Human Resource Development: Features, Scope, Objectives
and Functions!
In 1970, Leonard Nadler published his book “Developing Human
Resources” in which he coined the term ‘human resource
development’ (HRD). Human resource refers to the talents and
energies of people that are available to an organization as potential
contributors to the creation and realization of the organization’s
mission, vision, values, and goals.
Development refers to a process of active learning from experience-
leading to systematic and purposeful development of the whole
person, body, mind, and spirit. Thus, HRD is the integrated use of
training, organizational and career development efforts to improve
individual, group, and organizational effectiveness.
Definitions of HRD:
1. According to South Pacific Commission ‘human resource
development is equipping people with relevant skills to have a healthy
and satisfying life’.
2. According to Watkins, ‘human resource development is fostering
long-term work related learning capacity at individual, group and
organizational level’.
3. The American Society for Training and Development defines HRD
as follows: ‘human resource development is the process of increasing
the capacity of the human resource through development. It is thus
the process of adding value to individuals, teams or an organization as
a human system’.
Features of HRD:
1. Systematic approach:
HRD is a systematic and planned approach through which the
efficiency of employees is improved. The future goals and objectives
are set by the entire organization, which are well planned at individual
and organizational levels.
2. Continuous process:
HRD is a continuous process for the development of all types of skills
of employees such as technical, managerial, behavioural, and
conceptual. Till the retirement of an employee sharpening of all these
skills is required.
3. Multi-disciplinary subject:
HRD is a Multi-disciplinary subject which draws inputs from
behavioural science, engineering, commerce, management,
economics, medicine, etc.
4. All-pervasive:
HRD is an essential subject everywhere, be it a manufacturing
organization or service sector industry.
5. Techniques:
HRD embodies with techniques and processes such as performance
appraisal, training, management development, career planning,
counselling, workers’ participation and quality circles.
Scope of HRD:
Human resource management (HRM) deals with procurement,
development, compensation, maintenance and utilization of human
resources. HRD deals with efficient utilization of human resources and
it is a part of HRM.
Human resource being a systematic process for bringing the
desired changes in the behaviour of employees involves the
following areas:
1. Recruitment and selection of employees for meeting the present and
future requirements of an organization.
2. Performance appraisal of the employees in order to understand
their capabilities and improving them through additional training.
3. Offering the employees’ performance counselling and performance
interviews from the superiors.
4. Career planning and development programmes for the employees.
5. Development of employees through succession planning.
6. Workers’ participation and formation of quality circles.
7. Employee learning through group dynamics and empowerment.
8. Learning through job rotation and job enrichment.
9. Learning through social and religious interactions and programmes.
10. Development of employees through managerial and behavioural
skills.
Objectives of HRD:
The prime objective of human resource development is to facilitate an
organizational environment in which the people come first. The other
objectives of HRD are as follows:
1. Equity:
Recognizing every employee at par irrespective of caste, creed, religion
and language, can create a very good environment in an organization.
HRD must ensure that the organization creates a culture and provides
equal opportunities to all employees in matters of career planning,
promotion, quality of work life, training and development.
2. Employability:
Employability means the ability, skills, and competencies of an
individual to seek gainful employment anywhere. So, HRD should aim
at improving the skills of employees in order to motivate them to work
with effectiveness.
3. Adaptability:
Continuous training that develops the professional skills of employees
plays an important role in HRD. This can help the employees to adapt
themselves to organizational change that takes place on a continuous
basis.
HRD Functions:
HRD functions include the following:
1. Employee training and development,
2. Career planning and development,
3. Succession planning,
4. Performance appraisal,
5. Employee’s participation in management,
6. Quality circles,
7. Organization change and organization development.
