Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW 1

Literature Review

Learning and Development Advancement Opportunity for

University Facilities Capstone

Danilda Soto

Montclair State University

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The University Facilities department at Montclair State University is one of the most

valuable assets of the institution holding the second largest division. University Facilities has

three-hundred and fifty professional and skilled workers, who operate the University twenty-four

hours, seven days a week, three-hundred-sixty-five days a year. The mission of the department is

to provide MSU student, faculty, staff, and visitors exceptional customer service. By doing so,

the department understands its influence on the development of the organization. There are

various department that is accessed through Facilities which are architecture; building access;

construction services; energy and utility management; environmental, health and safety, fire and

workplace safety; grounds; housekeeping; mechanical trades; moving; parking; postal services;

space planning; sustainability; transportation and fleet management; and waste removal. Each

department, have workers of all skill levels. As part of my capstone experience, with the

department, I want to evaluate the training and development aspects that are already in the

department to help better serve all employee needs. One of the ways to start this capstone

experience is by defining the terms training and development.

When considering the terms employee training and development, we understand them as

broad terms that influence a learning objective. When considering what both terms mean for the

University Facilities department, we encompass training as a program to advance employee

knowledge and skills in their current job roles. Development is broader in the aspect that it

focuses on future growth and performance of the employee. When providing the right

development programs we sustain the right people (retention) and we achieve organization

growth (supporting intellectual growth). When we analyze, the areas of a gap we can identify in

three areas what as a department we can achieve: motivation, skills, and critical thinking.

Informs, of helping to understand what our employees need to perform better. It is important, to
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bring to the table current skills they have and future skills to develop. When we master, these

three areas we can develop programs that will help employees develop new skills and apply them

to their day-to-day goals/work that will support them on a personal level and organizational goal.

As we focus on the motives of University Facilities employees, we know that in the

management of the organization motivation is very important. I conducted a literature review to

help elaborate on the needs of the University Facilities with encompassing the areas of training

and development for employees. In the journal written by Hamid Thidi and Mohammad Mehdi

Jabbari called “The Effects of Motivation in Education”, they focus on the importance of

motivation. Researchers have shown that employees with high job motivation, show greater

commitment to their job; on the other hand, those workers who feel more commitment even

when things are not moving forward according to the procedure, minimize the impact of this

problem (Thidi & Jabbari, 2012).” When considering some of the obstacles, that University

Facilities face, we come across two types of motivation that looked upon by employees, which

are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. As defined by Thidi & Jabbari, “intrinsic motivation

occurs when people are internally motivated to do something because it brings them pleasure,

they think it is important, or they feel that what they are learning is significant. Then “extrinsic

motivation comes into play when the employee is compelled to do something or act a certain

way because of factors external to him or her (like money, new position) (2012).” To motivate

employees, we must be able to support their areas of barriers with resources that will comfort

their needs. Motivation is not a behavior, it is something that can observe and addressed.

When thinking of motivation for all employees, in all levels of University Facilities I see

it as a lifelong learning opportunity for professional development. In a journal written by Maike

Gerken, Simon Beausaert, and Mien Segers called “Working on Professional Development of
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Faculty Staff in Higher Education: Investigating the Relationship between Social Informal

Learning Activities and Employability”, it shows how social informal learning and formal

learning of faculty staff in higher education relate to their employability and learning experience.

Learning, as mentioned throughout the text can result in forms of formal learning that happen

when activities are put together or planned as educational to support staff development. Those

are activities such as training, workshops or seminars. Informal learning, happen individually

and are a more self-thought through experience. This journal highlights the percentage given to

formal and informal learning by employees. It states in the journal, “Research has shown that

effects of formal learning on employees’ performance are limited. Individuals attributed less than

10% of their personal development to formal learning activities. Moving beyond the basic

training programmes, estimate that informal learning accounts up to 75% of learning that occurs

within the organization. Informal learning is defined by as ‘cognitive and physical learning

activities that can be deliberate or reactive, and that lead to competencies but not too formal

qualification (Gerken & Beausaert & Segers, 2016).”

The University Facilities department, as stated by the journal should establish attaining

the level of informal learning as suggested by the journal: “There is a fast-evolving knowledge

and innovations that are happening that affect the learning environment of employees. There is

great importance from the finding that social, proactive learning activities. Professional

development might benefit from the establishment of an informal learning culture where faculty

staff is invited to proactively act upon feedback and seek help and information (Gerken &

Beausaert & Segers, 2016).” In the context of training and development, informal learning is an

area that should be developed by University Facilities department. As they depend on training

from outside vendors to take part in learning activities and training. These training, have very
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limited feedback from employees on the roles it had on them and follow-up, which I think, are

key areas for the success of the organization. Not only are we investing money, but also our

staffs are devoting time and we want to make sure we are expanding our services as a

department. These findings show that 10% is formal learning and the other is 75% is informal,

which shows the importance of social interactions of employees and its reason to increase.

When considering evaluating programs to help with staff learning and development, I

came across a journal called “The Current State of Staff Development and training at higher

Educational Institution in Namibia” written by Sylvia N. Naris and Wilfred I. Keeper, which

analyze that all staff development and training activities should be linked to a strategic goal of an

organization. In the journal, it states, “If training and development is a process of updating

knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees to improve their job performance, then training and

development should be evaluated (Naris & Ukeper, 2012).” In University Facilities, there is no

formal assessment or evaluation to monitor the success of programs or training. In this literature,

it suggests, “staff development policy should have a plan of what should be achieved once

training and development have been offered. This would facilitate that monitoring is conduct to

ensure that intended results are accomplished (Naris & Ukeper, 2012).” As part of my capstone,

I will like to evaluate their current training, classes and make a future recommendation for

feedback. I want to target level of interaction with all employees, more informal training and

development, and evaluation of what can and should be done differently by the department.
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References

Gerken, M., Beausaert, S., & Segers, M. (2016). Working on professional development of

faculty staff in higher education: investigating the relationship between social informal

learning activities and employability. Human Resource Development

International, 19(2), 135-151. doi:10.1080/13678868.2015.1116241

Sylvia N., N., & Wilfred I., U. (2012). The current state of staff development and training at a

higher educational institution in Namibia. Annals Of Spiru Haret University Economic

Series, Vol 12, Iss 1, Pp 99-110 (2012), (1), 99.

Tohidi, H., & Jabbari, M. M. (2012). The effects of motivation in education. Procedia – Social

and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 820-824. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.12.148