An employee development and training program is proposed for the Student Recreation Center at Washington State University. The program would establish job descriptions, competencies, and development opportunities for positions. A committee with representatives from departments would create the program, including training methods, resources, and feedback processes. The program aims to increase employee and organizational success through skills growth. Benefits include higher performance, satisfaction, and retention as well as a competitive advantage for the organization.

1. MEMORANDUM
TO: Jeff Elbracht, Vice President of Finance and Facilities Operations
FROM: William K. Zink III, Maintenance Custodian
CC: Kevin Southwick, Custodial and Maintenance Supervisor
DATE: February 24, 2014
SUBJECT: Proposal to Establish and Implement an Employee Development and Training
Program
Attached is my proposal to establish and implement an employee development and training
program for the Student Recreation Center at Washington State University. Currently, there is
not an employee training and development program that exists for the different departments and
positions at the Student Recreation Center that helps define each employee’s roles and
responsibilities, job functions, job descriptions, or other essential data to help employees perform
their jobs to achieve the goals of the organization. We are fortunate enough to have a number of
dedicate staff, students, and professionals that are able to bring their expertise to the table to
create an employee development and training program for their respective areas which would
help the program to be a great success. By establishing and implementing this program the
Student Recreation Center at Washington State University would be able to exceed in the
organization’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals.
People from the various departments would be able to provide their feedback and input as we
create a database for the various positions within the Student Recreation Center and the
corresponding job descriptions, functions, expectations, and other essential data in relation to
those positions. By incorporating the different departments in the process we will be able to build
a better communication network that can lay the foundation for future collaboration as other
projects arise. This will also give students at the University the opportunity to be a part of a
project that will make a difference in the future wellbeing of the Student Recreation Center.
Students involved in this project will also gain hands on experience in business processes,
project design, problem solving, communication, and partnership development.
Various articles and studies have been written on the benefits and rewards associated with the
implementation and establishment of a successful employee development and training program.
Some of these benefits include increased productivity, higher job satisfaction, increased “brand
value”, decreased employee turnover, and increased organizational competitiveness. Each one of
these benefits will help make the Student Recreation Center a place where people will want to
work, grow, play, develop, and do business. So, I look forward to working with you on bringing
this project from a plan to a reality.

2. AN EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE STUDENT
RECREATION CENTER AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Prepared for
Jeff Elbracht
Vice President of Finance and Facilities
Prepared by
William K. Zink III
Maintenance Custodian
February 24, 2014

3. Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………………………...IV
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………….1
BENEFITS………………………………………………………………………………….1
ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS……………………………………………………………2
THE PROGRAM GOAL………………………………………………………………….3
CREATING A COMMITTEE……………………………………………………………3
ACTION PLAN…………………………………………………………………………….3
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT METHODS………………….................................4
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES…………………………………….5
FEEDBACK………………………………………………………………………………..6
CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………..7
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………..8

4. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This proposal discusses benefits, essential components, methods, resources, and logistics of
establishing and implementing an employee development and training program at the Student
Recreation Center at Washington State University. The program will incorporate the ideas,
knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees from the various departments within the
organization using a committee whose responsibility is to create an action plan that includes all
the necessary components of an effective development and training program.
By establishing and implementing an effective training and development program we will
increase the productivity and profitability of the organization and create an atmosphere that is
conducive to the learning, growing, and development needs of faculty, staff, students,
community members, and friends of the Student Recreation Center (SRC) and Washington State
University.
The program will provide a wide array of benefits and opportunities to employees and the
organization now and in the future as the economy and business continues to change and grow.
This program will help to increase the “brand value” of both the SRC and Washington State
University while creating a partnership based on collaboration from individuals and departments
within the SRC and the University.
A wealth of information and resources is available to help us in the planning, development,
design, and implementation of an effective employee development and training program that is
crucial to the success of the Student Recreation Center as well as all their employees. We are
also not subject to a pre-existing set of rules and principles in the development and
implementation of the program, which will allow the committee to create the best and most
efficient action plan for the initial introduction and subsequent roll out of the new employee
development and training program. As we establish this program and learn from experience we
will be able to make changes and additions to the program as they become necessary.

