Everything you need to know about the key differences between training and development.
Training and development differ from each other in terms of their content and objectives. Steinmetz (1969) has differentiated them.
According to her, while training is a short term process by which non-managerial personnel learn technical knowledge and skills for a definite purpose, the term ‘development’ is a long term process by which managerial personnel learn conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purpose.
Training is often referred to as importing specific skills and behaviour. The specificity is in terms of learning a specific course content or skill like a computer language, machine operations, playing tennis, etc. The focus is on improvement in performance after training along with a perceptible behavioural change. In that sense, they differ slightly from conceptual or intellectual ones.
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Development on the other hand is holistic, often aiming at overall personality development. The content of a development programme includes conceptual or theoretical inputs, perspective strategic thinking or focusing on behavioural aspects such as leadership skills, managing teams, groups, etc.
Difference between Training and Development: 4 Differences
Difference # Training:
1. Training is the act of increasing the skills and knowledge for doing a particular job.
2. Training focuses on imparting job-related technical skills.
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3. Training is concerned with imparting specific job-related technical skills to non-managerial employees. Thus, it has short-term focus.
4. The role of trainer or supervisor is very important in training. The superior generally takes initiative in importing training to his subordinates.
Difference # Development:
1. Development is the overall growth of an employee to perform present assignment better and increasing potential for future higher order assignment.
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2. It focuses on imparting technical, human, and conceptual skills.
3. It seeks to develop competency of managerial employees to handle complex and challenging tasks. Thus, it has long-term focus.
4. It is a self-development process. The executive has to be internally motivated for self- development. It is career-centered in nature.
Difference between Training and Development: 7 Differences
The terms ‘training’ and ‘development’ are sometimes used synonymously. This is not correct as these terms have different connotations and scope. The term ‘training’ is used to indicate the process by which attitudes, skills and abilities of employees to perform specific job are imparted. But the term ‘development’ means growth of the individual in all respects.
In practice, the term ‘development’ is used in relation to managerial personnel whereas the term ‘training’ is used in relation to operative employees. Training is a short-term process utilising a systematic and organised procedure by which non-managerial personnel learn technical knowledge and skills for a definite purpose.
Development is a long-term educational process utilising a systematic and organised procedure by which managerial personnel learn conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purposes.
Difference # Training:
1. Nature – Training is concerned with increasing the skills for doing a particular job.
2. Level of Personnel – Training is used in relation to operative employees.
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3. Orientation – Training is job-oriented.
4. Duration – Training is short-term in nature.
5. Initiative – Training is imparted to operative workers at the initiative of management.
6. Scope of Learning – The scope of learning is limited to the job only.
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7. Depth of Knowledge – The knowledge gained relates to the job only.
Difference # Development:
1. Nature – Development is concerned with the growth of an employee in all respects.
2. Level of Personnel – Development is used in relation to executives, managers and professionals.
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3. Orientation – Development is career-oriented.
4. Duration – Development is long-term in nature.
5. Initiative – The executives take initiative in their own development.
6. Scope of Learning – The scope of learning is very wide. It pertains to overall development of the employee.
7. Depth of Knowledge – The knowledge gained is all round and long-lasting.
Difference between Training and Development: In Simple Terms
In a simple manner, both the terms development and training are interchangeable with very small differences. Training is to improve the skills of non-managerial cadre employees while development is growth by which managerial cadre employees develop their conceptual and analytical abilities to manage.
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Difference # Training:
1. It is usually a short term process.
2. It focuses on specific behaviour and actions.
3. It tries to improve specific skills, specially relating to the job.
4. It imparted mostly to non-managerial personnel.
Difference # Development:
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1. It is an on-going long term process
2. It focuses on understanding and interpretation of knowledge.
3. It aims at improving the total personality of an individual.
4. It is mainly designed for manager’s execution.
Difference between Training and Development – Explained!
Training and development differ from each other in terms of their content and objectives. Steinmetz (1969) has differentiated them. According to her, while training is a short term process by which non-managerial personnel learn technical knowledge and skills for a definite purpose, the term ‘development’ is a long term process by which managerial personnel learn conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purpose.
