Importance of Training in the Automobile Industry
Modern organizations in order to maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace, must invest in the training and development of its workforce. Human Resource Department (HRD) of organizations typically focuses on both training employees for their current jobs and further developing skills and knowledge for their potential roles and responsibilities. The objectivity of training and knowledge development with its constant learning process has been influencing the automobile industry. Thus it has emerged as an overarching development of social needs (Bell et al. 2017). Thus organizations must include learning culture as a social responsibility. It has been proved by several scholars that there are sound associations between training and development practices along with varied methods of organizational performance (Mulang 2015). According to Bell et al. (2017), training and development has its strategic positioning and contributes significantly to organizational business goals and objectives. Incorporation of innovative training techniques such as artificial intelligence (AI), simulated games, role playing are identified to more effective in training curriculums (Albrecht et al. 2015). The following essay evaluates human resource strategies of Ford Motor Company and the way strategies of Human Resource with training and development have been enhancing the effectiveness of the company.
Training is identified as one of the most important human resource department activities in UK automobile sector. Various styles and methods are adapted for the skill and knowledge development of human resource. All these activities intend to focus on improvement of employees’ productivity. Furthermore, Konings and Vanormelingen (2015) have pointed out proficient training transforms uninformed employees to informed employees, unskilled or semiskilled employees into highly proficient ones. These developed employees can execute their assigned tasks in the most efficient way the organization desires them to accomplish. Thus, training and development along with HR strategies are perceived as an amalgamation of activities. These activities are purposed at improving the level of performance of workforce in organizations for the attainment of continuous improved productivity (Cloutier et al. 2015). Mostafa, Gould?Williams and Bottomley (2015) at this juncture, pointed out the way innovative technologies with severe competition from counterparts force automobile companies like Ford Motor to update its employees with advanced technologies for encountering challenges. With the increase in the pace of the technological advancement, the world is emerging as a small village with interconnected associations (Cloutier et al. 2015).
Rahim (2017) has revealed that automobile sectors efficiently enhance the quality of the existing employee base by comprehensive knowledge development, induction and training. Frey and Osborne (2017) indicate that investments in employee training relate to problem-solving, decision-making, team development along with interpersonal links. These factors are consequential to the advantageous firm level outcomes. Employee training in UK automobile sector has been serving as a significant variable in increasing organizational efficiency. Thus training organized by companies are as fundamental in successful attainments of organization’s goals and missions leading to amplified level of productivity. Training in the view of Yamao and Sekiguchi (2015) together with performance constructively influences organizational outcomes. Thus training is further related to productivity growth and high rate of employee turnover reduction.
Human Resource Strategies and Training and Development at Ford
Ford Company incorporated in 1928 based in Brentwood, the United Kingdom operates as a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. The company as per the reports by Asad and Mahfod (2015) believes that in the rapidly shifting world, curiosity along with continuous knowledge development play highly decisive role. Thus Ford offers a wide range of learning opportunities throughout employees’ careers in order to ensure their progressive development not only by preparing their personnel to act responsive to change but to proficiently capitalize on it by creating tomorrow and significantly driving human development (Yamao and Sekiguchi 2015). Rahim (2017) has found that changes in technology such as automation, robotics along with Artificial Intelligence tend to develop significant avenues and demand for new skills in the workplace. At Ford, manufacturing technicians are being trained in electrified vehicles diagnostics. Furthermore, reports by Albrecht et al. (2015) have revealed that portable training and knowledge development cells integrate robots as well as regulate and visions systems in order to provide system-level training in manufacturing services.
While Mostafa, Gould?Williams and Bottomley (2015) emphasize that Ford Company comprises of several types of workforce and work organizations in combination together tends to create an enthused line-up that corresponds to Ford’s ONE Ford objectives. The company’s ONE Ford plan fundamentally supports their efforts towards a universal definition of success comprising having ONE Team, ONE Plan and ONE Goal aimed for exhilarating, feasible company which efficiently delivers lucrative growth for all (Corporate.ford.com 2018). This employee engagement strategy further in the view of author offers reliable goals and prospects for its personnel whether they are performing in the UK, US or any other international locations with distinct focus on the competencies and conduct the company wants to demonstrate in order to attain their goals.
