Global Training and Development Trends Practices

Question: Discuss about the Global Training and Development Trends Practices. Answer: Introduction: Business institutions requiring gaining a global presence are required to focus on the employment of staffs relating to different regions and ethnicities such that the same contributes in earning competitive advantages and business efficiencies in the long run. The firms are also required to generate equal opportunities based on inclusion of both male and female employees (Ferdman Sagiv, 2012). The paper focuses on understanding the importance and advantages related to the existence of diversity in workplace while also reflecting on the impact of glass ceilings on the female and minority group employees. Significance of Diversity in the Workplace The development of a diverse organisational workforce potentially contributes in enhancing the level of mutual respect between the employees operating in a team framework. It also contributes in development of needed synergies between the employees relating to different gender, age, religious, educational and also possessing diverse experiences for effectively accomplishing business and departmental objectives. It also helps in sharing of needed information and knowledge such that the same contributes in enhancing the productivity and performance of the organisation as a whole. Further, the inclusion of people hailing from different ethnicities and nationalities in the business institution would help in creating a culture of reduced discrimination and in developing a global workplace (Podsiadlowski et al., 2013). The inclusion of people pertaining to diverse nationalities and ethnicities would help the business institutions in gaining needed knowledge about the consumer demands and expectations relating to the different international regions. Further, inclusion of a diverse workforce would also help the firms for expanding its base in the international markets based on knowledge of the distribution networks and supplier chains (Stevens Ogunji, 2010). The above facts would potentially enhance the level of competitive advantage for the business institutions. The business institutions based on generating expansion to international markets also gains needed ability of inclusion of a diverse and talented workforce for aptly addressing the expectancies associated to the different job roles. Inclusion of diverse talents would enhance the internal culture of the business institution and thus enhances the reputation of the company as a global or multinational brand. Further, the focus of the business institution regarding development of a diverse workforce is also taken to enhance the pool of talented, efficient and experienced employees in the organisation (Ongori Nzonzo, 2011). The inclusion of a diverse workforce by the firms rightly helps in gaining quality insights regarding generation of quality solutions to business problems. The insights gained from experienced and knowledgeable people pertaining to diverse educational backgrounds potentially helps the business managers in generating potential solutions to emerging problems and contingencies. It would thus contribute in enhancing the efficiency and productivity level of the firms in conducting operations along different business markets (Olsen Martins, 2012). Opportunities of a Diverse Organisational Workforce Employing a diverse workforce generates ample opportunities and advantages to the business institution. The opportunities are reflected as follows. The inclusion of a diverse workforce in an organisation potentially contributes in the incorporation of new and diverse talents and ideas that tend to contribute in the generation of novel and creative processes. The introduction of new business and operational processes in the firm in turn contribute in the growth of efficiency and productivity for the organisation. Further, the development of a diverse organisational workforce also contributes in the growth of motivation of staffs and employee loyalty such that the same enhances the level of employee commitment in the organisation. Development of work teams constituted by a diverse workforce significantly contributes in the generation of new and customised ideas and solutions to business problems (Shen et al., 2009). The employment of a diverse workforce by a firm potentially encourages the brainstorming of new ideas, concepts and solutions. Team work carried out by employees belonging to diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and also possessing specialised qualifications potentially contribute in the generation of innovative and creative solutions to different types of business problems. Operating in a creative and innovative fashion helps the business institutions to gain on the parameters of efficiency and productivity (Bhatia Kaur, 2014). Further, development of a diverse workforce also implies greater manpower empowerment in the firm such that the multiethnic staffs operating in different departments can work in an integrated fashion for taking part in key business decisions and operational planning activities. Employees pertaining to different cultural, ethnic and national backgrounds tend to have different outlooks related to different problems and events. The differences in the outlook of the employees influences their business ideas and solutions thereby helping the firm earn the benefit of spontaneous and sustained innovativeness and creativity (Edewor Aluko, 2007). Working based along a diverse workforce contributes in helping the business institution effectively communicate with the different stakeholder groups like customers, suppliers and the government and regulatory bodies based along different markets. The development of effective communication practices with potential stakeholders rightly helps the firm in generating an effective presence in the diverse international regions. The carrying out of effective communication with the suppliers, manufacturers and also with the retailers and wholesalers based in different international markets helps a firm in penetrating a larger consumer market and thereby in driving potential sales (Shi Wang, 2011). The degree of freedom generated by the organisation in inclusion of a diverse workforce pertaining to different languages and nationalities and also pertaining to different cultural and religious backgrounds reflects the fairness and equality of treatment generated by the organisation towards the employees belonging to minority groups. It reflects that the business institution does not tend to discriminate between employees belonging to different race, ethnicities, religious and educational categories. Organisations reflecting fair treatment to employees hailing from different cultural backgrounds also provide needed opportunity to the employees to perform and earn promotions to higher hierarchies. The above aspects enhance the reputation of the business institution in the related industry and thereby contribute in attracting newer talents (Rozkwitalska, 2012). Challenges of a Diverse Organisational Workforce The Glass Ceiling effects in organisations tends to affect the opportunities for career growth and development of women employees in organisations. The existence