Human Resource Development Report - Unit 23, BTEC HND in Business

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Development (HRD) within an organizational context. It begins by examining various learning styles, including Honey Mumford, Kolb’s, and VAK models, and their implications for designing effective training programs. The report emphasizes the importance of the learning curve and its impact on workplace learning, as well as the application of learning theories in planning training events. It then delves into the assessment of training needs for different staff levels, comparing the advantages and disadvantages of various training methods, and the implementation of a systematic approach to training and development. The report further explores evaluation techniques, such as Kirkpatrick’s Four Level Learning Model, and reviews the success of training methods. Finally, it examines the government's role in HRD, the impact of the competency movement, and contemporary training initiatives, providing a holistic view of HRD practices.

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Task 1 (Refer to PPT)................................................................................................................3
Comparing the different learning styles.....................................................................................3
1.2 Explaining the importance of the learning curve and its impact on learning in the
workplace...................................................................................................................................4
1.3 Assessing the contribution of learning styles and theories in planning and designing a
learning event.............................................................................................................................5
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Comparing the training needs for the different levels of staffs in the organisation.............5
2.2 Assessing the advantages and disadvantages of training methods of the organisation........6
2.3 Using systematic approach in planning a training and development event.........................7
Task 3.........................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Preparing evaluation using suitable techniques...................................................................8
3.2 Carrying out the evaluation of a training event....................................................................8
3.3 Reviewing the success of the training methods that are used..............................................9
Task 4.......................................................................................................................................10
4.1 Explaining the government’s role in training, development and lifelong learning............10
4.2 Explaining the impact of the competency movement on public and private sector...........11
4.3 Assessing the impact of the contemporary training initiatives of the UK government, to
the Human Resource Development of an organisation............................................................12
Conclusion................................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13

Introduction
The Human Resource is one of the major departments of the organisation, which are involved
in the overall programmes and the developments of the organisations. The internal and the
employee structure of the different organisations are maintained by the Human resources of
the individual organisations or companies. In this study, the different learning styles adopted
by the organisations and the employees, have been described and their individual's impacts
have also been analysed. Further, the training procedures that are generally implemented and
maintained have been described and their impacts have been demonstrated with respect to the
advancements in the organisation.
Task 1 (Refer to PPT)
Comparing the different learning styles
The psychology and the intelligence of the different individuals are different and this is the
important area of consideration in terms of the training programmes that are provided by the
organisations, before their individual recruitment or employment in the organisation.
Different learning styles may be implemented by the individual employees including the
Honey Mumford learning style, which exhibits the four traits of the individual employee. It
projects that the employee may be categorised into four essential aspects, the pragmatist, the
theorist, the activist and the reflector. All the traits exhibit different learning styles (Purce,
2014, p.67).
On the other hand, other learning styles including the Kolb’s Learning Style and the VAK
learning models are used. The VAK learning model is based on the Visual, Auditory and
Kinaesthetic property of the individual that are engrossed in learning the skills or knowledge
that exist to seek employment in the organisation. Kolb's learning style including the
exhibition of active experimentation, concrete experience, reflective observation and abstract
conceptualization are exhibited by the employees of the organisation (McKenzie et al. 2012,
p.84).

Figure 1: Kolb’s Learning Style
(Source: McKenzie et al. 2012, p.83)
The Kolb's learning style is the enrichment in the activities that are generally performed by
the employees, during the training programmes of the organisations. It accounts to the
calculation of the previous records and its consequent solutions, which helps them to present
the skills in a more convenient way.
1.2 Explaining the importance of the learning curve and its impact on learning in the
workplace
The learning graph is the estimate of the time spent by the individual, with respect to the
skills that have been learnt by the individual. The learning curve is important to be
maintained by the employees in the organisation. The employees in the organisation are
subjected to the increase in the skills and knowledge at every period of time, in the
workplace. This has been similarly evident in the context of the Umbro. It has been analysed
that the global developments and the developments in the technologies in the UK, provide the
requirement for the employees of the organisation to improve their knowledge and skills, to
maintain the desired skills of the other employees of different organisations. This may be
adopted by the employees by the incorporation of the learning curve (Steffen et al. 2015,
p.1259).
The learning curves allow the employees to adapt or acclimatise themselves with the
developments and the managements of the organisation, at a specific period of time.
However, the method of learning curves is implemented by the employees only if the
concepts and the advantages of using these methods are explained to them by the organisation
(Kehoe and Wright, 2013, p.367). According to this concept, the employees may analyse the

