By Fatskills Exam Guides Team — the exam nerds behind 28,500+ quizzes and 2.1M practice questions across 500+ global exams.
This Guide Covers The PHR® Exam Content From The Learning And Development Functional Area And Consists Of The Following Responsibilities And Required Knowledge. 01 Provide consultation to managers and employees on professional growth and development opportunities 02 Implement and evaluate career development and training programs (for example: career pathing , management training, mentorship) 03 Contribute to succession planning discussions with management by providing relevant data
In Addition To The Preceding Responsibilities, An Individual Taking The PHR® Exam Should Have Working Knowledge Of The Following Areas, Usually Derived Through Practical Experience: - Applicable federal laws and regulations related to learning and development activities - Learning and development theories and applications - Training program facilitation, techniques, and delivery - Adult learning processes - Instructional design principles and processes (for example: needs analysis, process flow mapping) - Techniques to assess training program effectiveness, including use of applicable metrics - Organizational development (OD) methods, motivation methods, and problem-solving techniques - Task/process analysis - Coaching and mentoring techniques - Employee retention concepts and applications - Techniques to encourage creativity and innovation
This guide covers the area of learning and development. This important topic composes 10 percent of the PHR® exam. HR professionals will be responsible for the growth and development of the talent in their organization. Additionally, HR most often coordinates and develops training for companies and must understand how employees learn and retain new concepts and ideas to create training that is impactful. The key concepts to master in this guide are how to provide consultation to managers and employees on professional growth and development opportunities; learning and development theory and practices; and techniques that are employed by HR professionals in this area. The goals of learning and development include aligning employee behaviors with desired outcomes and ensuring that the organization has the proper talent with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet the needs of the company and the employees, now and in the future. Required Knowledge The desire of all HR professionals is to help their company transform into a learning organization, helping its employees to reach their maximum potential to grow and support the organization as it continues to improve its business and achieve its goals. To do this, HR professionals must be proficient in assessing learning and development needs, developing and implementing training, and determining the effectiveness of the training delivered. HR practitioners must have knowledge of learning theory, and they must master techniques of facilitation and delivery of instruction, as well as methods of teaching and coaching to encourage learners in the learning process. Laws and Regulations Even in learning and development there are legal compliance requirements to ensure that training is unbiased and delivered in a manner that provides equal opportunity to all employees who require access to training. In some cases, it is also important to know the legal restrictions governing the use of training materials such as copyright law. With the increase of materials freely accessible on the Web, it is still the responsibility of the training developer and those offering training to guard against infringement of other people’s work without proper compensation or acknowledgment. Title VII and ADA Compliance Previusly, we discussed the impact of civil rights legislation on hiring and promoting talent within the organization. These laws also have requirements that mandate equal opportunity in training employees. For example, to determine who needs training and when they can attend, companies should use processes similar to those used in selecting new employees. In cases where an employee might have a disability that is covered under the ADA, employers must again provide reasonable accommodation to such an individual. This might mean modification to support visual or hearing impairment, for example.
Note: Correct in a green box) or audio cue (a bell “ding”). An individual who may have difficulty determining red or green shades, commonly referred to as red/green colorblindness, is not solely dependent on the green box, as there are two other cues to show the correct answer (the word and sound). Recording narration and narration text appearing are other common techniques to ensure compliance. Title 17 (Copyright Act of 1976) This law is important to HR professionals responsible for the creation and implementation of training for an organization. With the extensive amount of material available on the Internet, it may seem reasonable to use whatever can be found in presentations, training products, handouts, and other developmental material. However, it is essential to understand that some of that work is the intellectual property of others and that using it may have restrictions or be prohibited.
There are five points to copyright law that HR professionals should know with respect to the copyright owner and the material. - The owner has the right to authorize others to copy it. - The owner has the right to authorize others to distribute it. - The owner has the right to authorize others to alter it to create a new product or version (known as a derivative). - The owner has the right to authorize others to display it. - The owner has the right to authorize others to perform it.
