Is it Appropriate for Governments to Regulate HRD Practices in Businesses - Term Paper Example

Human Resource Functions: Is it Appropriate for Governments to Regulate and Influence HRD Practices within Businesses? Human Resources development (HRD) is one of the aspects of Human resource functions. HRD involves improving the working competence of employees so as to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives (Nadler, 1984). It is the step by step process of encouraging the professional and individual growth of each employee. HRD can be classified into professional, personal and organizational development (Towers, 1996). Professional development helps the employee grow career-wise, personal development helps him grow as a person and organizational development enables the company to increase its overall performance and competitive advantage. Effective HRD practices include: employee training, career development and skill development (Joy-Mathews, Meggison and Surtees, 2004). Many organizations in the world today have human resource policies that incorporate the aspect of human resource development within and outside the company. In the UK, most of the top companies have a strong human resource management that takes care of the employees’ development needs. One of the reasons why some organizations in the country appear more successful than others has to do with the level of HR development. Employees in such organizations normally feel valued, and this increases their morale, which translates to better performance and more profitability for the company (Towers, 1996). Although many companies in the country have their own internal HR development policies, most of them are not sufficient to empower employees to be as productive as they are supposed to be in this day and age. The government has stepped in its effort to ensure that the workforce receives competent training in various work sectors (Joy-Mathews, Meggison and Surtees, 2004). However, the involvement of government through regulations is debatable. This paper aims at tackling some of the arguments for and against the influence of legislations on employee development. Common HRD Practices within Businesses There are a number of HRD activities that are carried out within organizations. Vocational development helps individuals to realize and advance their self concept, which results in better performance at the workplace (Nadler, 1984). In the UK, training of employees is one of the most important HRD practices. Employees normally receive on the job and off the job training to enable them enhance their performance in an organization. Through proper training, it is possible for organizations to have proper staffing and to improve retention. Training normally ranks high among the benefits sought by employees and by giving them these training opportunities, organizations contribute to their job satisfaction and motivation. Employees can gain formal training through conferences, workshops seminars and classes. They can also get informal training through on-the-job experience. Many companies in the UK are offering cross training, special projects as well as job shadowing (Towers, 1996). These training activities are very effective for career growth and they are also quite cost effective. On the job training involves training activities that employees can undertake while they are still working. This form of training is convenient for both the employer and employee since no duties will remain unattended to. Another form of employee development that is slowly gaining momentum is computer-based self instruction. This allows the employees in an organization to learn in a convenient manner, that is, the learning process does not in any way interfere with their work schedules. There is also the other matter of mentorship for development. There are various professional societies and civic groups with which employees can network with for mentoring opportunities (Stewart, Rigg and Trehan, 2007). Employees who take part in the mentoring programs offered in these organizations have opportunities to expand their horizons and advance their careers in more ways than one. Some organizations also offer tuition reimbursements to their employees to enable them undertake classroom learning and training in classes, universities and colleges. How Does Government regulates and Influence HRD Practices? In the UK, the government’s role in the running of HRD affairs can be direct or indirect. One of the most direct influences the government has on Human resource development in businesses is through the creation of vocational courses in schools. Another direct influence is through the legislative changes in training. Employment laws, which are endorsed and passed by government bodies, also play a significant role in HRD practices in businesses (Elliot and Turnbull, 2005). Creation of Vocational Courses in School Curriculums Vocational courses are those subjects that are practical in nature (Elwood, Holton and Trott, 1996). These courses normally help students gain the skills that are essential in much of the business world today. Skills needed and required by most organizations include communication, interpersonal, entrepreneurial, management, leadership and organizational skills (Nadler, 1984). These skills can be taught to students at the high school and college/university level. It is better to start teaching vocational skills to young people before they enter the job market so that they can have a better chance of being absorbed into various positions in organizations. Vocational courses also include computer skills which are some of the most sought after skills in the job market. Vocational courses are also available for employees as well as managers (Elwood, Holton and Trott, 1996). Employees can decide to continue their education by pursuing some of the vocational courses that are offered in college and university curriculums. The vocational education approach adopted by the UK government is competence based. It aims to identify those skill areas that are in demand and then ensures that employees and prospective employees are fully equipped with these skills (Elliot and Turnbull, 2005). Training changes and regulations As times change, so does the need for training (Stewart, Rigg and Trehan, 2007). Government has put in place to ensure that training and other employee development opportunities offered by organizations are in line with the requirements in the job market. The Employee Compensation Act 2006 requires organizations to offer certain compensation packages to employees depending on work experience and level of expertise (Wilson, 2010). One of the requirements for these organizations is to provide the type of training for employees that will enable them get compensation packages that are in line with the compensation act. Employment policy The UK government has also been instrumental in offering incentive to the young people to develop their skills so as to have a better chance in the job market. Through