CH 3 (P 22) Developing HR:Concept (Human Resource Development)

Concept of HRD

• A set of systematic and planned activities (of training and development, career development, Performance management and organizational development ) designed by an organization to provide its members with the opportunities to learn necessary skills to meet current and future job demands, to improve individual, group and , organizational effectiveness. 
• HRD is "organized learning activities arranged within an organization in order to improve performance and/or personal growth for the purpose of improving the job, the individual, and/or the organization". HRD includes the areas of training and development, career development, and organization development. 
• Ideally, well-developed and well-implemented HRD systems are integral to the company’s strategic plan and benefit both the employee and the company. Byrne, (1999)
•  HRD develops the key competencies that enable individuals in organizations to perform current and future jobs through planned learning activities. 
• Organizations use HRD to initiate and manage change. 
• HRD ensures a match between individual and organizational needs.

The Primary Functions of Human Resource Development

HRD can be a stand-alone function or a part of function within human resource department, human resource wheel. It is established when there are greater diversities in the workforce, more people involved in knowledge work, greater expectations in meaningful work and employee involvement, and shifts in nature between employees and organizations (Pat Mclagan). Related to human resource wheel, primary functions of human resource development have been identified as follow:

                           

Individual Development (Training and development): 

• Training involved providing the employees the knowledge and skills needed to do a particular task or job. Development involved preparing for future work responsibilities and increasing capacities of employees to perform their current jobs.
•  It can be said that training and development focuses on changing or improving the knowledge, skills, ability, and attitudes of the individual and to satisfy the current and future needs of the organization. The shape of training can be in the form of employee orientation, counseling, skills and technical training programs, or management training and development programs.
• It is a subsystem of an organization. It ensures that randomness is reduced or standardization is maintained and learning or behavioral change takes place in structured format.
• Nadler and Nadler (1989:4) training was defined as “learning provided by employers related to the present job” and development was defined as “learning for growth of the individual but not related to a specific present or future job”.

Organizational development (Change management): 

• Change management incorporates the organizational tools, process, skills, and principles that can be utilized to help individuals make successful personal transitions resulting in the realization and adoption of change.
• Change management aims to encourage organizations and individuals to deal effectively with the changes taking place in their work.
• Change to the organization is ultimately going to be impacting one or more of the following four parts of how the organization operates: Processes, Systems, Organization structure, and Job roles.
• Strong resistance to change is often rooted in deeply conditioned or historically reinforced feelings. Patience and tolerance are required to help people in these situations to see things differently.
• It comprises of micro and macro changes. Micro changes are directed at individuals; small groups, or teams, whereas macro changes are intended to improve the effectiveness of the organizations.

Career Planning / development:

• It involves two-distinct process, career plan and career management. Career planning involves activities performed by individuals with the assistance of counselors or others in order to assess their skills and abilities in establishing realistic career plan. Career management involves taking necessary steps to achieve that plan, and it mainly focus on what organizations can do to foster career development.  
• It ensures that staffs have clear direction and goals. So that they are more likely to be satisfied in their job and this could mean less staff turnover in business. Career planning is essential to retain the good staff the organization already have.
• When you organize or support career planning, you give staff a clear message that you support their employment advancement within your organization. By helping people to plan career choices that are realistic and suitable, you are offering them the opportunity for future satisfaction within your business and you significantly lower the risk of them leaving.

Performance Improvement (Performance Management)

• Performance improvement is the concept of measuring the output of a particular process or procedure, in department, groups, teams and individuals, then modifying the process or procedure to increase the output, increase efficiency, or increase the effectiveness of the process or procedure to ensure that goals are consistently being met.
• The term "Performance Management" is often used in two contexts:
• A way of maximizing performance of an individual, team or organization
• A process for dealing with under performing individuals (or teams)
• It informs the organization about their strengths and weaknesses of process and procedures or system used by individuals, groups, and teams. It advises them about how to increase their strengths and how to remove their weaknesses.