In summary, it is not permitted to use, copy, distribute, alter, display, or perform any work created by someone without assigning proper credit and when required properly compensating the owner for the permissions discussed. The reasoning is that it wouldn’t be right for someone to go through the hard work to create something and have it used by someone else without any consideration given.
Of course, there are always exceptions. One is material that is in the public domain. There are certain provisions that dictate how and when material enters the public domain and may be used freely by all. The other significant exception is the “fair use” doctrine. While fair use doesn’t have a clearly defined standard, in general it looks to how much of the material is being used, for what purpose, and the impact financially for its use that would deprive the owner of benefiting from the work. Learning and Development Theory Much of developmental learning and training applies knowledge of how the human brain thinks, learns, retains, and uses information. However, there are some basic principles common throughout them that impact how an HR professional designs and implements training for the organization. The Association of Talent Development (ATD) is an organization for talent developers, instructional design professionals, and professional coaches. It can be a great resource for HR professionals working in this field. Among these professionals are some who hold the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) credential. For more information, you can visit www.td.org. Instructional Design Principles and Processes When designing instructional material, it is important to understand the basic design principles and processes. The general intent is to know how the adult human brain learns and design a presentation in such a way as to maximize the retention and comprehension of the information. Through the use of developed instructional design techniques, content material can be learned faster and more efficiently with greater simplicity. The first step is a needs analysis. A needs analysis clearly shows what the organization requires to meet its goals and objectives. A proper needs analysis in instructional design will reveal what needs to be learned and the best methods to achieve learning.
HR professionals should be familiar with such design models as Analysis-Design-Development-Implementation-Evaluation (ADDIE). This five-step process begins with analysis of the problem or objective, followed by intentional design and development of the training and its implementation. It then concludes with an evaluation of the results. This dynamic and flexible process provides necessary structure for learning development. Another example is Robert Gagne’s nine events of instruction, a model that attempts to capture the process of learning in concrete events as they occur in the instructional process.
The figure below shows the events that were first defined by the American educational psychologist. The process begins with capturing the attention of the learner and flows through to practical use of the information gained, where the knowledge is transferred to long-term memory and can be recalled and used over and over.
FIGURE: Gagne’s nine events of instruction Process Flow Mapping When a process is created in the organization, process flow mapping allows for the steps in the process to be visually displayed so that the learner can review the process and have greater understanding and comprehension. It allows for the learner to identify non-value-added steps, facilitates teamwork and communications, and keeps everyone on the same page. There are standard graphics used in modern process flow mapping.
The figure below provides an example of a basic process shown in a flow map. Creating the map is often part of the instructional design process to facilitate the employee learning visually how the process is to be followed. FIGURE: Process flow map Adult Learning Processes The classic adult learning theory was popularized by Malcolm Shepard Knowles (1913–1997), who developed these four concepts related to adult learning: - Adult learners want to have a voice in deciding the content and method of delivery. - Adult learners are most interested in learning about something that has immediate impact and relevance in their world. - Adult learning is experiential, meaning that adults draw upon their own experience to learn new concepts. - Adult learners use problem solving as the primary method of learning and retention of ideas and concepts.
In addition to Knowles’s learning theory, Benjamin Bloom (1913–1990) defined what has become a standard taxonomy of learning; it has three levels of learning based on senses, emotions, or knowledge. The cognitive level, based on knowledge, has six levels: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create (or Synthesize). This is important to understand for adult learning because it shows the levels of retention and ability to integrate new concepts from the lowest level (just understanding) to the highest (creation of new thoughts based on what has been learned). A full dive into the adult learning process is beyond the scope of this guide, but a general understanding will help with concepts outlined here. For more information on this subject, I recommend the Department of Education information paper at https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/11_%20TEAL_Adult_Learning_Theory.pdf. Task and Process Analysis HR professionals must know how to deconstruct a task or process and understand where employees may struggle in understanding how to perform it. This is a critical step in the needs analysis process to fit the right training or remedial steps to improve performance.
