Review of Research Papers and Articles on HRM

This assignment involves a detailed review of various research papers and articles on Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, organisational learning, and related topics. The provided sources include academic journals, books, and online resources that cover different aspects of HRM, such as talent management, leadership development, employee engagement, and performance measurement. The assignment requires analysis and synthesis of the reviewed materials to identify key concepts, themes, and trends in HRM research.

DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL, TEAM
AND ORGANISATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
SECTION 1......................................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1) (a) Professional knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR professionals (Appendix
A).................................................................................................................................................1
P2) (b) Personal skills audit........................................................................................................2
P2) (c) Professional development plan.......................................................................................3
M1) Professional skills audit to demonstrate personal reflection...............................................8
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................8
P3) Comparison of organisational and individual learning.........................................................8
P4) Need for continuous learning and professional development..............................................9
'M2) Learning cycle theories to analyse importance of implementing professional
development..............................................................................................................................10
D1) Professional development plan in relation to achieve sustainable business performance
objectives...................................................................................................................................11
SECTION 2....................................................................................................................................11
LO 3...............................................................................................................................................11
P5) (d) Contribution of HPW in employee engagement and competitive advantages............11
M3) Benefits of HPW ..............................................................................................................12
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................12
P6) (e) Different approaches of performance management and their importance to achieve
high-performance culture..........................................................................................................12
M4) Critical evaluation on different performance management approaches............................13
D2) HPW and its mechanism to improve employees' performance.........................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................14

INDEX OF TABLES
Table 1: Development plan for organisation...................................................................................4
Table 2: Development plan for individual learning.........................................................................6

ILLUSTRATION INDEX
Illustration 1: Individual and organisational learning......................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
It is essential for a company to work for developing its workers' abilities and skills to
achieve their effective contribution in meeting goals. Professional development programs are
organised for increasing their performance and encouraging them for team building. The present
report is based on understanding importance of implementing professional development plan for
employees of Marks and Spencer. In this regard, skills audit as of Jane Cambridge-company's
employee's abilities are to be identified. Moreover, differences between organisational and
individual learning will be given in this assignment. Further, different approaches for
performance management within M&S are provided to improve workers' performance and for
achieving entity's goals.
SECTION 1
LO 1
P1) (a) Professional knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR professionals (Appendix A)
Being the HR officer of Marks and Spencer, it is required for me to have knowledge and
skills of my designation. For example: managing staff performance, conducting recruitment and
selection process as well as development programs (Li and et.al., 2013). However, it is the key
role to create positive and peaceful environment of entity. In accordance with this, role of HR
professionals for maintaining performance of employees and organisation can be understood as:
Performance management:
HR officer is responsible for analysing employees' behaviour and their contribution in
team building to meet objectives of M&S. In addition to this, in occurrence of conflicts among
workers, he/she consults with them and clears out the matter. It impacts on positive environment
of the entity as well as effective coordination among workers (Vanhala and Ritala, 2016).
Moreover, performance management of workers is beneficial for emerging interest towards team
building and improving their working styles.
Recruitment and selection process:
For increasing number of workers within organisation, HR professionals work for
advertising job opportunities and coordinating with other managers to select the best candidate.
In accordance with this, he/she contacts with college students, campus plan to encourage
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students for grabbing job opportunities. Therefore, for recruitment and selection process, HR
officer plays crucial rin improving business performance of M&S.
Conducting training and development programs:
It is also an effective function of HR officer to increase the working efficiency of staff
through organising training and development programs (Cardona and et.al., 2013). However,
their working and learning styles of workers get improved influences professionalism. In this
way, HR professionals analyse employees' performance and behaviour as per which training and
development sessions are conducted.
Maintain and record employees' details:
It is the responsibility of HR to maintain records of employees including name, address,
contacts, performance and achievements. Including this, he/she also works for providing them
proper safety and security during job (Wright, Guest and Paauwe, 2015). Moreover, HR officer
remains accountable for considering the legislations amended in Employment Act of UK in
terms of staff members' working hours, weakly off and so on. Thus, HR department's officer
works for managing records of workers as well taking care of their security towards
performance.
