Contemporary Developments in Human Resource Development (5HRD)

Introduction to the unit

Contemporary developments inhuman Resource Development is a unit in CIPD Level 5, which is meant to develop and grow HR professionals in the field of practice. The unit helps learners get equipped with the knowledge, insight, and skills that will hem practice HR within and out of the organisations that they work in. Learners pursuing the course unit get to learn and understand effective use of models, knowledge, and processes in HRD. HRD involves developing the HR professionals towards effectively carrying out the HR practice. In this perspective, the unit will be an encouragement to learners, where they will be taking charge of the significant aspects that contribute to delivery and management of HRD. Learners after completing the 5HRD course become more aware of the actions, practices, knowledge, and models they should use for purposes of promoting sustainability in their workplace. This also helps the learners gain an understanding of their professionalism in understanding what the future holds in HR.

Unit Content

Contemporary developments in HRD is the unit that seeks to develop the competing approaches that re meant to ensure that HRD function is effectively delivered within the organisation. In order for this to be achieved, the different debates that come about in explaining the meaning and use of HRD are well identified and explained. The advantages of HRD in promoting performance are identified, as well as the emergence of HRD in enhancing organisation strategic development. The differences between strategic HRD and HRD strategy are well explained, and how to promote the HRD practice for the HR professionals.

The other learning concept for the learners pursuing HRD is the external trends and data that are meant to promote the HRD practice. This involves identifying the theories of national HRD, as well as the approaches and models of vocational and education training. These are very significant because they create an opportunity for the employees to be involved in the process of developing their knowledge and skills. The national HRD and vocational and education training perspectives are differentiated, to help analyse their effectiveness in promoting organisational development and success. In order to effectively analyse the trends and the data, the learners would be expected to use population data, demographics information, and the trends in labour markets. These will help identify with the impacts that these have in promoting HRD planning in all organisational perspectives.

Learners will also be able to learn the models used by the professionals in managing HR development, leadership, and implementing HRD interventions to enhance learning and development of the employees. The contribution of HRD in the organisation is on the basis of how the employees get involved in the learning process. The organisational leaders on the other hand ensure that they provide opportunities to the employees where they get educated on the different HR aspects that enhance sustainability of the business, and development of HR careers. Education programs for employees may be formal or informal, and these are significant in facilitating employee development. Learners pursuing the unit evaluate HRD through the self-evaluation, and this in CIPD requires the learners to identify with the continuous professional development approach. This helps the learners identify the learning objectives, and manage how these objectives are achieved to effectively enhance learning and growth among the learners. HRD unit helps the learners identify what results they have attained, and their impact in developing their roles and responsibilities, as well as in developing their HR careers.

Learners also learn the developments in HRD practice, and this involves examining the role of technology and its application in delivery of learning in the organisation. Learners should also understand that in developing employee HRD, important considerations have to be realised in the workplace. These relate with the evaluation of cross-cultural employees, and the role of HR in ensuring that different employees learning needs are addressed for purposes of promoting organisational success and development. The learners pursuing the unit should therefore understand the relations and connections between HRD and employee diversity.

Learning objectives

After completing the unit, learners should;

• Have an understanding of the approaches that are significant in enhancing HRD development
• Be able to identify the external factors, trends, and data that impact HRD practice
• Understand the contribution of HRD practice in developing professionals and developing the organisations as well

The course is suitable for;

• Individuals who want to develop their careers in HRM and HRD
• Practitioners working in the HR field, in both management and development of the employees in the workplace.
• Learners who want to extend their knowledge, skills, expertise and competence in developing professionals
• Individuals who have the capacity to implement HR policies and strategies
• Individuals who understand the HR role within the organisation, as well as in other working environment

The assessment for contemporary development in HRD will require learners to work in groups and develop a presentation document with the following;

• Models of HRD and applications of each to professional and leadership development
• Comparison of HRD models with HRD interventions used in two different organisations, and for two different groups of employees in a cross-cultural context
• The use of technologies to increase effectiveness and efficiency in HRD

Learners will be expected to present the document for approximately 30 minutes, and will be allowed further 15 minutes for a question and answer session. In addition to this, the learners will provide a supporting document of 1500 words, which will be completed individually to show their contribution in the group discussion.

Winding up;

Contemporary developments in HRD is a unit that will help learners acquire knowledge on the models, practices and approaches needed to help them learn, develop, and grow in their HR profession. Learners in getting to identify with their personal development in learning, they should use the continuous professional development approach, which involves developing SMART objectives. This means that they should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time specific. These support their personal and professional developments, and also contribute to business sustainability, thus impacting organisational development and success.