Strategic Role of Human Resource Development - Coursework Example

Human resource development Name Instructor Facilitator Institution Introduction Human resource development is a framework adopted by many managers to help their employees to develop their individual, as well as organizational skill. It also provides employees with knowledge and abilities to be very productive thereby achieving organizational goals and objectives. Human resource development includes opportunities like employee's training, their career development, and performance management; human resource hobbies development coaching and mentoring the employees working in a particular organization. Today, most organizations have realized their success by heavily investing in their human resource by either developing their current abilities or coaching and training them to attain new skills needed to achieve the organizational goals and objectives (Lepak & Snell 1999. pp.31–48). In the advent of generational workforce, managers need to come up with new and novel structures that that befit this stratification. The very managers need to come up with thorough and thoughtful analysis of different workplaces, the structure of human resource developments and their theories so that all processes of change can be. Currently, most of the companies are made up of mixed up fabric of human resource. This mostly includes the baby boomer (50-80 years), gen x (27-49 years) and gen y (18-27 years). This, if success has to be in an effectual way, has to be put into consideration when putting measures to develop your staff in your organization (T. N. Garavan 2007. pp.295–320). Strategic Role of Human Resource Development Human resource development has not only proven to be a key determiner on how workers are handled in the world today, but also has contributed to attaining of the organizational objectives. Changes like growth in contingent work, flexible work arrangement and knowledge of the work has brought challenges to human resource development. In case the firm has to realize full effectiveness, human resource development strategies and practices should be considering some key external factors like; Economic structure, Growth of industries, jobs and occupations influence the national economic structure, so human resource development has a key role in filling vacancies, managing knowledge, and ensuring workers have skills required tackling different jobs in the world today. Some setbacks on labor especially aging workforce, gender representation and more culturally heterogeneous workforce have an effect on human resource development as far as need to come up with accommodative policies and practices to manage such diversities. Conceptual bases of Human Resource Development Theories like human capital emphasizes link between training and performance in terms of capital and investment, many firms are likely to invest in training and developing skills where skills gained cannot be. Intellectual theory insists that training should be used to improve performance and organizational productivity, therefore, should focus on knowledge sharing. Resource-based view argues that the human and intellectual capital and knowledge management should be as an essential element of a firm’s stronghold. Some scholars have also supported human resource development. Human resource development in the cornerstone for the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. Development plan should be compressive to target different cadre of age of employees for it to be successful. In some countries like Australia, training and development are focused on occupational skills. In 1980’s, training and development of workers spearheaded strategic approach to human resource development doing away with state protection in the years before to bring out poorly trained employees. Their motto was not only that a well-trained multi- skilled workforce was key for economic survival and development but also that job insecurity increased their employability (Luthans & Jensen 2002. pp.304–322). Functional flexibility and multiskilling has brought about a different view that; development of functional flexibility that provided human resource a variety of high- level skills to empower them to do many jobs. There was a setback in that these changes coincided with a major recession making it hard for employers’ investments in training and development budgets. A range of human resource development initiatives came up during the time of federal labor government. It entailed restructuring and efficiency principle that aimed at wage increment up to 4 % to motivate workers to increase their productivity. Award restructuring that was aimed at integrating career paths in award system that served as a way of motivating the workers. Again, there was a setback in that there was a dichotomy between developing a national coherent training agenda and the needs of the individual enterprise. The government was in a fix to implement a national agenda in a flexible at enterprise level. A lot of money of money was spent in human resource development while employees viewed it as a punishment (Wang & Swanson 2008. pp.358–362). In the modern world, there is the existence of a growing need of the role of intangible assets especially knowledge as the source of competitive advantage. This has led to many organizations today recognizing that competitiveness depends on their ability to manage knowledge effectively since it is unique and cannot be. Many organizations today have shifted their attention to management of knowledge of workers in their organizations. They are particularly interested in increasing skills shortage and capture knowledge effectively. The importance and intangible aspects have four stages, which are Acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation that should be in that very order. To manage this knowledge transfer is an