Individual Development

Introduction

Individual Development

focuses on the importance of personal growth and development through learning programs or training

activities, to be able to develop knowledge, skills and appropriate behaviours for current jobs.

Objectives

* Develop an insight and understanding regarding human resource development.

* Identify and describe the process or phases needed in the individual development.

Definition of Terms

Human Resource Development (HRD)

- Organized learning experience in a definite time period to increase the possibility of improving job performance

growth.

- Defined by Nadler, “Series of organized activities conducted within a specified time and designed to

produce behavioural change.”

- Set of systematic and planned activities designed by an organization to provide its members the opportunities to learn

necessary skills to meet current and future jobs.

Training

- Providing an employee with skills that can be used immediately in the job.

- Providing employees the knowledge and skills needed to do a particular task or job.

- Learning process that involves the acquisition of skills, concepts, rules or attitude to enhance employee performance.

Development

- Providing an employee with knowledge that may be used today or at some time in the future.

- Longer term focus on preparing for future work responsibilities while also increasing the capabilities of

employees to perform their current jobs.

Learning

- The acquisition and development of memories and behaviors, including skills, knowledge, understanding, values and wisdom. It is the goal of education and the

product of experience.

Human Resource Development Philosophy

First principle,

human beings have the capacity for growth.

Second principle,

Every individual has a unique value.

Third principle,

An employee’s interest and organizational objectives can be integrated.

Fourth principle,

Human resource development and manpower training are investments that will yield a considerable return.

Objective and Purpose ofHuman Resource Development – Individual Development

Companies engage in human resource development and manpower training for three reasons:

1. To prepare for positions left vacant, thus providing continuity for the smooth operation of the company;

2. To prepare employees to perform newly created duties and responsibilities brought about by changes in an organization’s objectives, structure, laws, policies and new technology; and,

3. To improve the ability employees to perform present or future duties more effectively.

The ultimate objective of human resources development is to achieve organizational effectiveness. Thus, development and manpower training are closely related to organizational development (OD).

The purpose of individual development is to increase employees knowledge, skills and competence or to improve behaviors in current jobs while at the same time addressing the immediate need of the organization as well as the employee.

Characteristics of a Human Resource Development

In order to ensure a successful program, the company’s human resource development effort must be:

a. A planned, organized and systematized undertaking. It is not a disjointed series of activities or haphazard, crisis action/ reaction trial-and –error approach.

b. An organize-wide undertaking. This means that the strategies and content of any HRD program/ activity must reflect and be within the context of the company’s social , behavioral, functional and technical systems and environment.

c. Managed and supported from the top by the president, executives, managers, and supervisors who are committed to change being sought via HRD efforts.

Benefits of Human Resource Development

1. Training helps employees to learn their jobs quickly; economically and effectively thus there is reduction in work errors.

2. The standard of work required by the company is more likely to be achieved an maintained if employees are well trained and that labor turn over among new staff can be reduced.

3. A greater volume of work can be expected from a trained staff because they work more rapidly and they make fewer mistakes thereby reduction in time required in completing a task; reduction of costs of extra materials and supplies due to excess waste and defective products; reduction of supervisory burden, among others.

4. Employees are less likely to become frustrated and leave if opportunities for further training and development are available within the company.

Cost of Investing in Human Resource Development

The true cost of human resource development and manpower training to a company is not the financial incurred- that is the money costs- but the opportunity cost involved.