Importance of Continuous Learning and Professional Development in Driving Business Performance

This report discusses the importance of continuous learning and professional development in driving business performance. It explores how it helps in gaining a competitive edge, satisfying employee needs, and filling skills gaps. The report also includes an analysis of the Kolb reflective cycle.

Developing
Individuals Teams
and Organisations

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SECTION -1....................................................................................................................................3
PART-A...........................................................................................................................................3
Evaluation of knowledge, skills and behaviour required as HR Adviser....................................3
Personal skill audit.......................................................................................................................4
Personal development Plan..........................................................................................................6
Online Assessment...........................................................................................................................8
Difference between individual and organisation learning, training and development...............8
PART –B.........................................................................................................................................8
Importance of continuous learning professional development in driving business performance8
SECTION -2....................................................................................................................................9
Evaluation of the way high performance work contribution in employees engagements and
competitive advantages................................................................................................................9
Different approaches to performance management to support high performance culture and
commitment...............................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Employer before selecting best candidate for organisation to perform specific task
analysis existing skills, capabilities and knowledge of individual so that it can perform task in
best possible manner and company can easily expand its business operation. Individual learn new
skills, knowledge through academic studies and previous experienced of it to perform particular
task in specific manner in order to get standard outcomes. This report discuss about High town
that is charitable trust that is operating its business with main aim to provide support and
affordable homes to people. It discuss about key professional knowledge, skills and behaviour
required by HR professionals. The report also evaluates importance of continuous learning cycle
and professional development in growth and success of enterprise. It has also analysis the way
high performance working contributed in employee’s engagement and gain competitive
advantages.
SECTION -1
PART-A
Evaluation of knowledge, skills and behaviour required as HR Adviser
In order to perform task as HR Adviser various skills, knowledge and behaviour are
required to suggest other manager regarding terms and condition, performance management and
the way relationship can be maintained with employees. Therefore several skills, knowledge and
behaviour that I required as HR advisor in Hightown can be illustrated as below:
Decision making ability: I should have ability to take crucial decision in order to assist or
support manager of Hightown regarding the way policies and procedure that need to be framed,
the way issue can be resolved in the enterprise and the way chance of absentees can be managed
for growth and sustainability of business (Limwichitr, Broady-Preston and Ellis, 2016). I should
have decision making skills in order to provide recommendation to manager the way different
issue can be resolved and various external changes can be accepted for smooth operation.
Communication skills: Another skills which I required as HR advisor in Hightown is effective
communication skills in order to help or assist manager in implementing various policies and
roles, responsibilities that need to be performed by each individual within firm (Oh and et.al.,

2017). Communications skills also help me to formulate official proposal, letter and email that
clearly specific relationship or agreement between firm and employees.
Knowledge about various legal Laws: I also need to have knowledge of several legal laws that
are made by government such as employment law, health and safety law, equality act and
minimum wages paid to each employee in order to ensure implementation of all statutory laws
for smooth operation of firm. Such knowledge helps me to easily review organisation
employment policies and procedures have been implemented in Hightown as per legal
compliance.
Knowledge about recent technologies: Due to development of technology and digitalisation
information technology need to be presented in each individual has become important to get
good job at reputable firm (Sharma and Raghuvanshi, 2020). IT skills as HR advisor help in
collecting huge information about customer’s preferences, employees performance or actual
sales of firm. So, by using information technology I can easily analysis and evaluates data related
to number of customers services have been delivered to take accurate decision to assist manager.
Positive attitude and Attractive personality: In order to provide advice I must have positive
attitude and attractive personality so that other person listens to my suggestion regarding
discipline rules, method which can be used to resolve grievance (Limwichitr, Broady-Preston
and Ellis, 2016). Positive behaviour and ethical practices helps in promoting values and moral
principle in work places so that employees can be motivated to work hard for growth and success
of firm.
Personal skill audit
Personal skills audit or SWOT analysis helps in identifying key areas in which my strength
lies and where I need to improve to effective performed my roles and responsibilities as HR
advisor in Hightown. It also helps in enumerating number of opportunities in future circumstance
and threat which can created hinder or barrier for performing different function as HR advisor.
Therefore personal skills audit is as follows:
Strength: I am good at oral communication which helps me to easily share my view, ideas to
other people by use of appropriate body languages and gestures so that other individual
understand meaning in similar manner (Oh and et.al., 2017). I have positive attitude and creative

