Human Resources Development Climate in India

Abstract

HRD Climate An organisation's success is determined as much by the skill and motivation of its members as by almost any other factor. While this has always been true, recent changes focus attention on ways human resources development activities can be used to ensure organisations have what it takes to successfully meet the challenges (Desimone et. al. 2002). Human Resource Development (HRD) is a process by which the employees of an organization are helped, in a continuous, planned way, to: 1) acquire or sharpen capabilities required to perform various functions associated with their present or expected future roles, 2) develop their general cap-abilities as individuals and discover and exploit their potentials for their own and/or organizational development purposes, and 3) develop an organi-zational culture in which supervisor-subordinate relationships, teamwork, and collaboration among sub-units are strong and contribute to the professional well being, motivation, and pride of employees (Rao 1985). HRD climate is characterized by the tendencies such as treating employees as the most important resources, perceiving that developing employees is the job of every manager, believing in the capability of employees, communicating openly, encouraging risk taking and experimentation, making efforts to help employees recognize their strengths and weaknesses, creating a general climate of trust, collaboration and autonomy, supportive personnel policies, and supportive HRD practices. An optimal level of development climate is essential for facilitating HRD activities (Rao & Abraham 1986). The top management subscribing to these values is a starting point. When a critical mass internalized these values, there emerges a conducive climate for HRD. This positive HRD climate renders the existing systems more effective and makes the organisations more receptive to the introduction of relevant additional system (Athreya 1988). A healthy HRD climate certainly bolsters the overall internal environment of the organisation, fosters employee commitment, involve-ment and satisfaction with the job. Earlier Studies Centre for HRD, Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) developed a 38-item HRD climate questionnaire to survey the extent to which development climate exists in organisations. Using this instrument the first survey of HRD climate in Indian organisations was carried out by Rao and Abraham (1986). They found that the general HRD climate in the organizations appears to be at an average level (54%). The most important factor contributing to this seems to be a general indifference on the part of the employees on their own development. In another study, Abraham (1989) observed that HRD climate is a powerful intervening variable in translating HRD practices into profit. Venkateswaran (1997) found that, to a large extent, a favourable HRD climate was prevalent in a public sector undertaking in India. Srimannarayana (2001) identified below average level of HRD climate in a software organisation in India. However, Agarwala (2002) found that the HRD climate was significantly more developmental in IT industry when compared to the automobile industry. Mishra & Bhardwaj (2002) concluded that the HRD climate in a private sector undertaking in India was good. Rodrigues's (2004) study in the engineering institutes in India found the HRD climate highly satisfactory. Srimannarayana (2007) found that a moderate HRD climate was prevailing in Dubai organisations. Pillai's (2008) study identified that HRD climate existing in banks as moderate. This study further found that a supportive HRD climate in banks stimulated the learning orientation of the employees. The Present Study Using the questionnaire developed by XLRI, the present study was conducted in India to find out the extent of HRD climate prevailing in the organisations in India. …

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