Branding Human Resource Development
  
“Too often organizations cut costs where it hurts the least in the short term, instead of preserving and investing in what matters the most,” claims Han van der Pool, Management Development Manager at TNT in the latest edition of the journal Leren in Organisaties – De profilering van HRD.
  
Apparently HRD, as an internal function within organizations, is unable to brand itself sufficiently to prevent cost cutting and marginalization. With this in mind Leren in Organisaties, the largest professional HRD journal in the Netherlands, devoted its November edition to the ways in which HRD can brand itself more strongly and sustainably within organizations.
  
Undoubtedly learning and development play a key role in most organizations’ talent management strategies, although it is not uncommon that investments in HRD stall in times of adverse business conditions. This despite a growing body of scholarly work that emphasizes that an organizational climate that supports personal, professional and performance related development could result in mutually beneficial employment relationships.
  
Ronald Visser, research officer of the Nyenrode Powerhouse Competing for Talent, was, as editor, closely involved with this edition. Visser: Leren in Organisaties –De profilering van HRD contains both conceptual and reflective articles from HRD-managers and professionals. It offers the reader a look inside such organizations as TNT and NUON. For example, how do they brand HRD? In addition, it also gives line managers a voice. In various short interviews line managers are asked how they perceive their role in learning and development and how HRD can engage them more strongly in supporting the development of employees. Based on their shared thoughts we eventually distilled four fundamental elements that contribute to the internal brand of HRD. They could be referred to as the four P’s of internal branding. Finally, the edition is complemented with an interesting interview with Rob Poell, professor of HRD at the University of Tilburg.”
 
The four P’s of internal branding are:
Positioning. Is the internal function centralized or decentralized? Is it visible?
Performance. What is the value proposition of HRD and is it able to deliver on its promise?
Promotion. How does HRD internally communicate its purpose and mission?
Procedural embeddedness. How is HRD integrated and intertwined in other initiatives and programs?
 
Van der Pool concludes: “It’s a terrible waste of the human and economic potential if internal HRD functions are unable to defend their position within organizations.” 
  
If you are interested in receiving a copy of the journal Leren in Organisaties – De profilering van HRD, please contact Ronald Visser: r.visser@nyenrode.nl
(Please note: only a limited number of free copies are available.)