The present paper makes an attempt to study the significance of training and development and career planning with regards to the human resource of any organization. Various opinions in this context have been studied and made a close reference to, in order to develop a logical order to the study. The importance of training and developmental related activities have been studied in various angles such as the methods of training, the need for training, the benefits of training to the employees, the benefits of training to the employer, career planning’s relevance to the employee and employer’s responsibility towards employee’s career planning initiatives etc.
Numerous books and journal articles were referred to present a broad and justified view on the subject under study. The positive outcomes as a consequence to a logical and recurrent training and development and career planning initiatives have been discussed.
Key words: Human resource management, training & development, career planning, employee, strategic goals.
Introduction: Employee, though a small word yet has very significant implications on the overall performance of the organization. In fact employees form that essential component of any organization which is capable of employing all other resources of the organization in the most appropriate method to ensure maximum profitability to the organization. According to Mathis & Jackson, “Human resource management is designing management systems to ensure that human talent is well used to accomplish the organizational goals” (2009, p. 1).
The purview of human resource management starts right from the conception of the idea of a particular job that needs to be filled in a company by a competent employee. And it does not end immediately with the recruitment of the employee in the vacant place in the company. Rather, once the employee is appointed, the task of retaining the employee through appropriate appraisals and training and development programs is what the main job of the human resource management is. In the words of Mathis & Jackson, “human resource management can be thought of as seven interlinked functions taking place within the organization which fall under the categories of global, social, economic, technological, environmental, legal, political and cultural/geographic” (2009, p. 2).
The seven functions that pertain to the human resource management of an organization are as follows: Strategic Human Resource Management, Equal Employment Opportunity, Staffing, Talent management, Total rewards, Risk management and worker protection and Employee and labor relations (Mathis & Jackson, 2009).
The present paper focuses on one of the most vital functions of the Human Resource Management i.e. Talent management. The talent management functions of Human Resource Management deals with various needs of the employees such as, employee training & orientation, career planning, training & development and performance management. According to Mathis & Jackson, “Beginning with the orientation of the new employee, talent management and development include different types of training. Career planning identifies paths and activities for individual employees as they move within the organization” (2009, p. 3).
In the global environment that any business is operating today makes it inevitable on the part of the companies to equip their employees with sufficient training and developmental programs at regular intervals or as and when required. Such training and development programs that are carried out at the appropriate times help the company achieve the most important objectives i.e employee retention, competitive advantage and better service capability, employee satisfaction and ultimate achievement of organizational goals. Therefore the chief objectives of training programs shall be to be able to provide such developmental treatments to the employees that they are not only satisfied but also feel delighted and get associated with the company in all possible sorts. Training is also viewed as an essential phase of value addition done to the various resources that are available at the disposal of the organization. Such value addition contributes significantly to the efficiency of the organization while strengthening the core latent of the human resource of the firm.
According to Olaniyan and Ojo, “Training physically, socially, intellectually and mentally is very essential in facilitating not only the level of productivity but also the development of personnel in any organization. Human resources, are the most valuable assets of any organization, with the machines, materials and even the money, nothing gets done without man-power. The effectiveness and success of an organization therefore lies on the people who form and work within the organization. It follows therefore that the employees in an organization to be able to perform their duties and make meaningful contributions to the success of the organizational goals need to acquire the relevant skills and knowledge” (2008, p.326).
There have also been many opinions in relation to the contribution of technology towards the enhancement of the human resource of an organization. The speed at which information technology is becoming prevalent, the amount of convenience in imparting knowledge to the employees on various topics has tremendously increased. According to Vemic, “In the period between 1900 and 1950, the amount of human knowledge doubled, and since then it has doubled every 5 to 8 years. Knowledge is becoming obsolete so quickly that all of us need do double our knowledge every 2 to 3 years in order to keep up with the changes” (2007, p.209). The following sections of the present paper make a detailed discussion on the various training and development needs of the employees and the consequent benefits derived out of such training and development to both the employees and the organizations.
