Training and Development Strategy
There are a number of different facets of training that are detailed in the first two chapters of Blanchard and Thacker's tome Effective Training that are of interest to Human Resource generalists who have limited experience in T&D. Nonetheless, not all of these topics are as important as some of them are, which is why if I were to lecture a group of such generalists I would tend to focus on four topics that have broad areas of applicability across training. The four areas I would focus on include Trends in Training, the training process model, aligning training with strategic planning, and understanding how Human Resources, Human Resource Development, and Organizational Development interrelate to implement tactics for training to achieve organizational strategic objectives.
In many ways, the vast majority of the trends in training have been influenced by the prominence of technological advances in the workplace and in the increasing trend towards globalization. More than any other factors, organizations must account for these disruptors when considering the various aspects of training that they need to do. Advances in technology is one of six current trends in training that directly pertains to the significant impact that the internet and mobile technologies have had on training. The crux of these factors is that oftentimes, standard training sessions on white boards in a conventional classroom are not the most viable means for effecting training. There are a number of social media outlets in particular...
9-10). The trend towards globalization is most clearly evinced in the trend of managing talent due to altering demographics. The workforce is increasingly including a number of historic minority groups (including women); it is necessary for organizations to not only understand how to manage but also leverage the various skills and abilities of these different types of employees. A third trend, aligning training with business strategy, combines both elements of globalization and technological advances for the simple fact that these two factors are responsible for a rapidly evolving business climate (Blanchard, p. 9). Both globalization and technology can render current business practices obsolete quickly; organizations need training on the new methods emerging in their wake. Two trends, improving the training function and quality, are directly related to the second topic, the training process model. There are several different ways in which implementing a standard open training model (discussed in the next section) can improving the training function and quality. Lastly, legal issues (some of which pertain to technology and globalization) are serving as drivers for training.
Prior to implementing the most efficacious and time honored training model ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) (Blanchard p. 6), it is necessary to have a basic understanding of an open system approach. In such an approach one invariably has inputs which stem…
