The Evaluation of Learning and Development Process in the Workplace - Coursework Example

HRD and KM literature review Name: Unit: Course: Professor name: Submission Date: The Evaluation of Learning and Development Process in the Workplace The main reason for learning and development in an organization is to ensure that an individual is in a position of carrying out organizational roles. Offering a good training and equipping the staff with knowledge and skills which an organization considers valuable throughout the corporate operations can be made through such progress. Therefore, an organization with the aim of achieving from knowledgeable and skilled employees, it will need to (Scarbrough, 2003 p.510). This factor remains considered as a valuable resource in enabling the employees to offer useful results on a regular basis. Learning and development process forever remains a foundation of competitive advantage where employees acquire new skills which make the organizations invest in the employees to earn profits and can be ahead of the competitors. Establishment of learning and development prospects solely and it only indicates that an organization is more likely to be industrious and operative (Reimer, 2008 p.14). However, the strategies that should stay put in form of phases may include, appropriate opportunities should be provided to the employees with useful content to practically add value to them and the entire organization. Such will only lead to success on the organizational view when the organization is concerned about the team and individual employee’s welfare. It, therefore, leads to practical application of development and learning skills amongst the employees and the ability to share with the stakeholders and identifying the value of delivering appropriate learning and development capacity where it favors approvals such as Investors in People which may be highly necessary. Designing, Delivering and Evaluating HRD Interventions Human Resource Development involves a systematic procedure that is essential in guiding the organizational plans in decision making. However, for an adequate assessment of equipping the employees with sufficient knowledge and skills, an organization demands various interventions that match the training needs. Human resource responses start with training evaluations ranging from activities that are associated with it as well as numerous benefits that go together with the process (Holton, 2006 p.23). In an organization, evaluation brings out great comparisons, relationships of expectations, and excellent outcomes. Therefore, individual employees are likely to acquire diverse opportunities and reviews of particular organizational proceedings. Majorly, human resource interventions relate to the knowledge acquired through training within the organization. When considering human resource development intervention, extensive range of variables needs focus. That is, personal learning competencies should be unprejudiced and devoid towards the independent opinions of the employees. As Holton states (2006 p.22), efficient delivery only comes after the evaluation of learning is analytically done from the management level and to the juniors involved. Evidence gathered during the learning process remains essential for equipping the organization with valid conclusions about particular measures as a method of accomplishing organizational objectives, implementing policy and encouraging organizational learning (Reamer and Markey, 2009). Also, appropriate evaluation of learning skills equips the employees and the entire management with developed interventions. Interventions majorly contribute organizational development effectiveness and change. The organizational interventions systematically organize the planned actions and occurrences that are about be executed “Interventions purposely disrupt the status quo.” Besides, an effective response remains characterized by elements that are purely essential to the needs of the organization. However, an established intervention should accomplish its relevancy to the needs of the organization. (Holton, 2006 p.21) Organizations need binding information for their operations, active membership involvement in decision making, and internal obligation where members agree to the possession of intervention. This involves the enhancement of the organization capability to manage change and employees’ self-reliance on taking planned altered tasks. Knowledge Management According to Buchwalter (2002), knowledge management within the organizational framework remains considered as an asset that encourages corporate operations. It majorly focuses on team and group sharing knowledge through acquiring competency and learning with an objective of maintaining company records. Andreeva (2012 p.620), argues that employees learn most of the quality compliance skills through equipping themselves with knowledge that they share with the entire management. However, in the organization, culture is characterized by unchanging purposes, strategies, and Human Resource Development. The knowledge remains incongruent due to individual’s contemporarily existence in an organization because of its separate nature with each other. Knowledge, barely remains manageable as a way of competitive advantage to a particular organization. Nevertheless, as Boselie et al. states (2005, p.68) a firm’s success and growth are determined by the importance of competitive benefit through the implementation of principles that form various strategies and guidelines. Employees render knowledge as something that exists nearly forever during the employment period and can rather remain applied during operations creating gaps in competition globally. Different forms of knowledge come alongside characteristics. Some usually remain stored while some are a necessity to systemization. Knowledge management plays a superior role in ensuring