achievement according to United Kingdom recommendations. People in management professionals have made knowledge management work poorly defined posing a threat since they are unsure on how to respond. It is not possible therefore to develop knowledge without considering the main stakeholders of the knowledge base. People management and development is the main stepping-stone. It then requires the organization to focus their employment systems, practices and structures to capture these resources fully (Sherk et al. 2009. p.1). The organizations today are torn into two to choose whether to concentrate on the creation of new peripheral information network or relationships. The system also puts in consideration the shift in management style from asset management to resource management, and it is evident that organizational flexibility provides management with a structure to see it through the responses that allow the desired information to flow. An example of a model that has attracted the attention of many people is the flexible specialization and the flexible firm models (Bulte et al. 2005. pp.1029–1044). Firms that have firms that have failed to consider the key role of training to improve their competitive position with most of them failing to implement basic training and development practices. Lack of external strategic focus for training and development is on assumptions on inter-organization. Relationships and the skills development required to make them effective. Specialists in training and development have limits in identifying potential skills in existing employees. Recruiting new trainees or in identifying the future requirements for the entry- level positions, their role specifically may be reactive in addressing the skills deficiencies for today. They may have little focus on skills shortage in the future. The periodic audit and training of the today training has been the major source of training and development inputs in the business plan, training programs are audited to ensure that any changes to the firms training possess an impact on rules and regulations Training Needs Analysis Its goals are to identify new and emergent training needs flowing from the introduction of new products and secondly it identifies performance gaps that can be solved by training. Steps - Areas within the organization are advised of time and means by which the TNA will be. - Initial training needs are identified, with reference to past training needs and their results. - Training needs are for each area, and budget for the TNA is. Training outcomes at organizational level It has improved the organizational effectiveness by improving organizational effectiveness through improving the performance of individual workers thereby improving performance across the work units, which finally reflects the organization as a whole. It has proven to increase employee learning, which has the led to more knowledge about the job thereby increasing productivity hence increasing financial outcomes especially profit and it has brought changes in behavior hence improving the organizational effectiveness.It has also had an impact to the organization through horizontal and vertical fits that are key as human resource interact to achieve the organizational goals (Saá-Pérez & GarcÍa-FalcÓn 2002. pp.123–140). Putting in mind that training affects worker's skills and behavior especially performance, skills and attitudes, it should be by default it affects outcomes though little is achieved at organizational level. Most organizations have archived their goals as far as production is since training has improved workers’ knowledge skills and attitudes that provide the organization with key competencies leading to their competitive advantage. A career is a sequence of far apart, but related activities that in a way provide a continuum, order and meaning in a person’s work life. Career management is a series of process through which individuals and organizations guide, direct and influence the course of a career. It has proven to be key in attendance of organizational goals and objectives. Traditional views, Erikson’s stages of development, Levisohn’s approach to adults’ development and life span life space have tried to explain human psychological development that has an impact on career management. Career Path Analysis Career path entails a sequence of jobs, usually involving related tasks and experiences that the targeted employee move through over time to aid his career and skills. This then leads to more experienced worker with a vast experience in his line of duty. Many methods have been developed to establish career path taken effective; they include the formal Walton, the Holland’s congruence model and the trait- factor theories (Saá-Pérez & GarcÍa-FalcÓn 2002. pp.123–140). Currently, new career models have been developed, the protean careers and the pluralist careers. The protean career is a lifelong series of identity changes and continuum learning; it’s about personal career choice and search for self-fulfillment. Pluralist careers are about different directions and frequencies of movements within and across different kinds of work over time. The difference between work- family balance and work- life balance has been evident. In that work- family balance focuses on employees’ needs and responsibilities to their immediate family while work- life is considered a broader more holistic term that entails an individual’s ability to balance between or rather integrate work within one’s overall life Demographic shifts have proven to influence work- life needs especially increased participation of women in the workplace, an aging workforce and a considerate number of women in the workforce having children aging below five years. Usually, work- life balance is often independent compared to the way work is. An increase in dual career couples results in career time rich and family- time