Employee Development - Research Paper Example

Employee Development EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT Titus Rock Manickam Order No. 336519 20 November 2009 EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT Introduction The London Olympics 2012 is bit far now, but it has certainly galvanized the British economy. Everybody in Britain is talking about it and some are even involved in making preparations for its arrival. The National Training Awards (NTA) is one way of getting the economy to strain every nerve to achieve excellence. The NTA has more significance now because of the London Olympics, and it will reinforce national interest corporate zeal. Corporate zeal will translate to training, sometimes intensive training, to ensure peak performance by employees. Apart from training, the employees will go through an exercise on making learning an integral part of their lives. Says an official of a large company given the contract for overseeing the media, "Learning is the process by which a person constructs new knowledge, skills and capabilities. Learning is a constant phenomenon because there is the need and scope for improvement. Learning provides the basic tool for communication with an eye on improvising." Learning is a ubiquitous phenomenon. Everyone learns on a daily basis. It is not possible to do a good job without learning. Learning is an ongoing lifelong process. No matter how good one is, he has scope to learn and do better. Learning can be done at close quarters or even from a distance. Learning is imperative in order to innovate and stay ahead in the competition. It provides the way for an organization to offer the best products to customers (Creating a Learning Culture). Training Model Learning is the process by which a person constructs new knowledge, skills and capabilities, whereas training is one of several responses an organization can undertake to promote learning (Creating a Learning Culture). Peter Cresswell, general manager for consultancy services at Siemens, says, "Companies tend to think that they have got a unique problem and struggle with the idea of how to take it forward. But one of the benefits of training is that it allows you to apply a positive solution to any activity. Nothing is unique and nothing is insurmountable through either organizational or personal development" (Employee development coursework assignment). An organization keeps its performance in order by providing constant training to its staff and workers. Training is a learning process within a time frame. It raises the learning curve of an employee and keeps him attuned to the latest gadgets and services. There are many training models to choose from. An organization chooses the model that best suit it purposes. The training model must seek to enhance quality and it is in every employee's interest to develop his performance through training. Businesses producing exceptional results year after year have to thank their training programs for their employees. Training help forge good team work (Employee development coursework assignment). Diversity Issues Culturally diverse workforce makes challenging working environment. Cultural difference, ethnicity, nationalism, cultural identity, cultural taboos, cultural shock, cultural colliding, and diversity can cause difficult times in the work place. Diversity may not mean only racial differences but also differences in gender, age, sex, and religious beliefs. Diversity is the spice of life. It helps individuals and organizations by offering a wide range of options in different situations. Diversity is the combination of seven different colors that combine to give one color - white. However, diversity can also create rifts and class consciousness. Diversity does not mean only adversities. An enlightened management is capable of assimilating the diverse backgrounds and creates harmonious working conditions to achieve excellence. Globalization has been responsible for diversity in many corporations. It is mandatory for corporations to put in place appropriate training of its diverse personnel to create harmonious environment and achieve peak performance. One of the key tools to handle diversity is instill in the employees the need to see things from others' perspectives. This point already exists in good business houses. It must be highlighted and carried on in diverse environment (Francis Devine et al). CW Preparation Week "Organizations often say that people are their biggest asset. But it's important that they involve all members of staff, at all levels, in the objectives of the company. If everyone understands that their contribution to the organization is vital, they will start to think about how they can improve the efficiency of their role. As a nation, we will then be able to stand up to our global competitors." (Employee development coursework assignment) It is not enough to have a general coursework for training purposes. The trainers will have to go through the nuances and other specific characteristics in the organization in order to successfully conclude the training. All aspects of the employees, including their personal trait, will have to be addressed. The all-encompassing nature of the training will provide much needed boost to the employees who will be more than willing to share their problems and anxieties and take steps to solve them. Theoretical Perspectives 1 (CW Hand In) This is handling of a vast subject that includes diversities, gender, age, language, and other categories. The theories emanating from these subjects are assessed for their capacity to assist in elucidating the complex relationship between the diverse cultures within the organization. Theoretical perspectives are results of research done by experts in a particular field. They are based on study and observation based on factual