successful operations within organizations. As Oltra states (2005 p.72), objectives of KM include making the team perform reasonably to secure their sustainability and overall success and also to ensure that it appreciates the worth of knowledge as an asset. Establishing Aims and Objectives of Learning and Development Human Resource learning and development programs offer an employee with methods and reliable information they require for a successful job through practical learning. It entails employee reception to the organization giving them a bigger picture of various strategic objectives for productivity gain and acquiring positive attitudes towards organizational guidelines (Boselie et al. 2005 p.90). The procedures that the employees are taken through during the orientation help them advance on their learning skills and knowledge management. Another objective of learning and development in human resource is to boost employees’ general skills. For example, these skills may include knowledge in problem-solving, and communication skills. Such skills determine workers’ morals of improving learning towards organizational performance. Werner (2011) argues that offering the employees with diverse knowledge during learning implement creativities that are relevant to achieving organizational strategic goals efficiently. Lastly, the organizational aim of ensuring employees performance expectation stays built on flexibility affected by external factors. Thus, with such an impact, corporate growth will mainly depend on employees’ attitude and values shared amongst the management roles (Katou et al. 2006 p.1251). Such control comes as a result of fostering skills when applying knowledge gained from mentoring programs offered by the company. Evaluating Human Resource Development Interventions A firm applying HRD progressively emphasizes the importance of employee development as fundamental to predetermined objectives. Therefore, they consider HRD so challenging when dealing with employees’ capability. Katou et al considered (2006 p.1251) that learner’s ability and understanding remains always evaluated during their professional life through HRD surety. Developmental and combined assessment is prepared by the organization to determine the qualification of a particular employee to handle organizational operations “value of competency” (Holton, 2006 p.21). Or rather outcome on productivity, are all-inclusive of the general skills and knowledge acquired during the entire learning process. Purposefully, evaluation of HRD assists learners to develop and perform effectively and continuously. Contrary to positive outcomes of industrious evaluation, there may be other undesirable results when assessed. As McGuire states (2014 p.20) effects occur when misinterpretation on the assessment happens during the entire process, insufficient resources for evaluation, “severe structural politics” which is always experienced both at the management and junior staff levels and, the reliability and validation during the process. Other models such as Kaptricks model of evaluation, implies that change in behavior during learning gives an intervention reaction of the learner and also changes the impacts of organizational performance level and results following the interventions. Also, Han et al. considers (2009 p.58) the uncertainty of evaluation gives incorrect results on the expected financial benefits and other essential factors in the organization such as decision making. Evaluation of HRD intervention undergoes inevitable challenges which are very modern resulting to a weaker performance (Ellinger, 2004, p.160). Thus, such an experience within the organization leads to disruption in evaluating learning than training. A firm needs engagement to create various feedback loops to enable a continuous improvement which is a contributing factor for HRD to probably comprehend its perspective to influence operations at the strategic level. Learning during Human Resource Development Ellinger considers (2004 p.160) employees learning of new skills and acquisition of knowledge empowers employee overall functionality placing the organization as superiors in global enterprise competition. Therefore, when a company settles to equip their employees with new skills and knowledge through learning they then consider such as an investment since benefits are coming along (Noe, 2002). Primarily, the employees within an organization are adults, so an organization is up to the task to understand adult learning principles. Since time immemorial, companies have always applied andragogy model which remains based on various assumptions guiding adult education (Holton, 2006, p.23). These assumptions are, adults must create a purpose of self-direction, extrinsic and intrinsic motivators encourage the adults to learn and adults must engage themselves into learning with a goal of problem centered approach to learn. As Swanson states (2009 p.63) learning entails an underlying factor that determines employee’s competence through their behavior. It takes place through observation and sensorial experience which gives an enhanced view of understanding new things in a wider scope. According to Ellinger (p.21 2004) the knowledge acquired through observation is essential as it lasts in an individual’s sensory organ. Therefore, as a result, operations within the organizational departments can be executed efficiently through observation acquaintance. “The process is deliberated wholly in social learning theory where it gives some view which are considered so essential in determining employee learning capability” (Knowles et al. 2014). Also, the cognitive theory explains that learning takes place when new knowledge remains acquired through experience. It majorly emphasizes on the cognitive skills, development and general perception, and learning strategies. Part B According to R&C Building Society case study