Various Mechanisms for HRD (Human Resource Development)

Investment in human resource development is most enduring to the organization because without it, organization is only a skeleton. The various mechanisms for Human Resource Development (HRD) are:

1. Systematic training mechanism: Systematic training is a training which is specifically designed to meet defined needs. It is planned and provided by people who know how to train, and the impact of training is carefully evaluated. Systematic training is carefully evaluated. Systematic training is based on a simple four-stage model expressed as follows:
1. Defined training needs
2. Decide what sort of training is required to satisfy these needs.
3. Use experienced and trained trainers to plan and implement training.
4. Follow up and evaluation to ensure that is effective.
2. Planned training mechanism: Planned training as defined by Kenney and Reid (1988) is a deliberate intervention aimed at achieving the learning necessary for improved job performance. The process of planned training consists of the following steps.
1. Identify and define training needs: This involves analyzing corporate, team, occupational and individual needs to acquire new skills or knowledge or to improve existing competencies (competence is defined as the ability and willingness to perform a task). The analysis method at this stage on the extent to which training is the best and most cost effective way to solve the problem.
2. Define the learning required: It is necessary to specify as clearly as possible what skills and knowledge have to be learnt, and what attitudes need to be developed.
3. Define the objectives of training: Learning objectives are set which defines not only what has to be learnt, but also what trainees must be able to do after their training programs.
4. Implement the training: Ensue that the most appropriate methods are used.
3. Continuing development mechanism: Training has to be planned properly, but a philosophy of continuing development states that training is not just something, which is provided for people by the organization at the start of their employment or at occasional points in their career. It should instead be regarded as a continuing process, with less emphasis on formal instruction and an increased requirement for trainees to be responsible for their own learning, with help and guidance from their managers. The learning activity in an organization is to be fully beneficial both to the organization and its employees, the following conditions must be met.
1. The organization must have some form of strategic business. It is desirable that the implications of the strategic plan, in terms of the skills and knowledge of the employees. Who will achieve it? It should be spelled out.
2. Managers must be ready and willing to define and meet needs as they appear. All learning needs cannot be anticipated: organizations must faster a philosophy of continuous development.
3. As for as practicable, learning and work must be integrated. This means that encouragement must be given to all employees to learn from the problems, challenges and successes inherent in their day-to-day activities.
4. Performance related training approach: A performance related approach to training relates training specifically to performance requirements. For individuals this may mean filling gaps between what they know and can do and what they should know and be able to do. But concentrating on filling gaps may mean falling into the trap of adopting the “deficiency model” of training which implies that training is only about putting right the things that have gone wrong.

Training are much more positive that, it is or should be, more concerned with identifying and satisfying development needs multi-skilling, fitting people to take on extra responsibility, providing for management succession and increasing all round competence.

Managing Quality of HRD

Human resource development (HRD) is concerned with preparing employees to work effectively and efficiently in the organization. It is an important function of human resource management. It ensures that organizations have adequate human resources with capabilities needed for achieving goals effectively. HRD include its working activities and their

interconnectedness with each other to increase productivity and quality of work refers to the employees perceptions of their physical and mental well being at work. The HRD mechanism aims to attain the goal of productivity and quality of work.

HRD quality is perception of excellence by employees and managers to satisfy HRD needs through HRD programmes. The concept of total quality management (TQM) should be used to manage the quality of HRD programmes. TQM is continuously improving the quality of HRD programmes, through everyone commitment and involvement to satisfy needs of participants. Total quality management for HRD requires

• Commitment from top management for HRD.
• Intense focus on employees and manager participants in HRD programmes.
• Participants involvement at all levels of HRD.
• Use of new technology and new methods in the delivery of HRD.
• Feedback from participants about HRD quality.
• HRM actions needed to manage quality of HRD are
• Ensure that all HRD programmes work within the HRD policy and are consistent with organizational goals.
• Priorities HRD needs. Do not dilute resource on to may needs
• Recognize efforts of participants in HRD programmes
• Reward individual and group efforts to improve the quality of HRD 
• Control the effectiveness of HRD efforts in terms of 
•  Reaction criteria: Feeling of participants to the contents, process, method of HRD.
• Learning criteria: Knowledge, skills, attitudes acquired through HRD experience.
• Behavior criteria: Changes in job behavior that result after HRD programmes.
• Result criteria: Improvements in organizational performance after HRD programmes.

