Training and development refer to the activities undertaken by an organization towards improving the job performance of the employees to increase job satisfaction and motivation. Training can be done using different methods like on the job training, coaching, and mentorship, through technology-based learning, apprenticeship, vestibule training and internship training. Employee development can be facilitated by on the job training, appraisals, teamwork, coaching and mentoring. Training and employee development are the pillars of business since they increase employee job satisfaction and job motivation which in turn leads to low turnover rates, more productivity, eliminate redundancy and increase employee technical knowledge ability. As a consultant for a small business, I would encourage the business owners to invest in employee training and development to maximize.
Planning is a crucial element in the formulation of the training and development process (Allen, 2014). Planning is the first phase of the process and is of utmost importance to small businesses due to their limited assets. The planning stage of the training entails needs assessment whereby the business owners determine the areas that require improvement. The curriculum development in the planning phase is important because it guides the activities to be incorporated in the training and development program (Dalglish, 2016). The planning stage also entails the creation of an action plan which details the step by step listing of the training process, the necessary resources, the time frame of the training and the resource allocation for the whole process. The planning process also enables the business to formulate a budget for the whole process which is necessary for planning the expenditures so as not to exceed the business limit (Allen, 2014) . The planning process also entails the formulation of training goals, the training objectives, training methods and the how the training process will be evaluated. The planning process is, therefore, critical to the training and development process for small businesses since it allows them to select the most efficient and financially sound training program for them (Dalglish, 2016) . Planning helps the company improve their performance while staying afloat and without crippling the running of the other business operations.
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Effective communication is also an essential aspect of successful training and development process (Dalglish, 2016) . Since the whole process entails the exchange of ideas between the trainees and the trainers, communication is of utmost importance for the imparting and internalization of the ideas. On the job training involves the direction of employees by an expert and involves the issuing of special assignments, job rotation and mentoring. Effective communication ensures that the employees learn what is expected of them while the trainer transfers their knowledge to the employees in an efficient way (Allen, 2014) . Communication is crucial because it also improves productivity in the work process by reducing redundancy and repetition of duties since it ensures that employees have clear instructions of the duties they should perform. Communication during training and development also improves the performance of the business by increasing employee loyalty since it raises a platform for employees needs to be heard, and the business can work on them to reduce employee turnover and to improve employee’s confidence and job satisfaction (Dalglish, 2016) . Effective communication is also important for team building since it enables the coordination of the team activities which is important for the overall performance of the business during and after the training and development activities.
Organizational performance involves assessing how well the organization is performing in comparison to the set goals and objectives (Allen, 2014) . Managers and business owners use organizational performance metrics to measure the employee performance, business profitability and the extent to which the business has complied to set goals and objectives (Dalglish, 2016) . It also helps the business managers to identify and correct deficiencies, increase cost efficiency and maximize profits in the business process. However, like any other business process, managers face challenges when assessing organizational performance. The business managers are faced with the problem of establishing performance parameters to assess the employee's performance by (Strauss, 2012). Since employees are different people with different personalities, finding a standardized way of judging their employees uniformly 2012) . The lack of uniform assessment parameters is, therefore, a challenge that the manager could face in the assessment of organizational performance.
Corporate culture is an impediment in addressing organizational performance (Dalglish, 2016) . Corporate culture encompasses the employees, values, attitudes and belief systems. The theory of cognitive dissonance states that if a corporate culture is inconsistent with the employees’ personal beliefs, their corporate performance is negatively affected (Allen, 2014) . When addressing organizational performance, therefore, a manager should ensure that the corporate cultural values comply with employee values. The corporate culture should be highly involving whereby the employees are empowered to perform at their optimal capabilities, and teamwork is highly encouraged (Strauss, 2012) . The employees feel like part of the organization through being engaged in the decision-making process which increases their job performance. An effective corporate culture should be adaptable to accommodate the various personal values, but this aspect of the corporate culture is hard to attain due to the disparity in the individual values and their propensity to non-align with the corporate goals and objectives (Dalglish, 2016) . Through active involvement of employees and facilitation of a two-way communication process, the manager can, therefore, overcome the impediment of the corporate culture when addressing the organizational performance.
