Unit 4: Training, Development, and Career Planning
Once you have completed the recruitment process, the HR department is often charged with training and developing this new human capital. You can think about this training as the process businesses use to inform new members about the specific components of their assumed jobs. Consider this process as a way to offer continuous improvement and an opportunity to develop and update your human capital to be successful on the job. In the same way, career planning, often called succession planning, involves mapping the growth of your human capital and building strong relationships with the management team.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- explain strategies used in the training and development of talent;
- explain talent management's contribution to the overall success of the organization; and
- define the role of career and succession planning.
4.1: Training and Development
Read these sections on the process of strategically training and developing employees. In a competitive marketplace, effective training and development programs offer a recruitment tool to human resources (HR) and a valuable tool for employee retention. Knowing an organization is investing time and resources into your development can be critical.
The "Fortune 500 Focus" section describes how the Walt Disney Company conducts its training and development programs. In addition to providing training specific to each particular position in the park, the Disney Development Connection program offers continuous development to their human capital. In addition to in-house training, Disney also offers employees tuition reimbursement. In this way, Disney shows it is committed to its employees. How do these offerings affect employee performance, job satisfaction, corporate culture, and retention?
This article argues that formal training wastes organizational resources and that "push learning" is frequently unproductive. The author believes creating an organizational culture of ongoing work-driven learning is far more effective. Brainstorm some industries where you believe this model works and where it does not. Could you argue that the outcome of formal training depends on the learner rather than the type of learning?
4.2: Career and Succession Planning
Read this section, paying close attention to Figure 8.11 and the section on career development programs and succession planning. You may want to make a copy of this figure in your notes. Complete the exercises at the end of the section, and be sure to spend time on the question on the importance of creating a career development plan, even if your employer does not have one.
Unit 4 Assessment
- Receive a grade
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.