Employees' Continuous Professional Development: between Organizational Objectives and Outcomes

Abstract

In this scientific endeavour we address continuous professional development in organizations. Taking into account that continuous professional development involves certain organizational efforts, including financial ones, it is necessary to determine its impact on organizational results in the short and medium term. Therefore, it is more than necessary to assess continuing professional development by linking objectives to the outcomes. In this paper, we have made a correlation between objectives and outcomes of continuing professional development. Thus, organizations can set several professional development objectives for different categories of employees. Likewise, the results obtained from continuing professional development are different and can have effects on the organization in the short and medium term. In order to analyse the perception of domestic organizations on continuous professional development, a questionnaire was applied and the sample was 350 enterprises, out of which only 278 had carried out staff professional development activities in the last three years. The results obtained from the data processing show that there are discrepancies in the objectives of professional development. Similarly, the outcomes of professional development are perceived differently. According to the respondents, professional development of employees has an impact on organizational performance. UDC: 005.963.2:005.332.1; JEL: J24; J44; L25; M53.