What is employee development?

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Commercial and industrial organisations operate in a dynamic business environment. Market, technological, personnel and other changes have far-reaching effects on companies and unless they are prepared and able to move with the times their competitiveness is battered and their opportunities for growth reduced. People hold the key to more productive and efficient organisations. The way in which people are managed and developed at work has major effects upon quality, customer service, organisational flexibility and costs.

Personnel and development practitioners can play a major role creating the framework for this to happen, but ultimately they are dependent upon line managers and other employees for its delivery. It is important that personnel and development specialists gain the commitment of others and pursue professional and ethical practices that will bring about competitive success. Moreover, technological and social changes have forced employees to pay particular attention to their manpower policies and practices. The rapid evolution of personnel management as a major business function is itself a direct result of the growing managerial concern for the more effective use and development of human resources. This created the need to adopt a positive and systematic approach to employee training and development.

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What is employee development?

In its organisational context it is a process to help people acquire and maintain the competence and commitment that will:

  • Improve performance, quality, customer service and long-term organisational progress.
  • Aid recruitment and retention, stimulate and support continuous individual development.
  • Help to enhance the skill and knowledge base of the organisation and of individuals.

Developing people is therefore a critical process whose most powerful contributions to the business are to do with productivity, performance, knowledge development and organisational progress. Its greatest benefits for individuals are to do with personal competence, growth, ...

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