of employees pertaining to men and women categories in organisations reflects the existence of prejudice in the minds of male employees regarding the inability and inefficiency of the female employees. A research carried out relating to the Sri Lankan firms having employees of both gender categories reflect that Glass Ceilings contribute in about 27.4 percent for promoting development and growth opportunity for the female employees. The male workers and managers involved in the business institutions have a feeling that the female employees are emotional, manipulative and also posy at the workplace. The above perceptions of the male counterparts affect the growth and promotional opportunity for women employees operating in the firm (Mooij Hofstede, 2010). Further, the existence of Glass Ceiling in the private organisations tends to affect the confidence level of female employees in the organisations. The women employees in the organisations also reflect that failure in generating effective time management regarding managing both their domestic and professional lives in a simultaneous fashion affects their chances of earning promotional and growth opportunities in the firm. Gender stereotyping is also observed to be a growing impediment that tends to affect the chances of growth and career development of female employees in a firm (Rozkwitalska, 2012). The existence of glass ceiling in organisations reflecting a diverse workforce are identified as artificial barriers that are created owing to the emergence of bias and attitudes in individuals that tends to reduce and seize the opportunity for individuals belonging to minority groups relating to render, culture and religious groups for gaining a higher positions in the business institutions. The growth of prejudices and bias in the minds of different individuals tends to generate a disregard for the performances and achievements of individuals belonging to the minority groups operating in the firm(Edewor Aluko, 2007). Individuals belonging to the majority groups within the firms sharing the same kind of prejudices and biasness for people belonging to the minority groups contribute in the development of barriers that are discriminatory in nature. Business organisations inferred to suffer from Glass Ceiling problems tend to male employees reflecting an attitude that women employees a re not fit to hold management and senior management positions in the firm. The above prejudice thus narrows the exposure gained by women employees in the organisation subjecting them to non-managerial roles (Salas et al., 2012). Along with offering lower positions in the organisations the women employees are also observed to suffer owing to the generation of reduced compensation compared to their male counterparts. Women employees possessing professional knowledge and experiences operating in business institutions having existence of Glass Ceilings are not provided adequate opportunities for growth compared to their male counterparts having lesser knowledge and experience levels. Organisations operating in different industries like manufacturing, communication, wholesale trading and also public utility firms reflect existence of glass ceilings where women employees are not allowed to earn managerial roles (Olsen Martins, 2012). Further, the Public Administration institutions are also observed to reflect the existence of lower number of female employees along both the general and managerial positions. Similarly, organisations relating to the Public Educations are also observed to suffer because of the existence of Glass Ceiling problems that make them earn roles of supervisors compared to roles rendered to male counterparts as directors and associate superintendents (Jehanzeb Bashir, 2013). The existence of external factors like early age based education and channelling of their careers along with the lack of effective mentors and increased scrutiny by both the supervisors and peers in the organisations contributes in the growth of gender stereotypes and also the growth of glass ceilings in the business institutions. The presence of gender stereotyping both along the developing and developed societies reflects the male individuals in the society, families and along the different organisations as the main revenue earners. The women population on the contrary are identified as homemakers and thus are identified inferior to their male counterparts in the profit and not-for-profit firms. The above fact accounts for the growth of glass ceiling in the different organisations (Dartey-Baah, 2013). Glass ceiling exist for employees belonging to the minority groups in the firms owing to the behaviour and attitudes of other minority group members that focus on creating a barrier relating to the benefits gained by them from majority group members. The benefits being scare in nature triggers the needed behaviour relating to the minority groups for developing Glass Ceilings in the firms. Similarly, the existence of discriminatory practices in organisations based on colour, creed, caste and ethnic regions also creates Glass Ceiling in organisations affecting productivity and growth of employees in the organisations (Slavi? et al., 2014). Strategies for Countering Effects of Glass Ceiling The impacts generated by the existence of glass ceiling in business and non-business institutions requires to be effectively countered through the generation of increased awareness relating to the talents and expertise of the women employees. Further, the appraisal and promotional activities in the organisations are required to be carried out based on identifying the competencies, performances of the staffs and not based on gender stereotyping. The women employees in the firm are also required to enhance their level of self-confidence and also focus on identification of a mentor in the firm that would help the female staffs rise to higher roles in the organisation (Rozkwitalska, 2012). The women employees are also required to have a clear understanding of their rights regarding gaining of employment and promotional opportunities within the business and non-business organisations. The knowledge of employment and promotional rights would certainly contribute in helping the female employees fight for their career and development growth. Women employees are required to enhance their presence in the firms through reflecting and enhancing on their personal competencies such that the same can be applied along their respective departments for enhancing efficiency and productivity level of the departments and the organisation as a whole. The above facts would help the female employees gain needed recognition in the firms and also earn promotional opportunities(Olsen Martins, 2012). For minority groups, the existence of glass ceilings in the firm requires the human resources managers design effective diversity training programs that help in understanding the benefits and rationale for including people from diverse cultures and ethnicities. The members of the minority cultural and ethnic groups are also required to focus on the identification of mentors and enhance their personal competencies and skills for enhancing their presence in the firm. 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