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Personnel development tools:
How to use effective methods and measures

Personnel development tools: Respond to new digitalisation trends and challenges

Digitalisation has fundamentally changed the methods and tools of human resource development and also the way we work together. Collaboration, reflection, feedback and individualisation are more important today than ever. To keep their finger on the pulse, companies need to invest in effective HR development tools that help them keep up with the latest trends in agile, connected collaboration. 

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A company’s HR development department has the task of developing employees and managers professionally, promoting them and optimising the way they work together. Closely linked to personnel development is the function of personnel appraisal which provides important information for decisions about the future development of an employee. Another important component of personnel development is the career planning of employees or personnel promotion, in which the course for the future is set together. 

Work structuring is also an important part of HR development. Given today's digital collaboration, employees are faced with challenges which can directly be tackled with appropriate instruments.  

Combining these areas of HR development ensures that companies drive the development of their employees and maintain the motivation of all parties involved – and this is truly the best basis for a successful and productive company. 

The most important personnel development tool is still a personal conversation

Employee appraisals still belong to the main pillars of employee communication and should therefore be used as the central tool for personnel development. On the one hand, they provide employees with comprehensive information about the status quo in the company, and on the other hand, they serve as the perfect opportunity for an appreciative exchange in which both sides share expectations, opinions and challenges. And this always benefits the entire team.  

The fact is: Employee appraisals sustainably promote the performance of each team member – especially within a corporate culture based on partnership, in which personal strengths and weaknesses are accepted and joint solutions are put into focus. It largely depends on the attitude of the managers and employees as well as on their appreciation for each other and motivation to define the success of this HR development tool. Regular employee appraisals help to maintain this motivation and prevent a deterioration of the quality of the work – and provide an opportunity to give extremely useful feedback to each other. 

Companies and their HR managers should identify needs and potentials in these conversations in order to jointly determine tools for work structuring, employee training and development and to define goals. 

Whether potential analyses, target-setting meetings, mentoring, employee appraisal or qualification talks: It is important to note that HR development is not only about developing the skills of employees, but also about helping them grow and progress in their career. By investing in HR development as well as in concrete measures, companies can ensure that they have a highly qualified and motivated workforce – and will continue to do so in the future. 

Tools and methods of HR development: The goals determine the use 

Personnel development tools are designed to support employees in a variety of ways. They are used for certain areas of personnel development: for personnel training and development as well as for structuring work. Companies and organisations also use these tools to train new starters as specialists and managers in a company that is still new to them, to support them during their work or to help them develop for a new internal position. 

However: What are specific personnel development tools?  

There are many different types of personnel development tools for the aforementioned sub-areas which can be classified very differently. One way to define them is the location where the measures are carried out. Tools that are designed for use in the workplace are usually referred to as on-the-job measures of HR development – whereas tools that are applied outside the workplace are called off-the-job measures. In addition, in many companies and organisations, instruments of independent learning are being pushed with the aim of advancing the promotion and further training of one's own team. 

On-the-job HR development tools for work structuring 

By far the most common personnel development measures relate to day-to-day learning at the workplace. Working and learning merge into one in this form of personnel development. Particularly widespread HR development tools in this context are job enlargement, job enrichment and job rotation.  

Job enlargement is an expansion of the activities assigned to employees without changing the content. The employees are assigned additional but (thematically) similar tasks.  The advantage of this HR development tool is that through monotonous routine work – usually in the production area – employees can be motivated to work more when they are assigned other tasks from time to time. However, job enlargement does not result in more diverse tasks nor does it give employees the opportunity to acquire new skills.  

Job enlargement is an expansion of the activities assigned to employees without changing the content. The employees are assigned additional but (thematically) similar tasks.  The advantage of this HR development tool is that through monotonous routine work – usually in the production area – employees can be motivated to work more when they are assigned other tasks from time to time. However, job enlargement does not result in more diverse tasks nor does it give employees the opportunity to acquire new skills.  


Job enrichment, on the other hand, describes a situation in which not only the quantity but also the quality of employees’ activities is increased. It includes giving employees more responsibility or decision-making power in relation to their tasks, for instance.  Thus, job enrichment can make work more varied and demanding and more motivating for employees. It can also contribute to the development of new qualifications.  

Job enrichment, on the other hand, describes a situation in which not only the quantity but also the quality of employees’ activities is increased. It includes giving employees more responsibility or decision-making power in relation to their tasks, for instance.  Thus, job enrichment can make work more varied and demanding and more motivating for employees. It can also contribute to the development of new qualifications.  


Another example of an on-the-job HR development tool is job rotation. In most cases, internal changes are temporary. This allows employees to better understand the mechanisms between departments.  They can acquire new expertise and expand their social skills with new colleagues. Job rotation is most commonly applied in the production area. Other possibilities offered by this learning-by-doing measure include cross-divisional project work for long-term employees, leadership assistance for university graduates and deputising for employees who are in turn developing for a higher position. These changes can lead to an increased employee motivation and satisfaction as well as to benefits for the company such as improved communication and efficiency.  

Another example of an on-the-job HR development tool is job rotation. In most cases, internal changes are temporary. This allows employees to better understand the mechanisms between departments.  They can acquire new expertise and expand their social skills with new colleagues. Job rotation is most commonly applied in the production area. Other possibilities offered by this learning-by-doing measure include cross-divisional project work for long-term employees, leadership assistance for university graduates and deputising for employees who are in turn developing for a higher position. These changes can lead to an increased employee motivation and satisfaction as well as to benefits for the company such as improved communication and efficiency.  


Off-the-job HR development tools for the personnel training 

From the employee’s point of view, the greatest attention is paid to the off-the-job measures. These measures are about further training or employee development and thus take place outside the company – as the name suggests – and have separate costs.  

Distance learning is also an option for employees to further develop their skills. Distance-learning courses offer similar advantages as traditional local studies, but can be implemented flexibly and more comfortably in addition to a full-time job.  

Distance learning is also an option for employees to further develop their skills. Distance-learning courses offer similar advantages as traditional local studies, but can be implemented flexibly and more comfortably in addition to a full-time job.  


A special form of off-the-job measures is training for a specific field of work. With this type of training, employees not only acquire completely new qualifications and skills, but often also a completely new job title. Similar to distance learning, this HR development measure involves a high time requirement and means less leisure time – if the training takes place in the evenings or at weekends.   

A special form of off-the-job measures is training for a specific field of work. With this type of training, employees not only acquire completely new qualifications and skills, but often also a completely new job title. Similar to distance learning, this HR development measure involves a high time requirement and means less leisure time – if the training takes place in the evenings or at weekends.   


HR development of independent learning

HR development measures have become very diverse in recent years and range from e-learning offers to external exchange of experience to specialist portals and books. The flood of information and the wealth of offers often lead to the feeling of losing touch and not being up-to-date. Many companies have responded to this and are supporting self-learning opportunities. Independent learning has become a must especially in the IT industry. Software development specialists who don’t make use of their freetime to look outside the box will have difficulties to keep up with the current development. The right mix of different options based on a coherent personnel development concept is therefore extremely important for specialists and managers in order to be able to develop in a targeted manner. Suitable HR development measures  range from various e-learning offers to specialist magazines and visits of trade fairs and congresses. It is important to seize these opportunities regularly and specifically in order to enable targeted further development at all. 

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