5. AN EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE STUDENT
RECREATION CENTER AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Introduction
An employee development and training program at the Student Recreation Center at Washington
State University will build and create partnerships with the organization and their employees,
“that fosters the growth and development needs of everyone involved” (Community Foundations
of Canada, 2014). The development and growth potential of the Student Recreation Center has
not been achieved because we have not tapped into the knowledge and skills that each employee
of this organization possesses. By tapping into that potential we have the opportunity to plan,
create, and implement an employee development and training program that will benefit the
organization for years to come.
We are not limited by strict standards and protocols, but have unprecedented value and vision
from the many individuals that work for our organization. We can capitalize on this abundance
of knowledge and skill to create a functional and successful program that can be mirrored by
other departments in the University to create a successful atmosphere for growth and
development that increases a quality university experience for students, faculty, staff, and
community members. “By investing in your people, you are investing in your community and
many people prefer to do business with businesses that demonstrate commitment to their
communities” (Arms, 2012).
Benefits
The benefits of establishing and implementing an employee development and training program
are many as followed:
• Increase job satisfaction
• Decrease employee turnover
• Increase job performance and enhance motivation
• Increase the organization’s “brand value”
• Increase organizational competitiveness
• Increase the success of the organization’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals
• Create an atmosphere that is conducive to learning, developing, and growing employees
• Increases employee competency and skill base

6. • Increases employee retention
• Increases productivity and profitability
• Reduction in labor costs
Source: (Latif, Jan, & Shaheen, 2013)
Essential Components
When establishing and implementing an efficient and effective employee development and
training program there are a few essential components that will contribute to that success which
are:
• Well-crafted job descriptions
• Self assessment for employees
• Individual development plans
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities for each position
• Performance reviews/assessments
• Advancement opportunities
• Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals of the organization
• Feedback opportunities for both employee and organization
• Performance expectations
• Work environment and corresponding needs
• Job rotation
• Job shadowing
• Learning opportunities
• Job expansion opportunities

7. • Organization Committees
• Job aids
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Networking
• Performance appraisals
• Continuing education
• Cross-training
Source: (Bodimer, 2013)
The Program Goal
“The goal of an employee and development program is clear, but going about implementing one
can be a little murky” (Arms, 2012). Today’s fast paced economy requires businesses and
organizations to be competitive if they want to remain successful, and part of that
competitiveness comes from training and developing your employees. “To keep the competitive
edge razor sharp, it is crucial for workers to be continually trained and developed, honing both
their soft and hard skills” (Shufen, 2013). The goal of the employee development and training
program is to give employees a better understanding of their specific jobs and how that ties into
the goals of the organization, while also increasing the value of the organization and its
stakeholder’s.
Creating a Committee
In order to begin establishing and implementing an effective training and development program
an organization must build a committee that is willing to dedicate the time and effort to plan,
develop, and grow the program through the initial introduction and subsequent completion
stages. “Committees made up of staff from different areas of your organization will enhance
learning by allowing members to see issues from different perspectives” (Community
Foundations of Canada, 2014). The Student Recreation Center will create a committee that
consists of key people from the various departments along with students who will then develop a
plan of action which is the next step in creating and implementing a successful employee
development and training program.

8. Action Plan
The student Recreation Center needs to create an action plan that will spell out what the roles
and responsibilities of the committee are, and the times and parameters that the committee needs
to meet. This is essential in ensuring that the employee development and training program rolls
out on time and on budget, so it remains relevant to the changes needs of the organization and
economy. The specific tasks and documentation that the committee needs to complete are:
• Detailed job descriptions for the various positions within the Student Recreation Center
• Detailed job competencies of each position along with the skills, knowledge, and abilities
needed to meet the requirements for the positions
• Identify goals and development opportunities associated with the positions
• The current and future needs of the Student Recreation Center
• Create a central database consisting of all the documentation and resources associated
with the employee development and training program
• Create performance review documents for the various positions
• Identify the Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals of the organization as it pertains to the
employee
• Identify any changes that may affect the various positions
• Identify the methods and resources that will be used to train and developed employees at
the Student Recreation Center
• Create a calendar with the specific deadlines that the committee needs to meet in order to
complete the initial introduction and roll out of the employee development and training
program
• Allow time for feedback from employees as well as the Human Resources department
Training and Development Methods