extent to which they are able to gain the knowledge and skills and the time required to attain
these, at the same time, the skills that are needed to be employed and understood are also
analysed and plans are accordingly made with respect to time, to attain these goals. It
provides advantages for the employees, as they are able to reflect their own learning and
knowledge.
1.3 Assessing the contribution of learning styles and theories in planning and designing
a learning event
It has been observed that a different model of learning styles is exhibited by the different
individuals of the organisations. Moreover, the concentration and the learning potentials of
the different employees are different among the employees of Umbro. This difference in the
learning potential and learning style influences the organisations to have the methods of
training programmes implied in such a way, that the different employees are able to be
benefitted on account of the training styles and theories, in the training programmes of
Umbro (Alfes et al. 2013, p.344). Moreover, the effectiveness of the training programmes is
also dependent on the learning styles and theories that are used at the time of the training.
For example, the individuals that deploy the pragmatist learning model, are not supposed to
be benefitted by the theoretical training programmes, as they depend on the practical
experiences of the areas, that are not formally understood by them .therefore, it is important
for the organisations to provide the accurate learning theories implemented during training
for the individual employees in the organisation. Therefore, in order to provide efficient ring
to the pragmatist category of individuals, the organisation is entitled to develop the practical
applications of the trained theories, in order to complete the training programmes effectively
(MacArthur et al. 2014, p.475).
Task 2
2.1 Comparing the training needs for the different levels of staffs in the organisation
The training needs have been observed to be important in the context of the workforces of the
organisation. It has been observed that the division of the departments and the
accommodation of the individuals in the different areas of the company are important in the
development of the revenues of the company. It has been observed that the different
organisations require the different departments to maintain the effective management and
these departments are headed by the different individuals, which form the essence of the
leadership in the respective departments (Martin et al. 2013, p.221). It has been seen that the

different organisations employ the respective heads of the departments, to carry out and
monitor the different aspects of the department. Therefore, it may be established that these
different individuals require different training procedures.
The Human Resource management requires the provision of superior training methods that
may allow them to organise the overall management of the organisation. The other
department includes the line managers. They are involved in training procedures that enable
them to look after and management the employee-organisation relationship and the welfare of
the employees and carry out leadership skills in the organisation employee management. The
finance department head constitutes other training facilities including the accounts manager.
The training methods are inclined towards the account management section of the
organisation (McKenzie and Woodruff, 2013, p.lkt0). Therefore, it has been seen that the
training programmes for the different departments in the Umbro is different and therefore,
specialised training plans are made for each of the employee departments.
2.2 Assessing the advantages and disadvantages of training methods of the organisation
A number of advantages, as well as disadvantages, have been proposed in the context of the
training and development programmes for the employees in the organisation. It has been
established that the employees in the Umbro are subjected to a variety of training practices
including the mentoring, coaching, assignments, team working and electronic learning. These
have positively or negatively impacted the overall framework of the training procedures of
the organisation in the UK . These events have been sourced mainly to the training delivery
methods and their acceptance by the general employees of Umbro (Martin et al. 2013,
p.2016).
Methods Advantages Disadvantages
Mentoring This method may provide
motivation for the employees
of the organisation
The cultural and other
differences may have
negative effects
Assignments This allows the employees
the skills of managing the
individual knowledge and
abilities
The lack of formal
knowledge may have a
negative effect
Coaching This method may provide
motivation and
encouragement for the
Excessive consumption of
time may have a negative
effect

employees of the
organisation
Team working This may provide the skills to
the employees to work
effectively in groups and
have increased
communication skills
Excessive requirement to
adapt the cultural differences
of the other members
Electronic learning Sufficient motivation and
increased skills of learning
and executions
Very expensive and lack of
practical implications
Conferences This processes may increase
the communication and
increase the employee’s
ability to speak in front of
crowd and thereby increase
the confidence
Lack of individual focus and
lack of practical applications
2.3 Using systematic approach in planning a training and development event
Systematic Approach may be involved in providing the training programmes of the company,
to the employees that are to be recruited by the company. The first and the foremost plan is
the identification of the training needs for the company. The training needs of the individuals
are first needed to be analysed by the Human Resource Management of the organisation. This
allows them to analyse the needs of the individuals for the needs of the company. Defining
the required learning must be analysed by the Human Resource Management of the
organisation. In other words, the learning styles of the different employees are analysed by
the company and the individual assessments are made, according to the different learning
styles, exhibited by the individuals, which are to be employed (Noe et al. 2014, p.182).
Setting objectives is another important procedure, which is needed to be established by the
Human Resource Management of the organisation. It aims to highlight the objectives that are
intended to be followed and achieved by the organisation, within the desired time frame.
Planning and implementing training is then followed and the individual employees are
subjected to the previously projected objectives and training. After the conduction of the
training programmes, the evaluation of the training programmes is done, to establish the
required potential of the training programmes, towards the organisation. Plannings are

