04.01.01-Assessing Training Needs & Coordinating training
CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY MANUAL CHAPTER: 04 Organizational & Strategic Development Policy No. 04.01.01 SECTION: 01 Organizational & Strategic Development
Policies Page 1 of 6 SUBJECT: 01 Assessing Training Needs & Coordinating Training PURPOSE: To provide written guidelines and procedures for training coordination from assessment of training
needs through follow-up evaluation. SCOPE: This policy applies to all employees. LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. All Employees 2. Department Managers and Supervisors 3. Human Resources
PROCEDURE: The Director, Organizational & Strategic Development (OSD) and the Training Coordinator are responsible for all stages of workshop training. Needs Analysis: 1. Input from
the division heads, department heads, supervisors, ad hoc committees, the Director OSD, follow-up evaluations of workshops, and any training needs analysis instrument deemed necessary
are used to determine the types and content of future training. 2. Specific program requests from division heads, department heads, managers, and supervisors, or functional groups or
committees may be presented to the department for special consideration. The Director OSD will review the request and if it meets the criteria for delivering citywide benefit, if budget
funds are available, and the minimum student body requirement is met, may arrange the workshop independent of the annual curriculum. Coordination: 1. The Director, OSD plans and schedules
workshops for City employees through the list of Approved Facilitators (PDF-018).
2. Coordination includes subject areas, instructor, workshop format, dates, number of participants, and administrative procedures such as promotion, registration, classrooms, media,
and evaluations. 3. The Director, OSD develops workshops that are conducted by in-house subject matter experts and approved facilitators. The Training Coordinator organizes the workshop
and oversees the administrative functions related to them. Workshop topics, description, target audience, instructor, times and dates, are communicated through the Training Catalog (PDF.000),
Workshop Announcement (PDF.000), e-mail announcements, and are posted on the Intranet. Special Workshops: 1. When the City administrators, managers, and/or supervisors request training
for a specific group of employees, the Director, OSD develops appropriate content in-house or presents the request to one of the approved facilitators. A minimum student body of 12 candidates
is required to initialize special needs workshops. Training is coordinated in a timely manner to meet those special requests. Coordinating special needs workshops is dependent on the
availability of budgeted resources. 2. Employees who are required to attend special needs workshops must obtain their supervisor’s approval and register for the course as soon they are
notified of workshop times and dates, but not less than six (6) days before the commencement of the course. 3. Supervisors will be notified of employees requiring special needs workshops
that register for the course and do not attend, give ten (10) days notice of non-attendance, and/or send a substitute. A pro rated amount will be charged back to the department for “no
show” employees. Training Catalog: 1. The Director, OSD arranges the workshop schedule and course descriptions in a catalog format (PDF.001). The catalog will be made available to employees
through their department supervisors, and copies will be maintained in every department. Supplemental copies will be made available through the department. Distribution will be through
the in-house mail system. 2. The Training Catalog contains information on selecting workshops, mandatory training, course descriptions, workshop calendar, Department Services, registration
information and forms. Training Announcement: 1. Approximately two (2) weeks prior to the workshop, the Training Coordinator circulate reminder workshop announcements (PDF.002); specifying
times, dates, facilitator, location, and any other appropriate information. 2. Workshop announcements (PDF.002) are distributed to personnel using the Intranet “everybody” e-mail system,
inter-office mail to department liaisons 2
that are responsible for informing employees at branches and satellite locations, and may be posted on department notice boards. 3. Workshop calendars are located on the City Network
and can be accessed through the Share (“S”) Drive in the Professional Development Folder. Registration: 1. Registration forms are available in the Workshop Catalog, on workshop announcements,
and on the “S” Drive in the Professional Development folder in the “Forms” file. A Workshop Registration form (PDF.003) may be used to register for one or more workshops listed in the
Training Catalog. Employees must complete the registration form, obtain their supervisor’s approval, and return the form to OSD at least two (2) weeks before the advertised workshop
date. The Workshop Registration Form in the Training Catalog or the registration form at the bottom of the Training Announcement or on the “S” Drive may be used. 2. When enrollment applications
are received by OSD, they are screened according to need and previous attendance. Employees’ whose supervisors identify an immediate need for a specific training program will be given
top priority. Employees who have not had a previous opportunity and/or who have been on a waiting list are given priority. 3. Two weeks before the workshop, the Training Coordinator
finalizes the workshop list and sends confirmation by mail or e-mail to applicants (PDF.004) at least five (5) days prior to the workshop. If the demand for the workshop is heavy, another
session may be scheduled. 4. Information for wait-listed employees is entered into a database and candidates are either contacted by phone, e-mail, or memo explaining the situation (PDF.005).
