Developing a manpower training strategy

Mohammad Mosaddek Hussain :
In the current world, the competition in every field is growing day by day. If we would like to win in our fields, may it be business or production or services, we must need competent employees at all levels of functional grids. Without training, qualified or experienced we cannot expect a good outcome from our business or services as a whole, To this end in mind, it is very emergent to train people in the appropriate fields in the interest of the organization or enterprises.
There is no alternative approach beyond training and development of employees or human capitals which are the real essence for achievement of the organization as thought by the experts and business giants.
Besides, human resource training and development in production and manufacturing concerns is a critical aspect of the development of a knowledge based workforce in many developed countries.
To transform into a knowledge-based economy (k-economy), many developing countries, believe that building a knowledge-based workforce is imperative, particularly in the
Manufacturing sector. Ttraining and development (T&D) of human resources in the manufacturing sector is vital in preparing a capable and skilled workforce with the expertise to meet current and future challenges by providing them with technological skills as well as critical thinking abilities for gathering latest knowledge on the trade. To support human resources’ T&D, the Government and other organizations has introduced and implemented the Human Resource Development programmes in various sectors and a range of support mechanisms, incentives and initiatives to assist various sectors. Many organizations believe that investment in human capital is the key to the success of the country’s economic growth. However, despite the support, incentives and initiatives implemented for HR T&D, the fact remains that problems or challenges to the effective management of HR T&D can arise. Empirical evidence from other developed and developing countries has identified considerable challenges to the management of HR T&D in the organizational methods and strategies.
However, there is limited empirical evidence of challenges in managing HR T&D in many countries as well. So, we should know the real imperatives of HR professionals and a clear understanding of the various challenges to the effective management of HR & TD.
To take an appropriate measure for bringing success we have to frame relevant and appropriate policies and procedures that can develop and implement for the effective management of human resources’ relating to Training & Development.
Further, the appropriate policy and procedures of T & D is rare in the manufacturing or production oriented organizations. As a result the employees sometimes feel embarrassed about their skill, knowledge and attitude in comparison to other organization’s employees. For achieving real success, T & D system should be very attractive, updated and to be harnessed with the knowledgeable, skill and updated training personnel for grooming skilled and knowledgeable employees at all levels of operational grids.
In the current growth of globalization various challenges are faced by organizations and training professionals and managers in managing and implementing effective HR T&D and the new technological revolution begins with the importance of human capital in HRD practice, their education and technical training, and also their communication and language skills. Human resources’ learning and motivation are also described as important features of effective HRD practices. However, their deficiencies in supporting the effectiveness of HR T&D pose a challenge to the development, management and implementation of effective HR T&D in organizations as a whole. Furthermore, the workforce’s changing demographics are also seen to have an impact on HRD practices, alongside the organization’s HR strategies and investments in HR T&D.
HRD Practice of Human Resources
The significant factor in HRD is the human resources in an organization.
In real sense, employees are viewed as the driving force for the overall success of organizations because of their skills, competencies, knowledge and experience as Becker, 1975; Schmidt & Lines, 2002; Harrison & Kessels, 2004 expressed in their studies. Moreover, it has been
suggested that for organizations to compete successfully in a global economy, it is urgent to hire sufficiently educated, trained, knowledgeable and skilled employees and provide them with lifelong learning education and training. However, these are some of the problems faced by employers and organizations and seen as a hindrance to the effective management, training and development of human resources in a global economy as manifested by Roberts & McDonald, 1995; Fernald et al, 1999; Shim, 2001; Lloyd, 2002; Budhwar et al, 2002; Bates et al, 2002.
On the other hand there is a shortage of HRD professionals who are skilled and experienced systems thinkers (Bing et al, 2003), and who have the ability to manage the vast and specialised function of HRD across organizations as Eidgahy, 1995; Buyens et al, 2001; Garavan, et al, 2002 opined .
In reality, the lack of HRD professionals in many developing countries is a major bottleneck to the nation’s HRD efforts. In this respect, Kerr & McDougall (1999) argued that problems also arise due to a lack of experience and understanding of HR T&D on the part of managers. Indeed, some writers have claimed that HRD professionals do have an important role, as they possess expertise in learning and in developing others to become experts (Wright et al, 1999; Eichinger & Ulrich, 1998; Chermack et al, 2003).
Training and Technical Aspects
Regarding the issues of human resources’ lack of capabilities and intellectual abilities are
said to be grounded in their levels of education and technical training (Low, 1998). It has been reported that organisations are faced with a challenge in acquiring high calibre human resources with adequate levels of education (O’Connell, 1999; Streumer et al, 1999).
