HRD asserts the importance of an organizational climate conducive to development of human potential. According to Rao, such a climate comprises of the following dimensions:
(a) Proactivity:
Employees are willing to take initiative, are action oriented and able to create or control a situation through a high degree of proactively.
(b) Openness and Risk-taking:
Employees feel free to express their ideas and the institution is willing to experiment with new ideas, methods and procedures.
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(c) Collaboration:
There is a feeling of affiliation among employees and a sense of working for a common cause for which they collaborate with each other.
(d) Trust and Authenticity:
Employees, departments and groups trust each other and will do what they claim they will.
(e) Constructive Confrontation:
Employees face problems is and issues squarely without hiding them or avoiding them for fear of hurting each other.
(f) Autonomy:
Employees have some freedom to act independently within the boundaries of their job/role definition.
(g) General Development Climate:
Employees are continuously helped to acquire new competencies through a process of performance planning, feedback, training, periodic review of performance and assessment of the developmental needs and creation of development opportunities through training, job-rotation, redefinition of responsibility, etc.
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The term ‘human resources’ treats people as a ‘resource’ and implies that they are valuable to an institution and therefore they need to be recognized and appreciated, treated as human beings and not as other material resources. They can contribute immensely towards institutional effectiveness.
A healthy climate and conducive processes characterized by the values of openness, improved communications, trust, enthusiasm, mutuality and collaboration play a very significant role in developing human resources.
HRD mechanisms without HRD climate and processes cannot substitute for the warmth of feeling human beings require in an institution.
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The present system of confidential reports about a teacher’s performance directly or indirectly focusses on finding out what is wrong with an employee.
As opposed to this, HRD culture puts on emphasis on finding out what is right with an employee, what are his/her potentials and on how to help him/her in overcoming his/her weaknesses.
Thus, HRD culture suggests a major attitudinal shift. The ultimate aim of HRD is the full participation of an individual in job and life. This aim could be attained by disseminating the HRD philosophy throughout an institution and creating a climate for self-development and learning.
HRD systems should be appropriately institutionalized. Clarification of roles provides for people’s aspirations, goal-setting and formulation of a self-development plan. A conducive HRD climate can be created through an informal backup in the form of frequent and wide-ranging consultations between boss and subordinate and counseling and informal exit interviews.
Consultation is multi-directional in nature. You can consult directly or indirectly with your boss, peers and subordinates. But you must be clear about what you want to achieve and whether it is feasible.
It is a way of testing what impact and action might have on others before you commit yourself to it. It is a process in which one party seeks (he views, knowledge or advice of another.
If, as a manager, you have set the right climate for your team and your colleagues, people will feel able to consult with their bosses, peers or subordinates on a regular basis.
As a manager, occasions arise when you need to discuss subordinates’ problems. You may be required to give advice on how they can improve their personal efficiency or cope with a stressful situation. Good counseling is an exercise in good communication on a one-to-one level.
Attentive listening is important, as is the ability to talk frankly and get to the nub of the matter. If your subordinate has come to you with a problem, he/she will not want to go away feeling he/she has wasted his/her time and yours. Even if you cannot solve his/her problem, tact and sensitivity create trust and strengthen their loyalty to you and the institution.