HUMAM RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT-Definition, meaning and importance

What is HRD:

·         It is a new concept.

·         The term was first applied in 1968 in George Washington University.

·         It was used in Miami at the conference of American Society of Training and development in 1969. The term gained more importance in 1970 as alternative term for training and development.

WHAT IS IT:

·         HRD is the framework (structure for giving shape) for helping employees to develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge and abilities.

·         HRD is  the process of equipping individual with the understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively.

·         HRD includes such

·            Opportunities as employee training,

·            Employee career (line of business) development,

·            Performance (act) management and development,

·            Coaching (instruction),

·            Mentoring (helping /teaching/ counselling),

·            Succession (sequence) planning,

·            Key employee identification,

·            Tuition assistance and

·             organization development.

View of different scientists on HRD: 

Rao (1992) explain that HRD is a process in which employees of an organization are continuously helped in planning manner to acquire and sharpen capabilities (abilities), which are required to perform various functions. Through HRD-

§They develop as individuals their general capabilities with their present and future roles,

§  Discover and exploit (make use of) their potential for their own and organizational development purposes.

§  Develop an organizational culture (mores/norms/ ways) in which supervisors-sub-ordinate relationships, team-work  and collaboration among sub units are strong and

§  Contribute to professional well- being, motivation and pride(self importance) of employees.

Nadler (1994) defined HRD as planned and continuous efforts by management (organization) to improve employees’ capacity levels and organizational performance through training, education and development programmes.

·           Training includes those activities that are conducted to improve overall competence of an individual in a specific direction and beyond current job.

·           Development involves learning opportunities aimed at individual growth but not restricted to a specific or future job.

HRD is an approach to facilitate (assist) both developments of competencies and creation of environmental conducive (helpful) to stimulate and nurture (take care of) continuous growth of individuals and organizations.

            Above definitions of HRD are rooted in the context of organizations and employees.

It is assumed that each human being is unique with potential for development

However; one needs analysis of potentials and limitations, clear-cut goals of self development as well as opportunities for learning and growth.

What would be the focus of HRD approach at grassroots level?

Rural development is a complex process of catalysing social, economic and cultural factors. Sustainable (prolong) development is possible only when there is active participation of people in all aspects of the process. It is to establish conditions in which every individual has opportunities for development of potential. The cultivation of inner motivation (drives) and social consciousness is key to individual fulfilment through community action.

Thus HRD lays stress on development of individual, the family and village community.

·           HRD in rural areas must be understood in the socio-cultural context of the rural communities. It should focus on development of inner resources of the individual and country.

·           It aims to people to acquire social perspective (outlook) relevant to development of community.

·           This calls for organization of groups and creation of structure which would enable involvement of one and all in planning and implementation of programmes of development.

·           Such group organization calls for motivated leadership.

Mehta (1983) reported that rural poor can participate in their own development only when they are able to develop necessary skills, readiness (willingness) and motivation for moving towards organizing themselves in various ways and for various purposes.

 He listed following skills and knowledge as necessary prerequisite for encouraging participation of rural people in development.

Ø Skill in group work.

Ø Readiness for identifying one’s own problem with those of the community and understanding community problems as his own.

Ø Focus on community thinking and communities.

Ø  Skills in understanding and identifying important problems with a view to move towards problem solving and action planning.

Ø Skill in farming and managing self-help organization.

Ø Awareness of legal rights and responsibilities.

Ø Interface (crossing) with officials.

Rolling (1988) has elaborated HRD approach to extension work in terms of five functions as detailed below:

1)    Mobilization: Extension workers should act as animator (Conscious) rather than information disseminator. They should encourage dialogue and discussion on problems in its analytical process. Thus people can visualise together the depth issues and reasons behind them. Such realisation can inspire them to take some concrete step for amelioration (upgrade)

2)    Organization:  People need forum to plan together and put plan in action. Existing forum may be revitalised or alternative organizations may be created to provide equal opportunity of participation.

3)    Training: self development is not so easy. People need skills to work together as group. Activities need to be initiated so that people learn through mutual discussion and work. They must be made aware of their rights and responsibilities.

4)    Technical support: Local resources and technologies should be supported with external ones with help and support from development organizations.

5)    System management: In order to install the four functions, maintain balance and ensure self- sustenance, it requires coordination and management.

HRD approach to extension requires-

-          Active farmers’ participation should be the basic of extension work.

-          It should be based on physiological orientation towards raising consciousness of people through dialogue- based participatory education.

-          It should aim basically to empower people to gain competencies in dealing with their problems confidently.

-          Methods used to work with farmers need to be interactive and mutually rewarding. Farmers should take part in the process through range of methods such as PRA, RRA, story writing, songs, farmer to farmer training, village level workshops etc.

-          It requires multi- institutional collaboration to be successful. Extension, research, farmers and other organizations must work in hand in hand.

IMPORTANCE OF HRD:

Human resource or Human capital is the most important and vital factor of economic development or it can be said that humans are the agent of development. Some importance are-

1.    Country develops if the human resource is develop:

To enhance economic development state constructs road, buildings, bridges, dams, powerhouses, hospitals etc. To run these units doctors, engineers, scientist, teachers are required. So if the state invests in a human resource it plays dividend (bonus) in response.

2.     Increase in productivity: The better education, improved skills and provision of healthy atmosphere will result in increase in economic production.