In the words of Flippo, “training is the act of increasing knowledge, skill and attitude of an employee for doing a particular task. Employees learn new habits, refined skills and useful knowledge during the training period that help them in improving performance. Training not only enables them to do the present job more efficiently but also prepares them for a higher job”. Thus training is defined as a systematic, organized and planned programme designed to improve employee performance and to bring about a measurable change in knowledge, skill attitude and social behaviour of an employee.
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Development is considered to be more general in nature and more oriented towards individual needs than the needs of the job and it is mainly meant for managerial personnel. The main intent of development is to provide the employee with an opportunity to gain knowledge and help him acquire capability beyond what is required for the current job. In other words, management development consists of all learning experiences provided to managerial employees to upgrade their knowledge, competency and attitude.
Difference # Training:
1. Process designed to bring about a relatively permanent change in employees’ skills, knowledge, attitude or behaviour in order to improve their performance in the currently held job
2. Imparts technical skills
3. Focuses on technical skills specific to the current job
4. Directed towards non-managerial personnel
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5. Present-focused and short-run
6. Designed to perform an existing activity better
Difference # Development:
1. Process designed to impart learning experiences in order to help managerial employees acquire skills and competencies for future responsibilities
2. Imparts managerial skills
3. Focuses on broad range of skills or managing challenging situations
4. Directed towards managerial personnel
5. Future-focused and long-run
6. Designed to be a continuous process
Difference between Training and Development: 9 Differences
Difference # Training:
1. Purpose – It aims at improve attitude, skills and abilities amongst employees to perform specific job. Increasing employees’ on the job efficiency and productivity.
2. Orientation – It is a job oriented process.
3. Scope of learning – It has a narrow scope as it is part of development.
4. Suitability – It is more suitable for technical staff.
5. Skills – It involves development of new or existing technical skills.
6. Duration – It is a short term process.
7. Depth of knowledge imparted – The knowledge imparted is limited to a specific job.
8. Initiative – The employer takes initiative to provide training to employees with an aim to improve productivity and efficiency.
9. End result – It improves employees’ on the job efficiency and productivity.
Difference # Development:
1. Purpose – It aims at the overall growth in the personality and realising the potential of employees through continuous learning.
2. Orientation – It is a career oriented process.
3. Scope of learning – It has a wider scope as it includes training.
4. Suitability – It is more suitable for managerial staff.
5. Skills – It involves development of technical, managerial and human skills.
6. Duration – It is a long term and continuous process.
7. Depth of knowledge imparted – The knowledge imparted is for overall growth
8. Initiative – The employees take initiative for his/her growth and development.
9. End result – It results in overall growth and development of employees making them suitable for higher responsibilities.
Difference between Training and Development – Points of Distinction
The terms ‘training’ and ‘development’ appear to be synonymous. But there are some differences in the content and techniques of employee training and development. According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job, management development includes the process by which managers and executives acquire not only skills and competence in their present jobs, but also capacities for future managerial tasks of increasing difficulty and scope”.
Training is the act of enhancing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job. It imparts specific skills for specific purposes. It is mainly job-oriented. Training is given to both new and old employees throughout their stay in the organization. In contrast, management development includes the process by which managers and executives acquire not only skills and competence in their present jobs but also capacities for future managerial positions.
It may be noted here that the term ‘training’ refers to the programmes that facilitate the learning process which results in development (consequence of training). Hence, the terms ‘training’ and ‘development’ are applicable to both managers, executives and non-managerial personnel.
The points of distinction between the two are given below:
1. Training is the act of learning basic skills and knowledge necessary for a particular job or a group of jobs. Development, on the other hand, means growth of the individual in all respects. An organization works for the development of its executives in order to enable them to gain advanced knowledge and competence.
2. The term ‘training’ is used in the context of imparting skills to operative workers. But the term development is used in the context of management development.
3. Training programmes are directed towards maintaining and improving current job performance, while development programmes seek to develop skills and competence for future jobs.
Difference between Training and Development (Point Wise)
Training is a short term process utilising a systematic and organised procedure by which non-managerial persons learn technical knowledge and skills for a definite purpose.
Development is a long term educational process utilising a system and organisational procedure by which managerial persons learn conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purpose.
