Training and Development for Employees

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In the last entry, our focus was on training targeted for managers, but in this post, we will focus on training for employees.  As Selden (2009) reiterates throughout her book, Human Capital: Tools and Strategies for the Public Sector, employers should consider employees their top assets because the success of the organization ultimately depends on how they work.  Therefore, it is important that employees also receive training that will not only help them succeed on the job, but help them perform as best as they can for the good of the organization.  Numerous training programs can be developed that employees can benefit from, such as stress management, ethics, motivation, and workplace violence and sexual harassment prevention.  However, the focus of this entry will be on career development opportunities for employees.

In the article Building the bottom line by developing the frontline: Career development for service employees, Jackson and Sirianni (2009, p. 279) promote the idea of an "employee-centered" organization.  They express that it is worthwhile for organizations to invest on their employees' career development, which would not only result in increased employee retention, job performance, job satisfaction, and job commitment, but would simultaneously help the employees fulfill their professional goals and the organization's overall goals.  In the end, as Selden (2009) mentions, career development opportunities would allow the employee to grow in knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that he may need as he seeks to move forward in his career.

Jackson and Sirianni (2009) provide the following steps as part of a career development strategy managers can use for their employees:

1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of employees through an assessment of each
2. Chart the appropriate course an employee would need to follow to reach his short and long term goals
3. Take action to increase the employees' KSAs by providing them with training programs, mentoring, etc.
4. Expect positive outcomes for the employee, organization, and public they serve

The following video promoting the book "Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go" by Beverly Kaye and Julie Giulioni takes another apporach by asserting that "Quality career development comes down to quality conversation."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM8msG9Ibww

References

Jackson, D., & Sirianni, N.  (2009, June).  Building the bottom line by developing the frontline: Career development for service employees.  Business Horizons.  Science Direct- FIU.  Retrieved April 18, 2013, from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/science/article/pii/S0007681309000226.

Selden, S.  (2009).   Human Capital: Tools and Strategies for the Public Sector.  Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc.