United States Human Resources - Training and Development - Essay Example

Wal-Mart, being the world’s largest private employer, has one of the most sophisticated and advanced human resources (HR) department operations. Fora corporation that accommodates 4.57 million applications through a network of 6,200 kiosks nationwide and through connecting on the Internet, screening and other pre-employment HR tasks are already overwhelming (Sharing our Story, 2006, p.7). Training MethodsWal-Mart, being one of the most sophisticated companies in the world, has put a premium on learning in virtually almost every aspect of their employees.

For example, trainees receive detailed training and on-the-job experience, specifically designed to develop individual stores and club management in the future (Sharing our Story, 2006, p.6). Aside from these usual training methods, John DiBenedetto, Vice President, talent planning and development for Wal-Mart plans to develop a training program, “a world-class corporate university without walls” that further improves Wal-Mart’s business performance. DiBenedetto was able to fuse 60 percent operations business from within the company (subject-matter experts) and 40 percent from external talent (human resource development) (Whitney, 2006).

DiBenedetto even adopts the latest technology in hand-held learning devices and podcasting to facilitate and enhance learning. Purchasing a Program Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., with its new vice president for talent planning and planning, John DiBenedetto, is tying up with prestigious universities such as Cornell and Duke to provide business planning and training for senior officers in the corporation. Aside from this, Wal-Mart purchases training programs from different HR development agencies and providers for its personnel.

To fund these DiBenedetto resorts not only to corporate budget but also to contributions of sales revenues of individual stores (Whitney, 2006). Assessing HR Needs Wal-Mart has high standards of quality in their service. Its founder, Sam Walton, sees to it that there is a culture of effective customer service that will be followed by his corporation’s personnel which includes his three guiding principles – Respect for the Individual, Service to Customers, Strive for Excellence – and other set of dogmas such as rules for building businesses, sundown rule, ten foot rule, among others.

Evaluating HRD DiBenedetto has great confidence in using metrics to evaluate personnel needs. He maps out business impact and service levels form customers to check out which aspect of HR needs to be changed or developed. Wal-Mart also regularly conducts Saturday Morning Meeting’s to award the stellar performances of its employees and to provide positive critique to the past week’s performance (Saturday Morning Meeting, 2007). All in all, Wal-Mart has been doing a great deal in its HR development.

Wal-Mart is keen in the training and learning needs of its personnel. In fact, DiBenedetto is tapping other learning institutions to improve Wal-Mart’s service quality. It even conducts diversity and inclusion training programs from external experts to provide service associates to work with various cultures and backgrounds. However, because of the numerous stores Wal-Mart has, it suffers from inconsistencies in the way HR development is done. Providing a standard of work excellence that will be used for all branches is yet to be found (Whitney, 2006).

Works CitedSaturday Morning Meeting. 2007. Wal-Mart. 12 August 2007. < http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=260> Wal-Mart. 2006. Sharing our story: A Year of Accomplishments. – Wal-Mart Diversity Report. Bentonville, Arkansas: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Whitney, Kellye. October 2006. Wal-Mart: Rebuilding Learning, One Box at a Time. Chief Learning Officer. 12 August 2006. < http://www.clomedia.com/content/templates/clo_article.asp?articleid=1531&zoneid=2>