9. Once the committee has completed the action plan the Student Recreation Center can identify the
different training and development methods they will use for their employees to help them grow
and develop as an individual and as an essential component to the organization. The methods can
include “conferences and forums; field trips; job aids; job shadowing; job expansion; job
rotation; special projects; and peer-assisted learning” (Community Foundation of Canada, 2014).
All of these methods are available to help the organization and a combination of these elements
will make the program more successful, but the organization needs to determine which ones will
be relevant for them. The essential step in determining the best methods suited for the
organization is to identify the specific components to a successful learning experience. These
components should include:
• The goals of the training and development program are clear
• Employees are involved in the program and in determining the knowledge, skills, and
abilities to be learned
• Active participation in the learning activities is encouraged
• Employees existing knowledge, skills, and abilities that they bring to the learning
situation are used as resources
• The methods use a practical and problem-centered approach that is based on real
examples employees will face
• New material is connected and used to enhance the employees past learning and work
experience
• Employee are given the opportunity to reinforce what they learned by practice
• The learning environment is informal, safe, and supportive
• Everyone involved in the learning process is shown dignity and respect
• The learning program promotes positive self-esteem and growth
Source: (Arms, 2012)
Training and Development Resources
The Student Recreation Center will increase the success of their employee development and
training program by offering a collaborative, flexible, and blended learning environment. This
environment provides more opportunities for the employee to grow and develop outside of the
typical business setting. Resources like courses, seminars, and workshops can give the employee

10. hands-on experience that is vital to their position and enhances their knowledge, skills, and
abilities by connecting them to a facilitator, trainer, or subject matter expert.
Another resource that maybe available and beneficial to employees is taking classes at the
University that are offered in a class or in an online format to enhance their knowledge, skills,
and abilities to increase their job effectiveness. “They can also get connected with professional
associations or networks like the Toastmaster’s which helps individuals improve their speaking
skills to stay current in their chosen field” (Bodimer, 2013).
Another resource for employees to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities is getting
involved in learning circles which discuss relevant topics that relate to the workplace or
organization which helps employees keep up with the current trends. One more final resource
that is available is a “self directed study where employees can learn at their own pace, which can
include e-learning and volunteer work” (Shufen, 2013).
Feedback
Once the Student Recreation Center at Washington State University has planned, developed, and
implemented their employee development and training program the final component is offering
opportunities for feedback between both the employee and the organization to ensure that the
employee is performing to expectations and that the program remains relevant to the changing
needs of the organization, market, consumer, and community.
This feedback is often done using coaching and counseling in which a job coach offers
development opportunities to the employee and then provides them with guidance, constructive
criticism, and reassurance as the employee practices their new developed skill. Mentoring is also
another feedback opportunity in which a senior level employee takes a junior level employee
under their wing giving them guidance and advice while helping them increase their job
competencies.
Networking is another feedback component that helps enhance employee’s knowledge, skills,
and abilities in a professional atmosphere. The final feedback piece would be a performance
appraisal which identifies the strengths and weaknesses of an employee giving them an
opportunity to sharpen the knowledge, skills, and abilities they may be lacking in.
Any of these feedback methods should be seen as a positive way to sharpen employees soft and
hard skills to make them more competitive in the organization as well as within the changing
business and economic environment and therefore should be used as a tool to further enhance
their performance, productivity, and motivation. This feedback will also help create job
satisfaction and decrease the potential for employee turnover.

11. Conclusion
Establishing and implementing an employee training and development program at the Student
Recreation Center of Washington State University will enhance the lives of students, faculty,
staff, community members, and friends because it “fosters an atmosphere conducive to learning,
growing, and developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the most important resource
people” (Arms, 2012). The program will also help foster and develop a partnership that consists
of collaboration between the various departments within the Student Recreation Center
increasing the success and relevancy of the program according to the changes associated with the
local economy and University. The program will also benefit the organization, employees, and
stakeholders as it will increase the productivity and profitability of the Student Recreation Center
while at the same time decrease labor costs. I hope that you and other members of the Student
Recreation Center will support and guide this employee development and training program
through its completion.

12. References
Arms, D. (2012). Effective Learning and Development Programs Are Crucial. Strategic Finance.
93(8), 8-10. Retrieved February 27, 2014 from EBSCOhost.
Bodimer, J. (2013). Using Training and Development to Motivate Staff: The Best Continuing
Education Program. Retrieved February 27, 2014 from
http://humanresources.about.com/od/coachingmentorin1/a/trainmotivation_2.htm.
HRCouncil.CA (2014). Learning, Training, and Development: Implementing and Employee
Development and Training Program. Retrieved February 27, 2014 from
http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/learning-implementing.cfm.
Latif,K., Jan, S., & Shaheen, N. (2013). Association of Training Satisfaction with Employee
Development Aspect of Job Satisfaction. Journal of Managerial Sciences, 7(1), 159-178.
Retrieved February 27, 2014 from Academic Premier Search database.
Shufen, V. (2013). The Future of Learning and Development. Retrieved February 27, 2014 from
http://www.hrmasia.com/forum/the-future-of-ld/178315/.