I. Initiation of Training & Development and the methods adopted: Once the organization decides on its strategic training and development initiatives it then charts down certain specific training and development activities to be carried on. Such specific training and development activities ensure the achievement of the strategic goals with which the conceptualizing of the process of training and development was initiated.
Any training and development program adopted by the organization is deemed to be efficient only when it serves as an answer to the vision and mission statements of the company rather than serving as a question to the very existence of the organization. Once the vision and mission statements of the company are clear and concrete enough, they shall be broken down to a miniature version of the next to do list.
Subsequently, after developing a clarification of the numerous minute aims and objectives of the company, it needs to assess its current potential and plan its future course of actions in order to achieve the drafted vision and mission statements. After the assessment is completed, what forms the immediate next step of the process is the initiation of the required training and developmental activities to achieve the company’s aims and objectives. In order to gain an understanding of the event of employee training and development it is imperative to comprehend all the possible changes that can take place as a result of the process of learning through training. Due to the kind of enhancements available to the human resource of the organization through the training process, training and development related decision can be treated as important as any other strategic decisions related to improve the profitability and stability of the organization. The various strategic initiatives that are aimed to be achieved through the training and development programs are as discussed below.
1. New technology: When a certain new technology is being adopted by the organization which could make it easier and effective for the organization to achieve its vision and mission statements, effective and relevant training sessions need to be initiated. A thorough understanding shall always be developed with regards to the exact requirements of the new technology and also the recipients of the training. A thoughtful mind should be at work to consider the interdependence of all the relevant parties who are being nominated to get trained. Utmost care shall be practiced so that it leads to no demoralization of any employees who are not being nominated to get trained.
2. Reducing the turnaround time: The process of training and development can be triggered when the turnaround time of a certain group of employees or a certain department needs to be brought down. Such reduction in the turnaround or development time must be deemed to be necessary so as to enable the achievement of company’s mission and vision statements.
3. Development of new course of actions or process: When there seems to be a major strategic shift in the company’s mission or vision, obviously, its training needs pertaining to the tasks that the company might then have to accomplish also might differ. In such cases also the training needs can be initiated.
II. Benefits of training to the employees: In this era of globalization, training has acquired a very significant role in the lives of employees. It not only helps the company to achieve its strategic goals but also retains the employee by providing him with appropriate career planning and performance appraisals. According to Vemic, “Modern conditions of dynamic competition, sophisticated information technology, knowledge economy and market globalization, has changed the relation to importance of human resources in organization. These conditions actualize the human capital as the strategic resource of every organization. Differences between the organizations exist exactly due to the differences between human capital, i.e. the organizations human resources, ways of their management and development” (2007, p. 2010). An in depth study of the benefits of training to the employees can be observed as follows:
1. Strengthens the employee’s skills and competencies by equipping him with the most appropriate technical knowledge required to give a better performance in their jobs.
2. Regular training and development sessions can also boos the confidence and expertise of the employees thus enabling him to do his job in the best way possible.
3. An employee who had been given regular training and development through a structured source is always positioned in a better place to take up new challenges at a given point of time and thus carves an effective career plan for the employee
4. Standard process of training and development not only equips the employee to perform in a better way but also opens many new avenues for him within the organization making use of which he can climb up the ladder in the organization and derive satisfaction in his job.
III. Benefits to the employers: The process of training and development has become so important in the modern organizations that it is no more being looked upon as a cost to the employers. In fact there have been many ways adopted due to which the effectiveness of training and developmental process can be enhanced which shall be discussed in the later part of this paper. According to Olaniyan and Ojo, “The need for improved productivity in organization has become universally accepted and that it depends on efficient and effective training. It has further become necessary in view of advancement in modern world to invest in training” (2008, p. 327).
1. Trained employees serve as a pool of diverse talent whose effective utilization can work wonders in the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. The competency base of the organization is enhanced in the organization through regular training and development.