a special legislation known as the New Deal, government offers the youth who are most affected by joblessness a chance to develop their skills and increase their level of experience in their areas of interest (Reid, Barrington and Brown, 2004). A few organizations have come up with training strategies that involve combining effort with government agencies that offer employee training. This makes it easier and more cost effective since companies can get employees who have already been trained in various aspects of business. The UK Employment Law has a direct influence on employee development in any organization. The law contains anti-discriminatory clauses which prohibit managers and employers from exhibiting discriminatory practices when training and developing their workforce. The most significant of these clauses is contained in the Equality Act 2010 (Wilson, 2010). The aim of this act was to make it illegal for anyone in any given capacity or situation to discriminate another person due to a physical, social or any perceived difference. The Law makes it a criminal offence for anyone to refuse training opportunities due to an employees, race, age, disability, sex, genetics and even religion (Robinson, 2007 and Stewart, Rigg and Trehan, 2007). All employees at a certain level are equal before the eyes of the law, and they should be afforded equal opportunities to develop in their careers. The Equality Act 2010 requires managers in big and small businesses to show discretion and fairness in any Human resource development ventures the company might decide to undertake. Best Practice Policies The government aims to increase those training levels on organizations which are deemed to be too low (Stewart, McGoldrick, and Watchon, 2001). To counter poor training practices, the government has introduced a best practices policy which organizations are required to implement in order to ensure that training standards are of high quality. Through the introduction of initiatives such as National Training Awards (NTA) and Investors in People (IIP), the government aims to influence best practices in HRD. The government has also encouraged the use of local enterprise councils (LECs) and training and enterprise councils (TECs) in companies that want to identify skill needs within their workforce (Swart, Mann, and Price, 2005). Is the Government’s Influence on HRD Practices Appropriate? I think that the role that the government plays in enhancing employee development at the workplace is very important, not only for the individual companies, but also for the whole country’s economy as well. It has been proven that organizations that value their employees by offering them career and skill-oriented training opportunities are also among the most successful in the country, and indeed, in the rest of the business world. The performance of employees who are well trained cannot be compared to the performance of those with little or no development training. The regulations set by the government in relation to employee training and development play an important role in enhancing best practices in organizations. They place requirements upon an employer to ensure that employees gain proper training that also reflect the organizations and well and national standards (Stewart, McGoldrick, and Watchon, 2001). The regulations also require that HRD practices be fair for all employees. Discouraging discrimination based on age, sex, religious affiliation, race or any other perceived difference helps the organization have employees with high level of expertise, who are motivated to propel the organization to greater heights (Swart, Mann, and Price, 2005). I do not think that government influence on HRD practices has any detrimental effects on the operations and profitability of a company and should be encouraged even in the smallest of businesses. It is clear that the government has tried to influence positive HRD practices in organizations, but there is still a long way to go (Reid, Barrington and Brown, 2004). The potential of employees in many sectors in the country’s organization is not met because they do not receive proper and enough professional, personal and organizational training. There is need to more regulations to ensure that training and development reflects the requirements in specific professional areas and the job market (Elliot and Turnbull, 2005). There is need to make training uniform or industry-specific. This standardization is useful in ensuring that quality training methods and practices are maintained in all organizations. For a company to be as effective as possible, it has to depend on its available resources, including the human resources. The human resources, especially the employees need to be fully equipped with relevant knowledge and skills that will enable them to perform as expected. The organization has the responsibility of developing its employees. The Human resource department plays the vital role of ensuring that employees remain relevant, purposeful and useful within the organization. By offering appropriate training and development opportunities to the workforce, employers and managers help to enhance the competence level of the organization, which then enhances the organization’s competitive advantage. The government’s role in making a company successful through workforce development is important as it encourages best practices in the human resources development within organizations. Conclusion Human Resource Development in any organization is very important. Employees need to have relevant and appropriate skills and knowledge that the company can utilize to give it a competitive advantage. Most companies in the UK have functional Human resources departments which take care of development issues for employees. They carry out training and career development activities which are part of the organization’s policies. Training and development of human resources in an organization is vital for the company’s short term and long term well being. Training and development activities are aimed at enhancing performance and improving the organization’s competitive advantage. As long as there are no negative influences, the government’s support of these training and development activities in businesses is a good move that should be encouraged at all fronts. Regulation will make trained and development uniform in all organization and for all employees. There will not be any discrimination that leads to some people gaining more skills and knowledge than others. The existing laws and policies that touch on human resources development are very effective, but there is always room for improvement. One of the improvements that can be done on regulations is the introduction of training and development standardization which will put to an end poor HRD practices in companies. This standardization will also enhance development of human resources that is in line with the requirements of the current global business. 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