Importance of Training and Development

Training and development performs a critical function in organizations. Wexley and Latham (2002) argue that training and development can improve an individual’s level of self-awareness, enhance an individual’s skills or increase an individual’s motivation on the job. As organizational activity becomes more knowledge-driven, training and development is performing an ever more important role in meeting both the learning needs of individuals and strategic organizational imperatives (Harrison and Kessels 2004). Marchington and Wilkinson (2002) argue that training and development facilitates greater levels of creativity and initiative on behalf of employees. From an organizational perspective, Mabey, Salaman, and Storey (1998) argue that training and development is the pivotal link between an organization’s human resource strategy and overall business strategy. Used in a strategic manner, Mabey et al. argue that training and development can give organizations a competitive edge in the content and delivery of products and services. In an era of downsizing, empowerment and organizational delayering, responsibility for many areas of human resources (HR), including training and development is increasingly falling upon the shoulders of line managers (White et al. 2004; Torrington, Hall, and Taylor 2004).

Where organizations place a high emphasis on training and development, the results suggest that organizations should recruit managers for whom capability values represent a relatively salient personal value type. Line managers who place strong emphasis on achievement, self-reliance, competence and self-respect are more likely to champion training and development in the workplace. For organizations wishing to foster a training and development culture, attention should be devoted towards ensuring managers achieve sufficient levels of autonomy in their work and feel secure and competent in their own abilities. Managers will not champion training and development if they are fearful about the achievements of their subordinates and uncertain about their own capabilities. The study findings indicate that organizational context is important. We suggest that organizations with well-structured and positive approaches to training and development will have a greater impact on the value that line managers attach to training and development. It is apparent from the analysis that line managers working in multinational corporations may be involved in making policy choices concerning training and development and have greater levels of decision-making discretion. Organizations can take proactive steps to ensure that the context supports line managers who wish to be supportive of training and development. In this context, it is important to empower line managers sufficiently to make decisions concerning training and development.

References

Harrison, R., and J. Kessels. 2004. Human resource development in a knowledge economy: An organisational view. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mabey, C., G. Salaman, and J. Storey. 1998. Strategic human resource management: A reader. London: Sage

McGuire, D., Garavan, T.N., O'Donnell, D., Saha, S.K. and Cseh, M., 2008. Managers' personal values as predictors of importance attached to training and development: a cross-country exploratory study. Human Resource Development International, 11(4), pp.335-350.

Wexley, K.N., and G.P. Latham. 2002. Developing and training human resources in organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

White, M., S. Hill, C. Mills, and D. Smeaton. 2004. Moving to change? British workplaces and the future of work. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.