reasoning. They provide the basis of understanding of different concepts within an organization and show the position of any particular aspect in an organization. Three theoretical perspectives have been identified in previous research: the Intrinsic Satisfaction model, the Instrumental Satisfaction model, and the Extrinsic Satisfaction model. These three perspectives were compared in a study of employees in an employee-owned company. Results indicated the greatest support for the Instrumental Satisfaction perspective, in which ownership affects employee attitudes primarily through providing greater perceived influence and control (Aaron A. Buchko). Theoretical Perspectives 2 Theoretical perspectives are manifold and diverse. They cover the entire ambit of an organization and provide an understanding of different issues in an organization. Sometimes, however, they are difficult to understand. The problem is made acute due to the different conclusions reached by different researchers. Theory and practice have so far not been able to develop a common agreement on the definitions of these concepts. Technology has been responsible for a wide range of research into organizational concepts. Modern management techniques have happened because of the advent of technology and ceaseless work of researchers to understand the way an organization continues to perform. Research has helped understand organizational behavior, ways, performance, and a host of other aspects. Any organization is like a human body that is singular but has many body parts with various functions like the hand, legs, eyes, etc. Each part is different but functions within the nervous system of the entire body. The same rule applies to an organization (Brenner, Dr. John). Developing Leaders and Managers Leaders and managers in a corporation develop with the organizational growth. The work of a leader is to lead and the job of a manager is to manage. A manager may or may not be a leader, but he must capably manage his responsibilities. Organizationally, leaders and managers provide competent advancement and manage talents for the maximum benefit of the business. They are responsible for formal and informal management. They oversee various aspects of management and leadership development processes. They examine various aspects of management and leadership development for different groups and entities within the organization. They take initiative in individual development and self-managed learning. Leaders and managers develop themselves by building skills of the employees under them to create high-performing teams. They are aware that organizational success depends on team performance that supersedes individual efforts. The work of leaders and managers is to motivate those under them to attain peak performance. This is not possible without team effort and clear goals (Developing Leaders, Managers, and Coaches). Coaching and Mentoring A coach is a person who teaches and directs another person by providing encouragement and advice. We have coaches in sports such as cricket, soccer, and even lawn tennis. In an organization, a coach offers similar services to improve morale and performance of company employees. A coach may not be specialized expert but he has the ability to help an employee perform better through communication. His work is usually time bound and may not extend beyond the specified time duration. On the other hand, a mentor guides another person or a team by his own experience in the field. A mentor may be professionally engaged or may provide inspiration from a distance. In the organizational setup, mentors are experts within a specific field and have wide-ranging wealth of experience within their sphere of work. The duty of a mentor may extend for a long time, unlike that of a coach. His expertise may keep him occupied with those working under him. Conclusion The NTA is a good motivator to aim for excellence. Nonetheless, it is not the only consideration. A good business house follows the criteria discussed in this essay to achieve peak performance and customer satisfaction irrespective of awards. Pragmatic business principles assure overall goodwill and longevity of the company. Sources: Aaron A. Buchko, Effects of Employee Ownership on Employee Attitudes, http://wox.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/19/1/59 Brenner, Dr. John; Theoretical Perspectives and Methods of Social Research, http://humanities.sw.edu/SOC/SOCppt/Ch2soc05.ppt#256,1,Theoretical Perspectives and Methods of Social Research Chapter 2 British Journal of Management, http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.aspref=1045-3172 Creating a Learning Culture, http://www.eauk.org/hrnetwork/upload/Learning%20Culture.pdf Developing Leaders, Managers, and Coaches, http://www.meisseducation.com/leaders/index.asp Employee development coursework assignment, 336519_Employee_development_coursework_Assignment.docx Frances Devine et al, Resource Guide: Cultural Awareness for Hospitality and Tourism, http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/hlst/documents/resource_guides/cultural_awareness_hosp_tourism.pdf Jo Lamb-White, Workplace Coaching and Mentoring, Exploring the Key Differences to Maximize Personal Development, 24 April 2008, http://soft-skills-development.suite101.com/article.cfm/coaching_and_mentoring Latest HR news, comment and HR jobs, 17 Nov 2009, http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/ Learning and development: an overview, July 2009, http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/general/lrndevoverview.htm Peter Webb, The Impact of Executive Coaching on Leadership Effectiveness, http://www.intentional.com.au/docs/Impact_of_Executive_Coaching_on_Leadership_Effectiveness.pdf Teacher Resource Bank, http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2190-W-TRB-RL.PDF Read More