1

HRD INTERVENTIONS

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: STRATEGIES AND SYSTEMS

Paper: OBH-05
Max. Marks: 70
MBA-Sem III/IV
Time: 3 Hrs

Course Contents
1. Field of HRD- concepts, goals challengers; HRD climate
and practices in India.
2. Staffing HRD function; developing HR strategies; HRD
system design principles.
3. Design & administration of select HRD system; HRD for
workers.
4. HRD intervention; HRD approaches for coping with
organizational changes; case studies of HRD in Indian
organizations.

"Interventions" are principal learning processes in the "action" stage

(seeFigure 1) oforganizationdevelopment. Interventions are structured
activities used individually or in combination by the members of a client
systemto improve their social or taskperformance. They may be introduced
by a change agent as part of an improvement program, or they may be used
by the client following a program to check on the state of the organization's
health, or to effect necessary changes in its own behavior. "Structured
activities" mean such diverse procedures as experiential exercises,
questionnaires, attitude surveys, interviews, relevant group discussions, and
even lunchtime meetings between the change agent and a member of the
clientorganization. Every action that influences an organization's
improvement program in a change agent-client system relationship can be
said to be an intervention.[

There are many possible intervention strategies from which to choose.

Several assumptions about the nature and functioning oforganizationsare
made in the choice of a particular strategy.Beckhardlists six such
assumptions:
The basic building blocks of anorganizationare groups (teams). Therefore,
the basic units of change are groups, not individuals.
An always relevant change goal is the reduction of inappropriatecompetition
between parts of the organization and the development of a more
collaborative condition.
Decision making in a healthy organization is located where the information
sources are, rather than in a particular role or level ofhierarchy.
Organizations, subunits of organizations, and individuals continuously
manage their affairs against goals. Controls are interim measurements, not
the basis of managerial strategy.
One goal of a healthy organization is to develop generally open
communication, mutual trust, andconfidencebetween and across levels.
People support what they help create. People affected by a change must be
allowed active participation and a sense of ownership in the planning and
[6]

Theories of HR and role of HRD

Human Process Interventions
theory
focus on changing behaviors by modifying
Individual attitudes, values, problem-solving
approaches, and interpersonal styles.

Free choice

Valid Information

HRD

Internal Commitment

Theories of HR and role of HRD

Technostructural Intervention Theory

Focuses on improving work content, work method, work flow,

Performance Factors, and relationships among workers
Skill variety
Task Identity
Task significance

Autonomy

HRD

Feedback

HRD INTERVENTIONS IN FOUR

PHASES
7

Phase One: Needs Assessment

8

For Example:

Where training is needed

What kinds of training are needed

Who needs to be trained

Conditions for training

Phase Two: Designing the Training or HRD Intervention

9

Key activities include:

Setting objectives
Selecting the trainer or vendor
Developing lesson plans
Selecting methods and techniques
Preparing materials
Scheduling training

Objectives
10

Three parts:
Performance
Conditions
Criteria

Performance
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What is to be done e.g.,

Increase upper body strength

Assemble a chair

Catch a football pass

Graduate from college

Conditions
12

Conditions under which performance

is done e.g.,
using standard conditioning
equipment
using a screwdriver and hammer
at a full run under man-to-man
coverage
without cheating or outside help

Criteria
13

The level of acceptable performance

e.g.,
by 25 percent within one year
within one hour without mistakes
at least 80% of the time without
penalties
within 5 years and with a B
average

Sample Objectives
14

Inventory 1,000 pieces of bulk

merchandise an hour with an error
rate of less than 1% using industry
standard inventory tools.
Run 40 yards in less than five
seconds on a dry, level field with
winds less than 10 mph.

Sample Objectives
15

After training, be able to identify

the four basic stages involved in
HRD within five minutes.
Completely assemble one childs
bicycle within one hour using
common hand tools and instructions
provided on December 24 without
cursing.

Make or Buy Decisions

16

You cannot be an expert on everything

You cant afford to maintain a full-time
staff for once-a-year training
You cant afford the time or money to
build all of your own training programs
Implication: Much training is
purchased, rather than self-produced

Factors to Consider Before Purchasing

an HRD Program
17

Level of expertise available/required

Timeliness
Number of trainees
Subject matter
Cost
Size of HRD organization

Other Factors to Consider

18

Vendor credentials
Vendor background
Vendor experience
Philosophical match (between
vendor and organization)
Delivery method

Other Factors to Consider 2

19

Content
Actual product
Results
Support
Request for proposal (RFP)

20

HRD INTERVENTIONS AND THEIR

APPLICATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS

Selecting the Trainer

21

Training competency

How well can he/she train?

If they cant train, why are they
employed?

Subject Matter Expertise

How well is the material understood?

If No Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs)

are Available
22

Use a team to train

Use programmed instruction or CBT
Train your trainers

You are training subject matter

experts to be trainers
You are not training trainers to be
SMEs

Preparing Lesson Plans

23

Content to be covered
Activity sequencing
Selection/design of media
Selection of trainee activities
Timing and phasing of activities
Method(s) of instruction
Evaluation methods to be used

Training Methods
24

Selecting Training Methods

26

Consider the following:

Program objectives

Time and money available

Resources availability

Trainee characteristics and

preferences.

Training Materials
27

Program announcements
Program outlines
Training manuals and textbooks
Training aids, consumables, etc.

Scheduling Training
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Must be done in conjunction with:

Production schedulers
Shift supervisors
Work supervisors/managers
Trainees

Training During Normal Working Hours

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Issues to consider:

Day of week preferred

Time of day
Peak work hours
Staff meeting times
Required travel

Training After Working Hours

30

Are workers/trainees getting paid?

If so, by whom?

What about personal commitments?

What do you do for shift workers?

Registration and Enrollment Issues

31

How, when, and where does one

register?
Who is responsible for logistics?

Travel
Lodging
Meals
Etc.

How do one cancel/reschedule?

Summary
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As in building a house, designing HR

interventioning issues must be addressed
before training:

Objectives
Who will conduct the training
Lesson plan
Appropriate methods/techniques to use
Materials needed
Scheduling issues

THANK YOU
QUESTIONS IF ANY ?