Contemporary Learning & Development within the global context

Learning and Development : 

A HRD process used to enhance the capabilities of the employees motivate them towards enhancing performance and improving productivity to achieve sustainable competitive advantage of the firms. A good example would be Apple Inc of the USA a truly innovative and creative company.  (CIPD, 2015)

Training methodology :

Organisations use diverse tools to enhance learning and development. All learning and development is based on organization needs.  L& D is linked to organizational goals and objectives towards achieving Strategic Human Resource objectives based on business needs.  

 Companies such as Nestle’s go to the extend of educating their employees in markets such as Africa and India where literacy and numeracy skills are lacking in certain group of people. Such activities may not benefit the organization in the short duration but in the long-term employee loyalty and communication skills and ability to perform the job effectively has untold benefits (Nestlé. 2003).

Types of Learning and development :

Broadly there is in house and external job related short term programs intended to achieve organizational objectives which bridges the gaps in skill levels of employees and their for enhance productivity and performance of the workforce. (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). On the other hand, Learning and Development processes are formal processes with specific objectives and are linked to performance appraisal systems to motivate teams, groups and employees.

Development Programs :

Development programs may be more generalistic in that knowledge and skills are development in the long run through perhaps external bodies such as universities or professional bodies. Again, the objective is to have talent pools or highly skilled employees. As such talented employees can make a difference in Employer Branding and sustainable competitiveness but however learning may also be used in the process of skills development internally or externally.

Online Training :

With the development of Web, internet and connectivity, mobile device proliferation  more and more institutions are not using a Mixed approach to training and development a mix of online tools and classroom methodologies along with mobile devices to enhance skills of their associates, contingent workforces and talent pools.

Learning and development :  

L&D is therefore strategic to organization success sustainability and competitiveness globally. Its considered one of the most important tools as in the past when during times of recession organizations didn’t invest on L&D today even in lean times organization focus in learning and development to achieve long term gains (Dessler, 2009).

Reference : 

Armstrong, M., and Taylor, S., (2014) A hand book of human resource management practice. Thirteenth Edition. Published by Kogan Page UK.

CIPD (2015) Learning and Development annual survey report 2015. Published by CIPD, UK

Dessler, G., (2013) Human Resources Management, 13^th edition, Pearson Education Inc. Published by Prentice Hall. NJ,  USA.

Nestlé  (2003) The Nestlé People Development Review. March 2003, Nestlé S.A., Public Affairs