Importance of Learning, Training and Development, Performance Management, and Employment Law in Human Resource Management

This report discusses the importance of learning, training and development, performance management, and employment law in designing an effective human resource program for the airline industry. It covers topics such as the objectives of learning and development, approaches to designing a learning and development strategy, different learning styles and approaches, measuring learning practices, the concept and purpose of performance management, the role of motivational theory, key tools in performance management, common sources of employment law, and the process for addressing workplace disputes.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive summary
The aim of the report is to discuss the importance of three essential components as Learning,
Training and Development, Performance management Processes and Practices, and
Employment Law, common legislation and process for change of employment terms, for
designing an effective human program for the organization. Here the discussion has been
made with reference to the airline industry. Learning and Development is an essential
component of the human resource management. It constitutes an important part of the
organisational strategy. Along with that performance of the employees needs to be measured
as well for assessing the effectiveness of the employee performance. Compliance with the
various employment law is also necessary for effective human resource program design.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................2
Analysis and the findings:..........................................................................................................2
Outcome 3 – Learning, Training and Development...............................................................2
The main function and objectives of a Learning and Development entity........................2
The approach to take when designing a learning and Development Strategy...................3
Various learning styles and approaches to consider..........................................................3
The process for measuring learning practices:...................................................................5
Outcome 4 – Performance management Processes and Practices.........................................6
Definition and explanation of the concept of performance management and its purpose. 6
Discussion of the role of motivational theory in performance management and the
procedure through which HR can utilise this knowledge..................................................7
Identification and explanation of some of the key tools used in the performance
management process..........................................................................................................8
Outcome 5 – Employment Law, common legislation and change of employment terms.........8
Identification of the most common sources of Law...........................................................8
The purpose and benefits of employment law for different stakeholders..........................8
The basic process to address workplace disputes, and the various systems that could be
utilized:...............................................................................................................................9
Investigation of the specific employment legislation.......................................................10
Conclusion:..............................................................................................................................11

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References:...............................................................................................................................13
Introduction:
The organization that has been considered in this context is the airline industry. With
reference to the chosen industry, some key topics will be discussed here.
Within the main topic, Learning, Training and Development, things that have been
discussed are objectives of Learning and Development entity, procedure to design an
effective one, approaches and learning style to consider along with methods for measuring
the learning process. Discussion on Performance management Processes and Practices
includes concept of Performance management Processes, its contribution to organisational
strategy, impact of motivational theory on performance management, lesson for HR,
identification of key tools and techniques in the performance management process.
Analysis of the Employment Law, common legislation and process for change of
employment terms includes identification of common sources of law, the purpose and
benefits of employment law, specific employment legislation for HR and legislations required
for changing terms in working agreement.
Analysis and the findings:
Outcome 3 – Learning, Training and Development
The main function and objectives of a Learning and Development entity
The main function of the Learning and Development is to provide the basis for the
employees to improve their performance both at the individual as well as at the group level.
The aim here is to provide the platform where employees can increase and hone their skills.
Hence the objective of the Learning and Development entity is to integrate individual and
group goals and the performance with the vision and goals of the organisation (Sung and

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Choi 2014). Hence Learning and Development entity plays an important role in the
organisational context.
According to a research project that was completed under the guidance of Middlesex
University for Work Based Learning, out of 4,300 workers sample, 74% thinks that
they have not able to achieve their full potential as they were not provided the training
and development opportunity properly at the work place (Ford 2014).
Major organisation like Emirates Airlines has developed a world class aviation
college where employees are offered training and development opportunity. The training is
also offered to the partnered organisations as well.
The approach to take when designing a learning and Development Strategy
In order to design an effective learning and Development Strategy, it is important to
consider some essential aspects to maximize the learning process for offering employees an
enhanced opportunity for development in professional carrier (Noe et al. 2014). Things that
are important in this context are:
1. time constraints of the employees
2. Group size and type
3. specialization for maximizing training value
4. engagement of the employees with the training
5. assessment of the training outcomes
Various learning styles and approaches to consider
Different learning approaches of the employees:
As per the learning approaches, employees are classified into five categories:

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Aural Learners: This group of people learns best when the content of the training is
delivered through audio.
Visual Learners: This group of people learns best when the content of the training is
distributed through visual medium such as video and visual presentation.
Kinesthetic Learners: This group of people learns through experience and retain most of the
information with their senses.
Reading Learners: This group of people learns best when they get to read to information
being presented to them.
Different training approaches and practices in an organisation:
As different employees learn in different way, companies often prefer blended
learning approach that combines different learning style (Dhar 2015). According to a study of
a Tennessee University, a blended learning program reduced both the time and the cost of
training by almost 50%. Blended learning program considers several learning approaches and
practises such as:
Training methods Types
Class room training for bringing more
personalization and interaction in training
with the instructor
Presentation through Blackboard or
whiteboard, projector, PowerPoint
presentation, examples
Interactive method Quizzes, Small group discussions, Q & A
sessions, Role-playing, Role-playing
Hands-On Training Cross-training, Demonstrations, coaching
Computer-Based Training (CBT) Text-only, training materials stored in CD-

