In Chapter 8 of Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, the text discusses the natural, but not automatic, progression from training employees for success in their current roles to engaging them in a process of development that can begin on their first day and extend beyond their tenure at the organization. The employee is not the only beneficiary of the effort; employee development can become a key component of organizational culture and drive competitive advantage as effectively as the best business plan.
Thinking about your own organization, or one you are familiar with, identify ways talent is developed in any or all of the four broad categories discussed in Chapter 8: formal education, assessment, job experiences, and interpersonal relationships. If your organization does not offer development opportunities, should it? Why or why not? Be careful not to think in terms of training that may be required. If the organization has a formal development program, is it effective? Why or why not?