training competencies

The whole purpose of training is to create fully productive employees. In order to achieve that, the skill competencies are separated into three categories. As one of the competencies is mastered, an individual will elevate to a higher level of proficiency and ultimately grow professionally and become thinking employees who can take on a more strategic role and contribute to the progress of the company.

Training strategy

AIRTEL applies a training model, in which training is primarily and effectively delivered to employees by their respective supervisors, Managers or above, and other divisions, on a dynamic, ongoing-need basis.

To keep pace with the rapidly changing and expanding and highly competitive telecom sector of Bangladesh, AIRTEL strives to establish a perpetual learning and teaching organization for its employees. This will more effectively promote dynamic, need-based skills development and subsequently monitor performance improvements. Ongoing skills development will therefore enhance organizational speed, efficiency, productivity, business adaptability and ultimately result in growth.

AIRTEL firmly believes that effective training occurs when employees take active responsibility for their own skills development, as opposed to the traditional passive participation and low prioritization. Moreover, supervisors are held responsible for planning and providing the appropriate resources for employee skills development, vis-à-vis skill assessment, training, coaching, mentoring and monitoring. Both the employee and his supervisor are mutually responsible for ensuring effective skill development and subsequent performance improvement. Employee’s skill development through training will be a primary factor in performance appraisal, promotion, salary increases and many more aspects.

Internal and External Training

AIRTEL’s goal is to reverse the existing training model of heavily outsourced training, and instead develop internal training as the centerpiece of its employee skills development strategy.

External Training will therefore be utilized strictly to import unavailable skills or expertise on a one-time, non-repetitive basis and will generally be reserved for managers and above. The types of Internal and External Trainings are described below.

Internal training: At AIRTEL, internal training can be broadly categorized into:

In-House Training – training conducted by employees

On-the-Job Training:

Supervisors will provide instantaneous, informal, on-the-job training to their subordinates, by exposing them to higher-level decision-making process, regular discussions on relevant strategic and operational issues to provide a complete awareness of entire the workflow

Coaching:

When a senior employee takes an active role in guiding another individual, we refer to this activity as coaching. This entails identifying employee weaknesses, mistakes or shortcomings in real-time – as they occur, and working to resolve them immediately by devising action plans and monitoring performance. The effective coach gives guidance through direction, advice, criticism, and suggestion in an attempt to aid the employee’s growth.

The technique of senior employees coaching individuals has the advantages that go with learning by doing, particularly the opportunities for high interaction and rapid feedback on performance. Unfortunately, its two strongest disadvantages are; (1) its tendencies to perpetuate the current styles and practices in the organization, and (2) its heavy reliance on the coach’s ability to be a good teacher. An individual can become an excellent performer without necessarily possessing the knack of creating a proper learning environment for others to do the same; thus the effectiveness of this technique relies on the ability of the “coach.” Coaching of employees can occur at any level and can be most effective when the two individuals are outside the hierarchical organizational chain of command.

External Training:

External Training as opposed to internal training is those provided by vendors who are engaged by AIRTEL to provide relevant training on a need basis.

External training can be classified into:

Domestic – trainings taking place within Bangladesh
Foreign – trainings taking place outside Bangladesh
In-house Vendor Training – training conducted by vendor in AIRTEL premises

Types of Training

HR Division of AIRTEL primarily offers following three types of training.

Skill Development
Induction Training
Internship Program

Skill Development

There is particular emphasis on building a corporate culture where team spirit is fostered and the channels of communications are open for all. To that goal, the OD team strives to generate ideas that will enhance team spirit and make the work environment more enjoyable and interesting. (Team spirit discussed in more detail later)

For most of the technical development, on-the-job training is considered. If any identified technical training cannot be conducted while on job, the training need is forwarded to the division head for his / her attention. The division head co-ordinates with the HR division to seek training from outside source. For managerial or people skills training, the division head requests the HR division for the specific training; the HR division identifies if the training can be provided by the resources inside, or else seeks training from other training organizations. AIRTEL offers different course sessions where the expert instructors provide knowledge on various management or technical subjects like team development, leadership skills, GSM technology, etc.

Induction and orientation Training

In AIRTEL, each new employee undergo a comprehensive induction training program, which includes information about the organization, its structure, products / services, policies and the various functions executed by each division or department. It includes visits to the different customer care centres, visits to other divisions and discussions with people in other divisions if it helps the new executive to have a better understanding of his own role.

Employees joining Customer Care will receive extended Orientation Training upon joining AIRTEL, to gain more in-depth knowledge of and exposure to particular division functions, which relate directly to their job in customer relationship management.

The induction hours are counted as training hours and are updated regularly in the training database.