thinking which helps me to find new ideas or method to resolve specific problem as HR advisor
for effective growth of enterprise. I can advise good strategies and plan to HR manager to
perform its respective task.
Weakness: There are some skills, knowledge in which I lack so I have to enhance them in order
to perform by respective job in best suitable manner. I have critically analysed that while making
any decision I deeply analysis situation and its outcome in order to get better results which takes
lot of time or may lead to miss of opportunities. Less knowledge related to various legal laws
that HR advisor need to follow while performing task in order to protect firm form various
penalty and better satisfaction of customers requirements. I am unable to use information
technology to analysed various data and information in order to take correct decision or suggest
effective solution.
Opportunities: I have several opportunities in future career if I will improve my skills to tale
correct decision within limited time period and enhance knowledge about legal law made by
government that need to be considered by HR manager while performing different activities
(Rana and Malik, 2017). I can able to become successful HR advisor in future If I work on my
analytical and decision making skills.
Threat: It can be stated that unemployment and competition in economy is increasing at rapid
stage which is one of the most important threat in my future career. Employer have wide option
to select best candidate or HR advisor for organisation so increasing number of candidates with
more knowledge, skills can act as threat in my future career.
Skills 1 2 3 4 5
Time
management
skills
✓
Technology
skills
✓

Decision
making skills
✓
Communicati
on
✓
Reflection
It can be stated from above analysis that I need to overcome by decision making and
time management skills for getting employment in huge organisation. At the same time above
analysis illustrated that I have ability to communicate orally as well as written which will
contributed in formulating various letter or proposal related to employment contract to clarify
interrelationship between firm and employees (Bourne and et.al., 2018). Therefore, SWOT
analysis helps me in identifying keys areas that I need to improve in order to achieve my
personal and professional goals.
Personal development Plan
Development
objectives
Priority Activities that
need to be
undertaken
Resources Time frame Criteria for success
To enhance
knowledge
related to
various legal
laws and
contract for
giving proper
advise to
manager of
firm.
High
priority
I have planned
to read about
various laws
made by
government that
need to be
considered by
HR manager
while recruiting,
planning for
development
I will required
internet
connection and
computer, books
to know about
recent laws of
government.
1-2 Month will be
required to me to
enhanced my
knowledge related
to different laws
and contract for
assisting HR
manager (
Sedgwick, 2020).
It can be evaluated
by analysing
knowledge I have
regarding different
laws that need to be
practiced in firm for
smooth operation of
business.

and transfer or
dismissal of
employees.
To learn
ability to
take
accurate
decision
within
minimum
time frame
for effective
utilisation of
available
opportunities
or removal of
challenges
Medium
Priority
In order to
develop good
decision making
skills I have
decided to learn
from senior or
leaders that take
correct decision
in less time for
benefits of firm
and employees.
Books that have
various problem
can help me in
finding
appropriate
solution or taking
decision. Internet
to use social media
platform to know
the way
entrepreneur make
decision for
growth and
success of
enterprise.
It will required
approximately 3-4
month for learning
ability to take
decision and
suggested to others.
Outcome of decision
taken can be used to
evaluated success of
development of
skills.
To have
effective
command
and
knowledge
of technical
skills in order
to effective
gather and
analysed
various
information
of firm
High
priority
For
development of
information
technology
skills I have
decided to more
use of
innovative
technology to
analysed data,
to gathered
specific
Information.
For it internet and
information
technology will be
required (
Bourne and et.al.,
2018.).
As per my point of
view it will take
time frame of
around 5-6 months
to have completed
knowledge and
skills the way
different
technology can be
used to analysed
data.
It can be evaluated
by analysis by
command on
Information
technology and data
analysed.
Reflection

It can be critically reflected from above analysis that Personal development plan helps in
identifying various resources, strategies which could helps me to improve my existing skills for
become HR advisors. By setting specific target in (PDP plan) which each skills need to be
developed has motivated and inspired me to take crucial steps to increase my level of knowledge
and skills for getting better employment opportunities in future circumstances. The above PDP
have improved my three skills that is technical, decision making and knowledge that is required
to performed responsibilities as HR advisor.
Online Assessment
Difference between individual and organisation learning, training and development
It can be stated that terms organisation and individual learning, training and development
have lot of difference. In individual training and learning process single person use its own
previous experienced to do similar activities in best possible manner in future circumstances.
Individual itself analyse its key strength and weakness in order to plan effective solution to
develop skills, knowledge for getting reputable position or promotion, growth in organisation.
Individual focused on its own growth and development rather than group thus join several
training or academic in order to learn the way new skills, knowledge can be used to perform
particular task in best possible manner (Iqbal and et.al., 2019). On the other hand organisation
training and development program is wider term as compared to individual as number of people
learns new skills through transfer of knowledge, experienced from one person to another.
Hightown house manager by organising several training and development program can easily
enhance knowledge and skills of existing employees or staff so that better services can be render
to customers. Open communication and definite organisation structure of high town have
contributed in exchanges of knowledge, skills from one staff member to another for growth and
success of firm.
PART –B
Importance of continuous learning professional development in driving business performance
Continuous professional development
Continuous professional development is a termed that means individual learn various
skills and knowledge continuously or at each stage of life in order to grow and develop in near
future. People acquire knowledge’s or learn new things from environment, academic studies and