are greatly affected. An increased flexibility at work can mean less rather than more family time thereby affecting standard work time consequently affecting productivity of the very employees’ hence organizational objectives would not be met (Swanson 2008. pp.763–769). Individual level model and organizational level models are the two categories of models that have been developed. Individual level model key points include separation, spillover, conflict and accommodation. Factors that influence work- life needs include; labor markets trends and changing employment relationship, working longer or harder, increased casualization and lack of training opportunities. This is taking much of the time traditionally allotted for families and community activities. Recently, a shift of interest made by many organizations to address challenges and opportunities presented by the work force that has not ceased to be diverse especially based on gender, ethnicity and many others including management of diversity at workplace has been noted. Workforce has visible and non-visible differences hence management of this workforce entails harnessing these differences while creating a productive environment. Increased productivity, morale and motivation, decreased absenteeism and turnover creativity and innovation understanding specific groups of customers and enhanced company image are among the many benefits of a diverse workforce. Managing an Ageing Workforce It has been observed that the age of retirement is declining, and the organization should be keen when dealing with this sensitive issue. As the organizations need to manage out poor more resistant to change, less interested performing older employees, they also need people not well versed with technology (analogue) to retain valued skills and knowledge. Because of this, there is a need to avoid labelling and discrimination against older employees. Provision of access to training and new technology, recognition of their need for managed feedback and extrinsic rewards should be the best practice in managing and developing an ageing work force. Generation X and Y is a cadre of young employees that should be with keenness. This is because mobility of today’s workforce is most notable in this range of age of employees (Thomas N Garavan 2007. pp.358–362). The Learning Organization It may appear funny but as the individuals in the organization learn so ought the organization to follow suit and learn. Organizing learning is the contemporary development in the area of human resource management and development that has shifted the focus on the human potential of all employees. As the definition goes so should be the organization learning which should be a permanent change of behavior and how thing is done. Leadership is very essential. In every leadership, the leader needs to change and shift team members view to continuous but not intermittent learning. This is the only way the permanent behavior will be and change be cemented. Implication of Human Resource Development Another thing is the apparent lack of observing the impact of this organization learning in many organizations. The impact is amazing in a number of forms to human resource development. The process of learning is continuous and unending process so an organization cannot reach the final state or saturation point of learning. Managers should put a lot of stress on this (Lengnick-Hall et al. 2009. pp.64–85). Ethics and Human Resource Development Ethic is now and forever part of any successful organization that needs greater success. It has to be conceptualized and inculcated in a way that will enables the managers and the entire team of employees to adhere to code ethics without breaching any policy that the organization comes up. This is usually seen even at micro level of organization where business ethics is in wider issues relating to the relationship of an organization with society in the general case in point is corporate social responsibility (Mok Kim Man 2012. pp.41–53). Ethics Adherence Human resource development plans are widely waxed with code ethics and professionalism. Without one of them, there is no the other one. Therefore, without ethics the human resource development is considered to be in a vacuum. The issues that make it unparalleled to work without the other one is include a wide range of list. These include the economic frameworks, the way change is the prevailing social problem, the reaction of some of the entrepreneurial activities. Ethics is an asset in many other ways. The ethical framework it is a critical component of a genuine and authentic, strategic thinking in the organization. Ethical Frameworks In order to have a sight of understanding and shaping complex of an organization one need to nothing but one thing. This is bringing ethical perspective to organizational function like human resource development. This enables one to have critical self-reflection in the human resource development issues. The frameworks will include deontology (pinned on the inherent rightness or wrongness of action independent of their consequences), consequentialism that has no preservation of acts that are right or good. Relativism that implies that acceptance of the notion that the practice no matter how morally abhorrent to as is acceptable because other believe its write. Other framework are based on pluralism and applied ethics that has it that give credence on moral insight or moral imagination than the strong adherence of a single set of principle (Nafukho et al. 2004. pp.41–53). Understanding Stakeholders Employees are the backbone of any organization. They make a considerable commitment in taking a job that may include geographical move, change in a relationship or any other factors. As manager one need to understand all this factors so as to have effectual leadership. Plans should be made to know the way a particular worker behave the