Internship Program

AIRTEL regularly offers internships or work attachments to university graduates or students so that the students gain practical work experience in their academic disciplines and sometimes also to support a division’s operational work.

This hands-on exposure and training to AIRTEL’s work environment also serves as a testing ground for interns to demonstrate their performance and prove their capability to join AIRTEL in the future. It also serves as a wellspring of fresh ideas, energy, creativity and perspectives to invigorate AIRTEL’s productivity and growth.

AIRTEL always welcomes scholar interns and provides all kinds of facilities like the other world class reputed organization. The HR division follows some set guidelines to select a person for the internship program. The division gives preference to the candidate’s academic result(s) as well as graduating institute. After selecting, an internee is attached in a particular division / area by the HR division for a certain time period depending on both internee’s requirement and division’s interest. At the end of this internship period, the internee has to submit a project report on a selected topic of that particular area to the HR division based on his or her gathered knowledge throughout the time.

Training Prerequisites

The entire training process can be loosely divided into three sub-divisions. What we have covered so far is the foundation aspects of training at AIRTEL. The next phase is the process of Training Need Identification.

Training Need Assessment [TNA]

The objective of the TNA Process is to identify the training needs of the different divisions and departments and eventually preparing the training calendar. The main components required to initiate this process are the Performance Appraisal Form,

Recommendation from divisional Heads for Training and compiled Training needs to create the yearly training calendar.

The TNA Process:

Training Needs are the difference between the desired or required performance to achieve divisional goals, and an employee’s actual performance.

Supervisors will complete their subordinates’ TNA in the Performance Appraisal Form, identifying skill requirements to meet divisional goals. OD collects each division’s TNA from the Performance Appraisal Forms to compile the required operational, behavioral and conceptual skills training.

Divisions will then associate with OD to determine them:

Training priorities – trainings that are the most critical to meet division’s business goals
Training timetables – determining scheduling for required trainings
In-house trainers – identifying in-house trainers to impart required trainings
Training vendors – identifying appropriate vendors for required trainings

Answering four basic questions can broadly identify training need of executives in AIRTEL:

What are the organization’s goals?
What tasks must be completed to achieve these goals?
What behaviors are necessary for each job incumbent to complete his or her assigned tasks?
What deficiencies if any do incumbents have in the skills, knowledge or attitudes required performing the necessary behaviors?

Other than that, training need at the higher-level post of AIRTEL may come through the fact that an executive is the future top-level management of the company. The person who shows excellent capabilities at his work does not necessarily automatically become a good manager when promoted. The newly promoted supervisor is likely to find himself concerned for the first time with identifying and solving problems involving decision-making. He has to motivate and manage mental models of the staff. This requires leadership skills, which must be developed. He must be able to assess the training needs of his subordinates and carry out on the job training when necessary.

The executive is on the management ladder and must learn the art of delegation. Until very recently, office executives were left to acquire these skills by experience but it can be a long hard process and is made much easier by proper training.

Training Calendar

OD will develop a Training Calendar to source and schedule behavioral and conceptual skills training programs for the company, based on each division’s requirements. The Calendar will be dynamic and subject to updates and modifications, to meet division and employee skill requirements.

The Calendar will be developed following the completion of all Performance Appraisals. It will also work closely with divisions to develop their respective functional skills training calendar, sourcing both internal and external trainers.

Training Resources

Course Instructor

AIRTEL utilizes mainly internal instructors as the training resource for the in-house courses. The immediate supervisor identifies training need during regular One on One meeting conversation. If the training need can be fulfilled internally, then In-house Training is conducted and if the identified area cannot be improved internally, the Division head takes initiative in collaboration with OD to send for External Training for the concerned person. AIRTEL aims to develop expert instructors within the organization in near future for in-house training. For the external training courses, instructors are allocated by the training organizations.

Course Materials for In-house Training

Primarily the course materials are developed in-house based on the modern management theories and tools provided in various books authored by the leading management thinkers. Then the materials are customized considering the work culture and the need in order to compete with the leading organizations. The materials will be continuously improvised based on feedback by the participants and with the modern theories provided by the renowned authors. The OD team is working on development and improvising continuously.

Training coordination

The primary responsibility of a training coordinator in this case members of the OD unit, is to ensure that adequate logistic support is provided. The following are necessary steps that a Training Coordinator must follow:

Source training vendors, assess their competence. In case of external vendors, a mock training session is sometimes instigated to evaluate whether the training is applicable to AIRTEL. In case of internal training, the OD team may collaborate with the trainer to develop the training module and decide on the best method of delivery.
Prepare approval notes for Training and acquire the necessary funds from the Finance division.
Arranging venue, logistics and other supporting materials.
Following up with participants prior to training to confirm attendance.
Help the trainer during the training sessions
Update training database to maintain all training related records.