- Review the job requirements and identify the tasks or actions that are essential to successfully do the work. - Determine the required knowledge, skills, attributes, or other behaviors that are needed to most effectively perform the task or process. - Compare the requirements against the current performance of the employee and identify any deficient areas. - Determine which of the deficiencies can be corrected through training. - Design or acquire training that supports the needed changes. - Implement the training and monitor progress of the employee. - Evaluate any changes in performance to measure the effective of the training.
Techniques HR professionals responsible for the development of the human capital of their organization must be familiar with the various training techniques available. Training is designed to align knowledge, skills, and behaviors of employees with the needs of the organization to achieve goals and objectives. There are also a variety of techniques to evaluate the performance of employees and assist them to continually improve. Career Development and Leadership Great organizations have intentional paths for how an entry-level employee grows and progresses throughout their tenure with the company. For example, in the United States Army, how does a new private who enlists today grow up to be a senior noncommissioned officer, an officer, or potentially a four-star general? Every career field has a career development model that is designed to plan the steps needed to advance, and that includes experience, education (both formal and informal), and professional development. Not only the what but the when in the timeline of a career are essential. This is equally true in civilian companies. It is important when employees join the company that they understand what they need to do to continue to grow and advance. Sometimes they may not seek increased responsibility or supervisory roles, so there should be consideration paid to how to enrich their current role to maintain engagement and keep the employee motivated to achieve the goals and objectives that support their role and the company’s mission, vision, and values. A career development map can show which positions have similar skills or duties that facilitate an employee switching jobs or career paths. From this, an individual can create a personal career development plan that takes into account their goals and desires and the needs of the company. It is not always possible for the employee’s ideal work and the reality of the job requirement demands for the company to align perfectly. In these cases, it is necessary for the leadership of the organization to motivate, coach, and develop the employee to maximize their contributions. Leaders select leaders and must be involved in succession planning to identify future leaders. They intentionally plan for their development to assume roles of greater significance, determining how to close or minimize any skills gaps in these prospects. Organizational Development Organizational development (OD) theory looks at both processes within an organization and the implementation strategy. A learning organization is one that continually assesses its situation, determines what it needs to improve, and develops a plan to make those improvements. It then evaluates the results at the end and starts the process again. As part of this theory, HR professionals should know change management and the variety of quality and control improvement methods that exist.
The table below lists some common methods and their key points. TABLE: Quality improvement methods
In addition to quality improvement methods, HR professionals determine how to implement desired changes in an organization. There are three basic areas: people, technology, and structure.
The figure below shows their relationship and how they may interact within an organization. It is important to know and understand how each type of change affects the other areas and how to adapt these changes over time. FIGURE: Organizational development change theories In all cases, an HR professional must know how to act as the change champion, embracing the continued growth and development of the company and reassuring its human capital that to be successful companies must continually change to meet the current demands that are informed by the current operational environment. HR professionals must communicate with leaders and employees about how people are accepting and adjusting to the reality of change within the company. Motivation Concepts and Applications A key point of knowledge for HR professionals is an understanding of motivation for employees and its relationship with organizational behavior. There are many different models and academic studies on this topic, each with a different variation on what compels people to behave in certain ways and how to use that knowledge to lead and inspire others to perform in a manner consistent with the desired values and behaviors of the company. It is not necessary to study every single motivational method in detail, but HR professionals should be familiar with the concepts and how they are applied in decisions related to the business.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Probably the most popular motivational structure is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, first developed by Abraham Maslow in his research published in 1943. This model lists six levels from the basic physiological to self-actualization and explains that individuals move along the hierarchy only after each lower level is satisfied.
