Improving Learning and Development at Meltos Co.: Recommendations and Strategies
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HOW TO WORK ON THIS ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE ESSAY / DRAFT)
Assignment Workload:
• This Assignment comprises a short Case.
• Assignments are to be submitted by each student individually.
Assignment Purposes/Learning Outcomes:
After completion of the Assignment, One student will be able to understand the following
• LO1: To understand the role of human resources within the organization.
• LO2: To differentiate between the major functions of Human Resources and their interdependency.
Read the case given below and answer the questions:
Meltos Co. is one of the world’s largest bakery businesses with a significant market share in many of the world’s biggest bakery markets, including many emerging markets. It has a long and proud tradition, stretching back more than 150 years, including a long history of developing its employees, which has remained part of its ethos during its progress to becoming a global company.
Despite very positive sales figures over the last 12 months, Meltos Co. has prioritized streamlining the business to make it more competitive and has placed a strong emphasis on reducing costs over the next 18 months. Despite being keen to preserve its longstanding reputation as a firm that is committed to developing all its employees, in respect of learning and development, this ‘streamlining’ activity has focused on:
• ensuring a clear return on investment in training activities
• changing the way that learning programs are delivered and being more creative in developing approaches to learning.
• Connect training activities to the strategic needs of the firm.
The most important driver of the assessment of its training provision at Meltos Co. is changing. Whilst performing well in the marketplace, senior management continues to express discontent with levels of productivity and employee performance. Moreover, senior management has determined that the company needs to become more flexible and adaptable to respond to a change in its market context, for example by an ability to adapt organizational structures to meet new business needs or through the introduction of technological innovation. Therefore, Meltos Co. wants to move towards a system of continuous improvement by creating a culture whereby workers are empowered to implement small incremental changes, rather than have substantial change imposed on them from time to time.
Traditionally, training needs analysis at Meltos Co. has been ‘gap-led’. In other words, training tends to be focused where Meltos Co. identifies a gap in capability – for example, where the introduction of new technology requires worker skills to be updated, company policy is changed or a key worker leaves the firm, requiring training to be provided to their replacement. Typically, this gap-led identification of needs is conducted at a local level, with little reference made to the wider national or international workforce.
Currently, the company runs several large training events each year designed to update manufacturing staff on everything from health and safety changes, business strategy, and company performance to the adoption of new production technology. This is sometimes coupled with skills training for these workers as and when appropriate.
The head of learning and development, (L&D)responding to a call to cut costs from the HR director, is now of the opinion, however, that such long training programs, often of up to three or four days, are no longer the most cost-effective and efficient means by which to develop the staff. Such training has the dual problem of requiring regular investment and repeat sessions to cover workers on different shifts or at different plants, as well as leading to undesirable downtime of certain aspects of production. In particular, the head of T&D is keen to reduce the reliance on external training providers to design and deliver interventions to different workforce groups, from senior management to shop-floor workers.
Nabeel, the head of learning and development at Meltos Co. recently attended a seminar at a local university on ‘the changing nature of workplace HRM’. He was slightly alarmed to find out that much of the company’s practice was seen as outdated. In particular, he was interested in examining how some more contemporary approaches and techniques in HRM could help the company both reduce costs and better performance through continuous improvement.
Questions
1. What changes would you recommend that Meltos Co. make to their current learning and development provision to reduce costs and improve performance? (4 Marks)
2. Discuss how e-learning, competency frameworks, and improved knowledge-sharing at Meltos Co. might help to cut costs and make the HRM at Meltos Co. more strategic. (4 Marks)
3. How might the firm seek to ensure a return on investment for its learning and development activity? (4Marks)
4. How effective is training in the organization you work for and mention a few methods being used for effective development? (3 Marks)
Answers:
HOW TO WORK ON THIS ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE ESSAY / DRAFT)
Here are some adjustments Meltos Co. might take into account based on the circumstance to cut costs and enhance effectiveness in their learning and development offerings:
Change your approach to learning from lengthy, infrequent training sessions to one that is more ongoing and adaptable, such as microlearning or on-demand training. By doing so, downtime would be decreased and training would be more economical.
Instead of significantly depending on outside providers, make greater use of internal resources and skills to design and implement training programs.
Implement a competency-based approach to training, emphasizing the advancement of the precise abilities and information needed for each position or function.
Create a learning culture within the company where staff members are empowered and encouraged to continue their education and to teach one another.
The following ways Meltos Co. could save money and increase the strategic nature of their HRM with the use of e-learning, competence frameworks, and improved knowledge-sharing:
Since it can be accessible at any time and from any location, e-learning can offer a convenient and affordable approach to providing training to employees.
Utilizing competency frameworks, an organization may create training plans that are specifically tailored to the skills and knowledge needed for each job role or function.
Enhancing communication within the organization and preventing duplication of work can assist save waste and promoting productivity.
Meltos Co. could take into account the following to guarantee a return on investment for its learning and development activity:
evaluating each training program’s performance and value for money using a cost-benefit analysis.
measuring the effects of training on worker performance, output, and engagement and connecting this to the strategic objectives of the firm.
ensuring that employees can use the skills and information they acquire in their everyday work and that training programs are in line with the organization’s unique goals and objectives.
I’m an AI language model, therefore I don’t represent any company, so I can’t speak to the success of training in a specific business. But there are some approaches usually regarded as productive for staff development, such as:
Employees receive training while they are employed, learning through practical application and receiving guidance from more seasoned coworkers.
Employees that receive regular feedback on their performance and coaching on how to improve are referred to as coaching and feedback.
programs for leadership development that aid in identifying and preparing the organization’s future leaders.
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