experienced that they get while performing professional work. There are several reason that
critically stated that continuous professional development is importance in driving business
performance of Hightown (Jääskeläinen and Roitto, 2016). Such as:
Importance of continuous professional development
Helps company in gaining competitive edge: It can be stated that HR manager of Hightown
have organised various training and development program for people so that they can learn or
develop new skills, knowledge and capabilities to perform task in best possible manner. Thus, it
contributed towards improving performance of employees and better customer services so
company can easily get competitive advantages as compared to others.
Satisfaction of employees needs: Another needs and importance of continuous learning process
is that it helps in better satisfaction of employees needs as hightown through continuous
development have enhanced confidence level and expertise to perform specific task within
minimum number of errors. Thus, it can be stated that motivated and satisfied employees of
hightown ensured that they delivered best and qualitative services to customers for long term
growth and success of enterprise.
Helps in filling skills gap: It is another advantage of continuous learning process as it helps in
filling skills gaps within hightown for quick delivery of services (Prakash and et.al., 2017).
Employees of firm can easily adapt to external changes and learn new skills, knowledge that are
required for performing various task for achievement of company objectives.
Kolb reflective cycle
There are key four elements in Kolb reflective cycle that can be stated as follows:
Concentrate experiments: As a HR Advisor in High town I have realised from various
experiments that continuous learning professional development contributed in driving business
performance.
Reflective observation: I have observed that employees were easily ready to accept several
changes as they have ability to learn and develop new skills for performance of task (Gupta and
Pathak, 2018).

Extract conceptualisation: It can be stated that above experiments I have learned that most of
the people learn while communicating or sharing information with each other in firm.
Active experiments: I have advice HR manager to give priority to continuous learning
professional development that resulted in more motivation and increase in performance of
employees as number of errors and mistake have been minimised (Jääskeläinen and Roitto,
2016).).
SECTION -2
Evaluation of the way high performance work contribution in employees engagements and
competitive advantages
High performance working
High performance working can be defined as combination of various HR practices that
contributed in increasing productivity and performance of employees within firm. Or in another
term it HR manager focus on increasing overall performance of individual so that needs of large
number of customers can be fulfilled and it can earn maximum amount of profitability (Harries,
2018). Organisational structure, policies and procedure are some of the elements of high
performance work that impact on employee’s productivity. Hightown HR manager have make
effective utilisation of resources, provide good working environment and define interrelationship
among employees to reduce labour turnover and employees engagements. It can be stated that
definite organisation structure, standard policies of HR and clearly define roles and
responsibilities that need to be performed by each individual helps in more engagement of
employees as well as contributed firm in gaining competitive advantages. Some of key elements
or aspects that contributed in importance of implementation of HPW in Hightown can be
illustrated as follows:
Key elements of implementation of HPW
Effective communication: It can be illustrated that effective and open communication have
contributed in better coordination and cooperation of various individual to work as a team for
common objectives (Lin and Sanders, 2017). Employees of Hightown are free to share their
respective feeling, views, ideas to other people thus it have reduced chance of conflict and
confusion regarding activities or task that need to be performed by each individual. Thus, HPW

has contributed in better coordination or engagement of employees and effective achievement of
organisational goals.
Performance measurements: Another aspect of HPW is performance measurements which
stated that manager of Hightown by measuring performance of each employee is able to
identified lazy individual thus plan strategies to motivate them to work effective so that it can
gain competitive advantages. Manager encourages and motivates employees to share their
respective feedback or grievance which they are facing while working in organisation. So it can
be illustrated that HPW contributed in employee engagement and expansion, growth of
enterprise in competitive market.
Effective leadership: It can be stated that leaders of Hightown by providing guidance and
support to employees regarding particular task that need to be performed in specific manner has
helped in more engagement. It provides common vision or objectives that need to be achieved by
particular team by individual performing their respective task (Savolainen and Ikonen, 2016).
Leaders of Hightown have effectively motivated and inspired individual to put their best so that
company can gain competitive advantages so it have reduce labour turnover.
Different approaches to performance management to support high performance culture and
commitment
Performance management
Performance management is a process or function performed by HR manager so that
organisation can attaint its respective objectives. It plan, allocate or organise various resources so
that employees can perform task in effective way for growth of business. Manager through using
information technology is able to gathered information related to actual performance of
employees and find better solutions to enhance their productivity (Lin and Sanders, 2017). There
are various approached of performance management that support high performance culture and
commitment in Hightown can be stated as follows:
Approached of performance management
Collaborative working: It can be illustrated that collaborative working is one of the best
approached for performance management in Hightown. Manager of company have pay emphasis
on promoting collaborative working practices within firm so that social needs of employees can
be fulfilled and company can get competitive advantages. Employees that have similar skills,
knowledge and capabilities are assigned specific task which they need to do together as a team