The figure below shows the hierarchy model. It is important for HR professionals to understand these basic needs to help the organization provide for its employees and allow them to develop. For example, according to the hierarchy, physiological needs (such as food, shelter, and clothing) are well below esteem (accolades, rewards, and recognition). Therefore, it is logical that an employee’s basic compensation so that they can buy those items to meet physiological needs is of greater importance than a certificate of appreciation for their quality of work. However, for an employee to progress to self-actualization, those points of recognition are also needed. FIGURE: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Theory X and Theory Y Motivation of employees is important to their development and continued effective performance in an organization. Developed by Douglas McGregor at MIT in the late 1950s and 1960s, the two competing philosophies known as Theory X and Theory Y reflect on the nature of the generic worker and the corresponding management techniques that should be applied. Theory X views workers in a generally negative light, holding that they are not motivated to work and when given a choice will choose not to work and be generally lazy. The management technique that is required under this theory is one of punishment and reward to constantly motivate employees to meet demands of the organization and segregate those workers unable to perform from those that can. Managers focus on tasks to be performed more often than the workers that perform such tasks in this scenario. The converse to this is Theory Y, where the employee is assumed to be motivated internally to succeed and do the necessary work, but obstacles or restrictions limit the performance of most employees. Therefore, the manager’s role is to eliminate barriers to performance by communicating with the employee and help find ways to help the employee. These managers are more proactive and people-oriented than task-oriented. In the first theory, the relationship is more transactional, while in the second case, it is more transformational. In Theory X management, the results last only as long as the desire for reward or punishment is greater than the consequences of not completing the task in the mind of the employee. However, Theory Y will have a longer effect if the known barriers are removed and the employee is free to develop. Problem-Solving Techniques An eight-step problem-solving method is an example of a practical series of actions to take when solving complex problems. There are many versions of this method, but not all problems require a formalized step method. Many small issues get solved without the need to address each step. However, for difficult issues, HR professionals should be aware of the following steps:
Coaching and Mentoring Techniques HR professionals must know proper coaching and mentoring techniques to reach employees and to work with managers and executives who are in the role of mentor or coach to help them be more effective. Many times asking questions that drive critical thinking is a key task for a coach. For example, “What happened?” or “What did you intend?” and “What did you learn?” or “How can you improve next time?” are the types of questions that will help the employee learn from a given situation and process the knowledge gained. Coaches and mentors must gain the respect of the subject of their coaching to be effective, and trust is important in this regard. They have strong influence to help employees create and achieve goals. They must know how to help identify strengths and weaknesses of a learner or employee so that they can cooperatively develop strategies to overcome challenges.
Encourage Creativity and Innovation HR professionals should encourage creativity and innovation within the culture of the organization. In a similar manner to those techniques employed by coaches and mentors, encouraging creativity allows for the free flow of information and newly generated solutions to problems that can negatively impact the organization. To truly be innovative requires the removal of fear of failure. That does not mean removing consequences for poor performance or bad actions, but rather that when mistakes are made in the learning process, the focus is on correction and growth, not shame and blame. An organization that inspires dialogue and continuous improvement in the learning process will see resulting innovation. Training Program Delivery Training programs can be for specialized technical needs or more generalized. When developing a program, a needs assessment begins the process to determine exactly what training is required, who will sponsor the project, the available resources, the method of delivery, and the time allotted for the development of training. HR professionals should know how to research and determine the needs of employees, coordinate with subject-matter experts for specialized training, and prepare or coordinate for the delivery of more generalized training. In many cases, there is already training available for common business topics such as conflict management or leadership fundamentals, and it’s not necessary to create this training from scratch. However, a company may choose to present these topics in the context of its individual business by personalization. The bulk of internal resources dedicated to training program development is usually for more specialized training, since it isn’t commercially available off the shelf to purchase. Training specific to a company’s operation or proprietary processes or systems can be tailored as needed. HR professionals must know how to prioritize training resources and understand the effect that training will have to determine return on investment. This includes metrics to determine how employees retain the knowledge learned over time. Instruction that is not implemented or used quickly will not have as strong a retention, lessening the likelihood that it will be used by employees.