and Shook and Roth journal article, both evaluates the skills employees, and the managers apply to produce efficient outcome in the industry. The better customer services provided by the management through the employees leads to consumer satisfaction and overcoming the competitive market pressure (Shook and Roth, 2011 p.149). Despite Shook and Roth's article explaining how some activities such as downsizing, merger, and acquisition may exert pressure on the employees due to extra works they can still gain other innovative ways to improve on Human Resource Development. On the banking sector as explained in the R&C case study, delivery of HRD in conjunction with KM since time immemorial has seen the industry thrive because most institutions have concentrated on long-term proficiencies. Business workforce changes due to additional factors that neither favors the management nor the employees. Markey states (2008 p14) the impact felt leads to a practical effect, and without knowledge management, the organizational culture might deteriorate. However, with the R&C ideology, various institutions have been empowered to make rational decisions of transformation through offering coaching and training. (Markey, 2008 p.14). Even though downsizing, mergers, and acquisition have influenced HRD experience in different companies’ miscalculations and goal changes have ultimately reduced. Success remains felt when the entire process improves through employee’s ability to accept Human Resource Development strategies that the human resource manager is willing to employ throughout business operations (Shook and Roth, 2011 p.150). Employees dynamic presentation towards the strategies may be as a result of knowledge and skills gathered during training if at all it was part of the management strategies. Institutions aiming to provide education to its employees as emphasized by Redfield and Clifton an organization must improve on strategy efficiency. Markey explains (2008 p.14) offering skills from the top most managers to the juniors gives a lot of props when facing the global market. Banking sector involving themselves in mergers and acquisitions across the world, exceptional strategy levels need to be realized. When there are several networks of the same bank globally with downsizing practices, the system staff need an essential knowledge management in handling marketing strategies. Human Resource Development entails employee’s engagement in personal fragile customer handling and stability. As a matter of fact, such a steady progress is evident through exceptional HRD. Shook and Roth states (2011 p.137) real act from the employees empowers the organization operations to work on large markets and maintaining the goals of survival. Nevertheless, a switch in the working culture changes employee insolence towards productivity and knowledge acquisition making Human Resource experts suffer more hardship during the evolution of events, particularly on the personnel side. According to Markey (2008 p14), on the case of improving the branch network efficiency, employees assigned need to equipped knowledge on general product inquiries and also financial planning to advise on products to their consumers. Contrary to Roth and Shook journal philosophy, R&C emphasizes on embracement of great knowledge management amongst the employees by reducing the amount of task force. Therefore, this will reduce the organizational expenditure in their operations and then steer Human Resource effort towards HRD. Consequently, the entire success of Human Resource Development and Knowledge Management in an institution mainly in terms of financial profitability mainly depends on designing, delivering and evaluating learning and development as significant Human Resource practice. Global economy has evolved and organization with these characteristics offer individuals with opportunities for learning and acquiring exceptional knowledge at work. References Andreeva, T. and Kianto, A., 2012. Does knowledge management really matter? Linking knowledge management practices, competitiveness and economic performance. Journal of Knowledge Management, 16(4), pp.617-636. Armstrong, M. and Baron, A., 2000. Performance management. Human resource management, 69. Boselie, P., Dietz, G. and Boon, C., 2005. Commonalities and contradictions in HRM and performance research. Human resource management journal, 15(3), pp.67-94. Buchwalter, J.J., 2002. Knowledge management in US Federal government organizations: can it work?. IRM Press, Hershey, PA. Ellinger, A.D., 2004. The concept of self-directed learning and its implications for human resource development. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 6(2), pp.158-177. Han, H., Kuchinke, K.P. and Boulay, D.A., 2009. Human resource development. Human Resource Development Review, 8(1), pp.54-67. Holton, E.F., 2006. The flawed four‐level evaluation model. Human resource development quarterly, 7(1), pp.5-21. Katou, A.A. and Budhwar, P.S., 2006. Human resource management systems and organizational performance: a test of a mediating model in the Greek manufacturing context. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(7), pp.1223-1253. Knowles, M.S., Holton III, E.F. and Swanson, R.A., 2014. The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development. Routledge. Looise, J.K. and van Riemsdijk, M., 2004. 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Downsizings, mergers, and acquisitions: Perspectives of human resource development practitioners. Journal of European Industrial Training, 35(2), pp.135-153. [Online]. http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:726181/FULLTEXT01.pdf, accessed 3/25/2017 Swanson, R.A. and Holton, E.F., 2001. Foundations of human resource development. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Werner, J.M. and DeSimone, R.L., 2011. Human resource development. Cengage Learning. Read More