Skills, Knowledge, and Behaviour for HR Professionals in Mark and Spencer

This report discusses the appropriate and professional knowledge, skills, and behaviours required by HR professionals in Mark and Spencer. It covers topics such as communication skills, ethical behaviour, and continuous learning and professional development.

Developing
Individuals, Teams
and Organisations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
Section 1 (Task 1)............................................................................................................................2
P1 Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required
by HR professionals.....................................................................................................................2
P2 Completed personal skills audit to identify knowledge, skills and behaviour.......................3
Task 2 (Section 2)............................................................................................................................6
P3 Difference between organisational and individual learning, training and development .......6
P4 Need for continuous learning and professional development ................................................7
Section 3 (Task 3)..........................................................................................................................10
P5 Understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement and competitive
advantages .................................................................................................................................10
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................11
P6 Different approaches to performance management .............................................................11
CONCLSUION .............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................14
1

INTRODUCTION
In competitive market, every organisation is bases on ability to continuous expand their
business and improving the individual and collectively capabilities of people. In organisation
number of people are working as individual and team who accept the challenges and perform
their task effectively (Armstrong, 2016). This report is based on Mark and Spencer that is retailer
providing different types of products and services. In this, number of people are working
collectively who are performing their roles effectively and improve the organisational
performance. This portfolio covers skills, knowledge and behaviour, factors to be consider at the
time of implementing learning, high performance working that contribute to employee
engagement and last performance management, collaborative working and effective
communication that provide a support to maintain high performance.
Section 1 (Task 1)
Mark and Spencer is a fashion retailing company that is providing products and services
to customers and increase the sales. The manager of such organisation understand the needs and
wants of their customers and provide products accordingly. Herein, employees and team is
having different skills, knowledge and behaviour which support to satisfied the customers and
increase the organisational production. As a junior line manager of Mark and Spencer skills,
knowledge and behaviour is required by HR professional for running business by performing
different role are as defined:
P1 Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required by
HR professionals.
Skills:
Hard skills -
Database management - This is important for organisation to collect data, stored and
accessed computer system that can help to manage the activities and functions. In Mark and
Spencer, data base management skills is required in HR professional that can help collect and
store employees and business data for managing all performance.
Network security – This is another required skill in HR professional and employees in
order to secure the network and increase the number of customers. Mark and Spencer is large
size organisation that is providing products through online and offline methods by using different
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network. There is required of network safety for increasing customers and improving
performance.
Soft skills -
Team work – In a organisation it is important to have skilled and talented workers who
make a team by working collectively. The collection of people can understand their roles and
responsibilities then perform well so common objectives can be achieved on time. In context to
Mark and Spencer, HR manager is required to have multitalented team in which member can
understand their roles and perform activities properly.
Communication skills: this is important to share the information in relation to a
business. In Mark and Spencer HR profession and junior line manager is required to have proper
communication skills and should hire a person who is capable to communicate properly with
others that can help to manage business activities (Albrecht and et. al., 2015).
Knowledge:
Employment laws: This is also required to have knowledge about employment laws
which can help to operate and mange the business activities legally. In Mark and Spencer,
employees and HR professional is required to have good knowledge about employment laws
which can provide benefits to employees.
Conflict management – In organisation, conflict management knowledge is required by
HR professional which can help to retain the employees. In Mark and Spencer, HR is having
knowledge of managing conflicts and problems in relation to employees and organisation then
solution is provided which helps to increase performance.
Behaviour:
Ethical behaviour: This show that HR professional and other employees in Mark and
Spencer should have ethical behaviour who can solve the problems of individual, team and
organisation by using their skills and knowledge for running a business properly (Bezanilla and
et. al., 2020).
P2 Completed personal skills audit to identify knowledge, skills and behaviour
Skill audit is consider as systematic assessment of skills and knowledge of students that
can help to know what actions needs to be taken for improving them and managing all activities.
For analysing the roles and responsibilities of HR professional in Mark and Spencer different
analysis are conduct that are defined below:
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Personal skills audit:
Sr. No. Skills and Competencies Self-assessed
Score
Score from
others
Variances
1. Communication skills 8 6 2
2. Management skills 8 7 1
3. Problem solving skills 9 10 1
4. Employment laws 7 7 0
5. Ethical behaviour 9 8 1
From this table, I have shown my skills, knowledge, and behaviour which can help me to
know in which I am weak and how these can be improved by making a strategic plan. By using
skill audit I analysed that communication, management skills are low and ethical behaviour is
also required to improve my self.
Personal SWOT analysis
Strength Weakness
The major strength as a HR professional is I
can maintain the good relation between
employer, employees and customers that can
help to increase the sales by attaining
objectives.
