ORGANIZATIONAL, JOB, AND PERSONAL PREDICTORS OF EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION IN-TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Predictors of participation in training and development were examined. A sample of 2452 female and 2832 male full-time Australian employees responded to a mail-out questionnaire, and a year later 1592 women and 1852 men responded to a repeated data collection. Longitudinal analys es showed that employee participation in training and development was predicted, albeit weakly, by instrumental attitudes of employees (masc ulinity, career strategies), requirements of jobs necessitated by mana gerial level, and career encouragement within organisations. Demograph ic variables and training policies were generally unrelated to partici pation, and family variables not related. Explanation of men's and wom en's training and development was similar. The impact of processes by which employees come to participate in training and development is dis cussed, including skill requirements of jobs, instrumental behaviours of employees, and career cultures of organisations.