Creating positive and peaceful environment of M&S:
HR professionals are accountable for creating positive and effective environment of
M&S in which he/she analyses staff's behaviour. In case of occurrence of any issue within team,
officer consults with staff members regarding conflict (Richardson and Kelliher, 2015). Further,
he/she prepares strategy to reduce the issue and emerges feeling among them towards working
together to meet its goals. Therefore, HR professionals work for making a peaceful atmosphere
of the entity.
Including this, it is needed for HR professional to have some specific skills for
performing work. For example; communication, problem solving, supervisory management skills
and so on. However, Jane must have quality of discussing ideas and strategies with employees
also for emerging their interest for contribution in team work. Including this, he should be
responsible for reducing conflicts occurred among employees. It impacts on environment of the
organisation as well creating bond among employees to work together and increasing working
efficiencies.
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Skills in information technology- The human resource manager needs to have some skills based
on the information technology. They should know how to uses the computer and their specific
features. Like, power point, Microsoft word.
Communication skills- These are very important skills. It makes better relationship with all the
employees. This help the human resource manager to resolve the issues, taking interviews etc.
Problem solving skills- These skills makes the HR manager to solve the problems in the efficient
manner. Create the ideas which will solve all the issues in the effective manner.
Supervisory management- It is the skill which is very much essential in the human resource
manager. It makes the individual to manage more than one task at a time.
P2) (b) Personal skills audit
Skills audit is a process of measuring and recording performance as well as working
abilities of an individual. It includes analysing individual's communication, problem solving and
management skills that generate ideas for improving working styles (Dowling, 2014). However,
being HR officer of M&S, an employee-Jane Cambridge's skills are follows:
Knowledge of Information Technology:
It is analysed that Jane is very good at using internet and e-mail for exchanging
information effectively. Likewise, he has appropriate knowledge of using Microsoft office word
and Power Point presentation (Nickson and Siddons, 2014). However, on critical evaluation, it is
evaluated that it is required for Jane to develop knowledge of Database and specialist HR
software.
Communication skills:
For analysing Jane's communication skill, it is recognised that he is good at writing
reports and presenting information of M&S (Wang and Sarkis, 2013). Likewise, he has little
experience of drafting contracts of employment and delivering training session which is required
to work upon.
Problem solving skills:
On analysis, Jane is good at handling more than one situation patiently and providing
effective ideas to come out of situations (Zheng and et.al., 2016). Therefore, this skill of the
worker is to be developed remains effective for group efficiency for M&S.
Supervisory management skills:
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It is identified that Jane has experience of job within M&S more than 3 months also 2-3
juniors are working under him (Dooren, Bouckaert and Halligan, 2015). Similarly, his
performance with managing juniors is effective that can be maintained.
Skills audit:
Skills Very good at Good at Needs to improvement
in
Information
technology
Using internet and
emailing.
Using Microsoft office
word and power point
presentation
Update with using
specialist HR software.
Communication skill - Writing reports and
presentations
Drafting contracts of
employment.
Problem solving skills - Exploring more than
one solution
Reasoning skills and
complex data
However, on analysing Jane's performance, it is analysed that his communication skills
and knowledge using HR specialist software is to be enhanced. Likewise, he is good at handling
situations and maintaining coordination in team for meeting goals and creating a positive
environment in M&S (Wright, Guest and Paauwe, 2015). In accordance with this, training and
development programs are to be organised for reducing his weaknesses as well emerging interest
towards working together in group. It influences his professionalism and personality to deal with
issues and cope with team. For this purpose, it is essential to conduct training and development
for Jane as in team building and achieving entity's goals. Thus, it is needed for personal and
professional development of workers can be enhanced impacts on his/her working style as well
team building.