The weakness of mine as HR Professional is
lack of listening and writing skills that can
create the problem in reporting properly to my
seniors (Bates, Phalen and Moran, 2016).
Opportunities Threats
After developing my skills in which I lack
there is opportunity to grow future changes for
me as well as organisation of substantiating in
business environment and maintaining high
profits.
I noticed that there is gap and blockage which
create a problem in enhancing the skills and
knowledge in performing the role.
Personal development plan for Junior Line manager role
4

What do I want What will I do to
achieve this
What resources
or support will I
need
What will my
success criteria
be
Target
accomplished
dates for review
Increase
communication
skills
For improving
communication in
will participate in
debates,
presentation,
video conference
and start to
communicate
with all.
Collogues,
internet superiors,
taking online
classes and
sharing with team
members (Jones,
Woods and
Guillaume, 2016).
For development
of communication
I will stay
connected with all
employees and
provide them
better solution to
solve problems
and complete
task.
4 Month
Build ethical
behaviour
For this will
create the value,
solving problems
and knowledge of
all standards that
need to follow.
Reading books,
online videos,
news channels
and social media.
Maintaining
ethical behaviour
I will be able to
know what
employees wants
and how they can
be satisfied that
can help to
attracts the
customers and
increase sales.
6 Months
The personal development plan which is made for the purpose of improving skills and
behaviour. This table states my communication skills will be improve in 4 month and ethical
behaviour in 6 month by observing other who is maintaining ethical standards. This will help to
increase my professional knowledge and attaining the business goals effectively.
Personal reflective statement
5

As a Junior Line manager of Mark and Spencer I noticed that I am weak in communication and
maintaining ethical behaviour that needs to be improve for performing this role properly. By
developing these skills and knowledge I will be able to communicate with all employees and
superiors so they can understand new policies and regulation which are made for beneficial of
employees. Moreover, I am good in management, problem solving and employment laws where
can stand successfully by managing all activities and increases confidence to perform well.
Task 2 (Section 2)
P3 Difference between organisational and individual learning, training and development
Life Long learning
Communication and ethical behaviour as a HR professional of Mark and Spencer will
help me to retain the employees for long period of time and manage the work properly. This will
help to increase my knowledge and learning which helps to attain the business goals.
Individual learning: This means individual learning where people started to learn by
taking part in seminars, presentation, seminars and videos that helps to increase the learning and
manage the organisational performance. This increases learning capacity of person and assign
them work as per their skills so they can attain their goals effectively. In Mark and Spencer,
number of individual are working who increases their learning by attending seminars, watching
videos and giving presentation that can help to improve business.
Organisational learning: This learning is related to individual team and top
management learning which is required to accept the changes and solve problems collectively so
high profits can be attained by management and helps to take the competitive advantages. In
Mark and Spencer, learning of team and group of people are increases their learning which can
by sharing information, making plans and implementing then appropriately that complete the
objectives.
Difference between organisational learning, individual learning and training and
development
Individual learning Organisational learning
 This learning helps to improve the  The task assigned and objectives of
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individual skills, behaviour and
knowledge.
 This helps to accept the challenges and
create opportunity to operate business
individually (Noe and Kodwani, 2018).
 HR professional can manage good
relations with employees and customers
that can help to manage activities
properly.
organisation can be achieved on timely
basis.
 This learning support all employees to
accept challenges and maintain
profitability.
 Individual and team member in selected
organisation motivated highly and
perform well.
Training and development – In organisation training and development are important
programme that can help to increase the learning and insights of employees by managing their
activities. In Mark and Spencer, HR professional is performing important role by providing
training and development programme to employees who can accept the changes and challenges
in organisation and manage all task appropriately.
Difference between training and development
Training Development
 This can help to solve the problems of
HR professional and employees who
are facing in performing their roles.
 Training is short term process that
improves learning capacity of
employees and develop the skills
(Müller, 2019).
 This is defined as longer process which
helps to maintain the overall growth of
business.
 Achievement of goals and objectives by
accepting challenges, providing
satisfaction to employees and
controlling the performance.
P4 Need for continuous learning and professional development
Continuous professional development: This is the process of learning continuously by
using training and development programme that can help to manage the business activities and
improve the profitability. In Mark and Spencer, HR professional is responsible to provide the
continuous learning to their employees, teams and individual which can help to operate the
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organisational activities and deliver the right performance. The important of continuous learning
is defined below:
 Continuous learning helps employees and HR profession to learn and improve
their skills and knowledge.
 This contribute in organisational success by recruiting right candidates and getting
the work done from them (Presbitero, Roxas and Chadee, 2016).
 This is also important to complete the commitment which are done by
management to employees so they get highly satisfied and perform well (Wellin,
2016).