Thus HRD of Ford have integrated ONE Ford employee development mission into their individuals processes in order to underpin employee growth and coerce responsibility for stirring the company forward while illustrating anticipated actions which are fundamental to the success of ONE Ford: F: Foster Functional and Technical Excellence O: Own Working Together R: Role Model Ford Values D: Deliver Results (Ford.co.uk 2018). According to Cloutier et al. (2015), over the last few years, employing the ONE Ford Plan implies to the efficient focus of Ford on its Human Resource Management Strategies based on four important goals such as forming sociable work environment, developing competent as well as efficient employee base, aligning company’s organizational structure with its international business and lastly offering ‘people-related’ processes in order to support their workforce. Reports by (Konings and Vanormelingen (2015) have revealed that in early 2012, Ford has strategically extended its ONE Ford approach with the company’s newly launched ‘Go Further’ movement, which exemplifies company’s dedication and assurance to their clientele. In addition to this, ONE Ford is identified as their roadmap and preparation whereas; Go Further is regarded as a guarantee following their efforts.
Cloutier et al. (2015) have stated that through leadership and professional knowledge development, employees can obtain improved intrapersonal as well as interpersonal self awareness skills and further acknowledge divergences in the way other employees and the company perceive, act and function. However, cohort-based employee development initiative has been introduced by Ford Motor UK in order to provide greater opportunities for peer collaboration, official network establishment as well as creating a significant sense of community collective values and cultural patterns across the company (Mostafa, Gould?Williams and Bottomley 2015).The Global leadership summit – the Ford Company in order to conquer competitive advantage in the UK automobile sector has introduced employee development program that is fundamentally purposed for executives and general managers who have a great accountability for international projects units and budgets (Ford.co.uk 2018). Experienced leader program- This program has been aimed for employees engaged in middle management level of the company and further facilitates the employees to increase their competencies and successfully operate regional large projects and lead functional departments (Corporate.ford.com 2018).Global executive leadership- The employee development initiative introduced by Ford Company emphasizes on this particular program by enhancing the capabilities of directors and senior managers associated with the region but with accountabilities which often extends to the Global enterprise (Ford.co.uk 2018).
Types of Employee Development Programs at Ford
Cloutier et al. (2015) have revealed that workforce at Ford Motor Company is recognised as the driving power following the company’s enormous success. Recent fiscal resurgence has been recognized in significant part to the commitment and effective presentation of the company’s personnel due to capable and pioneering employee development programmes carried out by the company (Yamao and Sekiguchi 2015). This proficient employee base has been pulling together under the employment development initiative called Ford ONE in order to restructure Ford’s North American operations to effectiveness. Furthermore according to reports by Frey and Osborne (2017) similar plans and discussions have recently facilitated the company’s restructuring in the European region where Ford has undergone a critical decision making procedure in order to conclude its production at the major assembly plant in Belgium at the end of 2016.
However as the organisation tends to reinforce and expand in the United Kingdom, the workforce of Ford has been enabled to share in the company’s success (Smith and Betts 2015). It is important to certify a sociable work setting with strong understanding of employee satisfaction engagement and factors which are valued such as being a significant part of Ford motor company. The company is identified to engage workers as individuals also tends to cultivate the leadership progress in a assorted environment whereby individuals can develop a sense of value and inclusion (DuBrin 2015). Reports have stated that the Ford motor company till 2017 has recruited almost 195,000 individuals at global level (Asad and Mahfod 2015). Furthermore almost 95% of the employees in their automotive operations are covered by mutual bargaining negotiations and others are represented by 39 different unions internationally. Most hourly employees along with several management salaried workers are primary collaborators with Ford Motors in providing a protective, resourceful as well as dignified workplace (Ahmad 2015).
Employee progress as per the view of Ford et al. (2017) is vital in delivering foods vision of establishing excellent products and services which offer to a better world. The company executes such operation by continuing to invest substantially on its employee growth and training programs by strengthening their technical as well as leadership competencies and further identifying them for delivering competent raw materials which promote superior degree of success (Smith and Betts 2015). As the company continues to expand they have been purposefully normalizing, simplifying as well as integrating talent management procedures by employing international competency framework and improving leadership development initiatives for skilled managers. However Frey and Osborne (2017) have noted that the leaders of Ford motors UK believe to have successfully promoted resilient and protective functioning environment where individuals receive immense dignity and value for the work they are assigned to do. Meanwhile Smith and Betts (2015) claims that all employees engaged in Ford motors UK receive great support in order to supply in their individualistic skilled development by forming an individual development plan or IDP. However it has been noted that in IDP, the company will guide the employees to achieve their existing as well as potential goals by maximizing performance in their current assigned projects. Thus by efficiently employing IDP, workers in Ford motors can work as a team with their managers in order to help them distinguish areas of strength and development and further form customized Strategies for individualistic development requirements (Ford.co.uk 2018).