Training refers only to instructions in technical and mechanical operations while development refers to philosophical and theoretical educational concepts.
Training is designed for non-managers while development involves managerial personnel.
Training and development differ in four ways:
(i) What is learnt?
(ii) Who is learning?
(iii) Why such learning takes place?
(iv) When does learning occur?
Difference # Training:
1. Focus – Focus of Training is on imparting skills to meet current job requirements.
2. Prerequisites – Training needs are dependent on lack or deficiency in skills.
3. Span – Training is a narrower and specific to job related skills.
4. Orientation – Meeting Organizational goals is the key objective of Training and may not include development.
5. Rationale – Training is aimed at improving job related efficiency and performance, and helps in removing performance deficiencies.
Difference # Development:
1. Focus – Focus of Development is on facilitating learning for future job necessities.
2. Prerequisites – Development depends on personal drive and ambition backed by desire to achieve high aims.
3. Span – Development is a broader concept as it encompasses personality development also.
4. Orientation – Employee Development is the key focus and includes training wherever necessary specifically aimed at enhancing competence of employees.
5. Rationale – Development aims at overall personal effectiveness including job efficiencies for achieving greater stability, flexibility and capacity for growth in an organization.
Difference between Training and Development
Difference # Training:
1. Relevance – Training is mostly for non-managing staff and workers.
2. Nature – It focuses on technical and mechanical oriented operations. Training focuses on the current jobs.
3. Emphasis – It is concerned with specific job skills and behaviour.
4. Growth Opportunity – It may result in enhancement of a particular job skill.
5. Motivation – In training motivation is extrinsic as it is the result of organisational initiative.
6. Voluntary/Imposed – Training is usually imposed.
7. Process – It is one-shot deal.
8. Orientation – It is job-oriented process and is vocational in nature.
9. Goals – Goals of training are short-term gains.
Difference # Development:
1. Relevance – The development is for managers and executives.
2. Nature – It focuses on theoretical skills and conceptual ideas and prepares for the future job.
3. Emphasis – It is concerned with related enhancement of general knowledge and understanding of non-technical organisation functions.
4. Growth Opportunity – It results in personal growth and development of overall personality.
5. Motivation – In development, the motivation is intrinsic.
6. Voluntary/Imposed – Development activities, such as those supplied by management development programmes, are generally voluntary.
7. Process – It is a continuously on-going process.
8. Orientation – It is general in nature and strives to inculcate initiative, enterprise, creativity, dedication and loyalty amongst executives.
9. Goals – Goals of development are long-term accruals.
Difference between Training and Development – Explained!
Training is often referred to as importing specific skills and behaviour. The specificity is in terms of learning a specific course content or skill like a computer language, machine operations, playing tennis, etc. The focus is on improvement in performance after training along with a perceptible behavioural change. In that sense, they differ slightly from conceptual or intellectual ones.
Training often caters to organizational needs. The training programme may be prompted because of certain changes present or anticipated in the structure and processes of organizations. Hence, the impact of training may be experienced and assessed by the organization immediately. Usually, administrative, supervisory, and technical workforce may be exposed to training programmes.
The banks in the country in the early nineties had implemented Advanced Ledger Posting Machines (ALMS) and, for this purpose, they undertook extensive training of their operational and systems people. Similarly, now most of the public sector banks are implementing Core Banking Solution (CBS) and for this purpose they are training their systems, networking, and operational personnel.
Development on the other hand is holistic, often aiming at overall personality development. The content of a development programme includes conceptual or theoretical inputs, perspective strategic thinking or focusing on behavioural aspects such as leadership skills, managing teams, groups, etc.
The intent is to provide training in non-technical aspects so that individuals may discharge organizational functions more effectively in the areas of problem solving, decision making, people skills, etc.
Thus, we may say that training is imparted to operatives, whereas development is a process of grooming mainly used for executives or managers. The impact of a training programme ends with learning the skill, while that of a developmental programme is a continuous and an on-going process.
The need for training the employees stems mostly from organizational requirements whereas the need to undergo a developmental programme is internal, i.e., prompted by employees themselves. Nevertheless, in both instances, organizations gain in terms of increased or effective performance.
