CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

        One of the major problems confronting human resources management in both small and big organizations is how to train and develop their employees. Unlike big organizations, small organizations example Lutheranchurch ofNigeria does not have a human resources department responsible for manpower training and development. They seemed to be preoccupied with many other problems that they have no time to plan a formal training development programme (Pigors, 2000).

        In the field of human resource management, training and development is the aspect concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings. It has been known by several names, including employee development, human resource development, and learning and development (Robinson, 2000). The term training usually refers to teaching lower-level or technical employees how to perform in their present jobs. Development refers to teaching managers and professionals the skills needed for both present and future jobs. Before training and development is embarked upon, it is pertinent that, the organization assesses the training needs of both the employees and the organization (Onuaha, 1991).

        Rosemary (2005) observes that the name (training and development) was endlessly debated by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development during its review of professional standards in 1999/2000. “Employee development” was seen as too evocative of the master-slave relationship between employee and employee for those who refers to their employees as “partner” or “associate” to be comfortable with. Human Resources Development was rejected by academics, who objected to the idea that people were “resources” an idea that they felt to be demeaning to the individual. Eventually the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) settled upon “learning and Development” although that was itself not free from problems “learning” being on over general and ambiguous name. Moreover, the field is still widely known by the other names.

        However, to enhance the performance of employees in any organization like Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN) there is the need to introduce many seminars, symposia, conferences and workshops. It is a organized fact that   good performance   is an ultimate factor in economic and social development which determines the standard of living of the people. High performance proceeds high productivity and vice versa (Adenyi, 2003). It is always the fact that when the employees are given the necessary training and development in any organization, the organization tends to perform better in entire goals achievement, while at same time the employees utilize that platform  to increase their knowledge skills and competence in the jobs.

            Nevertheless, an organization which fails to recognize the due time of emergence and importance of training and  development of its employees for performance improvements with attendants changes  unfolding on global  level, gradually, but inevitably is heading  to self destruction. This is so, because, where there is a gap between actual performance and established performance standard, productivity suffers. That gap must be closed through manpower training and development in order to actualize the needed goals through better performance.

Eliminating the performance gap requires giving the personal the additional training, education, development, skills, attitude to boost their performance on the job and improve upon the organizational standard. (Derek and Laura 2004).

Sometimes, in order to save money, the organization hires people who have no meaningful work experience and after giving them few hours of instruction, expect them to master the job and start production. This method weakens their performance. It is not unusual to hear from employees saying “No body taught me. Mastered this job by trying my hand on it.’ It was as a result of this type of trial and error that an expensive machinery that some organizations, purchased damaged. Talk of it training and development can be very expensive indeed. It has to be noted that every one in the organization needs some form of training or he becomes obsolete. Training and development helps the old employee up-date his skills, acquire more knowledge and build  attitude. The new personnel needs training. He needs to be shown what is expected of him and what he must achieve in order to belong. The trained personnel takes pride in his work (Nwachukwu,( 1990).

1.2   STATEMENT OFTHE PROBLEM

It is a well known fact that training and development is one of the prevalent problems facing any organization. A cursory evaluation of LutheranchurchofNigeriareveals that they cannot perform above board. This implies that the performance of this religious organization may not worth of praise. This is quite connected to the fact that they may have ignored the expediency of training and development of its personnel, and this has led to low productivity as well. The problem of how to encourage and equate workers with the relevant skills and expertise to perform their task with utmost efficiency and enthusiasm has been a paramount concern of most labour employees in recent past. Majority of organizations believe that pay package would lead to corresponding increase in productivity or performance without showing a deep concern in training and development. They are so preoccupied with many other problems that they have no time to plan a formal training and development programme for their employee, not knowing that is one of the extrinsic motivations that empowers workers for outstanding performance is training and development. However, the question is will training and development bring about enhanced performance at all-times in Lutherans Church of Nigeria? Are there other variables outside training and development that could enhance performance? These are the problems of the study.   

1.3      OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1.     To determine whether LCN actually trains staff

2.     To determine approaches adopted in training

3.      To identify training need of the staff of LCN

4.     To examine whether training and development of employees has any effect on employee’s performance in the Lutheran Church of Nigeria.

5.     To find out whether inadequate funding could be the inhibiting factor in the training and development of      employees in the same organization

1.4      RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be used in this study:          

1. To what extend does LCN actually trains staff?
2. To what extend does approaches adopted in training effect employees’ performance in the

LCN?

1. What determine the training need of the staff of LCN?
2. Does training and development of employees has any effect on employee’s performance in the Lutheran  churchofNigeria?
3. To what extend does inadequate funding institute on actor in the training and development of employees in the same organization?

1.5      RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

The following null hypotheses are deemed necessary;

1. There is no significant influence of   L CN actually trains staff.
2. There is no significant  influence of approaches adopted in training
3. There is no significant influence of training need of the staff of LCN.
4. There is no significant influence of training and development of employees has any effect on employee’s    performance  in the LutheranchurchofNigeria.
5. There is no significant influence of   inadequate funding  of inhibiting factor in the training and development    f employees in the same organization

1.6   SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

  Every research conducted is meant to solve a particular problem ecologically, socially, psychologically, and politically. Therefore, the importance of this study is numerous. It is believed that the information of findings obtained in this study will enable the management of Lutheran Church of Nigerian to embrace the necessity of introducing and implementing the effective training and development programme through man power planning for their personnel with a transformed mind set that would boost the performance of their staff. Transferring, other organization will also be informed of the impact of training and development to their employees and thus integrate it in their man power planning.