HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example L&D of employees gives them the required motivation to continue working in the organisation. Therefore, it is important to note that employee L&D initiatives aim at capacity building which essentially translates to higher performance and increased efficiency. Organisations are required to meet set targets and remain focused on their vision and mission and a skilled and knowledgeable workforce bridges the gap between targets and achievements. This paper will look into L&D strategies in organisations, methods of L&D and leaning styles and models at work. L&D strategy in organisations L&D strategies are vastly used by managers to manage the different talents within an organisational setting while building a culture of development. In order to accomplish these successfully, determination of employees’ development needs is essential. A great deal of learning within an organisation occurs as employees interact with one another and the management needs to encourage this development. Peer coaching programs can be of assistance where skills are transferred from one employee to the other. Formal mentoring approaches can also be initiated so as to attain specific development objectives and they include needs assessment, program design and management, mentor and mentee and evaluation programs (Wilton 2010). Learning groups can also be used where peers come up with specific goals to achieve which are embedded in a practical structure. Leadership development skills can also be imparted through learning groups where a senior member of staff brings forth discussions on real scenarios in the workplace. These groups use case studies, presentations and problems solving discussions among others in order to enhance understanding of concepts. Tasks at the workplace can also serve to boost employee skills acting as on-the-job learning. A good L&D strategy needs to have certain elements one of them being a sound L&D philosophy which entails a clearly defined structure which L&D initiatives should follow. Secondly, aims of the L&D strategy should be well spelt out in order to facilitate direction of organisation’s energy and resources. Priorities for L&D also need to be put forth so as to give sequence of events (Mayo 2004). The strategy should also include transferring of responsibilities bestowed on senior management to lower ranking staff. It is important to note that learning is both formal and informal as briefly highlighted above. Informal learning is quite relevant to employee needs while formal one is relevant to needs of some people and not others. Informal learning involves taking care of individual needs while formal teaches the same things to all irrespective of unique needs. Informal learning is learner centred while the other is trainer centred (Clifford and Thorpe 2007). Informal learning is easily transferable while the formal one is at times hard to apply. Formal learning is predominantly in the work setting while formal one happens elsewhere. Organisational learning enhances good management skills thereby facilitating management development. Organisational learning interrelates with learning culture which ensures that all employees are continuously learning as they work. In order to develop a working culture an organisation should have a vision that is shared by all. It should endeavour to empower employees through policies, behaviour expectations and ceding as much responsibility as possible to facilitate growth in decision making skills (Clifford and Tho