Yet, another distinction that may be brought about is that training serves immediate organizational requirements while development is futuristic and aims at growth of both individual and organizations.
Difference between Training and Development
Difference # Training:
1. For whom meant for – It is meant for operatives i.e. non-managerial personnel.
2. Aim – Its aim is to develop some specific skill in an individual.
3. Time Period – It is a short-term process. It is a one-shot affair.
4. Contents – It contains technical and mechanical operations.
5. Initiative – Initiative for training comes from the management i.e. initiative is external motivation.
6. Purpose – It is a specific, job- related skill.
7. Nature – It is a reactive process. It is mostly a preparation to meet an individual’s present needs.
Difference # Development:
1. For whom meant for – It is meant for managerial or executive personnel.
2. Aim – Its aim is to develop the total personality of an individual.
3. Time Period – It is a long-term and continuous process.
4. Contents – It contains theoretical and philosophical educational
5. Initiative – Initiative for development comes from the individual himself i.e. initiative is internal motivation.
6. Purpose – It is a long-term development of the whole personality.
7. Nature – It is proactive process. It is a preparation to meet an individual’s future needs
Difference between Training and Development
Training:
It is a short-term process utilising a systematic and organized procedure in which non- managerial personnel have technical knowledge and skills for a definite purpose.
Development:
It is a long-term educational process utilising a systematic and organised procedure by which managerial personnel learn conceptual and the theoretical knowledge for general purpose.
Training is the instruction in technical and mechanical operations while development is the philosophical and theoretical educational concepts. It desired for non-managers, while development involves managerial personnel. Campbell has observed that training courses are typically designed for a short-term, while development involves a broader education for long-term purposes.
Training and development differ on account of “what”, “who”, “why” and “when.”
Difference between Training and Development:
Training:
1. Who? – Non-managerial Personnel
2. What? – Technical and mechanical operations
3. Why? – Special job-related purpose
4. When? – Short-term
Development:
1. Who? – Managerial Personnel
2. What? – Technical concepts of ideas
3. Why? – General knowledge
4. When? – Long-term
Difference between Training and Development
Training refers to the training of employee in the areas of operations, technical and allied. On the other hand, development refers to the development of employee in the areas of principles and techniques of management, administration, organisation and allied areas.
It could be easily understood through the following:
i. The aim of training is to develop specific abilities in an individual, whereas the aim of development is to enhance the total personality of the individual.
ii. Training is for the entire individuals. It means for operators or non-managers, but development activities are only for executive.
iii. The initiative for training largely comes from management whereas the initiative for development comes from the individual himself. Various activities, planned and unplanned, formal and informal initiated and carried out by individual and the organisation, come under development. Aim of training is to provide specific, job related information and skills. Training is a short-term process where as development is a long-term process.
iv. Training is a preparation to meet an individual’s present needs, so it can be seen as a reactive process, whereas development is a preparation to meet this future process having long-run objectives.
Difference between Training and Development
The term training is generally used to describe any effort initiated by an organization to help learning among its employees and develop them. However, many experts distinguish between training and development. Training is said to be more narrowly focused and oriented towards short- term performance concerns while development tends to be oriented more towards broadening an individual skills for future responsibilities. In simple terms, training is present oriented that focuses on individuals’ current jobs and development is future-oriented focusing on employee personal growth.
The two terms tend to be combined into a single phrase, training and development to recognize the combination of activities to increase the skill base of employees. Traditionally emphasis on training has been at the basic as well as advanced skill levels. But surveys have indicated that many jobs require extensive use of knowledge. This is possible only when the employees share knowledge and creatively use it to modify a product or service and also understand the product/service development system. This is known as high leverage training and continuous learning.
High Leverage Training:
It is a training practice that is linked to strategic business goals and objectives, uses an instructional design process to ensure that training is effective and compares the firm’s training programmes of other firms.
Continuous Learning:
It is a learning system that requires employees to understand the entire work system including the relationships among their jobs, work units and the company. Employees are expected to acquire new skills and knowledge, apply them on the job and share the acquired information with other employees.