for accomplishment of objectives (Quandt and Castilho, 2017). Performance of task in group or
team helps contributed in integration and collaborative working practices in the firm thus more
satisfaction of employees needs.
Reward and incentives: It is another approaches that have been used for high performance
working as in this employees are rewarded and recognised for their hard efforts towards
achievement of goals. Several methods are used by HR manager to rewards employees so that
they can be motivated to put their best so that company can easily expand its business and
retained customer’s satisfaction (Limwichitr, Broady-Preston and Ellis, 2016). Employees of
Hightown are promoted or incentives are provided to them for devoting extra time, efforts and
energy so that company can achieve its objectives. Therefore, such performance management
approached have contributed to high performance culture and commitment of employees.
360 Degree feedback mechanism: It is last approached of performance management that helps
in increasing employee’s commitment and high performance culture in hightown. Both managers
and employees are free to share their respective feeling, ideas that help in brining innovation,
creative and enhancing learning skills of individual. Most of the employees of High town feel
valued, respected and motivated to be part of such a organisation as it take importance to their
ideas in decision making (Limwichitr, Broady-Preston and Ellis, 2016). Therefore, it can be
stated that feedback from employees helps manager to plan strategies or take accurate decision
so that wants of both employees and customers can be satisfied. Manager of High town house by
directly communicating or sharing policies, procedure of firm has contributed in high
performance culture and strong commitment of employees.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from above analysis that there are several skills, knowledge that are
required by HR advisor to perform its respective roles and responsibilities. Continuous learning
professional developments contributed in improving existing knowledge of individual and
motivate it to accept recent changes for better performance of business. It can also be concluded
from above analysis that different approaches of performance management helped company in
gaining competitive advantages and retained its market share.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bourne, M and et.al., 2018. Performance measurement and management: a system of systems
perspective. International Journal of Production Research, 56(8). pp.2788-2799.
Gupta, S. and Pathak, G. S., 2018. Virtual team experiences in an emerging economy: a
qualitative study. Journal of Organizational Change Management.
Harries, K., 2018, December. An innovative approach to knowledge management for
humanitarian organisations. In Asia Pacific Humanitarian Leadership Conference
Proceedings (pp. 1-4).
Iqbal, A and et.al., 2019. From knowledge management to organizational performance. Journal
of Enterprise Information Management.
Jääskeläinen, A. and Roitto, J. M., 2016. Visualization techniques supporting performance
measurement system development. Measuring Business Excellence.
Limwichitr, S., Broady-Preston, J. and Ellis, D., 2016. Developing a model for investigating
academic libraries as learning organisations. Proceedings of the IDIMC, pp.54-65.
Lin, C. H. and Sanders, K., 2017. HRM and innovation: a multi‐level organisational learning
perspective. Human Resource Management Journal, 27(2). pp.300-317.
Oh, I. S and et.al., 2017. Human capital factors affecting human resource (HR) managers'
commitment to HR and the mediating role of perceived organizational value on
HR. Human Resource Management, 56(2). pp.353-368.
Prakash, A and et.al., 2017. Productivity, quality and business performance: an empirical
study. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management.
Quandt, C. O. and Castilho, M. F. D., 2017. Relationship between collaboration and
innovativeness: a case study in an innovative organisation. International Journal of
Innovation and Learning, 21(3). pp.257-273.
Rana, M. H. and Malik, M. S., 2017. Impact of human resource (HR) practices on organizational
performance. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and
Management.
Savolainen, T. and Ikonen, M., 2016. Process dynamics of trust development: Exploring and
illustrating emergence in the team context. In Trust, Organizations and Social
Interaction. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Sedgwick, F., 2020. Personal, social and moral education. Routledge.
Sharma, A. and Raghuvanshi, R., 2020. Informal Learning: An Innovative HR Practice for Skill
Enhancement of Employee. Available at SSRN 3641467.