Human Resource- Training and development

A career in human resource training and development not just provides great fulfillment but is also financially rewarding and stable. Training and development of employees in any organization is a very important aspect that leads to individual potential being fulfilled and business goals being achieved. Every organization in the world today recognizes the importance of training and development. This is crucial to having a competitive edge over others companies.

Not only do HR professionals train employees who may be straight out of college for their new jobs, they also focus on developing them for future responsibilities. They help even employees in higher and senior profiles become better at what they do. All this will, directly and indirectly, benefit the business. Not only does it help in increasing employee satisfaction (when they know that their talents and strengths are being developed) it also helps in retaining employees in the organization over a longer period of time. This is because of the innate tendency in every human being to reach their full potential. This is what a trained professional in HR training and development does every single day of their life at work in any organization.

This training and development activities are crucial to the success of any company that values its human capital. Statistics and extensive research have shown that all employees need to see some investment in their career path and individual potential on the part of the company they work in for them to feel truly satisfied and continue to work in the company over the years. The major driving force for job retention is job satisfaction. By investing in training and development, organizations enjoy a host of benefits through its employees such as increase in the development of skills, learning of new skills, increased job satisfaction and productivity on the job, as well as an increased sense of well-being, belonging, and self-motivation, resulting in the need for lesser levels of supervision. This frees up the higher level managers to concentrate on core business functions rather than spending all their time ensuring that their subordinates are working!

This training and development are effective if it results in a change in the employees’ mindset, attitudes, or personality, for the better. It is also effective if it results in employees learning new skills and further developing existing ones.  The training and development that takes place in an organization are different from any of similar programs conducted in educational institutions. This training and development focuses more on practical training and imparting job-specific skills and also instilling values of professionalism in the employees.

HR training and development help in developing the leadership potential of people. It instils in them a desire for excellence. It also improves their communication skills, confidence, and self-esteem. It helps them to become better at their specific jobs. The training and development also help to get them in sync with the objectives and goals of the organization, instilling a sense of belonging in them that goes a long way towards making them better employees. If there were any deficiencies in the behavior or skills of the employee, this can be effectively rectified through comprehensive training and development programs.

These are programs that should be conducted on a frequent basis in order to make an impact over the longer term. They can be done through group programs or even individual counseling sessions. Work sampling, questionnaires, performance appraisals, surveys, feedback, interviews, etc., all go a long way in helping a HR professional understand and identify the training needs of the organization. Using this data is important to create a program that is tailor-made to the employees and the organization.

The training and development programs can be conducted on the job and off the job. In the case of off the job methodologies, it can be in the form of classroom lectures, cases studies, audio-visual modules, computer-aided instructions, sensitivity training, programmed instruction, laboratory training, etc.

To become an effective and successful professional in this particular training and development field, you would need to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in psychology, business, or human resources. Following this up with a master’s degree in human resources or a master’s of business administration with a specialization in human resources development and training will take your career to the next level. It is also helpful to join a professional organization that will help you network and understand the industry even better.

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