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3.     Eradication of social and economic backwardness:  HRD has an ample effect on backwardness economy and society. Provision of education increases literacy which will produce skills in human resource. Similarly provision of healthy facilities will result in healthy human resource which will contribute to the national economic development.

4.      Entrepreneur development: Education, clean environment, good health, investment on human resource will have its positive effect. Job opportunities will be created in the country and business environment will flourish in the state which creates many job opportunities.

5.     Social revolution: Because of HRD the social economic life of the people changes drastically. Overall look changes, thinking phenomenon changes. Progressive thoughts are endorsed (allowed) in to the mind of peoples.

Human Resource Development ( Additional Information)

HRD — SOME CONCEPTS

A definition of HRD is "organized learning activities arranged within an organization in order to improve performance and/or personal growth for the purpose of improving the job, the individual, and/or the organization" (1). HRD includes the areas of training and development, career development, and organization development. This is related to Human Resource Management -- a field which includes HR research and information systems, union/labor relations, employee assistance, compensation/benefits, selection and staffing, performance management systems, HR planning, and organization/job design (2).

HRD is mainly concerned with developing the skill, knowledge and competencies of people and it is people-oriented concept. When we call it as a people-oriented concept the question of people being developed in the larger or national context or in the smaller organizational context? Is it different at the macro and micro level? HRD can be applied both for the national level and organizational level.

But many personnel managers and organizations view HRD as synonymous to training and development. Many organizations in the country renamed their training departments as HRD departments. Surprisingly some organizations renamed their personnel department as HRD departments. Some educational, institutions started awarding degrees and diplomas in HRD even though the concept is not yet crystal clear.

HRD from organizational point of view is a process in which the employees of an organization are helped/motivated to acquire and develop technical, managerial and behavioral knowledge, skills and abilities, and mould the values, beliefs, attitude necessary to perform present and future roles by realizing highest human potential with a view to contribute positively to the organizational, group, individual and social goals.

A comparative analysis of these definitions shows that the third definition seems to be comprehensive and elaborate as it deals with the developmental aspects of all the components of human resources. Further, it deals with all types of skills, the present and future organizational needs and aspect of contribution to not only organizational also other goals.

The analysis of the third definition further shows that there are three aspects, viz.,

1.Employees of an organization are helped/motivated;
2.Acquire, develop and mould various aspects of human resources; and
3. Contribute to the organizational, group, individual and social goals.

The first aspect deals with helping and motivating factors for HRD.

These factors may be called ‘Enabling factors’ which include: Organization structure, organizational climate, HRD climate, HRD knowledge and skills to managers, human resource planning, recruitment and selection. The second aspect deals with the techniques or methods which are the means to acquire develop and mould the various human resources.

These techniques include: Performance, appraisal, Potential appraisal, Career planning and Development, Training, Management development, Organizational development, Social and Cultural programs, and Workers’ participation in management and quality circles. The third category includes the outcomes contribution of the HRD process to the goals of the organization, group, individuals and the society.

HRD

People are the real assets of an organization. If treated well, they can take organizations to commanding heights. Two plus two could be four or even ten. Human Resource Development (HRD) stresses that human beings have the potential to do things better and hence it is a very positive concept in the human resource management. It is based on the belief that an investment in human beings is necessary and will invariably bring in substantial benefits in the long run. Therefore, HRD is a process in which the employees of an organization are helped/motivated to acquire and develop technical, managerial and behavioral knowledge, skills and abilities, and mould the values, beliefs, attitude necessary to perform present and future roles by realizing highest human potential with a view to contribute positively to the organizational, group, individual and social goals.

According to Prof. TV Rao, HRD is a process by which the employees of an organization are helped in a continuous and planned way to:

1) Acquire or sharpen capabilities required to perform various functions associated with their present or expected future roles

2) Develop their capabilities as individuals and discover and exploit their own inner potential for their own and organizational development.

3) Have an healthy organizational culture in which a relationship between a superior and subordinate , team work , and a correlation between the sub units is strong and contribute to the professional well being of the employees.

Relationship Between HRM and HRD

      Human resource management (HRM) encompasses many functions

      Human resource development (HRD) is just one of the functions within HRM

Primary Functions of HRM

      Human resource planning

      Equal employment opportunity

      Staffing (recruitment and selection)

      Compensation and benefits

      Employee and labor relations

      Health, safety, and security

      Human resource development

HRD Functions

      Training and development (T&D)

      Organizational development

      Career development

Training and Development (T&D)

   Training – improving the knowledge, skills and attitudes of employees for the short-term, particular to a specific job or task – e.g.,

n      Employee orientation

n      Skills & technical training

n      Coaching

Counseling

   Development – preparing for future responsibilities, while increasing the capacity to perform at a current job

n   Management training

n   Supervisor development

Organizational Development

   The process of improving an organization’s effectiveness and member’s well-being through the application of behavioral science concepts

   Focuses on both macro- and micro-levels

   HRD plays the role of a change agent

A Framework for the HRD Process

HRD efforts should use the following four phases (or stages):

   Needs assessment

   Establishing HRD priorities

   Defining specific training and objectives

   Establishing evaluation criteria

   Design

   Selecting who delivers program

   Selecting and developing program content

   Scheduling the training program

   Implementation

   Implementing or delivering the program

   Evaluation