By offering training, the company is taking a vested interest in the employee's future. The absence of that feeling can cause employee dissatisfaction.
The Role of HR
There was a time when companies assumed that training and education were things the employee arrived with. Recently, as the importance of training and education to morale, retention and organizational achievement have become apparent, firms are realizing that they must take the initiative to provide training and education. This responsibility has fallen to the human resources department. This is because the programs are specifically geared towards the development of humans as a resource.
There are many different types of education and many different means for HR departments to deliver training and education opportunities for their workforce. Education can focus on particular skills that would allow the employee to fill a needed role within the organization. This can include technical training, job skills training, or language education. In other instances, the training can be any subject, as the program is geared towards the esteem and actualization needs of the employee, the firm hoping that this results in productivity improvements.
There are as many means to deliver education and training as there are types. One option is for the company to run the training itself. This gives the company total control over the content and direct tracking of each employee's progress through the process. Another option is reimbursement. This option often comes with a cap on annual spending, and sometimes the types of education are also limited. Human resources essentially repays employees for successfully complete training programs. No matter whether the course is internal or external, it can be delivered by a variety of means, including in-person, online, or by correspondence.
The training and education program can be structured in terms of time as well. Short seminars or guest speakers at meetings can be used for minor training and education. Structure courses can be used to delve into more complex subject matter. Some training can lead to certificates or diplomas; other training may not have a formalized outcome. Many universities offer programs tailored to the needs of business communities, and many companies specialize in specific types of training...
Training can be done in a classroom or virtual classroom setting, or specialized training can be conducted through one-on-one program, coaching and mentoring (Hewlett-Packard, 2006).
Conclusion
Training and education are a critical human resources function in the modern information-based economy. When a firm develops, or adds value to its human resources, it improves employee morale and boosts retention rates. This happens because the company is showing an interest in the employee and appealing to their higher order needs. Moreover, training and education programs contribute to the overall effectiveness of the organization by improving the organization's skill set.
Human resources departments can deliver training either internally or externally. They may set up training programs, or they may merely facilitate employees' using external programs. This can be done through direct payment of fees or through the reimbursement of fees. Each HR department will set the degree of involvement they want to have in the process. They will set limits on training spending for each employee, and can set limits on the types of training and education they wish to make available to the employees. The result should be a training and education program that fulfills the needs and demands of employees, while adding value to the organization by improving the skills and experiences of the workforce.
Works Cited:
Heathfield, Susan M. (2009). Training and Development for Employee Motivation and Retention. About.com. Retrieved March 27, 2009 from http://humanresources.about.com/od/training/a/training_dev.htm
No author. (2007). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. NetMBA. Retrieved March 27, 2009 from http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/maslow/
Hopkins, Hampton. (1995). A challenge to managers: five ways to improve employee morale. Executive Development Vol. 8 No. 7 pp26-28.
Narisi, Sam. (2009) Survey: Employees would change their jobs for a better computer. HR Tech News Retrieved March 27, 2009 from http://www.hrtechnews.com/survey-employees-would-change-jobs-for-a-better-computer/
No author. (2006). Training Delivery. Hewlett-Packard. Retrieved March 27, 2009 from http://h10076.www1.hp.com/education/learning-solutions/ls_training_delivery.htm
