proposal

FLEXIBILITY: A NECESSARY SKILL

Larry Lowe

4.02.08

Skill Proposal page 1/13

Table of Contents

Section Page No.Executive Summary.............................................................2Skill Definition.....................................................................3Skill Behaviors.....................................................................4Rationale

Primary Data............................................................5Secondary Data........................................................5

Training Objectives..............................................................6Activities..............................................................................7Planning Sheet.....................................................................8Cost/Benefit Analysis........................................................10Contract..............................................................................11Research Appendix............................................................12


Executive Summary

Depressing economic conditions and the increasing advancement of technology are all reasons

why flexibility is an important skill. Flexibility gives prospective employees the necessary skill

of adapting to changes such as these. This is why training in flexibility will be an eternal benefit

to college juniors and seniors.

Flexibility evokes emotional stability, multi-skilling, field knowledge, adaptability, and

behavioral drive. As a result of this training, one will acquire the skills and behaviors necessary

to adjust to changes accordingly at one’s job and/or school by assessing and putting to use skills

obtained through past experiences and education. By completing the activities of deep breathing,

skill assessment, hobby assessment, and scenario analysis, one will take the necessary steps to

acquire flexibility as a skill.

After completing this training, trainees will acquire the tools necessary for obtaining and

maintaining flexibility. They will also be able to assess the skills they have acquired through

experience and apply these skills under stressful situations. Participating in the activities will

train trainees through practice. After completing this training, one will have the benefit of

gaining $53,280 worth in workforce value.


Skill Definition

Skill: Flexibility

Source 1: Flexibility evokes the ability to adjust quickly with changing circumstances or environmental uncertainty (see Appendix C).

Source 2: Flexibility is the ability of a firm or person to respond to various demands from its dynamic competitive environment (see Appendix E).

Source 3: Responding to the demands of a changing market appropriately (see Appendix H).

Integrated Definition

Flexibility is both the ability to constantly assess market changes and the ability to respond to

those changes with the best solutions and plans to obtaining and maintaining a competitive

advantage within the employee workforce.


Skill Behaviors

Below are five behaviors that are necessary to be competent in flexibility.

1. Emotional Stability. Displaying a positive attitude and perseverance when facing stressful situations (see Appendix C).

2. Multi-skilling. Performing a broad range of tasks during employment (see Appendix F).

3. Field Knowledge. Holding a variety of positions both vertically and laterally within one’s career (see D).

4. Adaptability. Changing quickly during unpredictable developments (see Appendix B).

5. Behavioral Drive. Having the tenacity and motivation to finish task (see Appendix E).


Rationale

Primary Data (See Appendix I for data sheet)

o Eight out of 12 surveyed chose answer c as an answer to question 1—to deal with abrupt changes appropriately.

o Seven out of 12 surveyed chose answer a as an answer to question 2—to know how to respond to changing demands in the workforce.

o Five out of 12 surveyed chose answer a as an answer to question 3—to adjust appropriately to changes in the job market.

o Four out of 12 surveyed chose answer a as an answer to question 4—to apply all of the skills necessary to complete a job efficiently.

Secondary Data (See Appendix E)o To achieve cost-efficiency in the long-run.o To respond to more substantial variation in the business environment.o To respond to changing environmental conditions faster than the competition.


Training Objective

GENERAL:

As a result of this training, you will acquire the skills necessary to adjust to changes accordingly at your job and/or school by assessing and putting to use skills obtained through past experiences and education (see Appendix C).

SPECIFICALLY:

As a result of this training, you will be able to do two specific actions/behaviors.

1. Be able to assess skills necessary to cross functions and roles within your career (see Appendix E).

2. Improve labor productivity and cost-efficiency through relaxation and self-motivation (see Appendix E).


Activities

Below are four potential training activities and their outcomes, which may be used in reaching the training objectives.

1. Deep Breathing. Emotional stability is important when facing sudden changes. Slowly breathing in and out relieves stress, causing you to produce efficiently in a stressful situation (see Appendix C).

2. Skill Assessment. Analyze the different jobs and tasks completed and the skills used to complete them. Begin my listing jobs and assignments completed through your workforce experience. List three of these skills. Once this activity is completed, you will better understand your skills and how they can be applied, which is key to crossing functions and roles within your career (see Appendix F).

3. Hobby Assessment. List 5 hobbies. This activity will encourage you to look out of your core competencies for assessing skills. The more experience you have in other areas, the more likely you will be able to cross functions and roles within your career (see Appendix F).

4. Scenario Analysis. Present a problem and allow participates to name the skills necessary to solve the problem. Participates will learn how to put assessed skills into practice by applying them to a problem. Being involved in the decision making process, motivates employees to interact with others. Interacting with others gives you the opportunity to pick up skills from others (see Appendix C).