As reported by the International Labour Organisation that more than half of the workforce in manufacturing companies, particularly in the South East Asia Region, only possess educational qualifications at primary level or lower (ILO, 1997). The arguments arise that as well as possessing the required skills for the job and being knowledgeable and trainable, human resources should also be required to posses at least a college or university qualification. However, the generalization of this standard of education to all levels of employees is unclear and requires further empirical evidence. Nevertheless, it is agreed that an undergraduate degree provides the essential ‘intellectual human capital’ on which to build future learning and also a knowledge-workforce (ILO, 1997; Harrison & Kessels, 2004).
Some experts and theorists have posited that human resources’ level of education is interrelated with communication and language. Indeed, it is important for trainers to provide and communicate learning to trainees, who, on the other hand, must accept and acquire learning (Wright et al, 1999; Eichinger & Ulrich, 1998), as any problems in communication and language abilities may have a negative impact on learning, training and development process as a whole.
In some countries lack of English speaking workers or those who lack proficiency in English is having an adverse effect on education, learning and HR T&D efforts. Moreover, problems with communication and language barrier have also been associated with cultural integration. In HRD, the recognition and integration of culture is an important strategy in the learning, training and development of human resources (Garavan, 1991; McCracken & Wallace, 1999). However, several studies have reported that lack of understanding of and adaptation to different cultures and values has been impeding learning and training process and affects the goal of training and development..
Training, Learning and Motivation
Transfer of learning and knowledge, the extent to which employees are able to apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired during any HRD intervention into the job context is viewed as a key consideration in HRD practice (Wexley & Latham, 1991; Yadapadithaya & Stewart, 2003). Various research on the transfer of learning has indeed shown that as well as physical and social factors, employees’ psychological conditions and abilities can either encourage or discourage the acquisition and transfer of new skills and knowledge. Psychological factors, in this context, may include employees’ education, communication and language abilities, environment, change and its resistance, and any other abilities or tendencies relating to the individual state of mind. On the other hand, some theorists have argued that the extent to which training skills and learning are transferred to the job and the workplace is strongly motivated by the immediate superior’s support in the transfer of the learning process. Indeed, it was suggested in the strategic framework of HRD practice that top management support and line managers’ involvement is an important feature in the effective management and implementation of HR T&D efforts (Garavan, 1991). However, a lack of support, commitment, involvement and cooperation in the development of human resources has been criticized as affecting the efficiency of the HRD system (Harrison, 2000; Garavan et al, 1998) and also affecting the effective development of employees’ learning and motivation (Watkins & Marsick, 1993; Gilley & Maycunich, 2000).
Human Resource Demographics
Critical challenge regarding changing workforce demographics or deficiencies related to human capital in HRD are the increase of the ageing workforce – the so-called ‘baby boomers’ (Bova & Kroth, 2001; Chermack et al, 2003) – and also the exponential entrance of ‘elite expertise workers’ who are also known as ‘generation X’ and the ‘gold collar’ workforce. In retrospect, even developed countries like the USA are facing problems related to the very high rate of ‘baby boomers’ entering the workforce and developing countries, including the Asia Pacific Region, are no exception to this trend. The ageing population in these countries has great implications for the future of human resources in organizations (Low, 1998; Debrah, 1998; Chermack et al, 2003). On the contrary, ‘elite expertise workers’ are viewed as technically expert, skilled and competent workers who possess the bargaining power to take control of their own career development and advancement.. As a matter of fact, not all such employees can be categorized as ‘elite expertise workers’. It has been argued that these elite workers may only include HRD professionals, highly skilled technical IT employees and also engineers who have shifted their values, work ethics and lifestyle from the traditional life-long employment and job security to constant retraining and job-hopping. These workers are criticized for continuously being in search of new and challenging jobs and a competitive working environment. As a consequence of these problems, employers and organizations may be required to review their HR strategies, particularly the integration of their HRM and HRD efforts.
Human Resource Strategies
The success of HRD interventions is to be understood from a formal, structured and strategically focused HRD orientation for ensuring its effectiveness. Moreover, a strategically focused HRD programme is argued to consist of the ability of organizations to formulate plans and policies for HRD and integrate them with plans and policies in HR, and also with overall business plans of the organization. Unfortunately, these strategies are often reported as being imperceptible, due to short term plans and the lack of proper strategic HRD guidance and experienced personnel to conduct the trainings and management development programmes with due importance and follow-up evaluation in the future. (Mohammad Mopsaddek Hussain is a HR expert)