2. Employees form one of the most vital internal factors that shape the competitive advantage of the organization. With a highly talented work force an organization can definitely serve its customers in a better way and maintain a delighted group of customers with such well defined customer service. According to Vemic, “In a more and more global, complex and turbulent environment, knowledge is the only reliable source of competitive advantage. Traditional factors of manufacturing as the soil, labor and capital did not disappear, but their significance is not primary anymore. Knowledge is viewed as the key of realization of a competitive advantage” (2007, p. 210)
3. With continuous training and development, the cooperation spirit among the employees is further enhanced thus putting to best use, the potential of the workforce of the organization. According to Vemic, “Education is no longer the duty and privilege of those in higher positions and skilled labour, but it is becoming the duty and need of everyone. The larger the organizations, the more funds they spend on education and provide their employees with greater and diverse possibilities of education and development” (2007, p.211).
4. Regular training and development programs also habituate the employees to get used to a learning culture in the organization that has numerous positive impacts on the efficiency and behavior of the employees. The premeditated process of employee training and development shall be such that it persuades originality, guarantees resourcefulness and imparts a concrete profile to the organizational knowledge that ensures a unique quality to the organization.
IV. Career Planning of the employees: Traditionally, career planning was viewed as the sole duty of the employee himself but the paramount shifts in the ways the organizations now work have defined a new role and responsibility of the employer towards accomplishing the task of career planning for its employees. In the words of Kubr and Prokopenko, “Career planning aims at matching individual potential for promotion and individual aspirations with organizational needs and opportunities” (1992, p. 128).
A properly charted career planning program by an organization brings with it a bunch of merits for the employees such as Establishment of clearly defined career goals of the employees; The existence of such clear defined career goals helps the employees to achieve his career objectives in a timely manner; The company can easily assess the strengths and weaknesses of its employees and can appraise them accordingly to make them more efficient etc.
V. Assessing training needs and methods: The changing needs of the employees and the organization have given rise to various training methods that are available at the disposal of any organization. The chief concern of staff training and development is to add to the quality of person receiving training, enhance and facilitate the structuring of objectives to achieve the various growth and profitability needs of the employees as well as the organization. The basic objective for which training is being carried on is very essential as the tools and techniques of conducting training basically depend upon the training objective.
VI. The various methods of training and development according to Olaniyan and Ojo,
“1. On the job training/coaching: This relates to formal training on the job. A worker becomes experienced on the job over time due to modification of job behaviors at the point of training or acquisition of skills.
2. Induction/orientation: This is carried out for new entrants on the job to make them familiar with the total corporate requirements like norms, ethics, values, rules and regulations.
3. Apprenticeship: A method of training where an unskilled person understudies a skilled person.
4. Demonstration: Teaching by example, whereby the skilled worker performs the job and the unskilled closely observes so as to understand the job.
5. Vestibule: This is done through industrial attachment for the purpose of skills and technology transfer. It is therefore achieved through placement of an individual within another area of relevant work or organization. The effect is the acquisition of practical and specialized skills.
6. Formal Training: A practical and theoretical teaching process which could be done within or outside an organization. When training is carried out inside an organization, it is called an in-house training. Off-house training is carried out in professionalized training areas like:
Universities, Polytechnics and Professional Institutes.” (2008, p. 328).
Conclusion: It is therefore evident that human resources are very precious in nature to the very existence and profitable sustenance of any organization in the light of the globalization era. Hence, it is of utmost importance that effective training and development programs are carried on in the organization to boost the employee morale while equipping them to handle their career plans in an equitable and rewarding environment. Also, the quantitative and qualitative needs of both the organization and employees need to be assessed at regular intervals to incorporate the same in the training tools and techniques employed.
References
1. Olaniyan, D. A. and Ojo, B. L. (2008). Staff Training and Development: A Vital Tool for
Organisational Effectiveness. European Journal of Scientific Research 24(3), 326-331.
2. Vemic, J. (2007). EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION. Economics and Organization 4 (2), 209 – 216.
3. Mathis, L. R. & Jackson, H. J. (2009). Human Resource Management: Essential Perspectives. Mason: South western cengage learning.
4. Kubr, M., Prokopenko, J. & International Labor Office. (2008). Diagnosing Management Training and Development Needs: Concepts and Techniques. Geneva: International Labor Organization.
5. Cartwright, R. (2003). Training and Development Express. Oxford: Capstone Publishing.