Managing Productivity of HRD

Productivity is the efficiency relationship between input and output. It is input-output ratio within a time frame with due consideration quality. It is needed to be properly planned and managed. Components of productivity in HRD are

1. Technology: Availability of HRD technology in terms of skills systems equipment.
2. Innovation: Creation and implementation of new ideas.
3. Learning: Change in behavior resulting from skills and management development.
4. Motivation: Ability to do jobs effectively for higher performance.
5. Cost effective: Efficiently utilized resource allocated to HRD helps to reduce cost with maintaining quality.

The total benefits of HRD should exceed total costs of HRD, HRD should aim for high value for money.

Productivity of HRD should be managed by

• Effecting participants’ involvement in the formulation and implementation of HRD programmes.
• Enhancing motivation of participants for HRD
• Linking HRD rewards with performance.
• Creating supportive organizational climate for HRD
• Controlling HRD, efforts monitoring and evaluation. Feedback is essential for control.

Concept of Human Resource Development

These essence of HRM (Human Resource Development) is that employees are valued assets and that the value should be increased by a systematic and coherent approach to investing in their training and development. Researching is about providing the skill base needed by the organization. Human resource development

(HRD) is about enhancing and widening these skills by training, by helping people to grow within the organization and by enabling them to make better use of their skills and abilities. Researching and HRD policies are closely linked. Companies can operate a make or buy policy (or a combination of the two) growing their own skills or acquiring them from elsewhere.

Human resource development involves  

• The use of systematic and planned training approaches 
• Adopting a policy of continuous development.
• Creating and maintain a learning organization.
• Ensuring that all training activities are performance related.
• Paying particular attention to management development and career planning.

Need of HRD (Human Resource Development)

Besides enlarging and developing the skill base of the organization, investment in HRD satisfies following needs.

1. A signal to employees that the company believes they are important.
2. Motivation to acquire and use new skills for which they will be rewarded.
3. Commitment by communicating to employees the values of the organization. For example, quality and customer service, and ensuring that they learn how they should uphold them.
4. Identification with the company by helping people to achieve a better understanding of its aims and policies.
5. Communication: Training can provide an effective channel for two-way communication, especially if ‘workshop’ are used to being managers and employees together to discuss organizational issues and develop plans jointly to deal with them.
6. Need satisfaction: Training can contribute to the satisfaction of people’s needs for achievement and recognition; to be signed out to attend a course can be a powerful motivator.
7. Job enrichment through skills development training can enable people to exercise greater responsibility, and can enlarge their portfolio of skills, which they can use both to their advantage, and that of the company. For example, an important spin-off from the introduction of quality circles is the training given to their members in analytical, problem-solving and presentation skills.
8. Change management: Education and training are essential ingredients in a change management programme. They help people to understand why change management programme. They help people to understand why change is necessary and how they will benefit. They can equip them with the confidence to cope with change and skills they need to implement it.

In short, human resource development empowers members of the organization to increase their contribution to its success while enabling them to build their skills and capacities simultaneously.

Common Principles of Designing HRD (Human Resource Development)

Human resource development (HRD) are concerned with training and development to prepare employees to work effectively and efficiently. The design of HRD should be based on the following principles.

1. Clear Objectives: The objectives and scope of HRD programmes should be clearly defined. HRD should aim to satisfy HRM needs and goals. 
2. Need-related Mechanism: HRD mechanisms should be directly related to the needs of employees and the objectives of organization.
3. Learning principles: HRD should use tested principles of learning. It should reinforce learning and motivate employees to learn.
4. Participation: HRD programmes should actively encourage participation by the learners, they should encourage participant involvement.
5. Opportunities for practice: HRD should provide opportunity to practice. It should be conducted in the actual job environment to the maximum possible extent to practice what is being learned. Practice also facilitates transfer of HRD to jobs.
6. Feedback: HRD should provide timely feedback on participant’s performance. Feedback should be used as means for improving HRD programmes.
7. Continuous: HRD should continue throughout the employee’s career. It should not be a “one short” affair.