P2) (c) Professional development plan
Development plan is created for enhancing working ability of workers both individually
and in group as well (Zheng and et.al., 2016). Being HR officer of M&S, development plan for
improving employees' performance can be identified as:
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Development plan for group/team:
Table 1: Development plan for organisation
Plan Need of the plan Activity Time
frame
Self assessment from
employees
For generating ideas
regarding improving
skills
At first, HR professional
conducts meeting with an
individual regarding skills. In this
process, it is analysed that how an
individual assessed his own
working abilities towards team
building and contribution in
achieving entity's goals (Wang
and Sarkis, 2013).
1 week
Developing skill level For effective
contribution in team
building and meeting
determined goals.
After meeting, judgement on
individual's working style is
judged including technical, social
and aptitudes to work upon.
1-2 weeks
Analysing
departments' needs
Therefore, appropriate
decisions can make for
coordination and
supporting other
departments of the
entity
In this process, objectives are set
regarding organising training and
development programs. However,
strategies are prepared for what
techniques can be applied for
increasing their abilities.
2-3 weeks
Development
opportunities for
individual
By which skills can
enhance efficiently.
Afterwards, plans are converted
into action as of conducting
training session and so on. For
example; providing online links,
working in group, job rotation
3-4 weeks
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and so on.
Analysing and
recording work in
progress
Maintaining records
and planning for the
future time.
In the end, again meeting is
conducted for analysing
employees' performance through
attending development programs
(Nickson and Siddons, 2014).
However, different ideas are
generated for emerging interest
among them towards working
together. Likewise, gained
outcomes are maintained and
recorded for gaining effective
contribution in increasing group's
efficiency.
2-3 weeks
Development plan for increasing an individual's working abilities:
At first, required skill of an individual is analysed on which development plans are made
for implementation (Dowling, 2014). It can be understood with the example of Jane Cambridge
for developing his knowledge regarding using Information Technology tools and improving
communication skills as :
Table 2: Development plan for individual learning
Required skills Plan to develop Collecting feedback
Enhancing knowledge of using
Database and HR specialist
software
Organising training for
increasing knowledge of
maintaining Data and
processing it. However, giving
After conducting training,
improvement in performance
and knowledge of working on
HR specialist software is to
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tasks to develop skills and
practicing more to overcome
this weakness.
collected.
Communication skills For improving this skill, work
is to segmented between two
or members of the group.
Including this, job rotation is
applied to create understanding
among them for working
together and so on (Richardson
and Kelliher, 2015).
An individual's behaviour is
analysed for working in team
as well how he deals with
conflicts occur within it. In this
way, changes in his
performance is recorded for
better work performance.
Problem solving skill Online links and articles are
provided for enhancing Jane's
knowledge for handling
complex data and improving
reasoning skills.
Work performance in terms of
Database and way to select use
of information are to analysed.
Supervisory Management skill For improving his
management style as of
managing juniors'
performance, group working
and other tools are used for
creating coordination and team
building efficiently.
Management skill as how he
plans, directs and controls
junior for group efficiency and
encourages to working with
other members of the team
(Kim and et.al., 2015).
However, professional development of Jane can be achieved through implementing
above mentioned plan. It will be helpful to enhance his working efficiencies as well skills for
working together in group systematically (Purser and Jarrold, 2013). Moreover, he will be able to
deal with issues occurred during team work and meeting goals of M&S.
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M1) Professional skills audit to demonstrate personal reflection
It is essential to analyse skills of an individual in relation to working in team and
supporting members to meet objectives of M&S. In this process, skills of Jane Cambridge is
audited as well different ideas are generated for implementing development plan (Wright, Guest
and Paauwe, 2015). However, skills audit is significant for improving working abilities of an
individual to cope with team effectively.
