The Process of Human Resource Development

Human resource development is the process of helping an organization's employees improve their
personal and organizational skills, their skills and the use of knowledge. This includes training,
professional development courses, and assisting them with organizational and performance
management. According to Joy-Matthews, Megginson, Surtees (2004), the primary goal of human
resource development is to develop an advanced workforce that can help the organization achieve
its goals and deliver the best to its customers. Human resource development can be done inside or
outside the institution. It can be done in a formal way, in a planned organization change, giving
employees classroom training, or taking them through a college course, or when a manager may
decide to train employees in relation to a problem. Human resource development in any
organization is the role of human resource management. This includes all employee issues. This
essay therefore looks at the strategic roles of human resource management and how a strategic
approach to human resource development can play a strategic role within an organization. The essay
also discusses the challenges and obstacles to effective human resource management.

The nature of strategic HRM

Strategic human resource management is a planned step in how an organization manages human
resources. Human resources are the employees of the organization. International Journal of Human
Resource Management (2003) Wright & Dyer explains that human resource management can be
technical in addition to being strategic. However, its definition depends on the core functions of
strategic human resource management, including the formulation and implementation of corporate
policies within its structure, and is intended to ensure that the organization's human capital works to
achieve the organization's goals and objectives. It is strategic considering the internal structure of
the organization, the resources of the organization and the nature of the human capital of the
organization.

Technology consists of the basic roles of human resource management such as human resource
management, recruitment, selection and training. Strategic Human Resource Management
Integrates these key roles to fit the business strategy, thereby creating strategic human resource
management. This gives maximum flexibility in human resource management and in using them to
achieve the objectives of the organization. Similarly, organizing it helps to make it a competitive
place. Yorks (2004) states that for maximum success of the business, it is important to ensure that
the strategy adopted conforms to the goals of the organization. Basically, strategic human resource
management focuses on building capacity within the organization to withstand external market
changes. Having a skilled and knowledgeable pool of human resources in line with the organization's
strategy is a vehicle for achieving the organization's goals by encouraging behavioral efficiency
among employees.

HRM strategy

The HRM strategy includes the means by which HRM functions can be implemented in line with the
corporate strategy. Various factors to consider in human resource strategy include ‘best adaptation
and best practices’, close collaboration and continuous monitoring. The best fit and best practice is
that the human resource management strategy should be integrated with the overall strategy of the
organization. The general objective of human resource management is to manage the employees so
that the objectives of the organization can be achieved but a human resource management strategy
aims to manage the human resources by implementing the needs of the people of the organization
with the organizational objectives. For example, an organization's strategic goal is to increase its
sales by 20 percent. Therefore, its applicable practices in relation to its human resources should be
at its best (Amstrong 2006).

Close collaboration means that there is a proper coordination between human resources and the
top management of the organization in the effort to develop organizational strategies. As they are
responsible for providing the goods and services required in this process, the corporate
management should be involved in implementing the strategy. Therefore, the Department of Human
Resources is very important in the organization. Continuous monitoring is also important as it helps
to identify process difficulties and areas where senior management intervention may be required.