Human Resource Development (HRD) is about enhancing skills by helping people to grow within the organization, and by enabling them to make better use of their abilities and skills. In an increasingly competitive world, which is the reality for most organizations today, few would disagree with the view that a link should exist between the training and the development that the organization undertakes and the business strategy of that organization (Wilson, 1999).
Personnel are now widely regarded as human resources or human capital with the implication that, like other resources, they are to be valued and carefully managed. The amount of financial resource available for the training and development of employees is not unlimited, necessitating decisions where to deploy training activity to maximum effect, and such decision can only be made if those responsible for HRD are clear about the organization’s strategy and priorities (Wilson, 1999).
Many consider human capital the most important resource of an organization. An organization’s operation depends on the capability of its employees to think and perform. To assure success, organizations have been persistent in developing and their human capital. The need to continuously develop human capital made human resource development one of the main focuses of research and investment by the corporate world in order to enhance competency and stay abreast of the rapid changes in the environment.
Because human capital is a significant factor in the success of an organization, it is essential to learn the processes involved in human resource development. It is also important to think about how the inescapable changes in the environment could persuade the field of human resource development.
An alignment between strategy and training and development is now commonly regarded as good business sense in all corners of the globe, but despite this, there is some evidence from both Europe and the United States that, while at an intellectual level this link is recognized, the practice may be considerably different in many countries. Training and development has traditionally been a functional division of the personnel department concerned with carrying out the identification of training and development needs, planning and designing training, implementing training and evaluating it (Wilson, 1999).
By Shirley J. Caruso, M.A., Human Resource Development
References
Wilson, J. P. (1999). Human resource development. New York: Kogan Page.