LO 2
P3) Comparison of organisational and individual learning
Individual and organisational learning are crucial for developing an individual's skills
towards team building and gaining effective contribution to achieve M&S' effectiveness
(Cardona and et.al., 2013). There are some differences in both kinds of learning can be
understood as:
 For organisational learning, training is provided to entire group impact on working
together and increasing their skills (Vanhala and Ritala, 2016). It influences team
building and creating understanding among team workers at higher level. While, on the
other hand, individual learning impacts on increasing working efficiency of employees in
context to skills as; communication, problem solving and so on.
 Organisational learning is related with conducting training session for overall group to
encourage them towards team building at higher level. While, under individual learning,
it is recognised that workers' interest get increased for achieving goals of M&S
effectively.
 Organisational learning is for creating coordination among team members as well
supporting each other to meet organisation's objectives. It also influences positive and
effective environment of entity (Han and et.al., 2014). While, individual learning is
related with self motivation of an employee and performing in group effectively.
Therefore, organisational and individual learning has some differences which is required to be
considered for emerging team building. However, if a worker is motivated then he/she will
perform better in group.
Learning cycle:
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Learning cycle is a process of learning new skills and using new technologies impacts on
knowledge and understanding with good performance. However, following steps are involved in
learning cycle as mentioned below:
 At first, applying concept of learning and increasing working efficiencies.
 Further, implement plans and concepts are developed as in actions for employees'
contribution in team building.
 Afterwards, performance is comprised as of actual and expected for creating balance and
improving skills.
There are learning cycle theories which help to learn in better way. One of them is
experimental leaning theory it consists 4 stages. At first new experience is gained, secondly those
experiences are compared with the own knowledge. On the third stage new idea is created in
accordance with reflection of second stage. At last the whole learning is applied in the practical
life.
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P4) Need for continuous learning and professional development
Continuous learning is a process for update employees with new technologies and
increasing knowledge. Likewise, it is to maintain their interest with for working in M&S as well
increasing knowledge level influences professionalism and personality (Tsuge, Furutani and
Ikawa, 2014). However, requirement of continuous learning and professional development can
be identified as follows:
 Engaging workers in exploring new ideas and concepts:
Getting update with new technologies emerges employees' interest towards generating new ideas
and professionalism as of learning different styles of work. It influences professional
10
Illustration 1: Individual and organisational learning
(Source: Levels of individual and organisational learning, 2016).

development and working skills of workers effectively (Matlay, 2013). Therefore, employees get
engaged in new learning and aware with new changes in business operations.
 Maintaining professional certifications and licenses:
In consideration of maintaining professional certificates as of learning use of software
and maintaining data, individual's development is gained. Therefore, increasing number of
certificates and appreciations impact on learning and working style of workers at higher level.
 Improving skills and qualities:
Through learning new techniques used in business operations of M&S, workers'
performance and skills get improved impact on their working style (Arulrajah, 2015). However,
they get able to contribute in team building and developing skills at maximum level. In addition
to this, it is effective for enhancing professionalism and personality of an individual as well for
dealing with problems effectively.
 Reducing employees' turnover issue:
Continuous learning develops workers' interest to get update with new technologies used
for business operations (Hill, Crowe and Gonsalvez, 2016). Therefore, employee turnover issue
within M&S can be reduced effectively impact on business performance and effectiveness.
'M2) Learning cycle theories to analyse importance of implementing professional development
For increasing learning attitude of employees, different theories are applied such as;
conceptual, cognitive, processed and so on. However, conceptual learning includes teaching
workers regarding performance and learning new techniques. In addition to this, training and
development programs are conducted for improving working efficiencies as well encouraging
workers towards better performance (Arulrajah and et.al., 2015). In addition to this, providing
online links and creating job rotation activity remains effective for increasing workers'
understanding towards team work and achieving entity's goals effectively.
D1) Professional development plan in relation to achieve sustainable business performance
objectives
It is essential to implement professional development plan for increasing working
efficiencies of the employees of M&S at higher level. However, it is related with encouraging
workers for team building and achieving sustainable business performance. It influences
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productivity and profitability of entity as well market position to be sustained for longer time
period (Brewster and et.al., 2016).
