Research Korner: Employee Participants

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is being increasingly required by employers because the process mutually benefits the employers, the employees and their third party stakeholder (patients, clients, customers, colleagues, public, etc.). CPD is an integral component of professional development (, n.d.).             Quite simply, as a process of lifelong learning, CPD enables the employees to expand and fulfill their personal and professional potential as well as meeting the present and future demands of the job and the workplace. CPD assures that an employee meet the required knowledge and skills that relate to the evolving professional practice (, 2007). As a planned and structured acquisition of knowledge, experience and skills, CPD enables personal development in meeting employers’ needs and regulators’ requirements to ensure professional and personal competence (, 2005).             Staff are able to mould their professional development and own learning. As such, facilitates new ideas and skills in the workplace through CPD learning. Employers and organisations that encourage their employees to actively participate in CPD benefits in the maintenance of an up-to-date competent workforce, attract confidence of service users, provision for an up-to-date professional practice, increase teamwork through peer-discussion and practice sharing and  improve delivery of service (, 2007).  Furthermore, CPD can aid in staff recruitment and retention, provide evidence of employee standards and meet the accreditation requirements (, 2007).             The employers’ needs in defining and identifying what is expected of from an employee or applicants are directly linked to an effective professional practice and job satisfaction (, 2007). The maintenance of professional competency serves as the foundation if the employees intend to seek promotion, greater responsibility, a career change or just to maintain employability (, 2007). In connection, there is an increasing demand for accountability, tighter regulations and wider legislations, new technologies and business needs that affect employability (, 2007). Practically, CPD provides for all this requirements and, thus, reflects a balance and healthy workplace for employees.             The staff engagement in CPD hastens the skills gap amongst the staff and the job requirements (, n.d.). Through CPD programmes, a more proactive approach can be incorporated to ensure staff development and skills maintenance. In effect, such knowledge and skills enhance business effectiveness and profitability (, n.d.). In effect, the employers’, through CPD, can minimize the risk of professional errors and potential litigations, make the workforce and business processes more effective and efficient and improve the profitability and company’s reputation (, n.d.). Conclusion             CPD plays a vital role in the continuous evolution of the employers, the employees and the organization as a whole for betterment. Essentially, these three elements are interrelated in terms of meeting all parties’ expectations and needs. To wit, a well-realized CDP grants personal, organizational and professional improvement. Through employing company-wide approaches and engaging employees, knowledge, skills and competencies can be maximized for the benefit of all and risks and errors will be minimized if not totally eliminated. Reference

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is being increasingly required by employers because the process mutuall...