2 Discussions

Training and development is a critical practice in the HRM process because “the purpose of strategic HRM is to help an organization achieve its goals and objectives through people. Therefore, training and development should help improve organizational competencies and performance.” (Youssef-Morgan, 2015, ch.7.4). Other reasons that necessitate continuous training and development are the aging workforce and globalization of organizations. Some employers do not see the benefit of employee training as it does cost, time, and money. However, the Society for Human Resource Management (2015, para. 1) states that “employee development is almost universally recognized as a strategic tool for an organization’s continuing growth, productivity, and ability to retain valuable employees.” For example, if an employee is untrained or undertrained, the quality of work and performance is probably lower than the employee’s potential, and may even cost the organization time and money. 

5 Steps

There are five steps in the training process: (1) assessment, (2) design, (3) development, (4) delivery, and (5) evaluation. In the first step, a training needs assessment is conducted at the organizational and individual level in order to identify any gaps between the current and the required competencies (O’Connor, 2006). In step 2 (training design), the training goals are determined. It is important to note that goals are dependent on the employees’ current capabilities and gained future capabilities. Training development, the third step, focuses on content and resources that are necessary to meet the training’s goals and objectives. The 4th step (training delivery) focuses on training methods and logistics. Finally, step 5, (training evaluation), is in wherein the organization assesses the training and determines whether or not the training met the needs and objectives in which it was designed.

There are other means for employers and organizations to provide training at low cost, especially in recent years with the rise of online training. In-house training would be an example of an alternative source for training and development. Overall, the main purpose of training and development is to improve employees’ skills which will allow them to perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively.  The end result of training and development on employees is “motivation, performance quality, productivity, and engagement.” (Youssef-Morgan, 2015, ch. 7.5).