Training Program Facilitation HR professionals will know how to facilitate training events. As part of the adult learning model, the lead trainer is not an instructor providing all the knowledge and information but instead takes on the role of group advisor to help the collective team discover and learn using their own experience and understanding. The material is available for the group to draw upon, discuss, and collaborate, and the facilitator keeps the team motivated and sets milestones and general guidelines to ensure that learning objectives are met. Training can now be delivered in a traditional classroom presentation or through online content or blended using both methods. HR professionals must know how materials and subjects are best presented to ensure maximum retention. Some complex tasks require hands-on experience to learn. Training on equipment, on complex machines, or in specific locations cannot be easily replicated in a classroom. In a classroom, there can be interaction with the instructor. With e-learning, an instructor must anticipate questions that will flow naturally and prepare the response within the script. It is beyond the scope of the exam to know instruction design software for building online learning; however, it is the responsibility of HR to be able to review, evaluate, and select the platforms available to deliver the training.
Training Techniques HR professionals are often responsible for training managers, employees, and colleagues in a variety of subjects. It is required that they understand different training techniques. With the availability of modern technology, there are now more options available including simulations and virtual environments, along with more traditional classroom methods or on-the-job (OJT) training. OJT offers a unique opportunity for hands-on learning in the actual environment where the work is performed under real conditions but doesn’t allow for many mistakes or errors. The classroom works for learning theory or basic concepts related to the job, but it does not lend itself to realistic training because the environment doesn’t account for real working conditions. A virtual environment is helpful when communicating and learning across distances or with multiple learners, but again may not be the optimal learning environment for real conditions. In those situations, it also limits the amount of direct interaction between the learners and the instructor. HR professionals must contemplate the training that will be conducted and determine the best technique to use to achieve learning. These techniques are used in combination with other core elements discussed, including the adult learning process and motivational concepts. Employee Retention Concepts and Applications HR professionals must be knowledgeable about concepts that improve employee retention and know how to apply those concepts in the organization. Providing growth and learning opportunities for employees will improve retention. Companies that strive to improve organizational effectiveness will align employee behaviors that the company desires. These individuals are naturally disposed to perform at high levels for the company, and this makes them more desirous to remain with an organization where they are successful. Improving Organizational Effectiveness Training should be tied to the overall goals and mission of the organization, and each individual position in the company should have required training to sustain and improve the team. As part of the training needs assessment, HR should look at the critical tasks performed by each employee and the necessary skills or behaviors that an employee should possess to perform the tasks properly. Using performance appraisal methods, supervisors and management can determine where an individual employee needs to improve, and training can be matched to meet the needs. Surveys and assessments are conducted post-training to see whether there are changes in performance, improved efficiency, or other tangible results because of the training. Training the individual must align with the needs of the company to improve organizational effectiveness. The training must be balanced so that the employees’ improvements are related to the areas the company needs to remain successful. Evaluating Program Effectiveness HR professionals are responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of employee training programs. There are several methods for establishing the metrics and collecting data to compare the program results with the desired results. Surveys are a comprehensive method for quickly collecting results and depending on the type of survey can measure various levels of responsiveness.
The table below shows examples of surveys, the type of information they solicit, and how that information is used by an organization. TABLE: Surveys
Using Metrics to Evaluate Training Effectiveness Cost for training and the retention of information in post-learning surveys or tests are commonly used metrics that a company can use to measure training effectiveness. It is important that HR professionals know how to capture all costs associated with learning and development, not just paid courses external to the company but the internal committed resources to build in-house learning. They can develop tests that are administered after a short period of time following training to reinforce and measure retention of information of the class provided. Exam Tips Understand organizational development theory. While it is not required to know every theory in detail, exam participants should know the basics and be able to identify more commonly used theories. Know techniques related to instructional design and adult learning models. All organizations must understand how to design training around adults and know how their learning and retention are impacted by effective design. The components, the various measuring methods, and how those training techniques are used to improve the technical knowledge or capabilities of employees in the company are important knowledge points for HR professionals. Responsibilities The responsibilities associated with the functional area of human resources development are critical to a successful organization, but often in smaller organizations some or all of the key