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ROM, training materials supplied through
multimedia
Online or E-Learning Web-based training, Tele- or
videoconferencing, Audioconferencing, Web
meetings, or webinars, Collaborative document
preparation, E-mail
The process for measuring learning practices:
According to a McKinsey global survey, 90 percent of respondents agrees it is one of
the top priorities of the organisation to create effective training and development program to
improve employee skills and capabilities.
The Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model is an effective model for measuring learning
practices. It has four levels for measuring the learning process. Those levels are:
Level 1 – Reaction: it is a measurement of the learner’s reaction to the training. It
particularly looks for course relevancy, complexity along with strength and weakness of the
course with detailed analysis of the fact that whether the training was designed in accordance
with the learners’ learning speed and style.
Level 2 – Learning: it measures how much a student a student has actually learned out of
the training. It is measured through comparison between the Test scores obtained during as
well as after the training, improvement of performance related KPI, certification provided
after course completion and supervisor feedback along with detailed feedback on the
performance.
Level 3 - Behaviour: it measures how employees has improved their attitude and behaviour
after the completion of the training.

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Level 4 – Results: it measures the tangible results of the training. It measures things like
 improvement in the business results
 improvement in the productivity and work quality
 Employee retention
 Higher morale
 Customer satisfaction index
The method is very popular as it provides detailed analysis of the effectiveness of the
training provided, thus also providing assistance for measuring learning practices.
Outcome 4 – Performance management Processes and Practices
Definition and explanation of the concept of performance management and its purpose
Performance management can be defined as an approach to ensure organisational
success through development and improvement in the performance of the employees (Bocken
and Short 2016).
The concept of the performance is quite straightforward and simple. In order to ensure
that employees in the organisation are performing as per the requirements, it is important to
review and analyse the performance of the employees and a performance management system
is required to manage the performance of the employees in a systematic way (Laukkanen
2015).
The purpose of the performance management system is to analyse the performance of
the employees, find issues and scope for improvement. It is very important from
organisational point of view (Dan 2015). One such example is the Performance
Management System in British Airline, one of the international leaders in airline industry
and the largest international carrier in the UK.

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Explanation of performance management processes that contribute to organisational
strategy
Performance management is a continuous process that is aimed to provide a
conceptual and strategic framework to plan, coach, and employee performance. It is basically
a communication process that is preferred by the managers as well as the employers to plan,
monitor and review wok objectives, and overall contribution of the employees to organisation
for achieving success and organisational excellence (Porterfield 2015).
Discussion of the role of motivational theory in performance management and the
procedure through which HR can utilise this knowledge
The aim of the performance management is to ensure the best of the employee
performance the organisation with increased productivity and efficiency. Motivational theory
plays an important role in the performance management (Bell et al. 2017).According to a
survey that was conducted across 10 regional offices by The Hay Group, it was found that the
companies that engage employees more efficiently, are 43% more productive that the
companies that do not.
The research also specifies that the engagement of the employees also influences the
organisational revenue. The offices with more engaged employees were 43% more
productive compared to the others.
 A non-engaged consultant generated an average of $166,000.
 A non-engaged consultant generated an average of $238,000
Also, as per the Gallup’s 2014 research it was seen that only 13 percent of all employees are
“highly engaged,” and 26 percent are “actively disengaged”.

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In order to apply this knowledge into workplace, HR should know the following
proven and trusted procedures for employee motivation:
 Engaging employees into decision making
 Treating employees with the respect they deserve in the workplace
 Employee recognition in a regular
 Feedback and coaching from managers and leaders
 Demonstration of trust in the employees capabilities and making them aware of it
Identification and explanation of some of the key tools used in the performance
management process
Some of the key tools used in the performance management process such as
‘appraisals’, ‘Coaching’ and ‘Balanced Scorecards’. Appraisals are meant to motivate the
employees based on their achievement and performance. Coaching is provided to the
employee to increase their knowledge and improve their performance (Anwar and Shukur
2015). Balance scorecards is considered for the communication of the objectives that the
organization is trying to accomplish, so that the day to day activities of the employee
complies with the organizational strategies.
Outcome 5 – Employment Law, common legislation and change of employment terms
Identification of the most common sources of Law
The most common sources of law for the employment are:
 statutes — Acts of Parliament
 civil aviation body or civil aviation authority

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The purpose and benefits of employment law for different stakeholders
The purpose of the employment law is to properly regulate the relationship between
employee and employers (Steele et al. 2016).
The employment law has benefits for both the stakeholders:
Stakeholder Benefits of employment law
Employers It defines how hire, treat and retain
employees in the organization while
following all the relevant rules and
regulation so that it is easier for the
employers to comply with all the relevant
rules and regulations.
Employees It helps to know the basic employment rights
such as minimum wage, maximum working
hour, hiring process, raising legal concerns
over issues in the work place such as gender
discriminations and illegal termination,
contract terms violation and several other
work related issues and resolves that
legally.
The basic process to address workplace disputes, and the various systems that could be
utilized:
Basic process to address the work place dispute are (Sung and Choi 2014):

