Human Resource Development in Action: Training and Development Initiatives

Human Resource Development in action
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................8
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................11
Part 2..............................................................................................................................................15
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................15
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................18
Reference List................................................................................................................................19
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Introduction
In the dynamic and ever-evolving world of business, a business organization cannot achieve
success without effective and good human resource. Human Resource Development (HRD) is a
type of framework, which focuses on the training and development of the employees of the
organization in order to enhance the skills, knowledge, abilities and education. HRD can help to
enhance the performance level of each employee of the organization and improve the overall
efficiency of the organization. The business organizations have started recognizing that adding
value to the employees adds value to their organization. There are other aspects associated with
human resource development that will be discussed in this assignment. This assignment would
provide an understanding about the different learning styles and theories. The training and
development event will also be designed and discussed in this assignment. Apart from the
business organizations, the government of different countries takes certain initiatives towards the
development of the country's workforce. The initiatives of skills development by the government
of the UK government will be highlighted in this assignment.
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Task 1
i) A comparison of different learning style
Learning is considered as a complex process, which can be reinforced and shaped through
different aspects. It is important to understand the nature and level of learning complexity and its
related risks (Jiménez-Jiménez and Sanz-Valle, 2011). This helps to identify various tools,
methods and theories that support the learning process and contribute to the development of an
individual or group of individuals. The mentors and managers of Marks and Spencer evaluate the
training needs of the individuals in order to apply the various learning theories. Every individual
adopts a different learning style and applies that learning theory that suits his or her abilities and
future learning needs. The comparison of different learning styles have been done in order to
understand which learning style should be effective for their workforce-
Basis of
Distinction
Myers Briggs Kolb’s Learning Style Honey and Mumford
Learning Style
Description This theory by Myers
Briggs states that it
necessary to have a
structured approach in
order to analyse the
learning needs and
personality of the
employees. The learning
style of the employees
can be indentified with
reference to the Myers-
Briggs Type Indicator.
This learning style established
by David Kolb states that it is
essential to transfer the
experiences into theoretical
and practical knowledge to
foster the process of learning
(Kolb, 2014).
As per this theory there
are around four
different learning
techniques that can be
adopted the employees
of an organization.
Learning
Approaches/
Modalities
There are majorly four
preferences as per this
style, which include
Thinking, Perceiving,
Feeling and Judging.
This includes assimilator,
diverger, accommodator and
converger.
This style also has four
different approaches of
learning- Pragmatist,
theorist, activist and
reflector.
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Learning
Focus
The learning focus of this
style is on unreasonable
and sensible learning
approaches of the
individual.
The learning focus of Kolb's
Learning Style is on the
working style and techniques
of the individual for analysing
the performance level.
With the help of
Learning Style
Questionnaire (LSQ),
the performance quality
and level of the
individuals are analysed
(Scott, 2010).
Table 1: Difference between the Myers Briggs, David Kolb's and Honey and Mumford
Learning Styles
(Source: Created by the author)
In case of Marks and Spencer, which is a British multinational corporation, it is essential to focus
on the improvement of the performance level of the employees. The HR managers have the
responsibility to develop effective human resource development strategies and apply effective
learning theories. As per the above comparison, it can be said that as per the business activities
and operations of M&S, the HR managers can apply Kolb's Learning theory. This theory has two
dimensions- the way an individual understands and the way in which he or she processes that
information. However, factors like work environment, potential candidates and the learning
needs of the workforce can affect the decisions of the HR managers of M&S (McIntyre et al.,
2012).
ii) The learning curve and the importance of learning transfer in the workplace
Role of Learning Curve in working environment of Marks and Spencer
Learning Curve can be defined as the process in which individual or group of individuals
develop a particular skill by their experience. It is a graphical representation of the improvement
in the knowledge level and skill development (Jaber, 2016). Every individual tends to learn in a
better manner and gain effective skills through regular practice and experience. M&S has to
focus on the learning experience of its employees as their knowledge level affects their
performance, which is ultimately related to the overall organizational performance. However,
during the initial days of a newly employed candidate or an employee who has taken up a new
task, the learning curve would be downward sloping. This is because in either of the cases, it is
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believed that the individual would take more time to comprehend and perform as per the
requirement. After regular attempts and practices, the individual would gain knowledge and
acquire the right skills to perform the task. Hence, it is essential for the business organizations to
evaluate and monitor the performance level of the employees (Jones and Jones, 2010). M&S
focuses on tailoring improving the skills and knowledge of its employees by tailoring the training
and development sessions after effectively evaluating the learning needs of their employees.
Significance of Learning Transfer in the workplace of Marks and Spencer
Transfer of learning is related to the extent to which a person applies his or her own skills,
behaviour and learned knowledge to an entire new situation. The competition between
companies in different sectors has been increasing because of which the business organizations
have started focussing on the performance level of their workforce (Cormier and Hagman, 2014).
The professional of training and development increasingly go on valuing the importance of
expanding the knowledge and skills set of the workforce. The functions of HR managers have
various aspects out of which recruitment and selection is the most important. Hiring the right
candidate for the right position and at the right time is essential for the HR managers. The HR
department of M&S focus on developing effective induction programme so that they can provide
the basic knowledge to the new candidates (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). The training and
development program of M&S are also developed after considering the high performance system
and working standards of the organization. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the
performance level of the employees facilitates the HR managers to understand the learning
needs. These valuable measures taken by the company helps the employees to retain their
learned knowledge and apply it correctly during practical execution.
iii) Importance of learning styles and theories when planning and designing learning
event
The needs of the complex business environment tend to grow every day. Along with this, the
organizational structure and market position of the business organization also brings new type of
challenges to the business organization. The management of M&S have to focus on how
effectively they can manage the performance of the workforce in order to ensure the organization
is able to maintain the market position. M&S focuses on training and development of its
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