Training and Development

HRM Training can play an important role in organizational development. Organizational development is understood to be a "planned, organization wide effort to increase organizational effectiveness" (ODN, 2014). Training naturally plays a critical role in this process. De Silva (1997) defines training as "transferring information and knowledge" and equipping employees to put this knowledge into practice. Training therefore is a means of increasing the organization's total knowledge in order to increase its capabilities.

For a training program to be effective in improving organizational development, it needs to be focused on specific objectives that pertain to the organization's overall mission. By creating an alignment between the needs of the organization, through a skills assessment for example, a training program can be developed to increase the organization's capabilities in areas that are the most important. Knowledge and capability are of course only part of the equation -- by increasing organizational knowledge the potential capability of the organization is enhanced.

The organization then needs to put this potential into action. The next step it to learn how to use this knowledge and capabilities -- the practical application of these skills will deliver the organizational development. Training is one of many employee development methods. Some others are personal development plans and mentoring (Jenkins, 2014). Even training can take different forms. Some training can be organized and skills specific.

Other training can be in the form of funding from the company for training that the employee directs themselves, such as outside schooling on things like leadership, languages or communication. But a personal development plan is a valuable framework for the full gamut of personal development strategies, and as an organization there is value to having personal development plans for key employees that align with the identified needs of the organization.

Mentoring is another method for development within an organization, especially where younger employees are able to learn from people ahead of them (Kram & Isabella, 1985). It is important for younger employees to also be given opportunity. This is a critical part of organizational development that is sometimes overlooked -- the organization cannot simply wait for older workers to retire to give younger workers opportunity; they must find ways to develop younger workers. Employee development is a critical component of organizational development.

There are other ways to develop the organization -- hiring is a big one, but a technology can also play a role. Hiring is important because the organization can improve its capabilities quickly by bringing in new talent from the outside. This is a fast track to organizational development. Employee development is a slower process, because of the time it takes to build skills in employees.

It can be powerful nevertheless, because the organization, in guiding the process of employee development, is capable of ensuring that the employees acquire the skills it needs. The more effectively the organization guides employee development, the more closely aligned the employee development will be, when aggregated, with the organizational development pathway. The implications for this are significant. Organizations benefit immensely from having a coherent employee development program that is aligned with organizational needs. Many companies find it valuable to do most of their hiring internally.

There are morale benefits to providing an internal career path for their own workers, but beyond that hiring internally means that people have been properly enculturated and they have been trained in the industry and systems with which they will be working.

For any company that is hiring internally -- and most do the majority of hiring this way -- it is important to have a pipeline of talent so that there are always good people coming down the pipeline to fill organizational needs, and reduce organizational dependence on outside hiring. Human resource management plays a critical role in this internal career development. The first way is that HRM is responsible for finding candidates who have the potential to build a career within the company.

Not every hire has this potential, but the company needs to find ways to identify workers with this sort of potential and getting them into the career development system. Further, HRM develops the training and mentorship programs by which employee capabilities are built. Career development also requires a pathway, the personal development plan, and HRM should be responsible for building that.

With a personal development plan, a key employee can see their career mapped out for them, and know that the opportunities are there, that they are in their employer's plans as well. This is important for retaining employees with potential. Also, when HRM is managing personal development plans, this allows HRM to create a high level of alignment between individual career development and the overall needs of the organization. Thus, HRM plays the most important role in the company with respect to career development.

It provides not only the vision to key employees but the pathway. Key employees are less likely to leave for opportunity elsewhere when they can see that opportunity in their own company. When a company leaves career development to individual employees, those employees might not see their career developing at that company; if the company takes control over the career development process it is likely to not only foster a higher retention rate but to ensure that career development is closely aligned with organizational needs in the long run.

My own personal development should be enhanced by the courses I am taking today. These courses are part of my personal career development plan. I believe that I will be able to progress more quickly within my current company as the result of this, and if I am not able to take the next step internally then I feel that I will have no choice but to move on.

My current employer has not taken the most active role in my career development, but at my stage of life I feel it is critical that I am in a place where career development is taken seriously by all involved -- I am willing to invest in myself, but also in a company that is willing to invest in me. That is the best fit I am looking for right now.

I feel that my current employer has the opportunities that I need, and I expect to be able to move quickly, every year or two depending on the internal attrition rate, over the next 5-10.