Abstract:
This thesis reports the results of a survey of HR specialists which examines attitudes to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and engagement in different types of CPD activities. It aims to understand the views, experiences and plans of HR professionals working in New Zealand who are members of Human Resource Institute of New Zealand (HRINZ). Data was gathered using a quantitative research methodology on a cross-sectional basis. A web-based survey was constructed and 374 responses were collected. The unit of analysis is the individual -- who is a member of HRINZ. The thesis shows that the perceived value placed on CPD by HR professionals in New Zealand is as high as that accorded CPD by overseas professionals in earlier studies. The most popular CPD activities that HR specialists engaged in over the last five years are on-the-job learning in an HR role, self-guided reading, external training courses/conferences, and collegial coaching and mentoring. Less popular are those of hobby and community activity, internal training, and professional networking. Respondents do not prefer the activities of working for an academic qualification, and maintaining diaries and logs. Their participation in these activities is expected to stay at the same level in the next five years. The level of support and recognition of CPD from employers of this sample is high. Employers are more willing to pay for staff to go on short courses/conferences rather than for them to undertake academic qualifications. A high proportion of members prefer CPD to be compulsory for HRINZ professional members. Output-based measurement of CPD is more favoured than input-based measurement. HR specialists prefer keeping written records of their CPD activities to a minimum. The results show that the level of work pressure that HR specialists perceive is as high as the prior literature indicates. The high value accorded to CPD by HR specialists was not related to their past success or their demographic characteristics. However, their participation in several types of CPD activities was found to be related to their career success and demographic predictors. The more respondents considered themselves successful, the more they participated in the following activities: on-the- job learning in HR role; self-guided reading; collegial coaching and mentoring; external training courses/conferences; hobby and community activity; internal training; professional networking; action research; on-the-job learning in non-HR role; academic qualification; and executive coaching.