Workforce Planning and Development - Dissertation Example

FACTORS INFLUENCING WORKPLACE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR HRD INTERVENTIONS AND IMPROVEMENT OF ORGANISATION PERFORMANCE. title: Instructor: Date: Workforce planning and development is influenced by several factors in an organization both internally and externally. Workforce education, in particular, represents a variety of interrelated processes that occur within specified organizational contexts. In addition, workforce learning processes focus on obtaining, assimilating and integrating a wide range of knowledge, skills, feelings and values that makes the individuals or teams within the organization to change their attitudes and behavior especially in line with the organization goals. Workforce learning involves both formal and informal techniques that are geared towards the organizational development. Over time, the organization’s idea has evolved from just the acquisition of skills to developing of cognitive processes accompanying the acquisition of the required skills. It is has been proposed that workplace learning should involve a process of reasoned learning that is projected towards the prerequisite outcomes for both the individual employees and the organization (Bratton 2008, 16). These outcomes should steer a sustained development for both these parties, within the present and the foreseeable future context of organizational goals and the career development of the individual employees. The performance capacity of the organization has been recognized to depend almost entirely on the learning capability of the workforce. Increased extent of the globalization of the workforce is characterized by innovative approaches to learning so that the barriers often imposed from outside the business world can be overcome (Ashton and Johnny 2002, 16). The emphasis placed on individual employees’ improvement linking it to an organization’s strategic direction has helped in the understanding of workplace learning. This is through administering the relationships existing between organizational and the individuals’ capabilities. The intention for this is to make learning to be integrated into the everyday work practices of the employees, and for the work to become a viable source for learning new practices and methods. The diversity which exists in the current work environment includes the organizational cultures, work practices, organizational policies and the various human resource systems. The diversity has been known to influence workplace learning for individuals, groups and the organization at large (Ashton and Johnny 2002, 24). The most important reason for the provision of learning and development in an organization is to enable the employees to undertake the current and future roles efficiently and diligently. Some of the training is always necessary for organizations. For instance, training regarding the health, safety and occupation-specific issues. However, much of this is often discretionary in cases where organizations become appreciative of the added value that is gained through the employment of highly skilled and knowledgeable individuals. Most organizations that are keen to increase productivity, efficiency of the operations and profitability often have a need to go beyond mandatory training and look more at the various diverse learning and development activities. That is, they should focus on activities that would enable their employees to maximize on their potential and help provide a valuable and the much needed resource for the organization (World Conference on Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning for the Library and Information Professions 2005, 42). Both Learning and development have always provided a source of competitive advantage for organizations. This has been practical especially where the employees can gain the prerequisite knowledge and skills (Noe and Raymond 2010, 40). After gaining the necessary skills, workers can develop a strong argument for organizations’ continued investment in the employees to enable them reap the benefits and make them different from the potential competitors. Most studies and researches that have been carried out have identified numerous factors that have been of influence to workplace learning and development. These can be widely grouped into; organizational factors, Functional factors, Personal factors; and Sociopolitical and Economic environment factors. 1) Organizational factors: Some of the factors under this category that have hugely influenced the workplace learning and development include the following; Culture and environment; Managers, employees or even groups of employees often develop particular methods and ways of behavior in organizations, and these get rooted into the organizations with time. Each workplace is often believed to have a learning culture, mostly affected by these practices. The variability of these learning cultures in the workplace often makes some of the learning processes easy, others possible, some difficult to inculcate, and others impossible. An effective way of promoting workplace learning is, therefore, bestowed upon improving the learning culture and making workplace learning more desirable as compared to other firms (Poell and Marianne 2011, 25). This involves majorly making changes to the existing working practices, norms and conditions. Several studies have proved that the most effective learning culture is that which is synergistic, and expansive enough to provide more and better opportunities to learn. The workplace environment should also be one geared towards the enhancement of the employees’ performance. It should contain the necessary facilities and infrastructure that would help in the support of the positive improvements on the workforce. Organization restructure, job design, and investment; some of the organization restructuring and job design changes have also been a huge influential factor in the workplace learning and development. The works in the current organizational setup have become more complex. In addition, several organizations are characterized by team-based and collaborative set-ups, more time pressure, technological advancement and more dependent on social skills. This has raised the bar on the qualification, and the capabilities of the employees mandated to perform these tasks. Consequently, high skills have become a core factor that has influenced the amount, quality and access to workplace learning and training. The current organizations have become leaner and more agile, more attuned to dynamic competitive requirements and policy. The organizations are less likely to provide lifelong careers and job security; more tuned to dynamic competitive requirements and strategy, more focused on identifying value from the customer perspective and less hierarchical in structure and decision authority. This Changing nature also has to a larger extent influenced the workplace training and development. The investment usually carried out on these practices is also a determinant on how actively organizations have recognized this dominant aspect of employee training. Adequate amount of financial and resource investment is required by the human resource development so as to teach and lay down methods that are necessary for efficient learning environment (Van Tiem et al. 2001, 26). Degree of exposure to changes and demands; Changes and demands are always business concerns for any organization. If an organization can anticipate the changes both internal and external to an organization then, the employees can receive the necessary training required to counter such changes. Demand is also another aspect that is always changing depending on both the factors that are alien or consistent with the business environment (Poell and Marianne 2011, 56). The degree of such exposure would also influence to a great extent workshop learning and development. Other organization factors include such factors as; Learning opportunities and participation; the availabilities of facilities and opportunities needed for the training of the employees’’ also dictates the workplace learning experiences. The Human resource department should lay down training and learning procedures that would give the employees a variety of skills and that which will enable them exploit the available opportunities within the organization Guided transfer at work; the job transfer usually the employees are subject to; either by the descriptions, roles or geographic relocations also affects the workplace training. 