HRMG200 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: STAFF AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Week Nine: Learning, training and development Lecture Objectives • Explain the meaning of strategic human resource development • Understand the importance of human resource development to organisational success • Discuss the need for EEO in training and development • Explain the need for a systematic approach to training and development • Outline the major human resource development methods and techniques; • Describe the key characteristics of an effective orientation program • Understand the main principles of learning psychology HRD Defined • Human resource development (HRD) – Includes training and development, career planning and performance appraisal. The focus is on the acquisition of the required attitudes, skills and knowledge to facilitate the achievement of employee career goals and organisational strategic business objectives. • Education – Activities designed to improve the knowledge, skills and abilities of an individual. The need for HRD • Business and economic changes • Technological changes • Organisational changes • Social, legal and other changes. Please note, • Research suggests that HR development expenditure can send a powerful signal to employees of the organisation’s commitment to its people. EEO and training and development • Access: Opportunities for training and development • Treatment: The way people are treated during the training and development program • Content: Subject matter and style of presentation • Language: Presented only in English • Attendance: Making employees attend programs they find offensive Equal opportunity issues in training and development Strategic HRD • HRD can be a platform for organisational transformation and renewal: – Implementing a new policy – Implementing a strategy – Effecting organisational or cultural change – Changing an organisation’s culture – Meeting a major change in the external environment or solving particular problems. Reasons for the absence of strategic human resource development • Organisations lack or have ill-defined strategic objectives. • Top management views training and development as unnecessary. • Organisations neglect long-term considerations. • Organisations do not analyse training and development needs. • Evaluation of training is ignored. HRD methods and techniques • It is essential to consider: – the scope of training programs – training beyond just the immediate job requirements – a systematic approach to training and development, including • assessment • activity • evaluation. A systematic training and development model Training needs analysis The activity phase • Process methods – Classroom activities – Simulation • Machine simulators • Interactive simulation • Part simulations • Vestibule training • Management training. The activity phase • On-the-job experience includes: – Coaching – Understudy assignment – Mentor – Job rotations – Project assignments – Small site management – Secondments – Behaviour modelling The activity phase Other activities can include: • Action learning • Competency-based training – Skills approach where the focus is on performing tasks to a predetermined standard • Apprentice training • Traineeships • Supervisory and management training • Corporate universities • Diversity training Measures of training effectiveness Four common experimental designs Orientation • Orientation – The introduction of new employees to their job, their colleagues and the organisation. Considerations include: • content • timing • formal and informal activities • orientation packages • follow-up Orientation program content Psychological principles of learning • The best situation is one where people want to learn. However, people learn in different ways. Some considerations include: – relevance – reinforcement – transfer of training – knowledge of results – distribution of learning – Whole versus part learning – Practice and learning – Activity versus passivity – Learning styles. Learning preconditions Learner-centred learning • Adults learn differently to children. • Considerations include: – the need to know – the need to be self-directing – greater volume and quality of experience – readiness to learn – orientation to learning. The importance of career planning and development • Career – A series of positions held by a person during the course of their working life which gives them exposure to particular job experiences and activities. • Career planning and development – Giving employees assistance to develop realistic career goals and the opportunities to realise them. Boundaryless careers • Boundaryless careers: – Careers that involve switching jobs, specialisations, companies, industries and locations. – They may involve: • upwards moves • downwards moves • sideways moves. Career planning and development Involves two processes: 1. Career planning – employee-centred 2. Career management – organisation-centred. • Career management is integral to HR planning, but HR planning and/or career management do not exist or are not integrated in some organisations. What are the implications of a lack of career management? The employee’s responsibility • Employability: – Having marketable skills — skills that are attractive to employers. How proactive are you about your career? • Consider: – How hard am I prepared to work? – What is important to me? – What kind of trade-offs between work, family and leisure am I prepared to make? – Am I prepared to undertake further study? The HR department’s responsibility • The HR department’s responsibility is to provide: – career education information, vocational guidance, career counselling information, on-the-job opportunities and career options. Also, to publicise training and development programs. • Career counselling – involves giving information and advice to employees to facilitate their career planning and development. Factors in career development • Performance – The foundation to career success. • Powerful supervisor – Assignment to a powerful supervisor improves career outcomes. • Exposure – Employees must become known to senior management. • Manners and behaviour – Careers within an organisation can be quickly destroyed by thoughtless behaviour (inappropriate behaviour at the workplace) Factors in career development • Qualifications – Good qualifications improves job opportunities • Employer reputation – Some organisations have a ‘star’ reputation as breeding grounds for high-potential employees. • Mentoring – Successful managers usually have a mentor who helps advance their career by offering advice, giving instruction and opening up career opportunities. Factors in career development • Coaching – It encompasses many of the activities undertaken by a mentor but with a special focus on guidance and support, goal setting, performance feedback and personal development. • Development – Ongoing expansion of skills and knowledge makes an employee more valuable and therefore more attractive to the organisations. Factors in career development • International experience • An overseas assignment can offer greater responsibility, freedom and broader experience than can an equivalent in domestic market. • Networking – Important for employees to build a network of contacts who are likely to be useful for the employees’ career development. Factors in career development • Goal setting – Necessary for employees to achieve their full potential. • Financial planning skills – Employees must think of themselves as ‘Me Inc.’, this involves developing marketing (networking), career planning and financial know-how (insurance, investments, superannuation). • Appearance – Appearance plays an important role in remuneration and career success. Summary • Accelerating rates of change and global competition have meant that HRD has become an important organisational and national issue. • Training starts when an employee enters an organisation. • To improve performance and avoid employee obsolescence, the employee should undergo further (and regular) training and development. • Training and development activities reflect the capacity for individuals to grow and change.