The contemporary corporate environment is characterized by its high level of changeability, which corresponds to the general tendencies within the social landscape. Globalization is observed on all levels, including business, which enables a better exchange of positive ideas. At the same time, the 21st century has seen an increase in the importance of democratic values for society. Accordingly, a certain level of corporate ethics is expected from commercial organizations, and this factor has a profound impact on the overall performance of a company. In this regard, businesses should adjust their operations to fit the general context of their environment. High-quality training programs allow employees to acquire and develop relevant skills and continue their work in the spirit of the time. However, the design of an optimal program requires substantial analysis of people’s learning needs. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the significance of well-designed training programs in the contemporary business environment.
The 21st century has become the age of globalization, in which entire nations become more closely connected. Developed nations extend their influence on new markets, introducing their values to the rest of the world, whereas emerging economies seize the opportunity to grow faster (Coulibaly, Erbao, & Mekongcho, 2018). This process has enabled the quicker spread of positive, human-centric ideas, the influence of which has reached the area of business, as well. In addition, globalization has entailed an increase in competition across markets, as new players emerge at a rapid pace, while leaders of their respective industries extend their operations across the globe (Coulibaly, Erbao, & Mekongcho, 2018). Furthermore, modern technological advancements have facilitated the exchange of information, thus contributing to the overall changeability of the business environment. In this situation, organizations are required to make considerable efforts to remain relevant in the new reality.
Simultaneously, human resource management is universally recognized as the cornerstone of the stable development of the business. Jungert et al. (2018) state that teamwork has become an essential instrument of attaining an organization’s objectives. Proper cooperation enables better productivity and understanding of the managements’ directives, but it also requires a certain level of personal skills. These attributes are of interest for employees’ training in the 21st century. Evidently, professional expertise is a matter of pivotal importance for organizations, as well, since the primary competencies of industry become major components of a company’s competitive advantage. As industries evolve at a rapid pace today, training programs should pay considerable attention to nurturing the expertise of workers.
As it becomes clear from the information presented above, employee training in the 21st century is a complex, multifaceted notion. The increasing variety of challenges faced by industries entails a greater number of potential training directions, which poses additional difficulties for the management in terms of choice. Therefore, well-designed programs require extensive preliminary analysis in the form of determining the learning needs of a particular employee group (Ross, 2018). Unless this vital objective is accomplished, the resources allocated to training may become simply was wasted, as employees will not be receptive if their needs are not met (Hughes et al., 2018). In order to optimize the process, responsible managers should focus on identifying the relevant aspects in which training is required.
Furthermore, it appears useful to divide them into short-, mid-, and long-term goals. For example, if the organization’s performance on par, but the analysis reveals an aggressive internal environment, the primary focus of training should be on the psychological side of the workflow. In addition, social diversity is another important characteristic of the 21st-century environment, meaning that the assessment should comprise individual variables, such as socioeconomic status, gender, and cultural background (Ross, 2018). Based on the analysis, it will be possible to devise an evidence-based and socially competent program capable of meeting the learning needs of an employee. This aspect is also of pivotal importance, as uniformed training practices impede the transfer of knowledge, causing little or no practical impact (Hughes et al., 2018). On the contrary, if the training is executed in a competent manner, it has the potential to have a long-term positive impact on the performance of the company (Odor, 2018). Accordingly, learning needs analysis is an essential step, allowing the management to optimize the whole process in a competitive environment where time is an invaluable resource.
As established prior, organizational training is a multifaceted concept, and programs can be developed in different directions. First of all, the professional expertise of employees remains a key component of a company’s successful performance. Dixit and Sinha (2020) write that many organizations eventually enter a bottleneck stage of development, during which the performance growth flattens. At this point, it is vital to ensure that a company does not remain in stagnation for a long time. Modern challenges often require unusual solutions, which is why creativity is of utmost importance for organizations of the 21st century. Gumula (2020) acknowledges this idea, suggesting that an emphasis on creative thinking development among employees through corresponding training will provide managers with sufficient instruments for future growth. Therefore, professional competencies remain the primary target for organizational training, but the very understanding of this notion will benefit from creativity in the long term.
At the same time, while personal and professional aspects of life are often considered to be separate, their interconnection in the contemporary environment is undeniable. Today’s work environment is highly competitive, and the situation may be aggravated by the intense development process within an organization. Change is a concept, which is usually difficult for people who are forced to adjust to a new reality. Accordingly, innovations may be a daunting experience for employees from a psychological standpoint. Appropriate training through professional counseling will allow workers to retain their productivity and accept the changes through increased emotional support (Sartori et al., 2018). Moreover, the very idea of workplace training may be considered as an unfavorable change by some people, meaning that guidance may also be required to make them more receptive (Egloffstein & Ifenthaler, 2017). As such, the psychological side of work cannot be ignored in the corporate environment since mental comfort is important for the overall performance.
Finally, the role of business ethics in the 21st century has become considerable. Modern democratic values are important for society, and their influence encompasses the corporate environment, as well. Representation is crucial today, meaning that management should lay considerable emphasis on eliminating any signs of disparities within their organizations. Bhandar (2021) states one of the aspects of the matter comprises bridging the gender gap. It is possible through the implementation of high-quality training programs, providing women with equal opportunities to develop and maintain key professional and personal skills. In addition, cultural training should be ensured in multinational organizations with diverse staff. This way, it will be possible to ensure a positive atmosphere, contributing to the sustainable development of a company.
In conclusion, training is essential for the survival and growth of contemporary business organizations. The environment in which they operate has become highly changeable and diverse, which requires continuous development on all levels. Since human resources are universally recognized as an integral component of excellent business performance, professional training of employees should be a norm. However, these programs should be devised in an optimal manner to minimize unnecessary expenses. The learning needs of employees should be carefully considered for the training to achieve proper results.
References
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Ross, S. C. (2018). Training and development in organizations: An essential guide for trainers. Abington: Routledge.
Sartori, R., Costantini, A., Ceschi, A., & Salas, E. (2018). A checklist for facilitating training transfer in organizations. International Journal of Training and Development, 22(4), 334–345. Web.