generally based on a number of aspects including the availability of the people, the quality of
the characteristics present within the people, the location of the research programme and the
contents that are to be delivered in the training programmes. The budget, costs, trainers, and
the administrations are dependent on the different types of management features that are to be
presented in the company (Lambrechts et al. 2013, p.66).
Task 3
3.1 Preparing evaluation using suitable techniques
Kirkpatrick’s Four Level Learning Model may be used, to evaluate the Training programmes.
These include the reactions, learning, behaviour and results. The reactions aim to demonstrate
the reactions that are exhibited by the employees after the training programmes of the
company. It assures the effectiveness and the positivity of the training programmes, such that
usefulness and the effectivity of the training programme may be analysed by using this
method. This further enables the management authorities of the company to foster the
necessary changes, and accordingly analyse the changes and implement these desired
improvements in the future training programmes (Panchenko, 2015, p.3512).
The effective learning of the employees is determined at this level of evaluation. The
implementation of the plan was based on the projection and the development of certain
objectives, which were tried to be met during the training programmes. These allow the
management authorities to analyse the learning potential of the individuals that have been
possible, on account of the training programmes. The behaviour of the participants after the
training programmes determines the extent to which the training programmes have been
successfully implemented (Wong and Ko, 2009, p.202). If changes in behaviour and attitudes
are seen after the training the better training methods have to be implemented in the future
and the final evaluation is based on obtaining the results from the different reflections and
observations.
3.2 Carrying out the evaluation of a training event
Questionnaires are an important assessment of the evaluation tools and have been used in the
evaluation of the training event and its impact on the employment of the individuals. These
reflected the recommendations and the reviews of the participants of the training
programmes. Observations were made regarding the efficiency and the quality of service
training, which are provided by the company in the training programmes (Kennell and
Chaperon, 2013, p.282). The observations were made by the senior members of the

organisation and the Human resource personnel of the organisation. Trainer Feedbacks are
important in the assessment of the experiences of the trainer from the training programme. It
will allow the company to analyse the extent to which, the trainer have been able to provide
the training services to the participants.
Participant comments are important, as it demonstrates the personal experiences of the
participants of the training event. It allows them to analyse the comments and accordingly
prepare a developed training plan for the specialised training programmes. Labour turnover
evaluates the number of participants that appear, after the training programmes of the
organisation. It enables the company to analyse the extent to which the company has
provided the effective training to the participants (Cohen and Olsen, 2013, p.252).
Improvement in qualities of the services and products that are offered by the company,
directly reveals the type of the effective training that have been provided to the participants in
the training programmes of the organisation. Sales figure directly reflects the quality of the
training that have been provided to the participants and their individual quality of services
that are offered by the individual employees of the company.
3.3 Reviewing the success of the training methods that are used
Training Methods Positive Negative
Audio classes The audio classes were
attentively attended by the
participants, ensuring that
they had significantly
improved their knowledge
and skills.
Lack of written documents
allowed them to forget some
of the important criteria’s.
Video classes Very strong attentiveness and
a response were achieved, as
the entertainment and
detailed understanding and
visualisations were achieved,
as a result of the interactive
video lessons.
Lack of seriousness was
achieved as the video once
passed were not repeated
once again.
Theory Classes Very attentively held,
allowing them to take notes
of the important points.
Lack of analysis was evident,
as the attendants noted the
theories and practices

whatever was taught and no
chances of evaluation or
analysis were not observed.
From the above table, it may be analysed that the training methods had a variety of
implications for the employees. It was analysed that the maximum attention and positive
responses were observed in the case of the theory classes, as the employees in the training
procedures, were able to have active listening in the programmes and they were able to take a
written note of the classes of the theories (Karatepe, 2013, p.135). Therefore, it affected the
positive intellect of the employees that were attending the theory classes. The other methods
were provided with similar responses however it was lower as compared to the responses of
the individuals that were satisfied with the theory classes rather than the video lessons.
Task 4
4.1 Explaining the government’s role in training, development and lifelong learning
The Greenwood and Sharp Company deals with the manufacturing of shoes, using advanced
technologies. However, it has been seen that the amount of the experience and the skills that
are normally required to seek employment in the company are not always exhibited by the
individuals. Very few of the individuals exhibit the skills that are required for seeking
employment in the company. For this reason, the government of the UK has devised training
programmes, which provides the learning, development and enlightenment of the skills of the
individuals. These knowledge and training allow the individuals to receive the formal skills
that are required to be employed in the organisation (Mitchell et al. 2013, p.920).
A number of factors have been traced, that leads to the lack of employment of the individuals
in the organisations including Greenwood and Sharp, and the basic reason that was
formulated was the lack of the effective skills, which are generally required to be present.
The government nowadays has the active role, in providing the individuals of the country
with the training programmes, that may lead to the increase in the general skills of the
individuals and that may allow them to be employed in the different organisations of the
country. These have been possible by a variety of ways that are adopted by the government.
A number of general and vocational training programmes are generally held by the
government that aims to provide the young individuals or the students, a basic knowledge of
the advanced skills that are required to be present within individuals, which may allow them
to get employed in the desired organisation in the country (Tang and Tang, 2012, p.888).

