Professional Improvement and Opportunities Employees Can, Essay Example

Introduction

In human resource management some traditional top officials feel that when employees are on the job they are there to serve the public, not for the administration to teach them anything or learn from the job experience.  However, this thinking is now obsolete. Twenty-first century human resource management have reviewed evidence showing that when a workplace offers opportunities for learning, employees function better; they stay longer on the job and productivity is improved (Aguinis & Kraiger, 2009).

Herman Aguinis and Kurt Kraiger (2009) confirmed the immense benefits of Training and Development for Individuals and Teams, Organizations and Society to highlight job performance as major improvement. Learning opportunities catered towards improving cognitive and interpersonal and psychomotor skills/ tasks were the most pronounced changes observed after an on-the job learning strategies were implemented. Importantly, it was observed that on the job learning motivates entry level employee towards aspirations of leadership. As such it keeps leadership positons filled in the organization (Aguinis & Kraiger, 2009). This research presentation focuses on what employers can do to help employees with professional development in the workplace.

On the Job learning

On the job learning is sometimes referred to as on- the- job-training, but on the job learning goes beyond training because it is actually learning without formal training which is beneficial to the organization. Modern human resource management designs workshops, meetings and forums for training employees in the desired skills. Traditionally, except for professions, which require technical training persons went on the job and learnt through apprenticeship the skills need to execute the process. Doctors, nurses, lawyers and other professionals undergo training and enter the workplace as professionals.

They are trained. However, after training where does the learning occur in that practice? Employers must provide accessible opportunities for continuous growth through learning in the areas of expertise brought into the organization by these professionals. This is the major concern facing modern human resource management experts. How can employer design programs or develop strategies that facilitate learning within their organizations?

Jeffrey White (2006) speaking in the Jacksonville Business Journal on the importance of  employee training contended that  without training employees and organizations cannot grow to obtain their full potential. Productivity would be stagnated and inadequately prepared employees ultimately cost organizations millions due to mistakes that are made (White, 2006). A classic example of this feature in institutional settings can be seen in how much it costs healthcare for malpractice insurance when medical errors are made. These professionals are trained, but it would appear that they are not learned in the profession.

Consequently, on the job learning strategies ought to be implemented. These professionals now have to learn from their malpractice mistakes, how to manage patients and conditions appropriately. Further, White (2006) argues that it is important for employers to maintain the training needed for competition. Costs of training/learning do not have to be exorbitant and many strategies can be applied to impart learning without creating budget cuts or making it a formal exercise. In-house learning utilizing internal trainers such as computer programs is one of the most recent amazing developments in on the job learning techniques/opportunities (White, 2006)

Available opportunities

 Workplace expert Heather Huhman (2015) offered employers 50 professional resources that can be utilized. At first she disclosed that employees were not satisfied that employers were doing their best in offering effective professional improvement in their organizations. Consequently, attempts were made at offering fifty derived from research surveying more than 200,000 employees. The first one identified was career development. The expert highlighted  that people are always seeking improvement in their skills. This is a unique motivation strategy for mobility within the organization (Huhman, 2015).

A second resource is communication development. Often this either builds or breaks an industry or institution. In this age of immense technological development the world seems less sensitive to a smile, body language cutes, warm handshake or even a gesture of laughter. Computers and emails take the place of face to face communication removing a warm interactive industrial climate as both employees and their supervisors are glued to computers when functioning in an office environment. Even though management applies many sophisticated evidence based theoretical strategies appropriate professional communication is lacking. Employers must use effective communication for on-the job learning enhancement (Huhman, 2015).

Thirdly, this expert identified technology skills development. This is a huge learning undertaking for any organization. For example, with the implementation of the affordable care act in healthcare organizations if employers did not upgrade their staff with training and learning of entering data on computer programs rather than files the outcome would have been catastrophic. However, the process of extensive was facilitated by subsides from healthcare administration. While this was useful many healthcare organizations were reluctant in exposing their employees to the training.

Leadership development is the fourth recommended resource an employer can use for professional improvement offering opportunities that employees can Access to further on-the-job learning. According to Huhman (2015) whether or not an employee appears ready for management functions the opportunity must be made available for him/her. Ultimately, 60% of all employees aspire for leadership positions within their organizations and they must be offered the exposure (Huhman, 2015).

Analytical skills development is a fifth professional improvement recommended by the expert since it was discovered that employers love employees who have magnificent analytical skills. Interestingly, employers can invest in programs that enhance employees’ skills. Besides, these employees can be placed in positions on the job that facilitate utilization of those skills

Access to opportunities

While Heather Huhman (2015) produced evidence of opportunities available that employers could offer their employees towards furthering on the job learning, the difficulty is are these resources accessible to the employers who are desirous of offering them to their employees. Sure, accessibility means acquiring the financial resources to implement them in the job environments.

For example, on- the – job-learning to improve skills as a professional in computer technology require finances, time and implementing software, which is costly. We livein a society whre there are numerous resources, which are inaccessible to the majority due to structural inequality. Employers ought to address these issues in making professional improvement opportunities accessible to further on- the- job – learning in organizations

 Conclusion (Executive summary)

This research sought to find out what employers can do to facilitate professional improvement in furthering access of on the job-learning.  Five recommended resources from a total of fifty (50) were identified in this document. They emerged from research conducted by expert Heather Huhman (2015). Analytical skills development; leadership development; Technology skills development; communications development and career development were the five major resources. These are the features, which an honest employer could offer his/her employees to enhance professional improvement and at the same time offer  accessible opportunities that further on-the-job learning.

References

Aguinis, H., & Kraiger, K (2009). Benefits of Training and Development for Individuals and Teams, Organizations, and Society. Annual Review. Department of Psychology University of Colorado.

Huhman, H (2015). Offer These 50 Free Professional Resources to Your Employees. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243672

White, J. (2006). The importance of employee training. Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved on April 15^th, 2015 from http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2006/07/24/smallb2.html