Introduction to Training and Development




Organizations need employees with high and significant levels of knowledge, skills and potential in order to achieve company goals. Strategies taken to meet this need are business-led in the sense that the employees are based on an understanding of the strategic imperatives of the business and support the achievement of organization goals(Armstrong 2014). Learning is the process by which a person constructs new knowledge, skills and capabilities, whereas training is one of several responses an organization can undertake to promote learning (Reynolds et al,2002). But organizations also need to take account of the personal needs of employees and should examining strategies for creating a learning culture for promoting organizational and individual learning (Armstrong 2014).

Harrison (2009) defined Training and Development as "the process of ensuring that the organization has the knowledgeable, skilled and engaged workforce it needs" It involves facilitating the acquisition by individuals and teams of knowledge and skills through experience, learning events and programmes provided by the organization, guidance and coaching provided by line managers and others, and self-directed learning activities carried out by individuals (Armstrong 2014).

Training & Development

Training refers to a planned effort by a company to facilitate employees’ learning of job related abilities (Raymond 2009). These abilities include knowledge, skills, or behaviors that are the most important for successful job performance. The objective of the training is being master about the knowledge, skill & behaviors and to apply them to their day-to-day activities (Raymond 2009). The systematic application of formal processes to impart knowledge and help people to acquire the skills necessary for them to perform their jobs satisfactorily (Armstrong 2014).

For a company to acquire a competitive advantage, its training has to involve more than just basic skill development. (Raymond 2009) Company should view training mainly as a way to create intellectual capital. Intellectual capital includes basic skills (skills needed to perform one’s job) advanced skills (such as how to use technology to share information with other employees) (Raymond 2009)



Training is the organized way in which organizations provide development and enhance quality of new and existing employees. Training is viewed as a systematic approach of learning and development that improve individual, group and organization (Goldstein& Ford, 2002). In Khawaja & Nadeem (2013) thus it is the series of activities embarked upon by organization that leads to knowledge or skills acquisition for growing purposes. Thereby, contributing to the well being and performance of human capital, organization, as well as the society at large.

The organization I’m employed is a leading private bank of the country with 251 branches and 563 ATM’s. Apart from providing general banking HNB is engaged in development banking, mortgage financing, lease and hire purchase financing, corporate banking, dealing in government securities, pawn broking, Islamic banking, stock broking, micro financing and property development. The very success of HNB over the years has been its employees occasions such as Asia's Best Employer Awards for "excellence in training in year 2012 & awarded the prestigious 'Excellence in Training and Development Award' an overall award for best results-based training, at the Asia's Training and Development Excellence Awards 2013. My workplace is a firm believer in leading its employees towards excellence. HNB was recognized for their excellence in training and development in many in every aspect of financial management and banking; sharing knowledge across the talent pool irrespective of job functions proactively and on a continuous basis has enabled the Bank to create a culture of learning and the same has allowed the Bank to achieve sustainable business.


Strategic Learning & Development



Walton (1999) defined Strategic L&D as “Strategic human resource development involves introducing, eliminating, modifying, directing, and guiding processes in such a way that all individuals and teams are equipped with the skills, knowledge and competences they require to undertake current and future tasks required by the organization”. Strategic L&D is an approach to helping people to learn and develop that is concerned with how the organization’s goals will be achieved through its human resources by means of integrated L&D strategies, policies and practices (Armstrong 2014).


Fig 1 - Components of Learning and Development

Source – Armstrong 2014


Employee Training and Employee Productivity

Training has been invaluable in increasing productivity of organizations.  It does not only enhance employees resourcefully, but also provides them with an opportunity to virtually learn their jobs and perform more competently. Positive impact of training on employees’ productivity.  Training as a process is one of the most pervasive methods to enhance the productivity of individuals and communicating organizational goals to personnel (Ekaterina & Vasilios 2009).


Fig 2 - Relationship cycle

Source – Rohan & Madhumita (2012)