Further, the government undergoes associations with the different companies. The company
undergoes a hosting of the additional skills training programme and these are funded and
managed by the government. His allows the company centred training and skills that are
provided to the individuals .This may provide sufficient skills and knowledge to the
individuals so that they are capable of being employed in the different organisations or
companies in the different parts of the world (Lopez-Berzosa and Gawer, 2014, p.742).
4.2 Explaining the impact of the competency movement on public and private sector
A number of advantages have been posed to the general public, based on the competency
movements that are aimed at providing the basic skills to the individuals of the UK. One of
the important considerations was that the individuals were not required to present any
qualification criteria for the training programme admissions. Therefore, it led to the influx of
a large number of people, from different parts of the country, proving the success of the
competency movement of the government of the UK. Skills have been proven to be readily
adopted by the individuals that are engaged in the training practices of the competency
movement, undertaken by the government of the UK. It allowed the people of the country, to
have the desired skills, which are required for the employment in the organisations of the
country (Carlos Pinho et al. 2014, p.395).
Knowledge is another important factor, which is required to be present in the individuals of
the country. It is essential for the individuals to have the knowledge about the systems and
skills that prevail in the country. The government of the country undergoes vocational
training to establish the required knowledge of the skills, among the individuals that are
involved in getting employment in the business organisations in the country. Performing
abilities of the individuals are tested in these training and the required training is provided to
the individuals. This prevents the additional and unnecessary waste of time and resources by
the government. As a result of this training, the individuals have been able to have the
knowledge and skills that are required by them to seek their employment in the organisations
and companies in the country (Besharov and Brickson, 2016, p396). NVQ training or the
Non-vocational qualifications have been able to be provided by the government of the
country, that was successfully able to provide the training and the certificates to the
individuals about the increase in their skills that have significantly increased their levels of
employment in the country.

4.3 Assessing the impact of the contemporary training initiatives of the UK government,
to the Human Resource Development of an organisation
The contemporary training initiatives led to a number of advantages in the employment
structure of the country. It has been seen that the levels of employment in the different
organisations have seen to increase after the initiative of the government of the UK, to
provide contemporary training initiatives in the country. This accounted for the increase in
the developments in the technology in the country. The rates of competition have also been
stable since the individuals contain the skills, which are essentially required by them to seek
employment in the business organisations in the UK (Acs et al. 2014, p. 478). Moreover, the
presence of the basic skills within the employees allowed the Human Resource Management
of the company to devise the strategies based on the advanced and specialised training
thereby relieving the unnecessary expenses on the basic training of the employees in the
organisation. This resulted in the annual financial stability of the company.
In the context of Greenwood and Sharp Company, the Human Resource development of the
organisation had a great impact on the contemporary training initiatives by the government.
In this context, the employees of the company were able to reflect themselves about the skills
that are additionally required for them to cope up with the newer strategies and developments
in the country and around the world. This significantly reduced the burden of the Human
Resource Development of the organisation (Bal and Dorenbosch, 2015, p.52). This resulted
in an additional number of advantages. These included the faster growth rate of the
organisation, higher annual profits and the increase in the customer loyalty, as the employees
were able to understand their roles and responsibilities in the organisation, on account of the
government training programmes of the country.
Conclusion
From the above studies, it may be concluded that the different individuals normally exhibit
different learning patterns and potentials and these are required to be provided by the
organisations to the individuals. This may allow them to have increased skills and this may
allow the organisations to have significant advantages in the modern markets. The learning
curve along with the training programmes and their individual evaluations are essentially
required to be maintained by the organisation. The government of the UK has devised a
number of initiative to train the young individuals that are interested in seeking employment
in the different business organisations in the later part of their lives.

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