2) Functional factors: Some of the factors that fall under this category that have also influenced the workplace learning and development include the following; Role clarity of HRD; In most cases, where organizations have been understood as an evolving system where knowledge is produced and applied, HRD professionals have had the opportunity to become strategic players in ensuring the employees receive the necessary training needed for them to carry of their roles effectively. Clarity of the roles of HRD is important in ensuring this is carried out as required. Managerial responsibilities; Managers often also play a significant role in affecting the workplace environment because he is the one responsible for promoting the learning culture, which further promotes mutual collaboration among the employees. As highlighted on the strategic goals of the organization, and of the particular works being carried out by individual employees, managers are vital in deciding on the amount and degree of learning to be achieved. The manager affects ultimately the employees’ motivation and confidence that makes it a factor in influencing the employees’ workplace learning and development (Ashton and Johnny 2002, 47). Extensive professional contacts; some of these professional contacts obtained both from the education institutions and on the working environment also influences the workplace learning. Availability or the unavailability of professional contacts would influence the degree and extent of training for an organization employees Superior feedback, management support for learning; Management is often responsible in the allocation of resources usually needed for the development of a learning environment for the employees. The feedback and action are, therefore, an influential factor in the workplace learning and environment Learning-committed leadership and management; the commitment usually received from the top level management and leadership also affects the workplace learning to a significant extent. Work tools, resources and information; workplace learning and development is also influenced by the availability of resources tools and the prerequisite information needed to foster the employee’s training and personal development. Other factors included in this category include the use of a technology, the job challenges experienced and the coaching models usually in the organizations. 3) Personal factors: Under this category, the factors that influence workplace learning include; The skills, attitudes and motivations; these have been known to affect the workplace learning and development. The skills often required by different organizations coupled with the attitudes and motivation of the firms workforce influences the learning environment. Communication; the different levels and modes and procures of communication within organizations has also been regarded as a factor influencing the workplace environment. Communication is required for motivation purposes that to a large extent would engage the employees in the achieving the necessary skills and the need for learning newer skills Commitment, Involvement; The involvement of the organization employees in the various learning procedures and avenues also is a factor that should be considered. To establish effective workplace learning environment, the commitment and active involvement of the employees must be sought (Kail and Cavanaugh 2013, 43). Other personal factors include rewards and people relationships for learning in the organizations. Reward is a motivation given and when exploited would largely influence the workplace environment. The type of relationships individuals develop for learning also influences their learning. 4) Sociopolitical and Economic environment factors: These factors determine the capability of individuals and the organizations about the finances and resources. The sociopolitical environment is usually a complex phenomenon and its dynamics and changes often affects to a greater extent the workplace learning and development. Organizations might be required to offer particular training to their employees about the social and political surroundings. The prevailing economic environment also guides workplace learning and development. These factors are often external to the organization settings (Sims and Ronald 2007, 66) The HRD is tasked with the role of steering growth in organizations and the development of human resource in fast-changing environments. The HRD can be used to assist the organizations to deal with these forces and in turn help in the improvement of the organization performances. To perform this task they should be able to; deal with the cultural and social factors of learning situated in the workplaces; and have the skills of coaching, mentoring and counseling individuals and teams in knowledge work. The HRD should think strategically and work in virtual contexts and; in order to be to tolerate the various ambiguities in new business workplaces. In addition, there is need to work in different overlapping business situations so as to develop and implement an effective organizational culture that is favorable to learning that can also drive improvement and innovation. This they can be actually undertaken by performing the following activities: Diversifying the learning portfolio: This can be achieved through; the use of newer technology for training; provision of more personalized opportunities for learning; and facilitation of informal learning. Acceleration of the pace of employee training is another factor that should be taken into consideration: This can be achieved through; speedy identification of needs and provision of high-quality learning solutions; facilitation of the access to the learning resources on an as-needed basis; and reduction of the time used to develop training programs. Provision of development opportunities and enhanced communication to the employees: This can be achieved by ensuring that the employees are given the opportunities to develop. In addition, the management should ensure that training and development is done in a way that incorporates the employees current job needs and growth opportunities. This will enable the employees to understand both the carrier opportunities and that for personal growth. Conclusion Human capital is subject to decay. It is therefore in the interest of the management to ensure that the employees are up to date in terms of skills and knowledge. Companies that invest in their employee’s skills and knowledge development are characterized by high productivity. That is, well skilled employees will deliver in their work accordingly hence growth to the company. With the changing business environment and competition, each company should focus on knowledge development of its employees in order to remain relevant and competition in their respective business environment. References Ashton, D. N., and Johnny Sung. 2002. Supporting workplace learning for high performance working. Geneva: ILO. Bratton, John. 2008. Workplace learning: a critical introduction. Aurora, Ont: Higher Education University of Toronto Press. Kail, Robert V., and John C. Cavanaugh. 2013. Human development: a life-span view. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Noe, Raymond A. 2010. Employee training and development. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Poell, Rob F., and Marianne Van Woerkom. 2011. Supporting workplace learning: towards evidence-based practice. Dordrecht: Springer. Sims, Ronald R. 2007. Human resource management: contemporary issues, challenges, and opportunities. Charlotte, N.C.: Information Age Pub. Van Tiem, Darlene M., James L. Moseley, and Joan Conway Dessinger. 2001. Performance improvement interventions: enhancing people, processes, and organizations through performance technology. Washington, DC: International Society for Performance Improvement. World Conference on Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning for the Library and Information Professions. 2005. Continuing professional development-- preparing for new roles in libraries a voyage of discovery : Sixth World Conference on Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning for the Library and Information Professions. München: K.G. Saur. http://www.degruyter.com/search?f_0=isbnissn&q_0=9783598440168&searchTitles=true. Read More