If a new workshop date is set, the Training Coordinator contacts the employee(s) or the supervisor(s) of employees who have been on waiting lists for over six (6) months before rescheduling
the employee to verify that the training is still appropriate and the appropriate memo is sent by mail or e-mail (PDF.006). 5. When an employee registers for a workshop designed for
a target group other than his or her own, the Training Coordinator sends a memo or e-mail notifying the applicant (PDF.007) or telephones the supervisor or the employee to suggest a
more appropriate workshop. 6. Employees who submit approved registration forms and who have been confirmed by e-mail, memo, or phone will have their names entered into the database for
the appropriate class. Candidates will be listed on the Attendance Roster (PDF.008) for each workshop and will be required to sign in at the commencement of the course. OSD will not
accept anyone for enrollment who comes to the workshop and who is not on the approved Attendance Roster unless that person shows evidence that they are an approved participant or substitute.
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Continuing Education Unit Credits (CEU): 1. Continuing Education Unit Credits are available through classes sponsored by the Florida Institute of Government, Palm Beach Community College
and Florida Atlantic University. Attendance: 1. Employees are required to give at least two (2) days notice to cancel a workshop or give the name of an acceptable substitute. This substitute
must be within the target group for the workshop and must also be approved by the supervisor. The supervisor’s approval can be accepted by phone or e-mail. 2. If an enrolled employee
does not attend a confirmed workshop, their supervisor is notified by phone, memo, or e-mail (PDF.009), and the employee is designated as a “no show” until the supervisor contacts the
department. 3. If an employee has three (3) instances of arriving 15 or more minutes late, not showing up, or canceling less than 48 hours prior to a workshop, their supervisor is notified.
Cancellation: 1. “No Shows” are defined as confirmed employees who fail to notify the Department of their non-attendance to a workshop within the 48-hour period prior to the workshop
and who do not send a substitute to the workshop. 2. Departments will be charged back for the pro-rated amount of a workshop or a minimum of $50.00 for any employee who is a “no show”
at a workshop. 3. If an employee attends, but is required to leave early due to an unforeseen emergency, they will remain on record as an attendee if they are present for at least one
half of the workshop. Employees who request in advance to leave more than one (1) hour early for a half-day workshop or more than two hours early for a full-day workshop will be asked
to attend a future session. Workshop Evaluation: 1. At the end of an on site workshop, the Training Coordinator distributes an evaluation form to participants (PDF.010) and the feedback
is used to rate facilitator's’ performance and workshop effectiveness. Copies of workshop evaluations are provided to facilitators. 2. Evaluations are provided to Facilitators (PDF.025)
who who are requested to rate the class audience for appropriateness, participation, subject knowledge, and to comment on the suitability of the facilities. They are encouraged to provide
general comments and suggestions 3. Participant evaluations are kept in the training file with the attendance roster and other pertinent workshop information. Workshop folders are filed
by fiscal year. 4
4. Within 12 weeks of implementing a special workshop, OSD sends a customized follow-up evaluation (PDF.011) to the participants. If the data collected indicates a requirement for additional
training, OSD will review the requirements and make the necessary arrangements. 5. On a rotating schedule, ongoing series are evaluated using accepted methods such as follow up and contact
with supervisors to ensure relevance and effectiveness of workshops. Database Management: 1. The Training Coordinator maintains the database for all professional development training,
adjusting for cancellations, no shows, substitutes, and late additions. 2. By January 31 of each year (commencing 2002) Professional Development will distribute the annual report showing
workshop dates, employees’ name and title, and workshop names for the preceding 12 months. Certificates of Completion: 1. A Certificate of Completion (PDF.012) specifying the number
of training hours and the workshop topic will be issued to employees completing the required number of hours in a workshop. 2. A Certificate of Achievement (PDF.013) specifying course
completion will be issued when several workshops comprise an area of study and all the workshops have been attended. No Certificates of Completion will be issued for individual workshops.
Outside Training Requests: 1. To avoid conflict with internal workshops offered under this program, requests to attend outside seminars must be approved by the Director, OSD, with the
exception of department specific, technical, work-related certification and/or training programs which focus on specialized target groups and are not intended for a general audience.
Partnering Program: 1. The City of Boynton Beach partners with other cities to share their workshops. Workshop catalogs are distributed by mail to neighboring registration is coordinated
through the OSD. Any fees or costs incurred are the responsibility of the participating city. OSD does not pay for partnered training courses. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS 1. PDF.001 Workshop
Catalogue 2. PDF.002 Workshop Announcement 3. PDF.003 Workshop Registration Form 4. PDF.004 Applicant Class Confirmation 5
6 5. PDF.005 Applicant Notice of Wait List Status 6. PDF.006 Outstanding Waitlisted Applicant Notification 7. PDF.007 Notice of Inappropriate Workshop 8. PDF.000 Attendance Sheet 9.
PDF.009 Notice of Non Attendance 10. PDF.00-10 Workshop Evaluation Form 11. PDF.011 Follow-up Customized Evaluation Form 12. PDF.012 Certificate of Completion 13. PDF.013 Certificate
of Achievement 14. PDF.025 Facilitators’ Evaluation Developed by: Organizational & Strategic Development Effective date: September 21, 2000 Revised: December 28, 2001 Second Revision:
July 23, 2003 Kurt Bressner Kurt Bressner City Manager