The various skill required to achieve the sustainable business performance objectives.
Interpersonal skill need to improve to bring the better networking in related to personal and
professional development.
Communication skill are the another form in the plan to avoid conflicts in the organisations
which will help achieve the sustainability business performance objectives
SECTION 2
LO 3
P5) (d) Contribution of HPW in employee engagement and competitive advantages
HPW stands for 'High Performance Working' which is essential to increase employees'
contribution in team work also influences competitive advantages of M&S (Watt, 2016). In
accordance to this, several positive impacts are recognised for group efficiency and supporting
all members for accomplishing tasks. However, usefulness of HPW in employee engagement and
achieving entity's goals can be understood as:
 Developing core management skills:
Working for contribution in HPW remains effective to improve core management skills of
employees. It is related with gaining their best contribution in team building and achieving
organisation's goals (Vanhala and Ritala, 2016). However, workers' skills get improved such as;
communication, problem solving, administrative and management etc.
 Maintaining employees' performance:
It is essential to work on HPW for maintaining workers' performance and emerging interest
towards working in group effectively. Therefore, workers' performance can be managed
appropriately to support team members as well accomplishing tasks efficiently.
 Getting business success:
There is link between workers' performance and meeting organisation's goals to achieve its
effectiveness. In accordance to this, increasing in workers' performance influences on getting
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success of M&S (Tsuge, Furutani and Ikawa, 2014). Thus, quality services of organisation as of
improving customer dealing, creations in services get increased effectively.
Therefore, it is analysed that HPW plays crucial role in enhancing working style of employees
and getting their effective coordination towards M&S. It influences profit level and
competitiveness of the entity at maximum level (Professional development, 2016). Thus, all
business performances can be managed effectively in respect of future business activities.
It is recognised that if workers perform effectively, then they will contribute in team
building efficiently. Including this, their skills will get enhanced at higher level for working
together and encouraging for performing better in the future time. Therefore, HPW contributes in
group efficiency and team working more efficiently to motivate workers for perform better.
M3) Benefits of HPW
It is recognised that HPW is crucial for improving performance of workers as well getting
their contribution in achieving objectives of M&S. However, workers get motivated and perform
better to accomplish team's tasks. In addition to this, effective performance culture is created also
impacted on growth of the company (Purser and Jarrold, 2013). Including this, it is effective for
emerging employees' interest towards working together in group and supporting members to
meet organisation's goals. However, it is also effective for influencing co-workers and emerging
interest towards learning new. It impacts on working and learning style of an individual also
encourages for perform better in team to meet determined goals.
LO 4
P6) (e) Different approaches of performance management and their importance to achieve high-
performance culture
It is an essential function of HR professional to manage workers' performance within
M&S. For this purpose, different approaches are used can be identified as:
 Behavioural approach:
Behaviour of an individual is analysed in respect of performance and how he/she takes work to
be in group and individually as well (Wang and Sarkis, 2013). According to this approach,
employees' behaviour is analysed for working as of attitude and perception to behave with group
members.
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 Attribute approach:
In this approach, employees' skills and working styles are identified that how he/she
handles situations (Dooren, Bouckaert and Halligan, 2015). On the basis of this analysis,
different ideas are generated for improving learning and working styles of employees of M&S.
 Quality approach:
This approach is to measure worker's quality work and ability to team work by which good
coordination is recognised among members (Li and et.al., 2013). Therefore, quality and working
style of individual can be improved at higher level influences his/her professional development.
M4) Critical evaluation on different performance management approaches
Performance management approaches are useful for measuring an individual's working
style and developing skills. On critical evaluation, it is evaluated that there can be gap between
analysing performance and working for improving it. Similarly, in case of workers' performance
same even after conducting training and development programs affect team work and
organisation's performance adversely (Han and et.al., 2014). Therefore, it is essential for M&S to
segment work according to consulting with workers and analysing their performance within
team.
