Personal Development Plans are rapidly gaining in popularity as a tool for encouraging employees to think through their own development needs and action plan for their careers and skill development. This report, based on case study research of leaders in this field, gives practitioners clear descriptions of what PDPs really are, how they fit in with other HR processes and how they are working in practice. The eight named case studies include TSB, BP Chemicals, Marks and Spencer and Abbey National. The report also raises some wider policy issues and choices in using PDPs as part of a strategy of self-development.

Does the way people are treated at work make a difference to the performance of the organisations that employ them? Are there returns to investment in human capital in a similar way to investments in physical capital? These seem straightforward enough questions but they have generated huge amounts of debate. On one side, there is plenty of evidence strongly suggesting that investment in people has important business performance benefits, and yet on the other hand, the research that arrived at this conclusion has been subject to detailed criticism. And whilst academics gather and dispute the evidence, it would seem that practitioners are not completely convinced either. The take-up of what have been termed High Performance Working Practices (HPWPs) has been slow and many organisations do not adopt them. The doubts of practitioners reflect concerns over what it might mean for individual firms and sectors, and confusion over which people management practices are likely to show the greatest link to performance. Many studies adopt complex measures which are outside the capabilities of most firms to replicate. In terms of a step change in employer behaviour what is needed are some measures that have been linked to performance, that employers can capture for themselves and which do not require considerable academic resource to make useful. Against this background, this study takes into account concerns from both academics and practitioners, and provides a convincing argument that the investments firms make in their workforce make a difference.

The nature, extent, and likely future of outsourcing in the United Kingdom was examined through an extensive literature review and interviews with small numbers of local authorities, companies, and contractors. Despite the limited data available, it appeared that outsourcing is concentrated in ancillary activities and is relatively marginal, both as a proportion of the work force and in terms of its organizational impact. Among the reasons cited for outsourcing were the following: cost, improved service, desire to focus on core business and reduce exposure, and flexibility to meet fluctuating supply and demand. The problems encountered by organizations resorting to outsourcing have stemmed from choosing outsourcing for the wrong reasons and preparing for it poorly. The following were identified as alternatives to outsourcing: changing the organization's overall shape/size; introducing more flexible work arrangements; and altering the means of structuring service provision. Special attention was paid to the best ways of planning and managing outsourcing, use of outsourcing by local governments, and effects of outsourcing on employees. It was concluded that continued pressures to reduce costs and maximize productivity will likely mean the continuation of partial and selective outsourcing, with clients becoming more sophisticated and demanding in what they expect from contractors. (Contains 98 references.) (MN)

Training is expected to make a difference, to change people, organisations, even the competitiveness of the UK. Evaluation is how we know whether it works, and the reality often is that we don't know. Despite growing levels of training evaluation at organisational level, much of it is conducted in a simple and unsophisticated way. Research urges practitioners to do more and to do it better. The literature is full of suggestions on approaches that regard the Kirkpatrick model as no longer adequate. This report looks critically at Kirkpatrick and the other models that purport to be significant improvements. It develops a model of the learning process to help underpin any approach to training evaluation, and reviews what we know about evaluation and the factors that affect training success.

This report reviews how some organizations approach the improvement of people management skills, from the perspective of HR managers, line managers, employees and also some providers of management development series.

This is a well balanced and useful guide to transforming HR.The case studies, guidance and discussion of the key issues are very helpful in addressing in considering how you can structure and staff the function to achieve future success.This fills a gap in the literature and is a good buy.The work of the Institute of Employment Studies for whom the authors work is always of a high standard.

The approaches to employability being taken by United Kingdom employers were examined in a study that included three components: a literature review to develop a definition of employability and isolate its key elements; case studies of six organizations to identify employers' approaches to employability; and examination of related literature on lifelong learning and individual responsibility for career development. Four main elements of employability were identified. The first three are analogous to the concepts of production, marketing, and sales; the fourth element is the marketplace in which they operate. The following four approaches to employability were discovered: (1) explicit recognition that there are no more jobs for life and that individuals must, therefore, prepare themselves for career transitions; (2) reduction of the pain of reducing staff size by increasing departing employees' chances of finding another job; (3) inplacement or redeployment of staff whose skills are less in demand; and (4) maximization of employee retention by enhancing employees' employability. Special attention was given to the factors driving employers' selection of an approach. A range of practices that employers could adopt to increase employees' employability were identified, and a checklist to help employers develop a comprehensive employability policy was developed. (Contains 43 references.) (MN)

In the 1990s, many major employers in the United Kingdom have moved to more open internal job markets (OIJMs). OIJMs give the job of filling internal vacancies to line managers and employees who see the job advertised and apply for it. The development and operation of OIJMs at the following firms were studied: Rolls-Royce; British Gas Trading; Halifax plc (public limited company); and the United Kingdom's Civil Service, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, and the Department of Trade and Industry. The study revealed that, although they have generally been welcomed by managers and employees, OIJMs have also spawned a number of concerns on the parts of line managers involved in filling vacancies, employees, and human resources (HR) managers. Key issues related to OIJMs that must be addressed include the following: the OIJM process's slowness and labor intensiveness; rules driving out judgment; too many or too few applicants and job moves; fairness and diversity; succession planning and open markets; and the role of HR and quality control. A model for good practice in OIJMs was proposed that emphasizes clear communication and a sense of balance. (Ten figures are included. A checklist for reviewing an OIJM process is appended.) (MN)