Difference between Training and Development (With Explanation)
The training aspect applies generally to non-managerial personnel, usually, the factory level, sales-floor personnel and maintenance workers. Such training helps the new employees to get adjusted to work conditions and situations when they are initially placed on the job or moved up to the next level in the hierarchy.
The training is more jobs focused. Usually, it is administered to a group of people who are called trainees. The trainees can be new employees or existing members of the organization. Generally, the focus of the training is the job to which the new employees are assigned or being promoted to the jobs.
The focus of development is the individual manager or executive who is preparing himself or herself to move up in the organizational hierarchy. Such development can be at the initiative of the individual or generated by the organization to assist the manager to upgrade him or herself. While the training is focused on jobs, the development is focused on the individual.
In the training process, the individuals job receives attention as to what skills and qualities are needed to perform so that the best performance results. On the other hand, development requires certain individual qualities and characteristics to perform the current job as well as to prepare him or herself to move up in the hierarchy of the organization.
Although the terms training and development are used together or interchangeably, there are differences in focus, methods and the end results.
Difference # Training:
i. Job-focused
ii. Enable the employees perform the job well
iii. Employees gain expertise, skill acquisition in training programs
iv. Requires observation, and other learning skills
v. The role of trainer is critical
vi. Narrow in scope, focus is on a particular topic or subject
Difference # Development:
i. Individual-focused
ii. Developing managers who will perform the Job
iii. Develops personal ability on his own or utilizing others
iv. Requires self-initiative and drive
v. Self-motivation is essential
vi. Broader focus bettering oneself, and building leadership skills
The above differences clearly differentiate the process of training from the process of development. So they are not the same. Unfortunately, the academicians and practitioners tend to use them interchangeably.
Difference between Training and Development: 7 Differences
Difference # Training:
1. Definition – Training means imparting skills and knowledge for doing a particular job.
2. Skills – It imparts jobs related technical skills.
3. Purpose – Training is concerned with main-training and improving current job performance. Thus, it has a short-term perspective.
4. Use – The term ‘training’ is used in the sense of imparting specific sills among operative workers and employees.
5. Orientation or Focus – Training is job centred in nature. It seeks to make the workers proficient in their existing jobs.
6. Methods – It is imparted through on-the-job methods like coaching, job rotation, vestibule training, etc.
7. Initiative – The boss takes initiative for imparting training to his subordinates. The role of the boss or trainer is very important in training.
Difference # Development:
1. Definition – Development means the growth of an employee in all respects.
2. Skills – It shapes attitudes and imparts technical, human and conceptual skills.
3. Purpose – Executive development seeks to develop competence and skills for future performance. Thus, it has a long-term perspective.
4. Use – The term ‘development’ is associated with the overall growth of the executives. Depth of knowledge gained is very wide.
5. Orientation or Focus – Development is career centred in nature. It seeks to prepare the employees for handling higher level jobs.
6. Methods – It is based more on off-the-job methods such as lectures, conference, sensitivity training, etc.
7. Initiative – The individual takes the initiative himself for his growth and development. The executive has to be internally motivated for self- development.
Difference between Training and Development (With Details)
Although Training helps employees do their current jobs, the benefits of training may extend throughout a person’s career and help develop that person for future responsibilities. Development, by contrast, helps the individual handle future responsibilities, with little concern for current job duties.
The term “development” can be defined as the nature and direction of change taking place among personnel through educational and training processes.
According to Dunn and Stephens, “training refers to the organization’s efforts to improve an individual’s ability to perform a job or organizational role, whereas development refers to the organization’s efforts (and the individual’s own efforts) to enhance an individual’s abilities to advance in his organization to perform additional job duties”.
Thus, training provides knowledge and skills required to perform the job. It can be viewed as job-oriented leading to an observable change in the behaviour of the trainee in the form of increased ability to perform the job. On the other hand, although development is still job-related, it is much broader in scope. It enhances general knowledge related to a job as well as the ability to adapt to change.
Earlier training programmes stressed preparation for an improved performance in largely specific rank-and-file jobs. With the growth of organizations, several problems developed. Therefore, development programmes were started for middle managers as well as top-management.
