A report on the usage of CPD within organisations and its effectiveness in helping

employees achieve their goals while using their time and resources effectively

Introduction

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is widely acknowledged as a critical means of

raising individuals' and industries' professional standards and skills. CPD is the concept that
individuals strive to expand their professional competence and knowledge beyond the initial
training required to do their job (Alemayehu, 2021). Further, Alemayehu mentioned that a
profession is a job that requires specific education, expertise, training, and ethics.
Professionals make a living by doing what they love, but their paid work is frequently more
than just a job or vocation. Moreover, by participating in development activities, the
professional is expected to demonstrate the ability to perform to acceptable standards over
time, considering the changes and challenges that come with all business and organisational
activity (Jones & Robinson, 1997).

CPD is important because it helps ensure that further learning is progressed in a structured,
practical, and relevant manner, providing that efficiencies are applied to the learning. CPD
enables an individual to focus on specific skills and knowledge they require over a short
period, say 12 months, to be confident that their proficiency and skill sets are improving.
Hence, an employee must view CPD as a means of remaining competitive with their peers
and differentiating themselves in situations where this may be required, such as job
interviews or tenders for new work and business acquisition. However, how effective or
rapid that progression is depending heavily on how frequently employers encourage
employees to learn and participate in CPD. Accordingly, in organisations we can find several
CPD styles as mentioned below

 Structured CPD (Active learning): Structured CPD adopts an interactive approach

underpinned by participatory learning. The method's integral activities are training
courses, workshops, conferences, seminars, lectures, and e-learning courses.
 Reflective CPD (Passive Learning): Reflective CPD is unidirectional and passive, with
no participant-based interaction. Reading relevant news articles, case studies, and
industry updates and listening to podcasts are examples of these reflective CPDs.

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  Self-Directed CPD (Unstructured Learning): All unsupervised CPD activities, including
reading articles and publications online or in print, are considered self-directed
learning. Peer-reviewed books and studies, industry journals, trade magazines, and
industry-specific news feeds are examples of unstructured learning material.

Thus, depending on the orgnisational requirement, educational level of employees, skill

level of employees and organisational resources, organisations choose one or combination
of the above-mentioned CPD styles.

Usage of CPD within organisations and its benefits

CPD allows learning to become mindful and proactive, rather than passive and reactive,
through incorporating vocational and practical qualifications into academic qualifications. It
is an important part of CPD to improve oneself after completing formal education. By
providing CPD for their employees, businesses can enhance their reputation and brand
perception. Employers promote a healthy learning culture by empowering their employees
through CPD provision, resulting in a happier, more productive workforce and helping retain
valuable employees. Moreover, If parent organizations' internal resources are limited and
staff with CPD obligations rely on a professional body, they can use outsourced CPD
providers.

Even though employees or individuals are ultimately responsible for completing Continuing
Professional Development, an increasing number of employers are taking a proactive and
supportive role in their employees' CPD requirements due to its importance. Aside from
industry associations, the value of CPD in the learning sector and general enterprise is
increasing as more employers recognise the benefits of a more highly-skilled, motivated,
and committed workforce. However, with the introduction of online learning, short courses,
half-day workshops, distance learning, and educational exhibitions, the accessibility of more
flexible CPD suited for business requirements has increased significantly in recent years.
These can provide continuing education learning seminars, new business revenue, and
networking opportunities.

Furthermore, in addition to the forms mentioned above, many CPD courses are delivered as
one- or two-hour seminars, whereas others are offered as an entire 6- to 10-week program
divided into bite-sized modules. As a result, CPD strikes a healthy balance between work

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obligations and professional development. Not only that, the CPD Research Project's survey
of over 1000 people discovered a strong correlation between valuing and pursuing CPD and
job commitment (Hudson, 2021). Accordingly, employees who are devoted to their jobs are
more likely to work harder and stay longer.

CPD policies are mandatory in regulated industries such as law, finance, construction, and
medicine. Businesses can ensure that these requirements are met by providing that any
courses employees take have CPD accreditation. Furthermore, companies can differentiate
themselves from competitors by utilizing the benefits of continuing professional
development. This enables them to attract the best candidates while also retaining their
current employees. As a result, demonstrating a commitment to maintaining the highest
level of professionalism within the business fosters trust with prospective and existing
clients.

Effectiveness of CPD in helping employees achieve their goals while using their time and
resources effectively

CPD allows employees to reinforce and improve their current skills while reducing
knowledge gaps, giving them a competitive advantage in situations where one is required,
such as a job interview. CPD can also help individuals stand out in the job market, as many
candidates vying for specific roles often have similar basic qualifications. Employees can take
over the control of their career development and aspirations with a planned CPD approach.
Personal empowerment derived from professional autonomy can boost confidence in one's
efficacy and ability, which can directly translate into improved work performance. This
benefits employers as well, because employees are more likely to be motivated and loyal to
a organisation that invests in and supports their development.

Benefits of CPD for employees

 Promote Upskilling: CPD provides a comprehensive view of an individual's skill set,

allowing them to hone their dominant skills while working on those that need
improvement. Finally, continuous upskilling builds confidence and allows an
individual to become more proficient in their role.
 Enhance Employee Adaption and Flexibility: CPD equips employees with the most
up-to-date in-demand skills, allowing them to positively adapt to changes in work or

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 industry requirements, which is critical in a volatile job market. CPD also provides
concrete evidence of personal development motivation, which can be used as
leverage in appraisals and job applications.

Summary

CPD is advantageous and necessary for both employers and employees. CPD encompasses
more than just learning and development. It contributes to the development of a happy and
knowledgeable workforce and a positive working relationship between employees and
employers. CPD enables employees to focus on critical areas of their development regularly
and provides the background for a professional to take suitable action to decrease any
knowledge gaps.

References

Alemayehu, E., 2021. Does Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Improve Teachers
Performance? Evidences from Public Schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Research &
Reviews: Journal of Educational Studies, 7(9), pp.1-17.

Anon, 2020. Why Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Is Important | BPP. Bpp.com.
Available at: https://www.bpp.com/insights/why-cpd-is-important [Accessed July 1,
2022].

Cpd, 2016. The importance of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The CPD
Certification Service. Available at: https://cpduk.co.uk/news/importance-of-cpd
[Accessed July 1, 2022].

Desai, S., 2022. How CPD benefits employers and employees. DeltaNet. Available at:
https://www.delta-net.com/blog/how-cpd-benefits-employers-and-employees/
[Accessed July 1, 2022].

Filipe, H.P., Silva, E.D., Stulting, A.A. and Golnik, K.C., 2014. Continuing professional
development: Best practices. Middle East African journal of ophthalmology, 21(2),
p.134.

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Hudson, S., 2021. Benefits of CPD can be seen from two perspectives. The CPD Standards
Office. Available at: https://www.cpdstandards.com/what-is-cpd/benefits-of-cpd/
[Accessed July 1, 2022].

Johnston, L., 2022. What is Continuing Professional Development (CPD)? career. Available
at: https://career-advice.jobs.ac.uk/career-development/what-is-continuing-
professional-development-cpd/ [Accessed July 1, 2022].
Jones, N. and Robinson, G., 1997. Do organizations manage continuing professional
development?. Journal of Management Development.

Moynagh, M., 2020. 7 reasons employers should support CPD. The Career Innovation
Company. Available at: https://www.careerinnovation.com/7-reasons-employers-
should-support-cpd/ [Accessed July 1, 2022].

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