tasks are outsourced. The tasks of other functional areas tend to have immediate impact on employees or support the immediate needs of employers, such as payroll, or have compliance requirements that mandate work for HR, such as record keeping. Because these short-term needs can overwhelm even the most efficient small HR teams, human resources development is often viewed as a nice-to-have and not a need-to-have function by companies. Unfortunately, this is common, so HR professionals must strongly advocate for the continued development and training of the organization’s talent or risk stagnation and complacency throughout the company. Provide Consultation HR professionals are responsible for providing consultation to managers and employees on professional growth and development opportunities both internal and external to the organization to maximize the human capital potential of the entire company. HR professionals must work with supervisors and managers throughout the learning and development process. Managers often are highly skilled and knowledgeable about technical processes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are able to teach and groom others or can identify untapped potential performers in the group. HR must use interpersonal skills to build relationships with managers to help them develop all their employees to constantly and consistently achieve the goals set by the company. HR professionals use their role as advisors to coach managers to have deliberate discussions about employees’ desire for progression, career goals, and development plans. Both HR and management develop training to provide the needed skills for employees to advance and improve. HR must also ensure that managers understand their internal biases and ensure equal opportunity for all high-potential performers. HR professionals should routinely meet with managers to discuss their teams and the best course of action to develop them that meets the goals and objectives of the company. Developing the Organization HR professionals must help the organization to grow and meet the ever-changing needs of its employees, stakeholders, and customers. As companies transform, there must be systematic processes that ensure that no part of the team gets left behind or that change does not happen haphazardly. As a skill, HR professionals must know how change disrupts and are responsible for minimizing the impact of those disruptions or mitigating the potential negative consequences that often follow change. Implement and Evaluate Career Development and Training Programs HR professionals assist the organization by implementing and evaluating career development and training programs in the company by providing relevant data. This could be statistics about numbers of trained employees, the percentage of retirement-eligible employees that requires a career development model to grow internal replacement candidates over time, or active management of high-potential employees. Talent Management HR professionals must manage the talent of the organization and continually invest in the employees to ultimately benefit the company. They must build career development models and identify high-potential employees to ensure that those employees are managed more closely, to groom them for positions of increased responsibility or complexity, and to provide training at the right time in a career timeline to possess the right skills needed to do the work. Finally, HR professionals ensure that dedicated workers whose performance is aligned with the behaviors desired by the company are provided job enrichment opportunities to keep them engaged and performing at a high level.
Building a Career Development Model HR professionals must know how to chart the career progression of the various positions in the organization to stabilize the workforce and develop talent internally. It requires an understanding of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of each position and how those positions might be developmental to other more senior positions such as supervisors or executives. Career development models also show HR planners where skills of positions overlap to enable cross-training or suggest lateral transfers across the company. Ideal models can clearly demonstrate to new employees the career progression of a job within the organization and provide guidance as to how an employee can grow and develop their skills over time to advance in the company over an entire career. A career development model will show a combination of experience, education, and professional development that someone must possess to advance. It is important to note that while this process may show what is required, it doesn’t evaluate the potential or performance of an individual. So, it is possible that an individual’s career is limited by how well they are able to reach some of the milestones determined by a career development model.
The figure below depicts a career development model for an administrative position within a human resources department in a company. FIGURE: Career development model Managing High-Potential Employees As the term suggests, high-potential employees are those who have shown the ability to perform high-level tasks and are capable of management or supervisory responsibilities. HR professionals have a duty to help current managers identify, select, train, and advance these individuals to help the company sustain its corporate leadership over time. HR professionals use a variety of techniques and tools designed to measure the potential of certain employees and then assist supervisors to cultivate skills. HR professionals might use an individual development plan (IDP) to coach talented individuals and assist their leadership in determining the areas that may need attention.
The figure below shows a potential versus performance matrix, commonly referred to as a nine-box.
FIGURE: The nine-box model For high-potential employees, you are looking at those employees who would be categorized in the far-right column but not necessarily in the top-right corner. It is the job of management along with the assistance of HR to determine what limitations are preventing those employees in the spectrum to the right of the matrix from being placed in the upper right and how to overcome them.