Poor communication and inadequate technology negatively affects the organizational performance and could also affect the manager’s assessment of the organizational performance (Dalglish, 2016) . Communication is crucial in the running of any organization since it facilitates delegation of duties and ensures that employees understand the organizational goals and objectives as well as their roles in achieving them for optimal performance. It also facilitates organizational loyalty when employees feel valued, reduces duplication of activities and is critical to excellent customer relations (Allen, 2014) . In the assessment of organizational performance, the manager could face the problem of information lapse whereby some data is omitted or exaggerated or not disclosed at all. Lack of effective communication in place can not only affect organizational performance, but it can also complicate the manager's job in addressing it. Limited technical knowhow can also complicate the manager's job in dealing with corporate performance. Small businesses lack the capacity to access organizational performance measurement tools like control charts and Pareto and cause and effects diagrams and other software required for the process (Strauss, 2012) . The incapacity, therefore, makes the process inaccurate and cumbersome for the manager.
Organizational gaps are a hindrance to optimal organizational performance since they hinder the effective running of the organization and they are identified by comparing an organization’s current performance to the key performance indicators (Dalglish, 2016) . They can either be internal or external gaps whereby the internal factors stem from inside the organization while the external factors result from outside the organization. The benefits of detecting organizational gaps cannot be overestimated in optimizing organizational performance. The identification leads to improvement of the value chain since any underperforming value chain component is identified and corrected (Allen, 2014) . The value chain encompasses the direct and indirect activities undertaken in the process of producing a good or a service. The activities include primary and support activities including inbound logistics, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, procurement and human resource management (Strauss, 2012) . For instance, if the suppliers make late deliveries, their activities negatively influence the whole work process thereby inhibiting the realization of production targets and leading to customer dissatisfaction. The identification of this gap, therefore, leads to effectiveness and timeliness in the production process, increases customer satisfaction and ensures that production and sales targets are met (Dalglish, 2016) . Identification of the organizational gaps also leads to the maximization of resources, increased customer satisfaction and reduces redundancy and duplication of duties in the work process.
The desire to cultivate a competitive edge in the crowded marketplace is one of the major motivators of training and development (Dalglish, 2016) . An effectively trained and developed workforce delivers top notch customer services, facilitates the optimal utilization of resources and increases the overall profitability and market share of the organization. A competitive training strategy ensures that these advantages are maximized without interfering with the operations of the business (Strauss, 2012) . An effective strategy is affordable, relevant to the company needs, is a two-way process that facilitates giving feedback and aligns with the company goals and objectives. A most suitable training strategy for small businesses is the on the job training strategy. The strategy involves developing already hired staff in their work environment through mentorship and coaching, quality training and technological training (Allen, 2014) . Mentoring involves the selection of an employee who is on a more advanced career path to offer guidance to the other employees. The strategy is aimed at sharpening the employees' skills, cultivating a positive attitude and motivating them to perform more optimally. Coaching, on the other hand, is a more broad approach which involves the imparting of the knowledge necessary to do the job and to offer necessary support to complete the specific tasks assigned to the workforce (Strauss, 2012) . Quality training involves educating the workforce on the best practices required for the production of standard goods and involves educating the labor force on the prevention, detection, and elimination of activities that could lead to the production of inferior products.
The rationale for on the job training includes the improvement of employee job satisfaction and motivation levels (Dalglish, 2016) . Lack of the necessary skill set for a job could be frustrating and demotivating to employees who reduce their enthusiasm for the job. Training ensures that the employees are trained on how to do the job which makes it enjoyable to them thereby fostering a more positive attitude towards the job (Strauss, 2012) . Job training also ensures that the products and services are of high quality which increases the level of competitiveness in the marketplace and creates points of relevant differentiation for customer attraction and retention. The return on investment of training and development is great since it leads to the cultivation of a competitive advantage in the marketplace which increases the business's market share, attracts and retains customers and leads to increase in sales (Allen, 2014) . It also leads to the cutting of costs since it leads to maximum utilization of resources, reduces turnover rates which save the company the recruitment costs and it also increases the production capacities.
Employee training and development for organizational performance is, therefore, a crucial aspect for the profitability and running of small businesses. It can be done through mentoring, coaching and quality training and it fosters employee retention, increases production capacity and increases the profitability and the competitive advantage of the business. Some of the obstacles to the training process are a lack of uniform assessment tools, poor communication, and technology as well as the corporate culture.
References
Allen, A. (2014). Organizational performance: a review of performance measures and tools . Williamsburg, VA: National Center for State Courts.
Dalglish, C. (2016). Small business training: developing entrepreneurs in the informal sector . Prahran, VIC, Australia: Tilde Publishing Australia.
Strauss, S. D. (2012). The small business bible: everything you need to know to succeed in your small business . Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
