HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

In any company – large or small – it is imperative to have a good human resource development policy. Wait a moment. Before you exclaim that every company has a human resource development policy, figure out if you are confusing it with a human resource management policy! There is a whole world of difference between human resource management and human resource development. While the former concentrates on managing the existing human resources in a company and ensuring that they remain content in their positions, the latter is more concerned with training and enhancing the growth of the human resources; enabling them to better themselves and their prospects in their chosen career.

It is sometimes sad to see that most organizations, even good ones, don’t really have a good human resource development policy. Maybe this is due to a lack of trust in the employees. After all, why would one company spend a whole lot of time and money in developing the capabilities of their resources only to have them leave and join the competition! Of course no company would want that to happen to them. But one of the intrinsically good aspects of a good human resource development program is its ability to not just train, enable and empower their resources, but also to motivate them and keep them motivated to perform.

This is why any good management person will spend a great deal of their time and effort in helping their HR department develop and implement a good human resource development program. While it is true that any good training program, especially something as critical as a human resource development program will take a lot of time, commitment and dedication to create and sustain, the pay off lies in the fact that an empowered workforce is a workforce that is motivated to perform. If an employee can see that you are willing to invest in them for their growth and development, they will go out of the way to give you their very best. And trust me when I say that the motivation that comes from within is much more powerful, not to mention sustainable, than the motivation that comes from any sort of incentive or carrot.

While the results of a good human resource development program may not appear immediately, or even in the near future, in the long run, it is what will enable you to retain your most valuable employees. In today’s world, the time for training and professional development is scarce indeed. And if you are willing to invest in your employees, they will give you returns many times over!