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 Review the cause of dispute
 Listen to the employees concern and review it in terms of authenticity, legality and
needs
 Investigate the matter properly and share the opinion of the higher authority in an
appropriate manner. The strategy here is to have a proper communication with the
employees (Steele et al. 2016).
In order to address the workplace dispute more efficiently and effectively, it is
important to have a dispute resolution system. It should employ board members, managers,
HR, and team leader as well to find issues better and proper coordination which is required
for effective resolution of workplace disputes.
Investigation of the specific employment legislation
The Employment Rights Act 1996
According to this act organisation is not permitted to terminate the employees without
proper reason and if the employee thinks that the rules are being violated, then they are
allowed to make legal complaint against the employers or the organisation
(Legislation.gov.uk, 2018).
John Baker and Terry Neale, two senior flight operations inspectors, have accused
Civil Aviation Authority that the organisation is not following the employment right act as
they are terminating people from jobs without any proper reason. They have also accused that
it is compromising passenger safety.
National Minimum Wage Act 1998
It makes it mandatory to provide minimum wages to the employees as per the
regulation (politics.co.uk, 2018):

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 £7.83 per hour for workers aged over 25
 £7.38 per hour for workers aged 21 to 24
 £5.90 per hour for workers aged 18 to 20
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
This act makes it mandatory for the employers to ensure safe and healthy workplace
environment for all of its employees (Hse.gov.uk, 2018).
The Equality Act 2010
It ensures that there will be no discrimination in the workplace based on cast, crew,
colour and gender and any violation to that is subject to legal action if complaint is raised by
the employees (GOV.UK, 2018).
Appropriate legislation to consider:
The legislations that needs to be considered when there is a significant change in the
work agreement are:
 The Working Time Regulations 1998
 Working Time Regulations 1999
 Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2002
The practices to implement during change:
 Review of the initial terms and conditions associated with the written agreement
provided during employment
 Identify and classify the contracts terms which can be changed without the employees
concern

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 If the contracts term where violation leads to contract breach needs permission and
agreement from both employers and employees
 Consult employees and ask for written approval for legally changing the contract
terms
Conclusion:
It is concluded that irrespective of the type of industry, Learning and Development
program is implemented by various organisation for organisational excellence through
employee excellence.
When a training is completed it is important to measure the effectiveness of the
training through measurement of learning practices. Post-training quizzes, one-to-one
discussions, employee surveys, participant case studies and official certification exams are
some of the most preferred and efficient methods for measuring learning practises.
Along with training and development program followed by performance management
system, it is also important for the employers as well as for the employees to know about the
employment law as well.

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References:
Anwar, G. and Shukur, I., 2015. The Impact of Training and Development on Job
Satisfaction: A Case Study of Private Banks in Erbil. International Journal of Social
Sciences & Educational Studies, p.65.
Bell, B.S., Tannenbaum, S.I., Ford, J.K., Noe, R.A. and Kraiger, K., 2017. 100 years of
training and development research: What we know and where we should go. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 102(3), p.305.
Bocken, N.M.P. and Short, S.W., 2016. The theory of Performance management: a
comprehensive discussion. McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Dan, A., the scope and status of Performance management, 2015. Method and apparatus for
leading effective human resource program.
Dhar, R.L., 2015. Service quality and the training of employees: The mediating role of
organizational commitment. Tourism Management, 46, pp.419-430.
Ford, J.K. ed., 2014. Improving training effectiveness in work organizations. Psychology
Press.
GOV.UK. (2018). Equality Act 2010: guidance. [online] Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance [Accessed 27 Dec. 2018].
Hse.gov.uk. (2018). Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 – legislation explained. [online]
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Laukkanen, T., 2015. The definition and scope of Performance management in modern
organizations. A modern theory of employee management, 42, pp.35-46.

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Legislation.gov.uk. (2018). Employment Rights Act 1996. [online] Available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/18/contents [Accessed 27 Dec. 2018].
Noe, R.A., Wilk, S.L., Mullen, E.J. and Wanek, J.E., 2014. Employee Development: Issues in
Construct Definition and Investigation ofAntecedents. Improving Training Effectiveness in
WorkOrganizations, ed. JK Ford, SWJ Kozlowski, K. Kraiger, E. Salas, and MS Teachout
(Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1997), pp.153-189.
politics.co.uk. (2018). National Minimum Wage. [online] Available at:
http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/national-minimum-wage [Accessed 27 Dec. 2018].
Porterfield, T.E., 2015. Evaluation of human resource skills for management approach: an
empirical investigation of scope and success.
Steele, L.M., Mulhearn, T.J., Medeiros, K.E., Watts, L.L., Connelly, S. and Mumford, M.D.,
2016. How do we know what works? A review and critique of current practices in ethics
training evaluation. Accountability in research, 23(6), pp.319-350.
Sung, S.Y. and Choi, J.N., 2014. Do organizations spend wisely on employees? Effects of
training and development investments on learning and innovation in organizations. Journal
of organizational behavior, 35(3), pp.393-412.