Training Need Analysis : This is a systematic approach which is uses by organisation to
know what training need to be taken place (Training need analysis, 2015). In Mark and Spencer,
HR professional is analysis the training needs for their employees:
What they
need to be
able to know
or do
Expectation
of role
Ability gap Filling the
gap
Evaluating
the learning
Responsibilit
y
Communicatio
n, Numerical
and
management
skills need to
know
Junior Line
manager
In Mark and
Spencer
shortfalls of
proper
communicatio
n, problem
solving and
not
accomplishing
business goals.
There is need
of learning
approaches
such as
continuous,
training and
situational
which can
help to fill the
gaps and
complete the
task timely.
For evaluating
the success
task and
situation
needed to be
solve by line
manager that
helps to
evaluate
performance.
HR
professional
and manager
will be
responsible for
leading the
implementatio
n of learning.
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Training Gap Analysis: This is a framework that uses by organisation to identify the
gaps in training which are facing by organisation (Training GAP analysis, 2020). The HR
professional of Mark and Spencer uses training gap analysis for their employees;
Analysis for
skills
Marks before
training
Marks after
training
Gaps Skills required
Communication 6 9 +3 Excellent
Ethical
behaviour
7 8 +1 Good
Management 8 8 0 Best
Skills evaluation: This is important for individual and team to evaluate their skills while
working in organisation and manage the activities effectively.
Sr. No. Skills and abilities Evaluated by self Evaluated by others
1. Communication skills-
Able to speak in public,
debate, superiors and others.
9 10
2. Ethical behaviour -
Able to maintain good
behaviour, maintaining good
relations, following all
principles and standards.
8 9
3 Management skills
Able to manage business
activities, workings,
employees work and all
functions in relation to
business.
7 9
9

Learning cycle model (Honey and Mumford ): The Honey and Mumford learning
cycle model is highlights on reflection component in learning cycle that helps individual to
increase their learning and maintain the good performance. In Mark and Spencer, manager are
applying the learning cycle model that can help to perform all activities and task effectively.
Activist: This involves those individuals who learns by doing and performing their roles.
In Mark and Spencer, HR professional is focusing on brainstorming, group discussion, solving
group, competition etc. that help to increase learnings (Honey and Mumford learning cycle,
2020).
Theorist: This type of learners get a chance to comprehended the hypothesis behind
activities that helps to increase learning skills and maintain the performance. In this, juinor line
manager of Mark and Spencer increases learnings by stories, statistics, quotes, background
information and application of concepts theoretically.
Pragmatists: These type of individuals have ability to perceive how to put the learning in
to practices in reality. The employees of Mark and Spencer can improve their knowledge and
skills by using conceptual ideas, recreations and experimenting the new knowledge which can
help to improve the business performance by completing task timely (Stanton and et. al., 2017).
Reflectors: This type of individuals increases their learning by watching videos
contemplating what happened that can help to make better performance by completing goals and
attaining the objectives. The employees of Mark and Spencer gather information and using in
their organisation as an opportunity which can help to manage the activities and perform
functions effectively.
Section 3 (Task 3)
P5 Understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement and competitive
advantages
High performance working – This is defined as general approach which uses to
managing organisation and get involve the employees for the purpose of attaining the business
goals. This is important for organisation to maintain the high performance as it helps to increase
supply and productivity by performing all functions and task effectively. In Mark and Spencer,
managers are focusing on dynamic situation and bring HPW activities for the purpose of
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increasing overall growth. The assistant of organisation also ensure all structure and functions
are associated with suitable goals and managing the profitability (Skela-Savič and Kiger, 2015).
The benefits of applying HPW
High acting working is good for organisation and individual as it helps to make confident
and strategic to while performing their roles and activities. This helps to improve the sales and
profitability of company by managing and controlling the organisational performance. By using
this, presentation can be improved and cost of organisation can be reduces as it create value
which increases the number of customers and selling activities. In Mark and Spencer, HR
professional is delivering the high performance by collecting all employees defining goals and
delegating the roles so they can perform individually and manage their work accordingly. The
line manager of such organisation is responsible to care of their activities and prove them best
solution so they can perform well by using their talent and skills.
The benefits and important of High performance working are also defined:
A better employee attitude: By using HPW employees of Mark and Spencer feel
motivative and take more responsibility for increasing the sales of products and services.
Good cooperation inside and outside the organisation: The employees feel
comfortable to maintain good cooperation inside and outside by managing and controlling the
activities. The HR professional and Line manager of chosen organisation maintain good relations
with employees, suppliers, shareholders, investors, and customers that helps to increase sales.
Competitive advantages: Achieving high performance working gives better financial
score to organisation it become able to control excessive cost and maintaining good performance.
This also helps to compete with competitors and manage their activities in challenging
environment. Such as manager of Mark and Spencer are evaluating their strategies and planning
which can help to deal with changes and provide high benefits (Wellin, 2016).
Different ways that contribute HPW employee engagement
Transparent communication – Employee engagement is important for organisation that
can be possible through transparent communication between employer and employees so they
can manage organisational task and productivity appropriately. This can help to solve the
problems and conflicts that arises in Mark and Spencer and helps to improve the organisational
performance.
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Mutual respect and solidarity – The another ways of increasing learning and
performance in changing environment in relation to business there is need of mutual respect and
solidarity that may support to attain the business goals by completing task effectively.
Task 4
P6 Different approaches to performance management
Performance management – This is an approach which is uses by companies to
measure and control the organisational activities by comparing with others. In Mark and
Spencer, HR professional is responsible to use the performance management tool and bring
changes so it can maintain higher productivity. For this different approaches are applied:
Collaborative working approach: This approach is related to collaborative workings
between management and employees by delegating role effectively. In Mark and Spencer, HR
professional is applying collaborative approach by running educational programme that helps to
make feel good and manage the workings (Noe and Kodwani, 2018). In this approach, the
working of employer and employer of chosen organisation works as partners where they share
network, alliance and information in order to operate business.
Behavioural approach: The elderly approach is related to behaviour of professional and
employees so they can work accordingly and maintain effective workings. The HR professional
of Mark and Spencer are applying behavioural approach where they understand the employees
problems and get them a solution which helps to improve the business profitability (Müller,
2019).
Management by objectives approach: This is performance appraisal approach which
uses by organisation to evaluate the performance of employees and give them appraisal for their
good work. In Mark and Spencer, HR professional can use this approach for ropes the employees
in to goal setting process. In this, management and employees get agree upon specific attainable
objectives with setting deadline that make a business success. This can help to perform well and
increase the profitability.
Organisation culture: This encompasses behaviour and values of people who are
working in organisation and they contribute to the unique and social environment of business. If
there is effective culture then all activities can be perform easily and maintain productivity. Such
and Task culture is followed by Mark and Spencer which uses to complete the task and attain the
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business goals effectively. This also helps to maintain good performance and attaining the
business goals.
From the above mentioned approaches it has defined that performance of organisation
can be improved by using behavioural, MBO and collaborative approach which help to bring the
changes and provide clear roles of employees and employer by working collectively. This can
help to increase performance and profitability.
CONCLSUION
From the above it can be concluded that individual and team are different that are
performing their roles effectively by working individually and collectively. High performance
working activities are performing for attaining the business goals and increasing sales. Learning
cycle model such as honey and Mumford is uses to increase the learnings. Continuous learning is
also uses to increase the learning capacity and improving organisational performance.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journal
Armstrong, M., 2016. Armstrong's handbook of management and leadership for HR: Developing
effective people skills for better leadership and management. Kogan Page Publishers.
Albrecht, S. L. and et. al., 2015. Employee engagement, human resource management practices
and competitive advantage. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and
Performance.
Bezanilla, M. J., and et. al., 2020. Developing the Entrepreneurial University: Factors of
Influence. Sustainability. 12(3). p.842.
Bates, M. S., Phalen, L. and Moran, C., 2016. Online professional development: A primer. Phi
Delta Kappan. 97(5). pp.70-73.
Jones, R.J., Woods, S.A. and Guillaume, Y.R., 2016. The effectiveness of workplace coaching: A
meta‐analysis of learning and performance outcomes from coaching. Journal of
Occupational and Organizational Psychology. 89(2). pp.249-277.
Noe, R. A. and Kodwani, A. D., 2018. Employee training and development, 7e. McGraw-Hill
Education.
Müller, M., 2019. Developing the future stories of companies: open and closed story worlds.
In Transforming Organizations (pp. 75-88). Springer, Cham.
Presbitero, A., Roxas, B. and Chadee, D., 2016. Looking beyond HRM practices in enhancing
employee retention in BPOs: focus on employee–organisation value fit. The
International Journal of Human Resource Management. 27(6). pp.635-652.
Stanton, N. A. and et. al., 2017. State-of-science: situation awareness in individuals, teams and
systems. Ergonomics. 60(4). pp.449-466.
Skela-Savič, B. and Kiger, A., 2015. Self-assessment of clinical nurse mentors as dimensions of
professional development and the capability of developing ethical values at nursing
students: A correlational research study. Nurse Education Today. 35(10). pp.1044-1051.
Wellin, M., 2016. Managing the psychological contract: Using the personal deal to increase
business performance. CRC Press.
Online
Training need analysis. 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.pocketbook.co.uk/blog/2018/04/03/training-needs-analysis-learning-
needs-analysis/>
Training GAP analysis. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
<https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/skills-gap-analysis>
Honey and Mumford learning cycle. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.eln.io/blog/honey-and-mumford-learning-styles>
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