D2) HPW and its mechanism to improve employees' performance
It is identified that HPW works for improving workers' learning attitude and working
style impact on professionalism and personality. In this regard, quality of performance within
team for achieving entity's goals can be improved on large scale (Zheng and et.al., 2016).
Therefore, workers can increase their performance and contribution regarding working in team
effectively.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that considering an individual's performance within team is essential for
encouraging him/her for better performance. In this regard, skills and knowledge required for HR
professionals of M&S are understood. Likewise, personal skills audit to enhance working ability
of Jane Cambridge (employee of the entity) is introduced. Moreover, requirement of continuous
learning has been recognised for team building and achieving company's objectives. Along with
this, contribution of HPW for employee engagement and improving business performance of
14

company is recognised. However, importance of individual and organisational development has
been understood to increase working efficiency and performance of workers effectively.
15

REFERENCE
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Ethical Climate in the Organisations. Sri Lankan Journal of Human Resource
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Brewster, C. and et.al., 2016. New Challenges for European Resource Management. Springer.
Cardona, P. and et.al., 2013. Manager-subordinate trust in different cultures. Routledge.
Dooren, W., Bouckaert, G. and Halligan, J., 2015. Performance management in the public
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Dowling, M., 2014. Enabling remote working: protecting the network. Network Security. 2(3),
pp. 18-20.
Han, M. and et.al., 2014. Pd nanoparticle assemblies—As the substitute of HRP, in their
biosensing applications for H 2 O 2 and glucose. Biosensors and Bioelectronics. 31(1).
pp.151-156.
Hill, H.R., Crowe, T.P. and Gonsalvez, C.J., 2016. Reflective dialogue in clinical supervision: A
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Kim, B. and et.al., 2015. Influence of dilute feed and pH on electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to
CO on Ag in a continuous flow electrolyzer. Electrochimica Acta. 166(5). pp.271-276.
Li, F. and et.al., 2013. A novel and versatile sensing platform based on HRP-mimicking
DNAzyme-catalyzed template-guided deposition of polyaniline. Biosensors and
Bioelectronics. 41(6). pp.903-906.
Matlay, H., 2013. HRD in Small Organisation, Research and Practice. Education+ Training.
Nickson, D. and Siddons, S., 2014. Remote Working. Routledge.
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Purser, H.R. and Jarrold, C., 2013. Poor phonemic discrimination does not underlie poor verbal
short-term memory in Down syndrome. Journal of experimental child psychology.
115(1). pp.1-15.
Richardson, J. and Kelliher, C., 2015. Managing visibility for career sustainability: a study of
remote workers. Handbook of Research on Sustainable Careers. 45(3). pp. 116-123.
Tsuge, S., Furutani, A. and Ikawa, Y., 2014. Regulatory network of hrp gene expression in
Xanthomonas oryzae . Journal of general plant pathology. 80(4). pp.303-313.
Vanhala, M. and Ritala, P., 2016. HRM practices, impersonal trust and organizational
innovativeness. Journal of Managerial Psychology. 31(1). pp.95-109.
Wang, Z. and Sarkis, J., 2013. Investigating the relationship of sustainable supply chain
management with corporate financial performance. International Journal of Productivity
and Performance Management. 62(8). pp. 871-888.
Watt, S., 2016. ‘Get with the Programme’: Human Resource Management a Risky Strategy?.
Risks, Identities and the Everyday. 9(5). pp.91-99.
Wright, P.M., Guest, D. and Paauwe, J., 2015. Off the Mark: Response to Kaufman's Evolution
of Strategic HRM. Human Resource Management. 54(3). pp.409-415.
Zheng, L. and et.al., 2016. Pointing out the gap between academic research and supporting
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Online
Levels of individual and organisational learning. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.slideshare.net/saransuriyan/organisational-behaviour-ppt>.
Professional development. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://learningforward.org/docs/pdf/why_pd_matters_web.pdf>.
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