Understanding the Difference Between Organizational Development and Human Resources Development: Can You Help?

Any one, please assist!

What is the difference between Organizational Development and Human Resources Development because it sounds just alike!

Human Resources Development is the improvement of skills, knowledge, and indirectly, the value of the employee in the organization. It is the responsibility of managers and the Human Resources Department.

Organization Development is a description of the change needed in the organization if it is to reach its future goals. Sometimes, organizations then try to accelerate this change by creating OD plans which involve managers from all departments. Sometimes, they create a new department called OD. This helps to accelerate the change by moving resources and management to a special task. U.S. organizations started this term, and they like to create OD departments and specialists. Of course, this type of change affects people, so HR development specialists are often involved in OD. However, it is a mistake to describe HRD and OD as the same thing.

Hi, I'm new to OD, but from my last training session, the trainer explained that OD and HR are separated. OD has a wider scope than HR. HR is only one field that OD can utilize to achieve the targeted result.

My understanding of HRD & OD is this: HRD focuses on the development of people, enhancing their skills, knowledge, attitudes so that they create value (human capital) for the organization. HRD seeks to optimize the human potential. OD, on the other hand, deals more with the infrastructure, the systems, structures, policies, processes, and procedures which ensure that this value is extracted from people in the organization. To me, these are different areas but they are very much complementary.

Hi Muhammad,

I completely agree with Shames. I have tried to put down the definitions from various sources, but you can also visit the links provided to acquire more details.

Simply put, an Organization Development practitioner is to an organization as a physician is to a human body. The practitioner "diagnoses" (or discovers) the most important priorities to address in the organization, suggests a change-management plan, and then guides the organization through the necessary change. There are different definitions and views on how the change should occur.

Human Resource Development is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. Human Resource Development includes opportunities such as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development.

[What is Organization Development?](http://managementhelp.org/org_chng/od-field/OD_defn.htm#anchor74706)

[What Is Human Resource Development - Definition of Human Resource Development](http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_development.htm)

[Human Resource Development](http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rouda/T1_HRD.html)

I would like to ask a question: which one is more important, OD or HRD? If HRD, then why? If OD, then why?

This is a great topic. By the way, I also want to know more details on OD. How about HR Manager (Personnel) and HR Manager (Organisation Development)? How to design their JDs? Some of their tasks overlap. In our HR department, they have 3 managers - HR Manager (Personnel), HR Manager OD, and Recruitment Manager, which Recruitment Manager is very straightforward. Please brief me more details on this.

Thank you in advance.

Regards,
Nurinz.

Hi Muhammad, let me explain it simply:

OD Scope will be covering the following areas:

- Organization Structure, Job Analysis, Job Descriptions & Specifications
- Total Rewards (Compensation & Benefits)
- Performance Management System
- Learning & Development

HR Scope will be covering the following areas:

- Talent Acquisition
- Personnel
- Payroll
- Employee Relations

Regards, Mohamed Gamal Tammam Senior OD