The words training and development are mostly used together in the corporate world and are seen as activities focused on improving the knowledge, performance, and productivity of the employees. However, there is a distinct difference between their meanings and implications, which are often overlooked by a majority of professionals.
Training could be a program organized by the organization to develop knowledge and skills within the employees as per the necessity of the task. Conversely, Development is an organized activity within which the manpower of the organization learns and grows; it’s a self-assessment act.
Definition of Training –
Training is the process of equipping employees in a specific organization with specific skills, competency, and knowledge so that they can be able to handle various tasks. Training practices are mostly done to new employees so, that they can familiarize themselves with the operations of the entity.
Training is often referred to as importing specific skills and behavior. The specificity is in terms of learning a specific course content or skill like a computer language, machine operations, playing tennis/football, etc. Training also helps the employees to change the conduct towards their superiors, subordinates, and colleagues. It helps to groom them for their prospective jobs.
Definition of Development –
Development on the other hand is holistic, often aiming at overall personality development. The content of a development program includes conceptual or theoretical inputs, perspective strategic thinking or focusing on behavioral aspects such as leadership skills, managing teams, groups, etc.
Development is not only limited to a particular task, but it aims to improve their personality and attitude for their all-round growth which will help them to face future challenges. It changes the mindset of the employees and makes them more challenging or competing.
Moreover, development is undertaken to help individual employees within the premises of the organization to have management skills after proving themselves at junior levels. Coaching, mentoring, counseling, job-rotation, role-playing, case study, conference training, special projects are some of the methods of development.
Key Differences between Training and Development –
The major differences between training and development are as under:
- Training is the act of increasing the skills and knowledge for doing a particular job.
- Development is the overall growth of an employee to perform present assignments better and increasing the potential for future higher order assignments.
- Training programs are organized by the organization to develop employees’ knowledge and skills as per their job requirements.
- Development is not directly related to job requirements; rather it aims at the generic development of the individual employees in the long run.
- Training is a short-term process i.e. 3 to 6 months.
- Development is a continuous process, and so it is for the long term.
- Training focuses on developing skills and knowledge for the current job.
- Unlike, the development which focuses on building knowledge, understanding, and competencies for overcoming with future challenges.
- The focus of training is to help individuals in the organization be able to handle specific tasks within the organization.
- Development is geared towards ensuring that the people under the program are in a position of handling future tasks when they arise.
- Under the training program, the trainer is tasked with the role of offering motivation to the trainee, so that they can work hard to ensure they acquire the skills and knowledge to execute the tasks required.
- Under the development program, an individual is required to have self-motivation because external parties are not involved in ensuring that a person develops to be a future manager in the organization.
- In training, the trainees get a trainer who instructs them at the time of training.
- In contrast to development, in which the manager self-directs himself for future assignments.
- Thus training is defined as a systematic, organized, and planned program designed to enhance employee performance and to give birth to a measurable change in knowledge, skill attitude, and social behavior of an employee.
- Development is considered to be more general in nature and more oriented towards individual needs than the requirements of the duty and it’s mainly meant for managerial personnel. The most intent of development is to supply the worker with a chance to achieve knowledge and help him acquire capability beyond what’s required for the present job.
Both training and development are required to figure hand in hand for providing the proper skills and knowledge to employees and help them get the foremost of it for both organizations benefit likewise as their own progression. When a company or an organization looks at an employee’s overall growth, but the job-related training, it also helps in building a more efficient, motivated, and productive workforce.
Information Sources:
