Discussion Assignment 1
Factors that inhibit HRD managers from developing strategic planning approach to
training
Strategic planning is integral to ensuring that organizations achieve their objectives
and make profit in the process. Accordingly, HR and HRD departments must align
themselves to the chosen strategic plan of the organization. One of the most important
objectives of Human Resource Development is to ensure employees and available talent has
required skills to carry out their duties. As such, training is essential to HR and HRD. Yet, to
be effective, “training activities need to be aligned with the organization’s strategy”
(Blanchard & Thacker, 49). The authors further note that “part of the alignment process is the
development of training unit strategies in support of the organization strategies” (50). This
means that HRD managers need to adopt a strategic planning approach to training within
their respective organizations. But there are factors that might inhibit the ability of HRD
managers from taking such an approach. Below are three of the main factors that inhibit HRD
from developing a strategic planning approach to training:
Financial/Cost challenges: introduction of a new approach towards training means
increment in training costs or cost reduction demands. If the new approach requires increment
in costs, HRD managers might not have the support of executive decision makers or might
not know how to go about requesting for such finances. In the second case scenario – where
cost reduction is required – HRD managers might be too beholden to traditional approaches
to understand how to go about cost cutting. This is exemplified in the Multistate Health
Corporation case study. Carrie states the following about their HRD managers; “most of them
have grown up in the old system and don’t know how to go about cost cutting in a way that
doesn’t diminish the quality of our service” (51). This inhibitor can be overcome by ensuring
that the resources required for the new planning approach to training is included in the
organization’s budget. In the case of cost cutting challenges, organization’s need to replace
managers who are unable to undertake such radical changes with those with capabilities to do
so.
Individual resistance: due to personal beliefs or lack of skills, employees might be
resistant to new approaches of training planning. This might inhibit HRD managers as they
may try to avoid facing resistance from employees as well as fellow managers. This can be
overcome by ensuring that all stakeholders participate in the designing of the strategic
planning of trainings. This increases the understanding of the new approach as eliminates
misconceptions of new approaches being cumbersome, costly, and complex. Stakeholder
Factors that inhibit HRD managers from developing strategic planning approach to
training
Strategic planning is integral to ensuring that organizations achieve their objectives
and make profit in the process. Accordingly, HR and HRD departments must align
themselves to the chosen strategic plan of the organization. One of the most important
objectives of Human Resource Development is to ensure employees and available talent has
required skills to carry out their duties. As such, training is essential to HR and HRD. Yet, to
be effective, “training activities need to be aligned with the organization’s strategy”
(Blanchard & Thacker, 49). The authors further note that “part of the alignment process is the
development of training unit strategies in support of the organization strategies” (50). This
means that HRD managers need to adopt a strategic planning approach to training within
their respective organizations. But there are factors that might inhibit the ability of HRD
managers from taking such an approach. Below are three of the main factors that inhibit HRD
from developing a strategic planning approach to training:
Financial/Cost challenges: introduction of a new approach towards training means
increment in training costs or cost reduction demands. If the new approach requires increment
in costs, HRD managers might not have the support of executive decision makers or might
not know how to go about requesting for such finances. In the second case scenario – where
cost reduction is required – HRD managers might be too beholden to traditional approaches
to understand how to go about cost cutting. This is exemplified in the Multistate Health
Corporation case study. Carrie states the following about their HRD managers; “most of them
have grown up in the old system and don’t know how to go about cost cutting in a way that
doesn’t diminish the quality of our service” (51). This inhibitor can be overcome by ensuring
that the resources required for the new planning approach to training is included in the
organization’s budget. In the case of cost cutting challenges, organization’s need to replace
managers who are unable to undertake such radical changes with those with capabilities to do
so.
Individual resistance: due to personal beliefs or lack of skills, employees might be
resistant to new approaches of training planning. This might inhibit HRD managers as they
may try to avoid facing resistance from employees as well as fellow managers. This can be
overcome by ensuring that all stakeholders participate in the designing of the strategic
planning of trainings. This increases the understanding of the new approach as eliminates
misconceptions of new approaches being cumbersome, costly, and complex. Stakeholder
