LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Learning and Development Defined.

Learning and development is a systematic process to enhance an employee’s skills, knowledge, and competency, resulting in better performance in a work setting. Specifically, learning is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Development is the broadening and deepening of knowledge in line with one’s development goals (Rishaw.H, 2022)

(Armstrong, 2014 pg.284) defined; the process of ensuring that the organization has the knowledgeable, skilled and engaged workforce it needs. It involves facilitating the acquisition by individuals and teams of knowledge and skills through experience, learning events and programs provided by the organization, guidance and coaching provided by line managers and others, and self-directed learning activities carried out by individuals.

Components of learning and development.

Learning – the process by which a person acquires and develops knowledge, skills, capabilities, behaviors and attitudes. It involves the modification of behavior through experience as well as more formal methods of helping people to learn within or outside the workplace.

Development – the growth or realization of a person’s ability and potential through the provision of learning and educational experiences.

Training – the systematic application of formal processes to impart knowledge and help people to acquire the skills necessary for them to perform their jobs satisfactorily.

Education – the development of the knowledge, values and understanding required in all aspects of life rather than the knowledge and skills relating to particular areas of activity.

Image 1: Components of learning and development (Armstrong, 2014)


Honey and Mumford learning cycle

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford (1986) identify four distinct styles or preferences that people use while learning. They suggest that most of us tend to follow only one or two of these styles, and that different learning activities may be better suited to particular styles.

Activists: Activists are those individuals who learn by doing. Activists need to get their hands filthy. They have a receptive way of dealing with learning, including themselves completely and without inclination in new encounters.

Theorists: These learners get a kick out of the chance to comprehend the hypothesis behind the activities. They require models, ideas and truths with a specific end goal to participate in the learning procedure. Like to break down and integrate, drawing new data into a methodical and consistent “hypothesis”.

Pragmatists: These individuals have the capacity to perceive how to put the learning into practice in their present reality. Conceptual ideas and recreations are of constrained utility unless they can see an approach to put the concepts practically in their lives. Experimenting with new ideas, speculations and methods to check whether they work is their mode of action.

Reflectors: These individuals learn by watching and contemplating what happened. They may abstain from jumping in and prefer to watch from the side-lines. They want to remain back and see encounters from various alternate points of view, gathering information and using the opportunity to work towards a suitable conclusion.

Image 2: Preferred styles of learning (health.gov.au, 2014)

 

Organizational learning strategies

Organizational learning strategies aim to improve organizational effectiveness through the acquisition and development of knowledge, understanding, insights, techniques and practices. This is in accordance with one of the basic principles of HRM, namely that it is necessary to invest in people in order to develop the human capital required by the organization and to increase its stock of knowledge and skills (Armstrong, 2014).

 

Image 3: Benefits of a Learning Organization

Conclusion

Every day, companies must adapt the way they operate to stay competitive and relevant since businesses rely on versatility and continual transformation. Learning & development provides that directly impacts a company’s bottom line. It helps companies gain and retain top talent, it improves productivity, and learning & development helps companies earn more profit. Risk of untrained employees to the organization reduces.  Learning and development will always ensure the future transformational success.

 

References

Rishaw.H, 2022, What is Learning & Development? (Available at) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-learning-development-rahul-rishav (Accessed on May 2023)

Armstrong, 2014. Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice, (Available at) https://e-uczelnia.uek.krakow.pl/pluginfile.php/604792/mod_folder/content/0/Armstrongs%20Handbook%20of%20Human%20Resource%20Management%20Practice_1.pdf?forcedownload=1 (Accessed on May 2023)

health.gov.au, 2014, Identifying your personal learning style, (Available at) https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-pubs-front1-wk-toc~drugtreat-pubs-front1-wk-secb~drugtreat-pubs-front1-wk-secb-2~drugtreat-pubs-front1-wk-secb-2-5~drugtreat-pubs-front1-wk-secb-2-5-ide (Accessed on May 2023)

Rosewell.J 2005. Learning styles (Available at) https://www.open.edu/openlearn/pluginfile.php/629607/mod_resource/content/1/t175_4_3.pdf (Accessed on May 2023)

Gupta.D, 2022. What Is a Learning Organization? +Benefits, Core Principles (2023), (Available at) https://whatfix.com/blog/learning-organization/ (Accessed on 2023)

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