subject: The History And Development Of Hr Training And Coaching [print this page] Human Resources is what was at one time better known as Personnel. At some point in history somebody decided it was congenial to introduce a new buzz word into the lexicon of business which demonstrated that the individuals who make up the workforce of a company are more than just simply persons.
Just like plant, machinery and furniture they are in actual fact an integral component of the make up of any commercial enterprise. They are, bluntly, a valuable and most essential resource.
The management of Human Resources goes back a long way into history, even if the terminology used has changed a touch. It could all be said to have started off with industrial welfare, which can be traced way back to at least 1833 when the Factories Act was passed into law. Then, in 1878, more legislation was introduced, this time to limit the number of hours that could be worked by women or children to a maximum of sixty per week.
It was during this period that the first modern trade unions began to be formed, and in 1868 the first national TU conference took place. This heralded the arrival of the principle of collective bargaining between employees and their employer.
It wasnt though until about the time of the Second World War that a major emphasis started to be placed upon training, morale, motivation, health, safety and consultation on large-scale procedural changes and wage policies. This necessitated the formation of dedicated Personnel departments to cater for this increased focus on the rights and working conditions of employed staff.
In the modern age Human Resources and the effective management of it are not only important from the point of view of an employee. They are also of course an essential feature of any well-managed commercial entity which will see Human Resources training and development as a way of getting the very best from their investment in their staff base.
HR training allows a business to maximise the potential of each of its employees and in such a way as to keep its workforce to a necessary minimum at the same time. This could include some kind of specialist HR coaching for each employee and the introduction of computerised systems for payroll, maintaining employment data, pre-employment checks and references, recruitment and psychometric training.
Thorough HR management enables employers to get the very best from the finite human resource it has sitting at its disposal. To achieve this it can seek advice or even active intervention from an HR specialist who will take a good look at its HR systems and if necessary will transform them with a view to embracing their best potential.
