HR DEVELOPMENT - What is Human Resource Development?

What Is Human Resource Development (HRD)?

By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com Guide

Question: What Is Human Resource Development (HRD)?

Answer:

Human Resource Development (HRD) is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. Human Resource Development includes such opportunities as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development.

The focus of all aspects of Human Resource Development is on developing the most superior workforce so that the organization and individual employees can accomplish their work goals in service to customers.

Organizations have many opportunities for human resources or employee development, both within and outside of the workplace.

Human Resource Development can be formal such as in classroom training, a college course, or an organizational planned change effort. Or, Human Resource Development can be informal as in employee coaching by a manager. Healthy organizations believe in Human Resource Development and cover all of these bases.