way he does (Wright & McMahon 1992. pp.295–320). Managers and employees in equal measure should now that globalization is where the world is heading. This is where the organization one is working for does not know the existence of the national borders. In this formation, he critique the company will be of different nations and multicultural so the human resource development planners need to capture these to avoid a confrontation that may come with it. Human resource management is an integral to the performance of multicultural enterprise. Even if the organization has not crossed the borders, by merely working with the employees from a diversity one must know these global laws of human resource development (Wright et al. 2001. pp.358–362). Human resource development in the global context This reflects individual perspective of global HRD. One needs competencies required for effective performance singularly focusing on acculturation and cross-cultural management. This will lead to blossoming of success if done in an effective and professional way. Because, there is a need of a different culture to be put into consideration since they are part of success. The organizations in the 21st century are more about the organizational goals and objectives. This has led to the human resource management team in every organization to focus more on the main stakeholders who are key to propelling the organizational wheel to its goals; these are the organizational employees (T. N. Garavan 2007. pp.11–30). Another concern that has been of great interest is different cadre of employees as far as their ages are (Generation x, Generation Y and baby boomers). It is a special concern because all these people are key to realize organizational goals but important is; they require different ways of development due to their different need and hence the human resource development team in any organization should be aware of it as they develop their workforce. Incase all these is in all organizations worldwide but especially in Australia, all employees view their jobs as “comfortable," they worked to their potentials and organization’s goals, and objectives will be achieved. (Swanson 2008. pp.763–769). Conclusion Human resource management needs to be in one way centralized and at the same time transferable. The interdependence of the economies cannot accommodate a structure that is very static, hence, transferability is needed. With this, the current and emerging issues will be captured, and it will be able to develop the developers. The organizations today are concerned more about addressing internal skills and knowledge deficiencies. That is why they have impressed training of their workers unlike internal gap analysis that only identifies the deficiencies of today. However, training and development department are rarely called upon to pinpoint skills issues, facilitating strategic organizational learning or forecasting the skills and competences required in the future, the firms that have put this department into use have benefitted a lot (Khan 2012. pp.1021–1034). Today, organizational managers are committed to as much as possible develop their workforce (workers) at any expense since failure to their development, the organization will at long last incur losses due to their incompetent staffs. This has been the reason some organizations especially in Australia have gone a step ahead by coming up with an independent department (Human Resource Development) that is the task to deal with development of workers. Failure to utilize training fully in many firms in Australia has made managers spent more in training their workers. Scholars argue that training is important in improving organizational performance and competitiveness. References Bulte, E.H., Damania, R. & Deacon, R.T., 2005. Resource intensity, institutions, and development. World Development, 33, pp.1029–1044. Garavan, T.N., 2007. A Strategic Perspective on Human Resource Development. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 9, pp.11–30. Khan, M.B., 2012. Human resource development, motivation and Islam. Journal of Management Development, 31, pp.1021–1034. Lengnick-Hall, M.L. et al., 2009. Strategic human resource management: The evolution of the field. Human Resource Management Review, 19, pp.64–85. Lepak, D.P. & Snell, S.A., 1999. THE HUMAN RESOURCE ARCHITECTURE: TOWARD A THEORY OF HUMAN CAPITAL ALLOCATION AND DEVELOPMENT. Academy of Management Review, 24, pp.31–48. Luthans, F. & Jensen, S.M., 2002. Hope: A New Positive Strength for Human Resource Development. Human Resource Development Review, 1, pp.304–322. Mok Kim Man, M., 2012. Malaysia Human Resource Development (HRD) Needs: Challenges and Suggestions. International Journal of Management & Innovation, 4, pp.41–53. Nafukho, F.M., Hairston, N. & Brooks, K., 2004. Human capital theory: implications for human resource development. Human Resource Development International, 7, pp.545–551. Saá-Pérez, P. De & GarcÍa-FalcÓn, J.M., 2002. A resource-based view of human resource management and organizational capabilities development. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 13, pp.123–140. Sherk, K.E. et al., 2009. An experience of virtual leadership development for human resource managers. Human resources for health, 7, p.1. Swanson, R.A., 2008. Economic Foundation of Human Resource Development: Advancing the Theory and Practice of the Discipline. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 10, pp.763–769. Wang, G.G. & Swanson, R.A., 2008. Economics and Human Resource Development: A Rejoinder. Human Resource Development Review, 7, pp.358–362. Wright, P.M., Dunford, B.B. & Snell, S.A., 2001. Human resources and the resource based view of the firm. Journal of Management, 27, pp.701–721. Wright, P.M. & McMahon, G.C., 1992. Theoretical persectives for strategic human resource management. Journal of Management, 18, pp.295–320. Read More