The Role of Training and Development in an Organization - Essay Example

Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date Introduction The business environment has proven to be very dynamic in 21st century. Everything seems to be changing so fast. This is greatly attributed to the robustness of technology in this era. It is undisputable that without embracing technology there is no organization that can withstand competition. As a result, organizations are working tirelessly to ensure that their culture is a reflection of competitiveness. Organizations would like to be seen as market leaders in all they do. This is the reason a lot is being done to ensure that organizations are indeed up to the challenges in the market. One of such activities is training and development programs. These programs have proven effectiveness in enhancing efficiency and productivity in organizations. Through training and development programs, employees’ performance is continuously upgraded (Martocchio 34). With the right programs of this kind in place, organizations will always exploit innovation and creativity as a tool for enhancing competitiveness. Trained employees are able to overcome the challenges that are presented in their field of specialization. This is the reason training and development has been the new trend in the corporate world. The human resource departments are tasked with continuously evaluating the HR needs in the organization and recommending the means of meeting those needs. The training and development programs are mainly in tandem with the prevailing needs. Discussion One of the companies that have been on the forefront in using training and development programs is Google. The growth index attained by Google in less than ten years is as a result of creating an environment where its employees are constantly trained. This has been identified as the main pillar for innovation and creativity in the organization. The company has set in place online programs for its employees all over the world. The employees are trained on key aspects of their job. These areas include presentation skills, business writing, executive speaking, delivery feedback, management, etc. At the same time, employees are also offered an opportunity to study foreign language. Such languages include French, Japanese, Spanish and Mandarin. Moreover, the engineers have also special programs that are meant to boost their expertise. From the survey carried out, over 90% of Google employees benefit from training and development programs. This clearly explains why the company is excelling in terms of innovation and creativity. This has been manifested through the growth that the company has attained since its inception. It is indeed a good example of using training as a tool to optimize creativity and innovation in the organization. There are so many benefits that entities drive from using training and development program. It is aimed at improving workforce performance. This is the main tool that the company can use to upgrade workforce performance. Training workforce enables them to understand the various technicalities that come with their responsibilities. They are in a position to understand the specific skills required with respect to certain challenges that are prone to coming in their line of duty (Noe 67). Such workforce has prior knowledge of what is expected of them in almost all situations that pertains their work. In addition, such an employee is confident in handling the various tasks that are required in their work. The confidence is as a result of knowledge gained regarding their work. Such employees will have better approach in dealing with the challenges that arise in their work (Noe 75). The organization that puts this into practice is in a position to reflect the overall commitment to delivering according to the consumer demands. Such is an indication of commitment of the organization in achieving its goals and objectives. It is only through equipped employees that goals are able to be achieved appropriately. In addition, training is also a tool used for increasing the level of productivity in any organization. The design of training and development programs enables the trainee to benefit in diverse ways. The program equips the employee with the skills that will enable him to be more efficient in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities. Efficiency reduces wastage in the production process in any department. At the same time, trained employees are able to undertake their duties faster than those who are untrained (Rothwell 136). This is because training equips the trainee with the appropriate skills that makes performance easier. This will benefit the organization in diverse aspects. It makes an entity more competitive in their service delivery to its customers as well products. Part of what increases productivity amongst employees who are trained is the fact that they have the required skills to overcome the challenges that arise. Training addresses possible challenges and means through which such challenges can be overcome (Rothwell 173). The organization that is in a position to understand the needs that are prevailing can design means of addressing such issues through training and development. At the end of it, employees will be able to undertake more responsibilities within the same timeframe. Apart from productivity, training and development programs are aimed at addressing employee weaknesses. Every employee has some weaknesses that can affect work delivery. Such weaknesses may range from personal to organizational challenges. This is expected of every employee when he/she joins an organization. Sometimes it takes a longer period for the employee to fit into the organization. This is basically because of the organizational culture which the employee may not be familiar with. Such weaknesses will be an impediment to delivering the best in the organization. Therefore, the best way to address these weaknesses in the organization is through training and development. Training and development programs help bring all the employees on the same level so as to discharge their duties accordingly (Truitt 21). These programs eliminate such weaknesses through equipping the employees with the necessary skills. With training, employees take a shorter period in adapting to their various schedules at work. They are able to deliver with minimal or no supervision at all. Therefore, with these programs in place, the organization expresses its commitment to serve its stakeholders appropriately. It denotes commitment to achieve results that meet the needs of both the customers and the owners. This is very critical in any given organization. It works to attract investors into the organization. Moreover, training and development has been found to have greater impact on employer morale. In essence, training is simply a way of increasing the worth of employees. Trained employees are valued higher because they are in a position to perform wide range of tasks. Training therefore has been considered as a way of motivating employees. Just like the many ways through which employees are motivated, training makes employees feel valued. It is considered better than merely increasing the salary of employees. Therefore, employee satisfaction is achieved through training and development (Noe 87). When this has been achieved, the organization stands to benefit in many ways. The employee turnover in any given organization is affected by training and development. Without training programs, the organization is likely to lose many employees. Trained employees are equipped and are likely to stay in the organization for a longer period of time. This brings financial success to the organization as low employee turnover reduces the costs of training and development (Noe 132). Therefore, every organization ought to invest in training and development as a way of reflecting the employee commitment to the goals of the organization. Lastly, training and development programs suits well into an organization’s succession plan. This is where the organization is able to pick the best employees in preparation for their future leadership positions in the organization. The program aims at equipping the potential managers with the right skills so as to prepare them for the future tasks. This works to ensure that all times, the organization is in constant supply of the skilled labor force. All the organizations that are committed to achieving its set goals both in short term and long term will ensure potential managers and leaders are identified (Truitt 22). It portrays the seriousness in the company with regards to achieving its goals. Therefore, the potential managers ought to undergo training programs as an equipping tool. This works to benefit both the organization and the employee. This is because an employee is motivated to give their best when they realize they are being considered in the company’s future plans. At the same time, the organization will benefit from motivated employees. Conclusion In conclusion, the role of training and development in an organization can never be overemphasized. Every competitive entity requires equipping its workforce to deal with the challenges that are brought by the overall nature of the market. It is one of the ways of ensuring that an organization remains competitive and relevant in the current market. Nevertheless, this is not aimed at ignoring how costly these programs are to an organization. Multinational companies like Google and many others incur a lot of money in training and development programs. This is basically because of the role of such programs in achieving an organization’s strategic plans. Training and development is a worthy cost because of what it brings to the organization at the end of it. The only remedy is for organizations to design methodologies of ensuring such costs are minimized. Works Cited Arwin van Buuren, Jurian Edelenbos, Arwin van Buuren, and Jurian Edelenbos. “Organizational Competence Development in Two Public Agencies in the Netherlands: The Effectiveness of In-Company Training Versus Learning by Doing”. Public Personnel Management, 42 (2013): 385 - 402. Print. Martocchio, Joseph J. Strategic Compensation: A Human Resource Management Approach (7th Edition). New York: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print. Noe, Raymond. Employee Training & Development. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. Noe, Raymond A. Employee Training & Development. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. Print. Rothwell, William J. Beyond Training and Development: The Groundbreaking Classic on Human Performance Enhancement. New York: AMACOM, 2005. Print. Sudhir, Kumar L and Ramachandran, A. “Impact of Training and Development Program on Productivity of Oil-Mills in Coimbatore District”. Asia Pacific Business Review, 7(2011): 172 - 182. Print. Truitt, Debra L. “The Effect of Training and Development on Employee Attitude as it Relates to Training and Work Proficiency”. SAGE Open, 1(2011); 21-23. Print. Read More