Challenges in capacity building of staff in a company

Blogpost No. 2: By Tilak Karunaratne (E201471)

 

 Introduction

 “McKelvey (1983) views that a firm's 29 distinctive competence is made up of the skills of the members of the organization.”

In an attempt to improve production and productivity, many companies spend resources and implement strategies to enhance the capacity of their employees.  This is with the assumption that the improved knowledge, attitudes and skills of the employee will essentially and automatically lead to a rise in the company’s production and productivity.   This is in spite of the other resources - physical and monitory - the company is possessing.

“The success of any institution depends on the deployment of three vital resources, namely monetary, physical and human resources. Of these, HR remains the most outstanding since the quality and efficiency of the other two resources will depend on the quality of the people in whose hands these resources have been placed (Barney, 1991; Wernerfelt, 1984)”.

Though logically it seems so, capacity building may not happen that way – at least to the level expected – often.  In such scenarios the resources invested will be wasted while the effort would be in vain.  Besides the plans the company has had for a better future may not be realized, perhaps causing a high economic loss.

 

Source: Internet

Why did the effort fail? 

Understanding the reasons for the failures is important when attempting to identify key challenges that undermine the effectiveness of capacity development in human resources, leading to employees’ development, in a an organization.

“Employee development involves “the expansion of an individual's capacity to function effectively in his or her present or future job and work organization” (McCauley & Hezlett, 2002, p. 314).

This write up will look into the reasons for such failures of organizers in capacity building programmes for employees, from the perspectives of a manager of a company.

Some major reasons for failure in capacity building in employees

1.    Incorrect assessment and planning: It is common the managers assume they know the employees for the latter had been with the manager for a long period and decide what capacity is needed by the particular employees without consulting the employees per se. 

2.  Incorrect selection of employees for capacity building: Choosing the wrong persons for a skill development programme may not provide the desired outcomes.  If the programme has improved the skills, the fact those participated are employed in a different department may not contribute to a rise in production. 

3.     Incorrect methodology used for capacity building: Success of any capacity building intervention is also dependent on the methodology used which should be appropriate to the subject and the participants.  Inappropriate methodology will negate the programme’s quality and output. 

4. Time given is not being enough: Many capacity building programmes require to provide the participants with enough time, for them to grasp, mature and retain the change.  A series of training held one after the other will not be effective as there is no sufficient time to grasp.

    “To enhance job performance, training skills and behaviors have to be transferred to the workplace, maintained over time, and generalized across contexts (Holton & Baldwin, 2000).  

5.    Opportunities not being made available to apply the knowledge and skills: There were instances the company failed to provide work opportunities - for those improved their knowledge and skills through capacity building interventions – to apply them, making the interventions useless.  

6.   Resignation and leaving of those attended: Employees may participate in capacity building programmes and get their capacity enhanced.  That may also provide them with more opportunity to join another company.  Thus they may resign thereafter, reducing the incumbent company’s capacity, making the concept an illusion.

Experience shows these as some main reasons for seeing the concept of capacity building unrealistic at times.  Likewise, the experience also shows how afore-stated reasons for failure can successfully be avoided using several principles / theories in Leadership and Human Resource Management (HRM).  For instance; use of multiple assessment techniques (Henderson, 2017) when selecting employees for training, application of talent audit (Armstrong) prior to training, use of multiple learning and development methods (Henderson, 2027) in training and the use of Scientific Management theory (Fredrick Taylor, 1909) for the training overall can be cited as such preventive measures. 

 

 

 Source: Internet

Conclusion

Implementation alone of interventions aimed at staff’s capacity building may not build the capacity of staff in a company due to multiple reasons.  Use of some HRM principles and a scientific system (like in Taylor's Scientific Management theory and in the Motivational theory) can help overcome such reasons and build capacity of staff.  Correct selection of participants, assessing their capacity building needs, using an appropriate methodology and allowing sufficient time to absorb learning and the provision of opportunities to apply the learning also are vital.

References 

McCauley, C. D., & Hezlett, S. A. (2002). Individual development in the workplace.

McKelvey, (1983). Organizational Svstematics: Taxonomy. Evolution. and Classification. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Truit D. L; The Effect of Training and Development on Employee Attitude as it Relates to Training and Work Proficiency; Dec. 2011;

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244011433338

Wright, P.M. and McMahan, G.C (November 1993); Human resources and sustained competitive advantage: A resource-based perspective. Centre for Effective Organizations G 93-19 (239) 20.