Thus training appeared to be an improper designation for learning a variety of complex, difficult and intangible functions of management personnel. Development of an individual is due to his day-to day experience on the job.
Therefore, one must emphasize the development is highly individual and is self-development too. It must be generated within the man himself. No amount of coercion can produce development in a hostile or apathetic manager.
Since the distinction between training (now) and development (future) is often blurred and is primarily one of intent, both are combined together for developing skills as well as basic attitudes, leading to continued personnel growth.
These programmes purport to improve job performance, minimise waste and scrap, prepare individuals for promotions, reduce turnover, enable individuals to accept organizational changes, facilitate understanding of organizational goals and attain allied behavioural objectives.
The special problems of the developing countries which have a planned economy with emphasis on rapid Industrial and business development, has given to this subject a particular significance. For these countries, a continuous supply of competent managers for every sector on industrial and business activity is a vital requisite for economic growth.
Management development is an activity designed to improve the performance of existing managers, provide a supply of managers to meet the need of organization in future and extend the understanding of management activity by drawing from three areas –
i. Knowledge, skills and teaching abilities manifested by academic world.
ii. Experience, exercise and resources provided by organization
iii. Trainee himself.
Any management development programme should have five objectives:
i. To improve the job performance of mangers currently in post.
ii. To provide adequate cover in the extent of unexpected short term changes such as – deaths, transfers, resignations, or unanticipated developments.
iii. To raise the general level of management thinking and understanding in all branches and at all levels in the organization.
iv. To provide supply of managerial talent which will meet the needs of the future development of the organization in terms of environmental change and growth.
v. To extend the frontiers of knowledge in the understanding of the management function.
An eagerness to learn at all levels is a prerequisite for the success of management development programmes. Education, training and personal development are all parts of the pattern of management development leading to an organization – wide atmosphere of learning in which everybody has a part to play.
The management develop process ensures that the organization has the effective managers; it needs to accomplish its present and future requirements. It develops capabilities of managers accomplish organization’s business strategies in the context of critical success factors such as – innovations, quality and cost leadership.
There are three activities involved in the process of management development – analysis of needs, evaluation of skills and competencies, and meeting the needs. Attempt should be made to combine self – development, organization derived development and boss-derived development to evolve an effective management development system.
Almost all private and public organizations have training and development programmes.
There are, at least 5 major reasons for training and development’s widespread popularity:
i. Personnel selection and placement by themselves do not usually provide organizations with new employees skilful enough to meet the demands of their jobs adequately.
ii. There is mounting government pressure on modern organization to train minority group members, women, individuals 40 years of age or more, and the hard-core unemployed.
iii. Experienced employees must sometimes be retrained because of changes in their job content due to automation, advances in computer technology, promotions and transfers.
iv. Management is aware that effective programmes can result in increased productivity, decreased absenteeism, reduced turnover, and greater employee satisfaction.
v. Some organizations unfortunately adopt a particular training technique simply because “everyone else is doing it”.
Difference between Training and Development: Top 10 Differences
Difference # Training:
1. Meaning – Training means learning skills and knowledge for the particular job.
2. Use – Training is used for imparting specific skills.
3. Nature – It is job related in nature.
4. Perspective – It has short-term perspective.
5. Aim – The best possible performance on the specific job by the employee.
6. Scope – Training is limited in scope and is part of development.
7. Level of Involved Persons – It is imparted to lower level employees or junior managers.
8. Depth of Knowledge – Deep knowledge is provided.
9. Initiative in Learning – Initiative of learning is not on the employee, but on the organisation.
10. Duration – It is imparted for fixed period.
Difference # Development:
1. Meaning – Development means growth of an employee in all aspects.
2. Use – Development is used for the overall growth of the executives.
3. Nature – It is career-oriented in nature.
4. Perspective – It has long-term perspective.
5. Aim – The best possible utilisation of the employee capability.
6. Scope – Development is a wider term and includes education, learning and training.
7. Level of Involved Persons – The level of development is higher and concerns with senior managers.
8. Depth of Knowledge – Development does not provide deep knowledge and simply facilitates growth.
9. Initiative in Learning – Initiative of learning is on the employee, not on the organisation.
10. Duration – It is an unending practice in the company.