| Human performance improvement in the African | | | | is most likely to be one of improved human |
| context is a constant battle. In technical vocations, | | | | performance. This could indicate better productivity |
| performance is traditionally improved by technical | | | | and accordingly reductions in the labour force. To |
| training. In an environment where the importance of | | | | save jobs therefore, do not accept training. |
| technical training and skills development can not be | | | | Employees would sooner take a sick day than attend |
| ignored, there are substantial problems involving | | | | a training course. In the upper echelons where the |
| technical training and performance management. | | | | educated people have been more exposed to the |
| There is resistance at every turn. This frustrates | | | | difficulties of human performance improvement, the |
| trainers and managers and impacts negatively on the | | | | resistance to change is not as marked. |
| task of improving human performance. | | | | Older employees are often of the attitude that they |
| At the outset, recruiting people for technical positions | | | | might not do well on the training course because |
| is difficult. Technical careers have a stigma attached | | | | they will need to change their old ways of doing |
| that is not easy to ignore. All parents want their | | | | things. This may well require additional effort or |
| children to be doctors, bank managers or teachers | | | | concentration which is a change in their working |
| rather than plumbers, electricians or motor mechanics. | | | | conditions. Accordingly they resist the training; they |
| The reality is however that there is a tremendous | | | | resist the change. |
| shortage of technically trained people in Africa. The | | | | One would think that coaching the employees would |
| diploma disease, first mentioned by English sociologist | | | | be the first step to resolving this issue, but coaching |
| Ronald Dore, is a reality in Africa where you might | | | | is also not a well accepted strategy in Africa. If one |
| just as soon have your coffee served by a graduate | | | | looks at the tribal method of teaching and relaying |
| with degrees in religion and politics as by an | | | | information through the generations however, it is |
| uneducated waiter. They would rather be educated | | | | little more than coaching. The main problem with |
| and working for a pittance than be technically trained | | | | coaching is the individual attention. In Africa, when an |
| and earning a reasonable salary. Attendance figures | | | | individual is singled out, he is marked, either positively |
| for universities are way better than technical colleges. | | | | or negatively. Being singled out is also very un-African. |
| Once people are employed in technical arenas, there | | | | Management is therefore faced with some real |
| must be a programme of ongoing training and | | | | problems in technical environments where an ongoing |
| development as technology changes, techniques are | | | | and focused training ethos is vitally important to the |
| refined and new products are developed. | | | | success of the enterprise. A strategy that does |
| Performance improvement is vital to the success of | | | | work in technical environments, where better levels |
| business operations. Employee resistance to training is | | | | of human performance are required, is one of team |
| however high because it is essentially change, The | | | | coaching. It is almost as if the African football team |
| African continent does not embrace change very | | | | ethos is necessary in the training environment as well. |
| well. One has only to observe the changes of | | | | The concept of union and team seem to be far |
| government (or lack thereof) and weather patterns | | | | more acceptable than peaks of excellence. If |
| to understand how little resilience the continents' | | | | management are to succeed they will have to |
| people have to change. | | | | become far more team focused, coaching teams of |
| There are many reasons behind the resistance to | | | | workers to all attend training courses and improve |
| training, one of which is that the outcome of training | | | | their individual and team performances. |