Creating Job Enrichment Opportunities In some cases, employees have reached their potential for advancement through either desire or capability but are still competent in their role and have a strong desire to perform their job functions well. HR professionals must ensure that these strong employees remain engaged to prevent a decline in their performance. They must creatively find opportunities to enrich the jobs these skilled individuals already have. In some cases, training on new technology or processes will better equip employees to do their job. Adding depth to their understanding of the role, which may include increased knowledge or control over certain aspects, can be considered enrichment. For example, an employee who is highly competent may be given a lead role for their job but not supervisory responsibility. They may instead be responsible for training new team members initially or perform quality control checks because of the quality of their work and knowledge of the right processes.
Training for Evaluators HR professionals are responsible for providing training to supervisors on how the evaluation process works for the organization. Technical training, including the specifics of how any instruments are completed and submitted and the time frame to do so, is one form of training. The other, often more beneficial training requires HR professionals to help supervisors develop clearly defined performance success criteria. Evaluations cannot be arbitrary, but often tasks are hard to measure from a quality standpoint. In manufacturing jobs, production numbers compared to goals are straightforward, and comparisons can be done from rating period to rating period. However, it is harder to measure qualitative results for manner of performance. Supervisors must measure both technical and behavioral competencies in the evaluation to provide a comprehensive look at an employee’s performance. Technical competencies are connected to what tasks are being completed and to what degree. Behavioral competencies seek to show how an employee is performing. Too often employers will overlook one side in favor of the other. Someone who produces great results but has a negative attitude can still be a performance problem, as is someone who struggles to meet goals but is positive and gets along with co-workers. HR professionals can help supervisors navigate difficult conversations. Contribute to Succession Planning While succession planning is often done at higher levels in the HR structure, all HR professionals are responsible for contributing to succession planning. Front-line HR managers or generalists may have more personal knowledge of employees and can comment on potential or their training needs with more detail than may be available in information systems. Providing relevant data on vacancies and potential losses as discussed previously is a critical role for HR. In many cases, HR professionals evaluate the required knowledge, skills, and abilities at the position in question and then identify any skills gaps among potential successors. They must determine the time and cost to close the gap and evaluate where resources should be committed to this process. It is critical to understand that succession planning does not mean identifying one person as an heir apparent to take a senior-level position. This creates potential for a single point of failure and could also be a violation of equal opportunity laws. Instead, the HR team will look at the skills needed and several potential replacements in a cohort to train and evaluate together. Sometimes this planning may even require going externally from the company to find the right individual if it is deemed that no suitable internal candidates exist with the right skills. Succession planning is an ongoing process, so as solutions are developed, they must be reevaluated and updated especially as people leave the organization. Exam Tips: Know how to provide consultation to managers and employees. An organization can use several methods to find and hire the right people to achieve the company’s mission. You should understand the different means and the pros and cons each presents. Especially important is to review the costs associated with each recruiting option, as that may have a direct impact on business decisions as to what methods are available to a particular organization. Also important is to know the timelines associated with each choice, as some recruiting options can take time to mature and develop. Understand how to evaluate career development training programs. Human capital is expensive and should never be wasted. You should understand the direct correlation between employee turnover and lost opportunity or productivity costs. By performing analysis on the effectiveness of career development and training programs, you can develop retention strategies for the company. As a result, you will be able to reduce turnover costs and keep a company performing at optimal levels. Summary Learning and development is the effective management of talent within an organization. It is a critical function for HR professionals to master and understand. They must be able to assess needs and remain compliant with existing laws, rules, and regulations governing the opportunities for employees to participate, the design and creation of the training, and the performance assessment of employees. Training development is the responsibility of the HR team by either creating the necessary training to improve performance or determining what available training may be outsourced to reduce cost and time to deliver. Understanding generally how the training cycle runs from need to design to implementation to evaluation is part of HR professionals’ knowledge base. HR professionals have the added responsibility for program development and providing coaching and mentoring directly to managers and employees. Tip: Talk with the individuals responsible for training in your organization and ask them about their important functions and daily job duties. Get a sense of what priorities they have to create and deliver effective training and how those priorities relate to the overall company mission and strategic goals and objectives.
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