Rapidly Expanding Technology, the Demand for Human Competency & the Changing Workforce

Berman et al. (2010) and Selden (2009) both see a world where rapidly expanding technologies, and the demand for human competency impose various challenges on the world of human resource management in various areas. The changing workforce is one area that is being effected by these various elements. Technology is becoming a driving force in todays various industries, but according to  Selden (2009) , “many organizations are not using it to the fullest” (p. 180). This is a problem due to the fact that technology is detrimental to the changing workforce. In order to remain competitive, managers have to effectively train their workers to remain competitive.


 Workforce training is more important than ever before. Between the advancement in technology as well as the increased amounts of generations that are represented in the workforce it is important for managers to make sure that their workers are being adequately  trained in order to keep up with the trends. Berman et. al. stresses that managers need to invest in human capital, " High-performance government organizations invest in people and pursue best practices." ( p.23).

Training by far is the most important way to keep up with the changing workforce and Selden (2009) poses the following questions to managers that must be answered in order to determine the appropriate steps to take in regards to which training approach should be taken:

• What is the agency's workforce learning philosophy or strategy?

• How does the agency use its training and development programs to implement its workforce learning strategy?

• Does the agency have a training oversight committee or similar body?

• Does the agency have a systematic process in place for determining, delivering, and evaluating its training and development programs?

• How does the agency demonstrate the impact of training and development programs on the agency's mission and strategic goals?