Conclusion 
  • Training & Development programmes extend beyond job training to capacity building for leadership, supporting career progression and personal development.
  • Organizations focused strategy, dedication and commitment to build capacity and support personal development and aspirations of staff.
  • Long term view of investment in people and commit resources to provide professional and quality programmes for staff, designed to meet their growing aspirations as well as business needs. 
  • Mindful of the changing work scenarios with more and more millennial joining the workforce, Companies  has tried to place training on a platform that would appeal to the younger members of its staff and made a strategic decision to make learning seamless.
References
  • Armstrong, M, 2008, Strategic Human Recourse Management 4th edn. London: Kogan
  • Armstrong, M, 2014 Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 13th edn. London: Kogan Page, Limited.
  • Ekaterini Galanou, Constantinos-Vasilios Priporas  (2009): “A  model  for  evaluating  the  effectiveness  of  middle  managers‟ training  courses:  evidence  from  a  major  banking  organization  in  Greece”.  International  Journal  of  Training  and Development, pp 221-24m
  • Global journal Eoployee productivity”  November-December, 2013 ISSN: 2319  7285
  • Harrison, R (2009f Commerce & Management “The impact of Employee training & development on E) Learning and Development, 5th edn, London, CIPD\
  • Khawaja   & Nadeem(2013) “Training  and  Development Program  and  its Benefits  to  Employee and  Organization: A Conceptual  Study”.  European Journal of Business and Management. ISSN 2222-1905 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2839 (Online) Vol.5, No.2, 2013
  • Raymond A N, 2017 Employee Training & Development 7th edn. New York, McGraw
  • Raymond A N, 2010 Employee Training & Development 5th edn. New York, McGraw
  • Rohan, S. & Madhumita, M. (2012):  “Impact  of  Training  Practices  on  Employee  Productivity:  A Comparative  Study”. Interscience Management Review (IMR) ISSN: 2231-1513 Volume-2, Issue-2, 2012.
  • Walton, J (1999) Strategic Human Resource Development, Harlow, FT Prentice Hall









Comments

  1. Agreed to your views. Training & development refer to educational activities within a company created to enhance the knowledge & skills of employees while providing information & instruction on how to better perform specific tasks. From training & development, company can achieve more benefits as they can improve employee performance, address employees' weaknesses, increase innovation in new strategies and reduce employee turnover as well (Thompson, 2019).

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    1. Most employees have some weaknesses in their workplace skills. A training program allows you to strengthen those skills that each employee needs to improve. A development program brings all employees to a higher level so they all have similar skills and knowledge. This helps reduce any weak links within the company who rely heavily on others to complete basic work tasks. Providing the necessary training creates an overall knowledgeable staff with employees who can take over for one another as needed, work on teams or work independently without constant help and supervision from others ( Frost, 2019)

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  2. I agree with your views. Further, the workers of any organization are considered, an asset that is indispensable, therefore the investment made by an organization on training the employees, is essentially a key factor for gaining competitive advantage (Falola, Osibanjo and Ojo, 2014).

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    1. Agreed, Firm recognize employees as row materials for their firm. To convert these row material into product, firm should develop their skills, knowledge, innovation and creativity through training (Breadwell & Holden, 1998).

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  3. Agree with your view on strategic learning & Development. Further, strategic learning is a powerful tool used by the industry leaders (Garrett et al., 2009). According to Moon and Lee (2015), Strategic learning allows organizations to adopt with constant changes in the industry by engaged in continues development and sharing of strategic knowledge of the Human capital.

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    1. Agreed with your views and also Training and employee‟s performance are significant factors to the firm that are interrelated to each other. Training programs play an important role to measure the employees‟ capabilities and firm capabilities (Sahinidis & Bouris, 2008)

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  4. Well discussed Uditha. As you correctly said, the current generation of globalization demands continuous learning and development to update organization to the current dynamics. Maimuna & Rashad (2013) explains that due the above reason, management strongly believes that the real capital of an organization is the workforce which can rapidly update and swift to dynamical change demand. The author further adds, to create such workforce it is very important to implant suitable industrial training and development workshops to each appropriate levels, which can enhance employee skills, knowledge and abilities.

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    1. Agreed with your views and also Training and development must be designed and delivered to meet the needs of all employees in such a way that the employees will not be only productive but also be satisfied. Training and development has a positive impact on the employees to carry out their work more effectively, increasing their interpersonal and technical abilities, team work, job confidence and work motivation (Kate Hutchings, Cherrie J. Zhu, Brian K. Cooper, Yiming Zhang and Sijun Shao 2009)

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  5. Agreed Uditha, further employee training and development plays an significant role in performance growth and high-level production resulting in increased strength of the business in the competitive marketplace (Nassazi, 2013).

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    1. Agreed, Employees with effective training will possess better opportunities to acquire more new knowledge and skills, as well as competence. Therefore, they will be more able to perform tasks effectively and with better quality (Anam Amin., et al 2013 & Mubashar Farooq and Muhamamd Aslam Khan, 2000)

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  6. Hi Uditha, agree with you, Training is more important to the growth of company, which organization can build more committed and productive workforce. Continuous training and development of human resource is very crucial and vital because training and development are very important in a world where technological advancement is very rapid and is very important for any organization’s success (Laing, 2009).

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    1. According to Susan, (2012), HRD is a frame work for helping employees develop their personal and organization skills, knowledge and abilities. Training on the other hand is an organizational efforts aimed at helping an employee to acquire basis skills required for the effective and efficient execution of the functions for which he or she is hired. That is having focuses on technical skills, supervisory skills, and relatively specific areas of accounting methods, material management and planning .

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  7. According to Thomson (2019) Training and development help to enhance the employee skills.Further training means that providing proper guidance to engage the current job more efficiently and effectively.but development means provide further guidance to perform new job responsibilities.

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