Effectiveness of Employee Training at Ford
Furthermore, Ford et al. (2017) have noted that similar to the company’s Vehicle Development Strategy, its knowledge and progress initiative is influential at a global scale. Such development strategies proficiently has formed internal academic institutions offering education and knowledge development opportunities in areas starting from economics, information technology to human resource, sales and product development. Ford Motors has been identified to offer International Leadership Development in programs such as the Global Executive Leadership program that is aimed for experienced leaders of middle management (Ford.co.uk 2018). In addition to this, the company constitutes ONE Ford skills implemented in order to establish the employee’s individual competence and the company’s capability to efficiently drive the business forward. Studies conducted by Mulang (2015) have revealed that organisations like Ford Motors which employ innovative compensation procedures should typically have a more dedicated, efficient and motivated employee base in comparison to organisations which do not base their strategies on compensation systems.
Meanwhile contingency theory proposes that the usefulness of HRM practices is highly reliance on other determinants such as organisational environment culture, competitive strategies and goals (Jackson, Schuler and Jiang 2014). Furthermore the linkages between the dependent and the independent variable will not be showing stability, rather will be reliant on other third variable that is contingency variables. However those determinants tend to moderate the association between HRM and performance resulting to the denial of the existence of best practices which good result to superior activities under any circumstances (Frey and Osborne 2017). The role of organisations cycle in the preparation of human resource strategies is highly critical. Thus according to Smith and Betts (2015) in order to comprehend attainable interaction between business strategy and human resource strategy in chart experts of Ford Motors UK required to evaluate the life cycle phases of the company buy each phase needs to be associated with HR strategies. Furthermore HR professionals of Ford Motors must proficiently structure to potential skill requirements and anticipate career larger map for its workforce. However companies in this competitive environment during the initial phase necessitate in establishing fundamental employee relations standpoints along with the mounting period requires to approve number of employees with multi skills in order to setup talent pool (Asad and Mahfod 2015).
In such a phase Ford Motors have anticipated to regulate compensation structure along with control labour expenditures with enhanced output and further a refused phase which requires to plan as well as use terminations and reforms with stringent cost control measures (Ford.co.uk 2018). Furthermore according to the studies of Konings and Vanormelingen (2015) in such a phase, employees of Ford Motors UK require to be rehabilitated along with career advocating which plays an important role for organisations to opt for accurate strategy in attaining opposition and shape the employees in chances to flourish in modern overactive competitive business environment (Mostafa, Gould?Williams and Bottomley 2015). Thus the human resource strategies of Ford Motors United Kingdom must be efficiently aligned to the business strategy with similar concern as the financial regulator systems or marketing strategies are formulated.
Reports by Rahim (2017) have disclosed that increasing costs of employee training have led Ford Motors to shift its employee training programs out the existing systems and advance towards satellite-delivered domain known as the Fordstar Dealers Communication Network (Fordstar). By looking at Ford Motors’ account, it would have taken several trainers to circulate the information they require to extract in order to materialize sales at the dealerships’ end (Albrecht et al. 2015). As the system is fundamentally employed for employee training, the company understands its competitive significance of real time communication tool that offers trainers for implementing and acquiring both corporate communications as well as market investigation. Ford executives through the ONE touch network use two-way discussions with thousands of employees simultaneously as well as facilitating improved communication as well as comprehending throughout the organization (Corporate.ford.com 2018).
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be stated that Ford Motors has been focusing on filling positions in their company with highly proficient workers specialized in technical fields of study. The company has recognized a need to develop a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) approach supported by its CEO. Furthermore, executive leadership team which influences Ford’s current employment development initiatives for the future. Thus developing a prospective team of talent is highly vital not only for successful achievements of Ford Motor but also to the success of their dealers, distributors with the automobile sector in the UK. Ford Partnership for Advance Studies (PAS), Next Generation Learning: The Ford PAS program stimulates learners, company and district leaders to generate a new generation of youth. With vital affiliations with the Ford Fund and the community, the company has dynamically maintained initiatives that put up these skills. The company’s executives are further developing individualistic programs besieged at learners along the education pipeline.
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