Planning Sheet

Training Session Planning Sheet

Session Title: Flexibility: A Necessary SkillTrainer (s): Larry LoweTarget Audience: College seniors and juniors who will be entering the workforce within a year.Time Allotted: 10 minutes.

Rationale: The learner should learn flexibility as a skill to… deal with abrupt changes appropriately. know how to respond to changing demands in the workforce. adjust appropriately to changes in the job market. apply all of the skills necessary to complete a job efficiently. achieve cost-efficiency in the long-run. respond to more substantial variation in the business environment. respond to changing environmental conditions faster than the competition

Objectives: GeneralAs a result of this training, you will acquire the skills necessary to adjust to changes accordingly at your job and/or school by assessing and putting to use skills obtained through past experiences and education (see Appendix C).

SpecificThe specific related behaviors you will be able to do after the training are:

Assess skills necessary to cross functions and roles within your career (see Appendix E). Improve labor productivity and cost-efficiency through relaxation and self-motivation (see Appendix

E and C).

Activities: Deep Breathing. Slowly breathing in and out relieves stress. 1 minute. (see Attachment C) Skill Assessment. Analyze the different jobs and tasks completed and the skills used to complete

them. List three of these skills. 3 minutes. (see Attachment D) Hobby Assessment. List 5 hobbies. 1 minute. (see Attachment D) Scenario Analysis. Present a problem and allow participates to name the skills necessary to solve

the problem. Participates will learn how to put assessed skills into practice by applying them to a problem. 3 minutes. (see Attachment B)

Memory Tools:Relax, Assess, and Apply. (Repetition) The learner will remember the important steps when facing change by repeating the phrase “relax, assess, and apply.” Therefore, the learner will learn the necessary steps to exercising flexibility as a skill. When facing a sudden change in plans, relax by taking your time, assess skills you’ve acquired, and apply the necessary skills to adjusting to change.

MARS – motivation, assessment, relaxation, and skill. (Memory) The learner will remember this acronym. These are keys to obtaining and maintaining flexibility as a skill.

Feedback: Allocate a point system to each activity. Therefore, the participants will immediately understand

where he or she needs improvement.


Allow peers to analyze and suggest appropriate solutions to activities, such as how they would solve the scenario analysis as an alternative to another.

Evaluation:Participants will be evaluated through an oral examination by solving a related problem through acquired skills learned through training.


Cost/Benefit Analysis

Description $ ValueCostsTime $100 * 3 hours $300Materials Paper, ink, and computer time.

$0.10/paper.$8.40

Methods There are no required methods.TOTAL COST OF TRAINING There aren’t many expenses. $308.40BenefitsProblems Avoided (describe and estimate $ value)

Assuming one makes $31,200 a year, flexibility allow employees to be more marketable in the workforce; therefore, avoiding economic downturns.

$31,200

Problems Solved (describe and estimate $ value)

Assuming the total costs for training and education is $20,000 for a year, flexibility better markets prospective employees; therefore, flexibility solves the problem of training and re-educating.

$20,000

Opportunities Created (describe and estimate $ value)

Reducing costs for prospective employers creates a higher salary. $5 raise/hour.

$2,080

Other… Training others in this skill. $308.40TOTAL BENEFITS OF TRAINING

Flexibility better markets individuals to employers.

$53,588.40

Gain (Loss) Trainees will gain flexibility as a skill. $53,280


Contract/Agreement (something like the following)

The Larry Lowe agrees to provide a 10 minute training session on April 21, 2008 for 6:20 pm and 22 number of people for 1.50 ($). We guarantee that participants will gain skills in flexibility in the workforce. Specifically, as a result of this training, participants will be skilled at these behaviors:

1) Assessing skills necessary to cross functions and roles within their career. 2) Improving labor productivity and cost-efficiency through relaxation and self-motivation.

__________________________________

___________________________________Trainers/date

___________________________________Company Manager/date


Research Appendix

List of attached research sources:A. “The significance of employee skill in flexible work organizations.” by Eldrige and

NisarB. “What Flexible Workers Can Do.” by Norman AlsterC. “Strategies to foster labor flexibility.” by Corinne M. KaruppanD. “Does Cream Always Rise to the Top? An Investigation of Career Determinants.” by

Slocum, Hurley, Fagenson-Eland, and SonnenfeldE. “The Effects of Flexibility in Employee Skills, Employee Behaviors, and Human

Resource Practices on Firm Performance.” by Bhattacharya and GibsonF. “Multiplying Skills.” G. “The Human Side of Industrial Competitiveness.” by John A. YoungH. Editorial: “Flexibility as a Job Skill.” by FalcioniI. Primary Data

proposal

Business