Training Database

To maintain detailed records of training classes and of each participant of AIRTEL, a Training database is maintained. The OD unit is responsible to update data on time, and develop or modify the database as and when required.

OD will maintain and update the following areas of the HR Information System:

Employee training records, including supervisor and employee evaluations
List of training programmes and records for implemented programmes
Vendor profiles
In-house Trainers training records

The Information System is to simplify data collection, storage, retrieval and the management of records to improve both Operational (find, delete, add) and Management tasks (planning, evaluation, decision making) of the organization.

Post-Training Evaluation

As we know, Management Development is future oriented and concerned with education, skills building, or assisting a person to become a better performer. Thus, AIRTEL’s Organizational Development activities attempt to install sound reasoning processes to enhance one’s ability to understand and interpret knowledge. As it is a new process it will be going through a continuous improvement path.

AIRTEL believes that successful managers have analytical, human, conceptual and specialized skills. They are able to think and understand the environment. Training peers cannot overcome a manager’s or potential executive’s inability to understand cause and effect relationships, to synthesize from experience to visualize relationships, or to think logically. As a result, it is suggested that management development be predominantly an education process rather than a training process. Here education will be judged by its contribution to performance where performance is a function of skills, abilities, motivation and the opportunity to perform and the development of some other special skills like good listening skills and the ability to read, analyze and classify types of employee behavior.

Post-training performance monitoring is the only effective way to assess and better ensure employee skills development. Supervisors recommending training for a subordinate will complete the first part of the ‘Performance with Real-Time Evaluation’ Form with OD, and then the employee. This will identify the targeted skills requiring development and that will be tracked.

For further improvement, every participant is given a course evaluation sheet during the last hour of each session. In that form, participants are encouraged to give their feedback that would lead to further improvement of the class material and delivery. The completed forms are then collected and compiled; the data is then analyzed to determine training effectiveness and trainer’s efficiency. The training and the trainer are rated accordingly and the data is recorded in the training database.

Training evaluation is incomplete without input from the supervisors of the trainees. As they are the ones who will be able to best gauge the impacts of training from noticing changes in performance after training. To that effect, a separate feedback / evaluation form (trainee evaluation for training effectiveness) is sent to the supervisor’s within 10 days from the date of completion of the training. The supervisors must fill-in the form in periodical 1, 3 and 6-month intervals.

As the employee’s mature and their concept of training and its importance flourishes, new and advanced ideas from everyone will help this effort for continuously enhance skills and understanding of the environment and its needs.

Recommendations

AIRTEL, in keeping up with the latest trend, have embraced many developmental strategies and also started their application in the organization. However, they are still a long way from achieving that totally synergistic and highly efficient workforce, where every employee willingly takes the responsibility of his / her development and also, in the spirit of teamwork, helps his / her team members.

In reference to measuring training effectiveness, there should be specific criteria for measuring successful accomplishment of the objective. If there is a written, specific, measurable objective, the subordinate would have a more specific goal to work toward and would be more likely to accomplish the goal to the supervisor’s satisfaction. Both persons would probably tend to view the developmental process as a success and would therefore be encouraged to continue working toward further development.

There should be individual development plans. While there may always be areas of growth or development common to many at the same time, these ought not to be the sum total of the people developing process taking place. It is often an easy excuse for managers to point to plant–wide or company–wide “people” programs as a way of absolving themselves of their people developing responsibility. Everyone has developmental needs in order to help achieve the mission of the organization.

Another operable word should be review. The manager is required to follow up on the people development plans. They are not to be spoken of enthusiastically for a brief period and then forgotten. If documented on company forms, they ought not to be forwarded to some staff office as though floating off into never–never land. They require monitoring so that progress any be checked periodically.

Finally, individual plans should be reviewed at least annually. This is an attempt to offer some time frame for periodic review, so as not to make the task too time–consuming. Furthermore, a lot can happen in twelve months, so that this time span is not too soon for considering new situations that might warrant changing or updating the plan. Many practicing managers indicate a twelve-month time frame as a practical one, especially when the development plan is discussed in the context of the annual performance evaluation.

Conclusion

In order to reach the business objective of the company, AIRTEL is having corporate culture. For this reason, individual divisions have their own objectives to maintain this. The divisional objectives are far different compared to each other, according to their nature of job and functional role. No doubt it is a great big teamwork, which makes the business objective happen. Considering AIRTEL’s success we can confidently say that we have such a winning team to be proud of.

The concept of the learning organization arises out of ideas long held by leaders in organizational development and systems dynamics. One of the specific contributions of organizational development is its focus on the humanistic side of organizations. Learning organizations can be considered as part of the evolving field of OD.